The Tennessee State Library and Archives has microfilmed copies of older deeds for every county in Tennessee. The deeds records are arranged by the name of the seller/buyer (grantor/grantee). We do not have a means to search for a deed record by knowing the area, address, or longitude & latitude of the property. Information for ordering deed records can be found in Ordering Records. To see inventories of what deed year coverage we have for each county, see our county inventories of microfilmed records.
When a deed search is requested, we follow these procedures:
We locate the cumulative index (if available), usually in a book separate from the deed books. If there is no cumulative index, we use the index appearing in each volume of deeds.
We check to see if the index indicates the date of the deed. If it does, we search the portion of the index covering the dates requested for the name requested.
If the dates are not shown in the index entries, we determine which deeds books were in use during the dates requested in the search. For example: if the request is for a deed dated 1860-1865, and we find that Deed Book C covered 1856-1861 and Deed Book D covered 1861-1866, we would search that portion of the index that includes entries for Deed Books C and D.
Within the time period requested, we look for deeds matching the name of the person requested. Both grantor (seller) and grantee (buyer) indexes are searched. Deed indexes are not always completely alphabetized, but only grouped under each letter of the alphabet. For example: to locate deeds for Jasper Bates, we scan the entire letter & #8220;B” in the index.
If an entry matching the request is found, we copy the deed and mail it to the client.
If more than one matching entry is found, we copy the index pages containing them and mail them to the client, with instructions to select one to be copied at the standard fee.
If no related entry is found, we advise the client that the index was searched, indicating the dates covered by the search.
Deeds are not always recorded in the year they are written, so a deed written in 1865 but not recorded until 1875 will not be located using this search strategy. We have no way of ascertaining whether a deed was recorded when it was written. Name of grantor is not always the expected name; some properties are sold by power of attorney, sheriff or court clerk to satisfy a legal judgment, so the deed would be indexed under the name of that person.
Please note: Archival materials are available for retrieval between the hours of 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you know you will need materials between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, please call ahead to the Public Services section at 615-741-2764 or visit the Ask Us a Question! web page. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
What does Title VI do?
Prohibits entities from denying an individual any service, financial aid, or other benefit because of race, color or national origin.
Prohibits entities from providing a different service or benefit or providing these in a different manner from those provided to others under the program.
Prohibits segregation or separate treatment in any manner related to receiving program services or benefits.
Prohibits entities from requiring different standards or conditions as prerequisites for serving individuals.
Encourages the participation of minorities as members of planning or advisory bodies for programs receiving federal funds.
Prohibits discriminatory activity in a facility built in whole or part with Federal funds.
Requires information and services to be provided in languages other than English when significant numbers of beneficiaries are of limited English speaking ability.
Requires entities to notify the respective population about applicable programs.
Prohibits locating facilities in any way that would limit or impede access to a Federally funded service or benefit.
Requires assurance of nondiscrimination in purchasing of services.
The Library and Archives will, for a fee, search a five year date span in the indexed minutes from the County or Quarterly Court, Circuit Court, or Chancery Court. Please go to Ordering Records for instructions on ordering a court record.
The records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives are open to the public. You are welcome to come in 8:00am - 4:30pm (Central Time) Tuesday through Saturday to search the court records yourself & make your own copies for research. Please see the Tennessee State Library and Archives Visitors Page for information on directions, parking, and holiday hours.
Please note: Archival materials are available for retrieval between the hours of 8:00 am – 12:00 pm and 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm. If you know you will need materials between 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm, please call ahead to the Public Services section at 615-741-2764 or visit the Ask Us a Question! web page. We will do our best to accommodate your request.
Who must comply?
State and local government: Agencies distributing federal assistance or entities distributing federal assistance to the state or local government entity.
Higher education: college, university, or other post-secondary institution
Local education agency or system of vocational education, or other school system
An entire corporation, partnership, or other private organization, or an entire sole proprietorship
The entire plant or private corporation or other organization which is a geographically separate facility to which federal financial assistance is extended.
What is Title VI?
Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act says, ”No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color or national origin, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefit of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.” 42 U.S.C.§2000d
How do I get the books?
All special library materials--books, magazines and playback equipment--are circulated through the mail postage free. Patrons must borrow books each year to remain eligible for the service.
What does Title VI not do?
Does not apply to Federal assistance provided through insurance or guaranty contracts, (e.g. FHA loan insurance).
Does not apply to employment, except where employment practices result in discrimination against program beneficiaries or where the purpose of the Federal assistance is to provide employment.
Does not apply to direct benefit programs such as Social Security.
Does not apply only to contracts and set-aside programs.
How do I start the service?
You must first complete an application for service and send it to the Tennessee library. All states provide the service for their residents.
How do I know what titles are available?
Bimonthly magazines will tell you about newly released books and related library services: Talking Book Topics and Braille Book Review. You may also order general catalogs. You can always call the library to ask about authors and titles. The National Library Service catalog is searchable online.
How do I play the talking books?
Special playback equipment is loaned to patrons who use the library service. Books and magazines in the TLABM collection are recorded at a slower speed than conventional recordings and the books require special players. Players are mailed to patrons postage free. The library repairs and replaces equipment as necessary. For patrons who wish to purchase their own equipment, a vendor list is available.
What is TSLA Record Certification?
If needed, the Library and Archives can certify a copy of a record held in our collection. There is a fee of $5.00 to certify one copy of the document, in addition to the initial search fee. If you wish for more than one copy of a record to be certified, each additional certification is $5.00.
If you think certification may be needed, please indicate this when the initial copy order is placed, as we cannot certify after-the-fact any copies that have left our facility. We cannot certify copies of items that we have not copied ourselves. If you decide at a later date that you need items certified that you have already received, we will have to charge you for the order a second time and re-copy all the materials.
The Library and Archives cannot certify electronic copies (scans) of documents.
If you pay in advance for a record search and certification and the record is not located, neither the search fee nor the certification fee are refundable. For this reason, when searching for a record that you wish to have certified, the Library and Archives suggests that you use our downloadable forms and pay by credit card. If you pay by credit card and a record is not located, then you will not be charged the additional $5.00 certification fee.
What is provided?
The library service loans recorded, large print and braille books and magazines, music scores in large print and braille and special playback equipment. The TLABM book collection of over 50,000 titles includes popular fiction and nonfiction, best sellers, classics, history, biographies, religious literature, children's books and books in foreign language. There are over 70 popular magazines available. Go to Available Materials to find out more.
How does Title VI apply to Public Policy?
Title VI is a mechanism that directs the federal financial assistance, which drives or promotes economic development. By legislative mandate, Title VI examines the following public policy issues:
Accessibility for all persons
Infrastructure development
Accountability in public funds expenditures
Minority participation in decision making
Disparate impact
Program service delivery
Economic empowerment
Public-Private partnerships in part or whole with public funds
Environmental Justice
Site and location of facilities
What “Programs or Activities” are covered by Title VI?
To ensure the broad, institution wide application of Title VI and other civil rights statutes Congress passed The Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. This act clarifies the definition of “programs and activities” covered by the nondiscrimination provisions of civil rights statutes. The revised definition states that discrimination is prohibited throughout an entire agency or institution, if any part of that agency or institution receives Federal financial assistance.
Examples:
(A) a department, agency, special purpose district, or other instrumentality of a state or local government; or (B) the entity of such state or local government that distributes such assistance and each such department or agency (and each other state or local government entity) to which the assistance is extended, in the case of assistance to a state or local government;
(A) a college, university, or other postsecondary institution, or a public system of education; or system of vocational education, or other school system.
Title VI applies to discrimination throughout an agency, not just to actions involving the federally assisted program. Therefore, if an agency receives any federal financial assistance for any program or activity the entire agency is required to comply with Title VI, not just that particular program. Example: The Harriet Tubman Express program receives money from HUD, the agency /division that Harriet Tubman Express programs are under (Health Services) must also be in compliance with Title VI rules and regulations.
What is Federal Financial Assistance?
Federal financial assistance means more than just money. It is also aid that enhances the ability to improve or expand allocation of a recipient’s own resources.
Examples:
Student aid (releases recipient’s funds for other uses)
Training of employees (permits better use of the employer)