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United States Tennessee Benton County


Benton County, Tennessee genealogy and family history research page. Guide to Benton County (established 1835) genealogy, history, and courthouse sources including birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, wills, deeds and land records, Civil War records, Revolutionary War records, family histories, cemeteries, churches, tax records, newspapers, and obituaries.

Tennessee
Online Records


Benton County, Tennessee
Map

Location in the state of Tennessee

Location of Tennessee in the U.S.
Facts
Founded: December 19, 1835
County Seat Camden
Courthouse
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Contents

Benton County Tennessee Quick Dates

Benton County's civil records start the following years:[1]

Birth Marriage Death Census Land Probate
1881 1838 1881 1840 1836 1836

Benton County Tennessee Courthouse

Benton County Courthouse, Camden, Tenn.
Benton County Courthouse
1 E Court Square
Camden, TN 38320
Phone: 901-584-6053

County Clerk has marriage records from 1836 and probate records from 1840.
Clerk of the Circuit Court has divorce and court records.
Register of Deeds has land records.[2]

Hours:

Mon.-Thurs. 8 a.m.-4 p.m.
Fri. 8 a.m.-5 p.m.  

Benton County Tennessee History

The county is named after "Creek War veteran David Benton (1779–1860), an early settler in the county."[3]

Parent County

1835--Benton County was created 19 December 1835 from Henry and Humphreys Counties.
County seat: Camden [4]

County Pronunciation

  1. Hear it spoken[5] (female)
  2. Hear it spoken[6] (male)

Boundary Changes

For animated maps illustrating Tennessee county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Tennessee County Boundary Maps" (1777-1985) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss

For a list of record loss in Tennessee counties see: Tennessee Counties with Burned Courthouses

  • Lost census: 1890
  • No marriage records prior to 1846.[7]


Benton County Tennessee Places / Localities

Populated Places

Cities and Towns:

Bain
Bass Bay
Benton Cut
Bethel
Big Sandy
Birdsong Heights
Black Center
Camden
Chalklevel
Chaseville
Chestnut Hill
Coxburg
Crossroads
Eagle Creek
Eva
Faxon
Gismonda
Holladay
Liberty
Lick Creek
Lipe
McIllwain
Mount Moriah
Pleasant Hill
Post Oak
Rockport
Sandy Point
Sawyers Mill
Tin Cup

Neighboring Counties

Benton County Tennessee Genealogy Resources

Tnbenton.png

Getting Started

Use the free Search for Surnames at Mountain Press's website to quickly search a variety of published Benton County biography, cemetery, land, marriage, and probate records. To determine which books are being searched, or to search each publication's index individually, click here. You are now equipped with a checklist of books to pull off the shelves at a genealogy library, or a wish list for your personal book collection.

Research Guides

African American

United States African Americans Tennessee African Americans

Cemeteries

Tennessee cemetery records often identify birth, death, relationship, and military information, as well as religious affiliation. 

The Tennessee Cemeteries page provides explanations of the following online resources:
Catalogs Online Gravestone Transcriptions Cemetery Gazetteers
FHLC Find A Grave Find A Grave list

WorldCat
TNGenWeb Cemetery Database ePodunk

USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project
Benton Co., TNGenWeb Project

Published Benton County cemetery records:

Census

1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, and 1930 federal population censuses of Benton County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Tennessee Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than nationwide online indexes.

See Tennessee Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

See Benton County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. [The USGenWeb Census Project®]

1840

  • Smith, Jonathan Kennon Thompson, An Abtract of the 1840 United States census for Benton County, Tennessee ([S.I. : s.n.], 1977 (Memphis : R.H. Harris) FHL US/CAN Book 976.833 X28s

1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners

1880

  • Sistler, Byron and Barbara 1880 census Benton County, Tennessee (Nashville, Tennessee : B. Sistler and Associates, 1990) FHL US/CAN Book 976.833 X2

1890 - Lost, but substitutes are available:

  • Reed, Sue S. Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of Twenty-one Years of Age and Upward, Citizens of Tennessee, January 1, 1891, as Provided for by an Act of General Assembly of Tennessee, Passed January 15, 1891, and Approved January 22, 1891. 8 vols. Houston, Texas: S.S. Reed, 1989. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 2 1891. [Benton County is included in Vol. 2.]
  • Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890

1891

  • Benton County 1891 Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of 21 years of Age and Up. Henry County Tennessee Archives. Free lookups available!

1900

  • Dunlap, Linda and Denham, Laura 1900 every-name census index, Benton County, Tennessee ([Paris, Tennessee] : W.G. Rhea Public Library, [2003?]) FHL US/CAN book 976.833 X22

1910

  • Dunlap, Linda and Denham, Laura 1910 every-name census index, Benton County, Tennessee ([Paris, Tennessee] : W.G. Rhea Public Library, [2003?]) FHL US/CAN book 976.833 X22

1920

  • Dunlap, Linda and Denham, Laura 1920 every-name census index, Benton County, Tennessee ([Paris, Tennessee] : W.G. Rhea Public Library, [2003?] FHL US/CAN book 976.833 X22

Church

Church records include baptisms, marriages and burials, as well as information about family members and clues about family migration.  For additional information about church records, religions, and religious archives in Tennessee, see Tennessee Church Records.

  • Church histories tell when a church started in the area, who the early members were, give data about church leaders, etc.
- Family History Library Catalog - Benton County Church History


  • If the records you need are not available through the Family History Library, contact the church(es) in the area where your ancestor lived.  Two sites that give information about churches in Benton County are:
    - List of Benton County churches with addresses and phone numbers (Yellowbook)
    - List of Benton County churches (TN HomeTownLocator)

The churches with the largest membership in Benton County are the Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. For more information about religions in the county, see the charts showing membership by faith created by the Association of Religion Data Archives.

  • In 1936, a helpful guide to early Benton County church records was published by the Works Project Administration. [8]Use this guide to locate which church records exist and where they were housed in 1936. The Tennessee State Library and Archives has filmed some of these records. To locate which records are available at the TSLA, go to the appropriate "county fact sheet" on the TSLA Web site and scroll down to "selected manuscript material". All filmed church records at the TSLA for the county are listed.

Court

County Court

Genealogy

More than 60 genealogies have been published about Benton County, Tennessee families. To view a list, visit Benton County, Tennessee Genealogy.

Land

The Benton County Register of Deeds is located at the Courthouse, E. Court Square, Rm. 101, Camden, TN 38320-0008; Telephone: (901) 584-6053. It has has land records beginning with the county's organization in 1836. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.

Other records available include:

  • Benton County Deed Books Vol. 2-May 1843-Jan 1849 ([Mayfield, KY?]:Simmons Historical Publications,s.d.). Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
  • Benton County Deed Books Vol. 3-Feb 1849-Nov 1852, ([Mayfield, KY?]:Simmons Historical Publications,s.d.). Digital version available at World Vital Records ($). Available for purchase at Simmons Historical Publications.
  • The Family History Library has microfiled records from the Register of Deeds Office of Deed Books 1836-1885 and Trust Books 1874-1882. It also has some published land records.
  • Wills, Laura Benton County, Tennessee, Deeds Volume 1 (June 1830 - April 1843) Free lookups available!

Law and Legislation

  • Tennessee State Library and Archives, Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850: Index to Names. January 25, 2005. [In addition to creating new laws, legislative acts were often required to obtain a divorce, grant legitimacy to a child, or for appointments to or grant payments for public service.] TSLA has created an index to names that appear in these acts covering the years 1796 to 1850. To read more about this valuable resource Click here. The searchable index is available at The TSLA; another version is available at World Vital Records.

Local Histories

Maps

Military

Revolutionary War
War of 1812
Civil War

Civil War service men from Benton County served in various regiments. Men often joined a regiment or a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are the military units that were formed in or had many men from Benton County.

Confederate Soldiers


Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Benton County:


Civil War Battle

The following Civil War battle was fought in Benton County



Map showing Civil War battles in Tennessee

Spanish American War
World War I and II

Newspapers

  Many Tennessee newspapers are filmed and available at the TSLA. Most of these newspapers may be accessed by interlibrary loan to libraries within Tennessee, although there are some newspapers which are not available in or outside of Tennessee. For further information regarding interlibrary loan policies and newspapers not available for interlibrary loan click here. For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Benton County click on the following city:

This newspaper has been partially abstracted:

Occupations

  • Miller, Alan N. West Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1821 to 1889. Baltimore, Md.: Printed for Clearfield Company, Inc., by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 2006. FHL US/CAN 976.8 U2man. Purchase at Genealogical.com. [Includes Benton County.]

Periodicals

Tap into the minds of local experts. Editors of genealogical periodicals publish unique sources that researchers who are new to their area would not likely discover. This type of material may be found in local, regional, or statewide genealogical society journals. The following periodicals cover this county:

Ansearchin' News
Genealogical articles with abstracts of Benton County, Tennessee records have been published in Ansearchin' News, the quarterly magazine of the Tennessee Genealogical Society. To view a list of these articles, visit their county index. To read digitized versions of the first 36 years of articles (Vols. 1-36), browse their archive or conduct a surname search. The Family History Library has a complete collection of the Ansearchin' News quarterly FHL Book 976.8 B2a.
Benton County Genealogical Society Quarterly
Family History Library has volume 3, no. 1 (Jan - Mar 1991) - 21, no. 4 (Dec 2009) with some issues missing.
FHL 976.833 D25b. Free lookups available for 1989 - 1997 Quarterly.
BYU Family History Archives has BCGS quarterly volume 17 and volume 19
Family Findings
Genealogical articles with abstracts of Benton County, Tennessee records have been published in Family Findings, the quarterly of the Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society (42+ vols.). The Family History Library has most issues of this quarterly FHL US/CAN 976.8 B2f.
Tables of contents for some volumes are available online through TNGenWeb Project:
Many articles from this publication have been reproduced on the TNGenWeb Project website, try this specialized Google search.
West Tennessee Historical Society Papers
Family History Library has Volumes 1 - 16 and 30 FHL US/CAN Book 976.81 B5w. The West Tennessee Historical Society Papers are indexed in PERiodical Source Index (PERSI)
To view Table of Contents and complete articles from 1947 - 2005 see Shelby County Register of Deeds

Prisons

Learn if your Benton County, Tennessee ancestors went to prison!

Probate

The County Court Clerk has responsibility for the probate records of Benton County. Some probate records are kept at the Benton County Archives.

FamilySearch has placed scans of the following records online in the Tennessee, Probate Court Books, 1795-1927 collection. These are browse-only collections. Handwritten indexes may be found at the front or back of some volumes:

  • Settlements, Wills, 1855-1968
  • Accounts, Settlements, 1860-1928
  • Bonds, Letters, 1874-1968
  • Claims against estates, 1867-1943
  • Index to Administrations and Guardianships, 1858-1868
  • Insolvent estate records, 1852-1916
  • Settlements, 1860-1930

The following Benton County probate records have been abstracted, indexed, or both:

  • 1836-1910] Benton County Genealogical Society. Wills of Benton County 1836-1910. Camden, Tennessee: The Benton County Genealogical Society, 2009.
  • [1837-1861] Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills & Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler & Associates, Inc., 1990. FHL US/CAN 976.8 P22s. [Includes an index to this county's probate records.]

Taxation

The original Benton County Tax Books 1836-1909 were microfilmed by TSLA in 1968. FHL copies: FHL US/CAN Films 944046, 557667.

The following Benton County tax lists have been abstracted:[10]

  • [1836] "1836 Land and Poll Tax List," Transcript, Benton County Public Library, Camden, Tenn. Digital version, by Brian Nichols, available online at TNGenWeb.
  • [1836] "1835 Map of Civil Districts, Benton County, Tennessee" and "Benton County, Tennessee 1836 Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 41, No. 2 (Summer 1994):56-61. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
  • [1836] Tax List, 1836, Benton County Genealogical Society Quarterly. Camden TN: Jul 1997. Vol. 9 Iss. 3.
  • [1836] Poll Tax Payers, 1836, Benton County Genealogical Society Quarterly
  • [1837] Cleveland, Harry Milton. "Benton County, Tennessee 1837 Tax List," Ansearchin' News, Vol. 41, No. 3 (Fall 1994):107-110. For FHL and online access, as well as indexes, see Periodicals.
  • [1844] Land Tax List, 1844, Benton County Genealogical Society Quarterly. Camden TN: Dec 2005. Vol. 17 Iss. 4.
  • [1865-1866] Smith, Jonathan K.T. United States Direct Tax Commission, District of Tennessee, Benton County, 1865-1866. Jackson, Tenn.: n.p., 1992. FHL US/CAN Book 976.833 R4s.

Vital Records

Birth
  • 1925-1939 - Benton County Birth Index 1925-1939. Batch C000285 at FamilySearch - free.[11]
Marriage

Marriages were not officially recorded in Benton County during the first few years of its existence. In 1838, a law was passed mandating the practice.[12] The following publication, based on early newspapers, helps to alleviate this genealogical obstacle:

  • Lucas, Silas Emmett. Marriages from Early Tennessee Newspapers 1794-1851. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1978. FHL 976.8 V2L.

The following Benton County Courthouse marriage records have been abstracted and/or indexed:

  • 1832-1869 - Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early West Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. Nashville, Tenn.: B. Sistler & Associates, 1989. FHL 976.8 V2sb v. 1ff. [Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.]
  • 1838-1968 - Benton County (Tennessee) County Clerk Marriage records, 1838-1968 Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1968. FHL 557642
  • 1832-1957 - Hillis, Florence Elliott of the Lydia Russell Bean Chapter DAR (compiled and edited) Benton County, Tennessee Marriages 1832 - 1957 FamilySearch Books Online
  • 1838-1937 - Benton County Marriage Index 1838-1937 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.[11]
  • 1846-1850 - Historical Records Project Marriage records, 1846-1850, Benton County, Tennessee Salt Lake City, Utah : Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1939. FHL 24590
  • 1790-1950 - Tennessee County Marriages, 1790-1950 - covers all counties in Tennessee.
  • 1780-2002 - Many county marriage records are indexed with images at Ancestry's Tennessee State Marriages, 1780-2002 ($).  Be aware that this index is not complete for all counties.

The following books are available through the Family History Library and also have free lookups:

  • 1837-1900 - Brewer, William Hulon Benton County, Tennessee marriage records, 1837 - 1900 Camden, Tennessee : Glover's Trace Chapter, Daughter of the American Revolution, 1985. FHL 976.833 V2bThe publisher feels that this book contains the most complete information on marriages in Benton County in existance [i.e. existence] as of this date."--Pref.
  • 1846-1850 - Douthat, James L. Benton County, Tennessee marriage book #1 : 1846 - 1850 Signal Mountain, Tenn.: J.L. Douthat, 1981. FHL 976.833 V2d
Divorce

In 1940 and 1941, W.P.A. workers pinpointed the location of Benton County divorce papers in diverse manuscript collections, see:

  • W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FHL US/CAN Book 976.8 A3gp.
Death
  • 1925-1939 - Benton County Death Index 1925-1939. Batch B000160 at FamilySearch - free.[11]

For deaths of Methodists in Benton County between the 1830s and the 1920s, try:

  • Smith, Jonathan K.T. Genealogical Abstracts from Reported Deaths, the Nashville Christian Advocate. [1847-1914] 10 vols. [Jackson, Tenn.]: J.K.T. Smith, 1997-2003. FHL 976.855/N1 V48sff; digital versions at David Donahue Memorial: Tennessee Records Repository. [Website expands upon the publications and includes deaths from the 1830s, 1840s, 1910s and 1920s.]

Benton County Tennessee Family History Center

1921 Lone Oak Rd
Paris, TN
Phone: 1-731-642-2285
Hours: Wed. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. and 6 p.m.-8 p.m.; Thurs. 9:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.; All other times by appt. Online catalog

These are not mailing addresses. Due to limited staff, Family History Centers are unable to respond to mail inquiries.

Benton County Tennessee Genealogy Societies and Libraries

Big Sandy Branch Library
12 Front St.
Big Sandy, TN 38221
Phone: 1-731-593-0225
E-mail: sandylib@bellsouth.net
Hours:
Mon. - Fri. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

Benton County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 775
Camden, TN 38320
Website lists current leadership and publications for sale. The members receive the Benton County Genealogical Society which is published in March, June, September, and December.
Benton County Library
121 S Forrest Ave
Camden, TN 38320
Phone: 1-731-584-4772
bentoncolibrary@bellsouth.net
Hours:
Mon., Wed., Fri. 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Tues. and Thurs. 8 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sat. 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Note: The County Archives is located in the basement of the main facility of the Benton County Public Library
West Tennessee Heritage Study Center
Paul Meek Library
University of Tennessee at Martin
Phone: 1-731-881-7060
Hours vary by semester
The Heritage Study Center holds a variety of genealogical resources including materials relating to the following counties in Tennessee: Benton, Carroll, Chester, Crockett, Decatur, Dyer, Fayette, Gibson, Hardin, Haywood, Henderson, Henry, Houston, Humphreys, Lake, Lauderdale, Madison, McNairy, Obion, Perry, Shelby, Stewart, Tipton, Wayne, Weakley and Carlisle, Fulton, and Hickman counties in Kentucky.
West Tennessee Historical Society
P.O. Box 111046
Memphis, TN 38111
Phone: 1-901-475-6608
E-mail: efrank@memphis.edu

 

Benton County Tennessee Genealogy Websites

Wikipedia has more about this subject: Benton County, Tennessee

Benton County Tennessee Genealogy References

  1. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey (W.P.A.), 1941; "Earliest County Records," Tennessee State Library and Archives.
  2. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Benton County, Tennessee page 638, At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
  3. "List of counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.
  4. The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002), 638. (FHL Collection Ref Book 973 D27e 2002). WorldCat entry.
  5. Voice of Lynnae Weller, Kingsport, Tenn. (2010).
  6. Voice of Gene Black, FamilySearch employee, former resident of Bristol, Tenn. (2010).
  7. Robert M. McBride, Tennessee County Data (Nashville, Tennessee: Tennessee States Library and Archives, 1966), 13.
  8. WPA. Guide to Church Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville: Tennessee State Planning Commission, 1942. FHL 976.8 K23w
  9. Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 22 August 2012)
  10. The Heritage Quest Online version of PERSI aided in the compilation of this list.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/images/6/60/Igitennesseea.pdf.
  12. Gale Williams Bamman, C.G., "Research in Tennessee," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 81, No. 2 (June 1993):105. FHL 973 B2ng v. 81


 

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