Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Monroe County

Monroe County

Monroe County was formed in 1819 from Indian lands

(Public Acts of Tennessee 1819, Chapter 7)

The county seat is Madisonville.

There were fires at the Monroe County
courthouse in the 1820s and 1960.

 

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Selected Published County Histories

Additional county and community histories can be found at the Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources: Monroe County. The items in the bibliography may not all be available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.  

 

Published Local Records

 

Local Records on Microfilm

An inventory of microfilmed Monroe County records is available on our website.  Individual reels of microfilm may also be purchased.  

Earliest records include:

 

The following reels are available on interlibrary loan from the Library and Archives:

 

Newspapers on Microfilm

Newspapers were published in Madisonville and Sweetwater.  Scattered early issues are available from 1839, and a complete run begins in 1946. Microfilms are loaned to Tennessee libraries.  Individual reels may also be purchased.  An Inventory of Newspapers on Microfilm at the Library and Archives is available on our website.

 

Search for Manuscripts Material in our Catalog 

 

Census Records

 

Additional Research Aids for Monroe County

• County Index to Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications
• Early Tennessee Tax Lists at the Tennessee State Library and Archives
• Funeral Home Records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933
• School Census Records
• Tennessee World War I Veterans

* Indicates this title may be borrowed on Interlibrary Loan from the Library and Archives.

 

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Monroe County Formation Act

ACTS OF TENNESSEE 1819, CHAPTER 7:

 

"An Act to establish the counties therein mentioned, east of Rhea and south of Roane and Blount counties."

 

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, That the territory contained within the lines hereafter mentioned, shall constitute a county the name of M’Minn County.

SECTION 2. BE IT ENACTED, That the said county of M’Minn, shall be bounded as follows, to wit:  Beginning at the point where the meridian line will cross the line of Roane County; thence a direct line to a point which shall be equidistant from Tillasseh, on the Tennessee, and Hiwassee on the Indian boundary line; continuing the same course to the southern boundary line of this state; thence west with said line to the county of Hamilton; thence with the eastern line of said county to the county of Rhea; thence with the lines of the county of Rhea to the county of Roane; thence to the beginning.

SECTION 3. BE IT ENACTED, That all the Territory included in the lines hereafter mentioned shall constitute a county by the name of Monroe county.

SECTION 4. BE IT ENACTED, That the said county of Monroe shall be bounded as follows, to wit: beginning at the beginning of M’Minn county; thence running eastwardly with the line of Roane county to the Tennessee river; thence up said river to the mouth of Cowee and Nanteyallee; thence with the dividing ridge between said rivers to the eastern boundary line of this state; thence south with the said line to the line dividing this state from the state of Georgia; thence west to the county of M’Minn; thence with the said county to the beginning.

SECTION 5. BE IT ENACTED, That for the administration of Justice, the courts of Pleas and Quarter sessions and the circuit courts in said counties shall be held at the following places, to-wit: For the county of M’Minn, at the house of Major John Walker, and for the county of Monroe, at the house of William Dixon, on the south bank of Little Tennessee opposite the town of Morganton, at which places the said courts shall be holden, until otherwise provided for by law, under the same rules, regulations and restrictions, and shall exercise the same power and jurisdiction that is possessed by said courts, in other counties of this state.

SECTION 6. BE IT ENACTED, That the sheriffs of the counties of Monroe and M’Minn, shall each hold an election at the places appointed for holding courts in said counties on the first Friday and Saturday in May next, for the purpose of electing field officers of the Militia for said counties, under the same rules, regulations and restrictions, as are prescribed by law in similar cases; and the militia of the county of Monroe shall compose the sixty sixth regiment, and shall be attached to the seventh brigade; and the militia of the county of M’Minn shall compose the sixty seventh regiment, and be attached as aforesaid.

SECTION 7. BE IT ENACTED, That it shall be the duty of the commandants of said sixty-sixth, and sixty-seventh regiments, having first been commissioned and sworn according to law, to divide their regiments into such number of companies, as they shall think best, for the convenience of said companies, and it shall be the duty of each of said commandants, to issue writs of election for company officers according to law.

SECTION 8. BE IT ENACTED, That said county of Monroe shall be attached to the election district of the county of Blount, and to be governed by the same rules and regulations as other elections are held in Blount County, and the sheriff of Monroe County shall make return of the votes of his county for electors to elect a president and vice president, governor, members to congress and members to the state Legislature, to the sheriff of Blount County, under the same rules and regulations as for other counties; and that said county of M’Minn shall be attached to the election district of the county of Rhea under the same rules and regulations as govern the counties of Monroe and Blount.

SECTION 9. BE IT ENACTED, That it shall be lawful for any justice of the peace for Blount County, to attend at the first court for said county of Monroe, and any justice of the peace for Rhea county may attend the first court in the county of M’Minn for the purpose of administering the necessary oaths to the justices of said courts.

 

Passed on November 18, 1819

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Monroe County Bibliography

 PLEASE NOTE that the Tennessee State Library and Archives does not hold copies of all of the items listed in this bibliography. Please check the Tennessee State Library and Archives Online Catalog or visit the Ask Us a Question! web page to contact the Library and Archives and verify we have an item in our collection. We will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

Subjects :

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Monroe County in General

• Anderson, Larry. Ain't no cholesterol on Paint Rock. Knoxville, Spectrum Communications, 1989. 115 pp.
• Anderson, Larry. BMWs, Volvos & chawing tobaker!. Knoxville, Spectrum Communications, 1990. 136 pp.
• Anderson, Larry. Down the road from Cedar Fork, or where I learned about the hoop snake. Sweetwater, the author, 1993. 106 pp.
• Best, Edwin T. "Stars & coffee grounds." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 6 (1940), pp. 23-30.
• Biographical directory, TN General Assembly, 1796-1969 (Monroe County, Preliminary # 24). Nashville, TSLA, 1971. 44 pp.
• Blount County Planning Comm. Comprehensive plan, Blount, Loudon, Monroe counties, TN. N.p., 1970. 1 vol.
• Bogan, Arthur E. A zooarchaeological analysis of vertebrate remains from Chota-tanasi, a historic Cherokee village in east TN. UT thesis, 1976. 156 pp.
• Bogan, Arthur E. "Faunal remains from the historic Cherokee occupation at Citico (40MR7), Monroe County, TN." TN Anthrop. 8 (1983), pp. 28-49.
• Brewer, Alberta & Carson Brewer. Valley so wild: a folk history. Knoxville, ETHS, 1975. 382 pp.
• Burnett, Edmund C. "Big Creek's response to the coming of the railroad: "Old Buncombe" promotes the better life in a rural community." Ag. Hist. 21 (1947), pp. 129-148.
• Carberry, Michael. Historic sites in Blount, Cocke, Monroe & Sevier counties. N.p., East TN Dev. Dist., 1973. pp.
• Carter, Mark W. Stratigraphy & structure of part of the western Blue Ridge foothills, Polk & Monroe counties, TN. UT thesis, 1994. 233 pp.
• Chapman, Jefferson. The Icehouse Bottom site, 40MR23. Knoxville, UT Dept. Anthrop., 1973. 146 pp.
• Chapman, Jefferson. "The Kittrell mound & an assessment of burial mound construction in the southern ridge & valley province." TN Anthrop. 12 (1987), pp. 51-73.
• Chapman, Jefferson. The Rose Island site & the bifurcate point tradition. Knoxville, UT Dept. Anthrop., 1975. 296 pp.
• Cox, Elizabeth. Familiar ground. NY, Atheneum, 1984. 220 pp. (fiction)
• Flood insurance study: Monroe County, TN, unincorporated areas. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1991. 1 vol.
• Glassie, Henry. "The old barns of Appalachia." Mtn. Life & Work 41 (1965), pp. 21-30.
• Goodspeed's history of east TN (Monroe County, pp. 307-811, 994-1012). Goodspeed, 1887.
• Hight, James R. Grade A milk producers in Monroe County, TN. Knoxville, UT, 1967. 161 pp. (three special problems in lieu of thesis, UT)
• Irwin, Ned. "The legend of Eve Mills." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 14 (1948), pp. 28-30.
• Kimball, Larry R. An analysis of residential camp site structure for two early archaic assemblages from Rose Island (40MR44), TN. UT thesis, 1981. 91 pp.
• Lenoir, William B. History of Sweetwater Valley. Sweetwater, n.p., 1916. 414 pp.
• Lenoir, William B. "Monroe County & the town of Sweetwater." (In East TN, hist. & biog., pp. 407-417)
• McKinney, R. Frank. Torment in the knobs. Athens, McMinn County Hist. Soc. 230 pp. (fiction)
• Malter, Jeffry L. The flora of Citico Creek Wilderness Study Area, Cherokee National Forest, Monroe County, TN. UT thesis, 1977. 117 pp.
• Mineral resources of the Citico Creek Wilderness Study Area, Monroe County, TN. Reston, VA, US Geol. Survey, 1979. 33 pp.
• Monroe County, 1980-1987: an economic analysis. Nashville, TN Dept. Emp. Sec., 1988. 12 pp.
• Monroe County Dev. Comm. Overall economic development program, Monroe County, TN. N.p., 1969. 98 pp.
• Monroe County, TN. Prepared by the Monroe County Existing Industry Comm. & the Office of Ind. Dev. N.p., 1981. 36 pp.
• Patten, Z. Cartter. "A history of the mansion on the Tellico River." THQ 10 (1951), pp. 366-369.
• Polhemus, Richard R. Archaeological investigations of the Tellico Blockhouse site (40MR50): a federal military & trade complex. Chattanooga, TVA, 1979. 335 pp.
• Polhemus, Richard R. The Toqua site: 40MR6: a late Mississippian, Dallas phase town. Knoxville, TVA, 1987. 2 vols.
• Prestwich, Jeffery L. A survival study of eastern wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris), on the Cumberland Springs Wildlife Management Area, TN. TTU thesis, 1977. 84 pp.
• Ray, Worth S. Early days in Monroe County, TN. Austin, TX, n.p., 1943. 26 pp. (unpublished typescript, found with "In the long, long ago")
• Rogers, E.G. "Switching for water." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 21 (1955), pp. 108- 111.
• Sands, Sarah G. History of Monroe County, TN. Baltimore, MD, Gateway Press, Inc., 1982. 2 vols.
• Schroedl, Gerald F. Archaeological contexts & assemblages at Martin Farm. Norris, TVA, 1985. 510 pp.
• Soil survey, Monroe County, TN. Washington, D.C., US GPO, 1981. 107 pp.
• Stanley, Isaac N. An educational & economic survey of Monroe County, TN. UT thesis, 1926. pp.
• A summary & preliminary interpretation of archaeological investigations at the Toqua site (40MR6). Knoxville, UT Dept. Anthrop., 1977. 37 pp.
• A survey of the seven TN public school systems in Blount, Loudon & Monroe counties. Knoxville? Submitted to Monroe County Bd. of Ed. Survey made by graduate students, UT, 1978. 96 pp.
• Summers, Fannie R. I remember... 1889-1977: recollections of Fannie Rhea Bachman Summers. Rogersville, n.p., 1977. 8 pp.
• TN Dept. Education. Survey report, Monroe County & Sweetwater schools. Nashville, the department, 1962. 1 vol.
• TN Dept. Transportation [county maps] issued periodically.
• TN Valley Authority. North Fork Citico watershed study: project summary report- 1960 to 1971 & report for water years 1970 & 1971. Knoxville, TVA, 1972. 34 pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Ind. Div. Agricultural-industrial survey of Monroe County, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1934. var. pp.
• Thompson, Jim. Thirty years across the far blue mountains. N.p., n.d.
• Timberlake new community general land use plan. N.p., TVA, 1976. 34 pp.
• US Geol. Survey [topographic maps] issued periodically. Quadrangles: Pattie Gap, Philadelphia, Loudon, Meadow, Niota, Sweetwater, Madisonville, Vonore, Tallassee, Calderwood, Englewood, Mt. Vernon, Rafter, Whiteoak Flats, Tapoco, Thecca, Tellico Plains, Bald River Falls, Big Junction, McFarland, Farner, Unaka, McDaniel Bald.

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Coker Creek

• Brown, Fred. Coker Creek: crossroads to history. Coker Creek, Ruritan Club, 1991. 110 pp.
• Hale, Robin C. Gold deposits of the Coker Creek district, Monroe County, TN. Nashville, TN Div. Geol., 1974. 93 pp.
• Whittle, Elizabeth. One turn of seasons: poems. Photography, graphic design & production by "Doc" Dockery. Cleveland, the author, 1980. 58 pp.

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Fort Loudoun

• Communique. Vol. 1, Nov., 1972- Apr., 1973. (monthly) Fort Loudoun Association.
• Cooke, Thomas H. "Old Fort Loudoun: the first English settlement in what is now the state of TN, & the Fort Loudoun massacre." THM 7 (1921), pp. 111-113.
• DeFilipis, M. ed. "An Italian account of Cherokee uprisings at Fort Loudoun & Fort Prince George, 1760-1761." NC Hist. Rev. 20 (1943), pp. 247- 258.
• Dewitt, John H. "Old Fort Loudoun." THM 3 (1917), pp. 250-256. (reprinted in TN old & new, vol. 1, pp. 61-68)
• Fort Loudoun newsletter. Vol. 1, July, 1955- July, 1963. (irregular). Fort Loudoun Association. (superseded by Fort Loudoun spectator)
• Fort Loudoun spectator. Vol. 1, June, 1964- Apr., 1974. (irregular) Fort Loudoun Association (supersedes the Fort Loudoun newsletter)
• Hamer, Philip M. Fort Loudoun on the Little TN. Raleigh, NC, Edwards & Broughton, 1925. 39 pp.
• Hamer, Philip M. "Anglo-French rivalry in the Cherokee country, 1754-1757." NC Hist. Rev. 2 (1925), pp. 303-322.
• Hamer, Philip M. "Fort Loudoun in the Cherokee War, 1758-1761." NC Hist. Rev. 2 (1925), pp. 442-558.
• Kelley, Paul. "Fort Loudoun: the after years, 1760-1960." THQ 20 (1961), pp. 303-322.
• Kelley, Paul. Historic Fort Loudoun. Vonore, Fort Loudoun Association, 1958. 42 pp.
• Kelly, James C. "Fort Loudoun: British stronghold in the TN country." ETHSP 50 (1978), pp. 72-91.
• Kunkel, Peter H. "Fort Loudoun archaeology: a summary of the structural problem." Nashville, TN Arch. Soc., 1960. 25 pp. (its Misc. paper #6)
• Morrison, A.J. "Fort Loudoun & its author." VA Mag. of Hist. 32 (1924), pp. 88-89.
• Murfree, Mary N. [pseud. Charles E. Craddock]. The story of old Fort Loudoun. NY, Macmillan, 1899. 409 pp. (reprinted by Gregg, 1970)
• Radford, P.M. "Old Fort Loudoun & Fort Loudoun (a century later)." AHM 2 (1897), pp. 33-44.
• Stone, Richard G., Jr. "Captain Paul Demere at Fort Loudoun, 1757, 1760." ETHSP 41 (1969), pp. 17-32.
• TN Valley Authority. Res. Prop. Man. Dept. Community readjustment studies of Fort Loudoun area. Knoxville, TVA, 1941. var. pp.

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Sweetwater

• Abernathy, Jeanette. I grew up with Sweetwater. N.p., n.d. 107 pp. (reprinted 1982, in cooperation with the Monroe County Chapter, ETHS)
• Kline, Christina B. Sweetwater. Hampton, NH, Curley Large Print, 1993. 394 pp. (fiction)
• Lenoir, William B. History of Sweetwater Valley. Sweetwater, n.p., 1916. 414 pp.
• McQuiddy, David & Melissa McQuiddy. History of the First United Methodist Church of Sweetwater, TN. N.p., the authors, 1992. pp.
• Mitchell, Reba H. Index to History of Sweetwater Valley, by W.B. Lenoir. Cleveland, privately printed, 1916. 18 pp. (reprinted 1976, 1989)
• Sweetwater Regional Plann. Comm. The population & economy of Sweetwater & Monroe County, TN: a report of the Sweetwater Reg. Plann. Comm. Knoxville, n.p., 1966. 70 pp.
• Young, D.C., ed. History of the First Presbyterian Church, Sweetwater, TN, 1860-1960. Knoxville, n.p., n.d. pp.

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Tellico Plains

• Gibson, T.F. "Recollections of Tellico Plains." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 14 (1948), pp. 14-19.
• Hall, Charles. A History of Tellico Plains, TN: 10,000 B.C. - 2001 A.D. Photographs from the Charles Hall Collection. Tellico Publications, 2001.
• Hall, Charles. A Pictorial History of the Tellico Plains, Tennessee Area (1849-1949). "The Collections of Charles Hall." Including The Tellico Ranger District of the Cherokee National Forest. Tellico Publications, 2011.
• Jenkins, Ray. Terror of Tellico Plains. Knoxville, ETHS, 1978. 199 pp.
• "Louis Phillipe, King of France, visits Tellico Plains." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 14 (1948), pp. 16-18.
• Payne, Fred C. The building of the church in Druid Hills fifty years ago: a paper prepared for the 50th year Druid Hills Baptist Church celebration, September, 1983. Tellico Plains, n.p., 1983. 6 pp.
• Van Benthuysen, Robert N., Jr. The sequent occupance of Tellico Plains, TN. UT thesis, 1951. pp.

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Tomotley

• Baden, William W. Tomotley: an eighteenth century Cherokee village. Norris, TVA, 1983. 236 pp.
• Guthe, Alfred K., & E. Marian Bistline. Excavations at Tomotlely, 1973-1974, & the Tuskegee area: two reports. Knoxville, TVA, n.d. 248 pp., 131 pp.

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Vonore

• Vonore, yesterday & today. By Barbara Barnby, et al. Vonore, Vonore Hist. Soc., 1991. 590 pp.

 

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