Genealogical "Fact Sheets" About Rhea County

Rhea County

Rhea County was formed in 1807 from Roane County

(Acts of Tennessee 1807, Chapter 9)

The county seat is Dayton.

There were fires at the Rhea County
courthouse in 1869 and 1927.

 

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Selected Published County Histories

Additional county and community histories can be found at the Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources: Rhea 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 Rhea County records is available on our website.  Individual reels of microfilm may also be purchased.

Earliest records include:

 

Newspapers on Microfilm

Newspapers were published in Dayton, Rhea Springs and Spring City.  Scattered early issues are available from 1885, and a complete run begins in 1941.  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 Rhea 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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Rhea County Formation Act

ACTS OF TENNESSEE 1807, CHAPTER 9:

 

"An Act to reduce Roane County to constitutional limits, and to form two new and distinct counties south-west of the same."

 

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, That from and after the passing of this act, Roane County shall be bounded on the south-west by the following line, viz. Beginning on the north bank of Tennessee, at the end of the ridge that divides the waters of White's Creek from those of Piney River; thence along said ridge, to Wallen's Ridge; thence north forty five west to Overton County line.

SECTION 2. BE IT ENACTED, That all that tract of country lying within the following described bounds, shall  be, and is hereby made and constituted a new and distinct county, by the name of Rhea: Beginning  at a point on the above described line of Roane County, on the extreme height of the mountain dividing the waters of Sequatchie, from those of Tennessee; thence along the top of said mountain, leaving all the waters running through said mountain in the county of Rhea, to the river Tennessee; thence up the meanders of said river to the beginning.

SECTION 3. BE IT ENACTED, That all that tract of country lying within the following described bounds shall be, and is hereby made and constituted a new and distinct county, by the name of Bledsoe, viz.  Beginning on the north-west end or corner of Rhea County, where it strikes the road leading to West Tennessee; thence north forty-five west, to Overton County line; thence southwardly with said line, to White county line, and with that line to the southern boundary of this state; thence eastwardly with said line to the comer of Rhea county line; thence with said line to the beginning.

SECTION 4. BE IT ENACTED, That Thomas Moore, Joseph Brooks and John Henry, are hereby appointed commissioners to fix on the most suitable place for holding courts in said county of Rhea, until further provision is made by law.

SECTION 5. BE IT ENACTED, That for the due administration of justice, that the court of pleas and quarter sessions, shall be held in and for the county of Rhea, on the fourth Mondays of March, June, September and December; and that the first court shall be holden on the first Monday of December; and the justices for said county shall hold their respective courts at the place that shall be fixed upon by the commissioners, until otherwise provided for by law, and shall have and exercise the same powers and jurisdiction as are or shall be prescribed by and for the courts of the several counties in this state.

SECTION 6. BE IT ENACTED, That the said county of Rhea, be, and the same is hereby declared a part of the district of Hamilton, in the same manner and for all purposes, civil, criminal and military, in as full and ample a manner as any county in this state, and shall send two jurors to the superior court of said district.

SECTION 7. BE IT ENACTED, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent the collector of public taxes of Roane County to collect the taxes for the year of one thousand eight hundred and seven, and all arrearages of taxes.

SECTION 8. BE IT ENACTED, That John Tollet, Joseph Hoge and James Standefer, are hereby appointed commissioners to fix on the most suitable place for holding courts for Bledsoe County, until otherwise provided for by law.

SECTION 9. BE IT ENACTED, That for the due administration of justice, that the court of pleas and quarter sessions shall be held in and for the county of Bledsoe, on the first Mondays of April, July, October and January; and the justices for said county, shall hold their respective courts at the place that shall be fixed upon by said commissioners, until otherwise provided for by law, and shall have and exercise the power and jurisdiction as are prescribed by and for the courts of the several counties in this state.

SECTION 10. BE IT ENACTED, That said county of Bledsoe be, and the same is hereby declared a part of the district of Hamilton, in the same manner and for all purposes, civil, criminal and military, in as full and ample manner as any county in this state, and shall send two jurors to the superior court of said districts.

SECTION 11. BE IT ENACTED, That nothing herein contained shall be so construed as to prevent the collector of public taxes of Roane County from collecting the taxes for the year eighteen hundred and seven, and all arrearages of taxes.

SECTION 12. BE IT ENACTED, That a majority of the acting justices of the counties of Rhea and Bledsoe, when in session, shall have power, and are hereby authorized and required, to lay a county tax, not exceeding twelve and one half cents on each hundred acres of land liable to taxation; twelve and one half cents on each white poll; twenty five cents on each black poll; fifty cents on each stud horse, kept for covering mares; said tax to be laid from year to year, until otherwise provided for by law.

SECTION 13. BE IT ENACTED, That the election for governor, representatives to congress and members to the general assembly, shall be held at their respective places of holding courts, in the counties of Rhea and Bledsoe, by the sheriffs or their deputies, under the same rules and regulations as are prescribed by law, and on the same days which elections for such purposes, are authorized to be held; and those citizens of Rhea and Bledsoe counties, formerly citizens of Roane County, shall be entitled to vote in their respective counties.

SECTION 14. BE IT ENACTED, That it shall be the duty of the returning officers for the counties of Rhea and Bledsoe, to meet the returning officer of Roane county, in Kingston, on the succeeding Monday, with the number of their respective polls, and with him compare the same; and the returning officer of Roane, those duly elected members of the general assembly, and give certificates accordingly; and it shall be the duty of said sheriff to transmit a just statement of the polls of election for governor and representatives to congress, to the speaker of the senate, in the same manner as by law directed.

SECTION 15. BE IT ENACTED, That the sheriff of the county of Rhea, shall open and hold an election at the place of holding court in said county, on the second Friday and Saturday in January next, for the purpose of electing field officers of the militia in said county; and the militia of said county shall compose the thirtieth regiment of the militia of this state, and be attached to the third brigade.

SECTION 16. BE IT ENACTED, That the sheriff of Bledsoe County shall open and hold an election at the place of holding court in said county, on the third Friday and Saturday in February next, for the purpose of electing field officers of the militia of said county; and the militia of said county shall compose the thirty-first regiment of the militia of this state, and shall be attached to the third brigade.

 

Passed on November 30th, 1807

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Rhea County Formation Act

 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! webpage 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 :

 

• Rhea County in General
• Dayton
• Grandview Institute
• Graysville
• Morgan Springs
• Rhea Springs
• Scopes Trial
• Spring City

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Rhea County in General

• Allen, Valentine C. Rhea & Meigs counties (TN) in the Confederate War. N.p., 1908. 126 pp.
• Biographical directory, TN General Assembly, 1796-1969 (Rhea County, Preliminary # 9). Nashville, TSLA, 1969. 37 pp.
• Broyles, Bettye J., comp. Churches & schools of Rhea County, TN. Dayton, Rhea County Hist. & Gen. Soc., 1992. 449 pp.
• Broyles, Bettye, comp. History of Rhea County, TN. Collegedale, College Press, 1991. 433 pp.
• Calabrese, F.A. Excavations at 40RH6: Watts Bar Area, Rhea County, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1976. 99 pp.
• Campbell, Thomas J. Records of Rhea, a condensed county history. Dayton, Rhea Publishing Co., 1940. 204 pp. (reprinted 1976 by Unigraphic)
• Cash, James I. Autobiography & sermons. Spring City, n.p., 1934. 252 pp.
• Community partnership in education: a report & recommendations by the governor's task force in Rhea County. N.p., 1986. 42 pp.
• Crawford, James T. Rhea County, TN: its agricultural & horticultural possibilities, mineral & timber resources, opportunities offered the home seeker & investor. Issued for Rhea County by the TN Dept. Ag. Nashville, 1921. 32 pp.
• Flood insurance study, Rhea County, TN, unincorporated areas. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1991. 1 v.
• Goodspeed's history of east TN (Rhea County, pp. 817-821, 1046-1071). Goodspeed, 1887.
• Landreth, Virginia G. Migrant farmworkers in Rhea County, TN. George Peabody College dissertation, 1991. 85 pp. & 1 videocassette.
• >Luther, Edward T. Mineral resources summary of the Pennine quadrangle, TN. Nashville, TN Div. Geol., 1964. 14 pp.
• McCollough, Major C.R. Archaeological survey of the Richland Creek flood study area at Dayton, Rhea County, TN. Knoxville, n.p., 1973. 8 pp.
• Rhea County, 1980-1987: an economic analysis. Nashville, TN Dept. Emp. Sec., 1988. 12 pp.
• Rhea notes. Vol. 1, 1987-. (irregular) Rhea County Hist. & Gen. Soc.
• Schrodel, Gerald F. Excavations of the Leuty & McDonald site mounds in the Watts Bar Nuclear Plant area: a report submitted to the TVA in accordance with the provisions of TVA contract TV-35291A between UT & TVA. Chattanooga, TVA, 1978. 231 pp.
• Soil survey, Rhea County, TN. Washington, D.C., US GPO, 1948; & Pikeville area, 1903.
• TN Dept. Education. Report of the survey of the schools of Rhea County, TN, for school year 1939-40. Conducted by the State Dept. Education, B.O. Duggan, commissioner. Nashville, the department, 1940. 134 pp.
• TN Dept. Education. Survey report, Rhea County & Dayton schools. Nashville, n.p., 1965. 1 v.
• TN Dept. Transportation [county maps] issued periodically.
• TN Valley Authority. Ind. Div. Agricultural-industrial survey of Rhea County, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1934. var. pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Office of Health & Env. Science. Watts Bar Nuclear Plant, units 1 & 2: draft environmental statement supplements & additions. Chattanooga, TVA, 1972. 184 pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Social & Ec. Div. Research Sec. Effects of Chickamauga Reservoir land purchases on the finances of Rhea County, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1936. 8 pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Social & Ec. Div. Research Sec. Effect of proposed national forest purchases on county finance in the Cumberland Plateau of TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1937. 65 pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Social & Ec. Div. Research Sec. Effects of proposed national forest purchases on county finance, survey no. 6: Rhea County, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1936. 38 pp.
• TN Valley Authority. Social & Ec. Div. Research Sec. The effects upon local finance of real property purchases by the TVA, survey no. 4: Chickamauga Reservoir counties. Knoxville, TVA, 1938. 45 pp.
• US Geol. Survey [topographic maps] issued periodically. Quadrangles: Grassy Cove, Roddy, Rockwood, Melvine, Pennine, Spring City, Ten Mile, Pikeville, Morgan Springs, Evensville, Decatur, Braxton, Graysville, Big Spring, Goodfield.
• Walker, Robert S. Torchlights to the Cherokees: the Brainerd Mission. NY, Macmillian, 1931. 339 pp. (reprinted 1993 by Overmountain Press)

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Dayton

• Dayton's cultural growth, particularly -- "agricultural!" Chattanooga, the printery, 1925. 27 pp.
• Flood insurance study: city of Dayton, TN, Rhea County. (Rev. July 4, 1989.) Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1989. 15 pp.
• Johnson, G.W. "The growing town of Dayton, TN." (In East TN Hist. & Biog., pp. 435-439)
• Views of principal points of interest in & around Dayton, county seat of Rhea County, TN. Chicago, IL, Press of S.D. Childs & Co., 1880. 36 pp.

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Grandview Institute

• Grandview Student Body Assn. Old Grandview: Grandview Normal Institute, Grandview, TN, 1884-1919, a history. Grandview, the assn., 1966. 168 pp.

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Graysville

• Evans, E. Raymond. "The Graysville Melungeons: a tri-racial people in lower east TN." TN Anthrop. 4 (1979), pp. 1-31.
• Flood insurance study: city of Graysville, TN, Rhea County. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1988. 10 pp.

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Morgan Springs

• Morgan, Tom & Mary Morgan, comps. Morgan Springs, TN: past, present, & future. Morgan Springs, Homecoming '86 Committee, 1986. 54 pp.

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Rhea Springs

• Wheelock, W.E., Mrs. Rhea Springs. Morgantown, WV, B.J. Broyles, 1979. 38 pp. (first published 1934)

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Scopes Trial

• Allen, Leslie H., ed. Bryan & Darrow at Dayton: the record & documents of the "Bible-evolution" trial. NY, Lee, 1925. (reprinted 1967 by Russell)
• Allem, Warren. Background of the Scopes trial at Dayton, TN. UT thesis, 1959. 123 pp.
• Armstrong, O.K. "Bootleg science in TN." North Am. Rev. (Fall 1929), pp. 138- 142.
• Bailey, Kenneth K. "The enactment of TN's anti-evolution law." J. So. Hist. 16 (1950). pp. 472-490.
• Bailey, Kenneth K. The enactment of TN's anti-evolution law. Vanderbilt U. thesis, 1949. pp.
• Bierstadt, Edward H. Curious trials & criminal cases, from Socrates to Scopes. NY, Coward-McCann, 1928. 366 pp.
• Blake, Arthur. The Scopes trial: defending the right to teach. Brookfield, CT, Millbrook Press, 1994. 64 pp. (juvenile literature)
• Bryan, William Jennings. Bryan's last speech: undelivered speech to the jury in the Scopes trial. Oklahoma City, OK, Sunlight Publishing Society, 1925. 47 pp.
• Cornelius, R.M. "Their stage drew all the world: a new look at the Scopes trial." THQ 40 (1981), pp. 129-143.
• Darrow vs. Bryan [motion picture]. Wolper Productions, 1965. Released by Public Media, Inc. 25 min.
• DeCamp, L. Sprague. The great monkey trial. Garden City, NY, Doubleday, 1968. 538 pp.
• DeCamp, L. Sprague. "End of the monkey war." Sci. Am. (Feb. 1969), pp. 15- 21.
• Gatewood, Willard B., Jr., ed. Controversy in the twenties: fundamentalism, modernism & evolution. Nashville, Vanderbilt U. Press, 1969. 459 pp.
• Ginger, Ray. Six days or forever? TN vs. John Thomas Scopes. Boston, MA, Beacon, 1958. 258 pp. (reprinted 1969 by Quadrangle)
• Grebstein, Sheldon N., ed. Monkey trial: the state of TN vs. John Thomas Scopes. Boston, MA, Houghton, 1969. 221 pp. (Houghton-Mifflin research series # 4)
• Hogue, Albert R. Peculiar laws & lawsuits in TN, 1796-1926. Jamestown, n.p., 19--. 32 pp. (Scopes trial, pp. 30-32.)
• Inherit the wind [videorecording]. CBS/Fox Video, 1983. (127 min.) (Video- cassette release of the 1960 motion picture by Lomitas Productions, Inc./ United Artists. Based on the play by Jerome Lawrence & Robert E. Lee. Screenplay, Nathan E. Douglas, Harold Jacob Smith; producer & director, Stanley Kramer. Spencer Tracy, Fredric March, Gene Kelly, Dick York, Donna Anderson & Harry Morgan)
• Ipsen, D.C. Eye of the whirlwind: the story of John Scopes. Reading, MA, Addison-Wesley, 1973. 159 pp.
• John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff in error, vs. State of TN, defendant in error, no. 2, Rhea County criminal docket: reply brief & argument for the state of TN. Nashville, n.p., 1925. 382 pp.
• Keebler, Robert S. The TN evolution case. Memphis, Davis, 1925. 34 pp.
• Levine, Lawrence W. Defender of the faith -- William Jennings Bryan: the last decade 1915-1925.Columbia U. dissertation, 1962. pp.
• McGeehan, W.O. "Why pick on Dayton?" Harper's Mag. (Oct. 1925), pp. 623-627.
• McGowen, Tom. The great monkey trial: science verses fundamentalism in America. NY, Franklin Watts, 1990. 110 pp. (juvenile literature)
• Montgomery, James R & Gerald Gaither. "Evolution & education in TN: decisions & dilemmas." THQ 28 (1969), pp. 141-155.
• Paine, S. Hugh. The debate between Bryan & Darrow concerning the authenticity & genuineness of holy writ. Dayton, William Jennings Bryan U., 1948. 16 pp.
• Pattie, Frank A., ed. "The last speech of William Jennings Bryan." THQ 6 (1947), pp. 265-283.
• Scopes, John T. In the Supreme Court of TN at Nashville by transfer from Knoxville, John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff-in-error, vs. State of TN, defendant-in-error. No. 2. Rhea County, criminal docket Sept. term, 1925.Statement of facts assignment of errors, brief & argument in behalf of John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff-in-error. John Randolp Neal, Clarence Darrow, Dudley Field Malone, Frank Spurlock, Frank McElwee, Robert S. Keebler, Samuel J. Rosensohn, Walter H. Pollak, Arthur Garfield Hays, Attorneys. Nashville, n.p., 1925. 141 pp.
• Scopes, John T. John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff-in-error, vs. State of TN, defendant-in-error. No. 2 Rhea County, criminal docket. Brief & argument of Thomas H. Malone, as amicus curiae. Nashville, Baird- Ward, 1926. 64 pp.
• Scopes, John T. Report of the proceedings of the state of TN vs. John Thomas
• Scopes: Circuit Court, Rhea County beginning July 10, 1925, Dayton, TN. Chicago, Maclaskey & Maclaskey, 1925. 831 pp. (court transcripts of the trial)
• Scopes, John T. Transcript appealed from the Circuit Court of Rhea County, Hon. J.T. Raulston, judge; John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff in error vs. State of TN, defendant in error. N.p., 1925. (typescript of original)
• Scopes, John T. & James Presby. Center of the storm: memoirs of John T. Scopes. NY, Holt, 1967. 277 pp.
• Settle, Mary L. The Scopes trial: the State of TN vs. John Thomas Scopes. NY, F. Watts, 1972. 121 pp.
• Szasz, Ferenc M. "The Scopes trial in perspective." THQ 30 (1971), pp. 288- 298.
• TN Academy of Science. John Thomas Scopes, plaintiff in error, vs. State of TN, defendant in error: brief & argument of the TN Academy of Science as amicus curiae. William Waller, Jordan Stokes, Sr., Frank S. Carden, Henry E. Colton, attorneys for the TN Academy of Science. Nashville, Baird-Ward, 1926. 166 pp.
• Tompkins, Jerry D. D-days at Dayton: reflections on the Scopes trial. Baton Rouge, LA, LSU Press, 1965. 173 pp.
• Wesolowski, James W. "Before Canon 35: WGN broadcasts the monkey trial." THQ 34 (1975), pp. 392-406.
• The world's most famous court trial, TN evolution case; complete stenographic report of the famous court test of the TN anti-evolution act, at Dayton, July 10 to 21, 1925, including speeches & arguments of attorneys, testimony of noted scientists, & Bryan's last speech. Cincinnati, National Book Co., 1925. 339 pp. (reprinted 1971 by Civil liberties in American History Series)

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Spring City

• Flood insurance study: town of Spring City, TN, Rhea County. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1992. 1 v.
• Jeffers, Walter. A study of the holding power of Spring City High School & its feeder schools. TTU thesis, 1969. 61 pp.
• Massengale, Antoinette M. "The selective process in oral traditions: tragedy of Spring City, TN." TN Folklore Soc. Bull. 48 (1982), pp. 11-18.
• Spring City High School Alumni Association. Spring City High School, 1912- 1962, golden anniversary celebration, May 12, 1962. Collegedale, College Press, 1962. 32 pp.
• Wolf Creek Baptist Church. History Committee. Wolf Creek Baptist Church, Spring City, TN. Oct. 1869-1969, celebrating the one hundredth [!] anniversary Sunday, Oct. 5th, 1969. Spring City, n.p., 1969. 27 pp.

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