Records that survive
These are the record series the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) has microfilmed for Franklin County, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps.
Land and deeds
- Loose Case Files (Land Plats) · County Court Loose Records1790–1924
- Deed Index Direct · Register of Deeds1808–1983
- Deeds · Register of Deeds1808–1978
- Entry Books · Register of Deeds1824–1891
- Plats, Index · Register of Deeds1835–1978
- Trust Deed Index · Register of Deeds1871–1958
- Trust Deeds · Register of Deeds1872–1978
- Deed Index Reverse · Register of Deeds1899–1983
- Misc., Cemetery Deeds · Decherd, City of1899–1989
- Deed Index · Register of Deeds1936–1988
- Plats · Register of Deeds1946–1978
- Trust Deed Index Direct · Register of Deeds1958–1989
- Trust Deed Index Reverse · Register of Deeds1958–1989
Wills
- Wills · Probate Records1808–1987
- Loose Case Files (Wills) · County Court Loose Records1812–1918
Estates and guardianships
- Settlements, Ad. Ex. & Guard · Probate Records1836–1986
- Insolvent Estates · Loose Court Records1857–1867
- Loose Case Files (Estates) · County Court Loose Records1890–1899
- Bonds & Letters, Administrator · Probate Records1898–1987
- Bonds, Executors · Probate Records1898–1987
- Bonds, Guardian · Probate Records1898–1978
- Estates, Claims Against · Probate Records1949–1978
- Inventories · Probate Records1952–1988
- Bonds and Letters, Guardian · Probate Records1968–1988
Marriages, births and deaths
- Loose Case Files (Divorces) · County Court Loose Records1822–1944
- Marriages · County Clerk1838–1987
- Divorce, Loose Records · County Clerk1860–1939
- Loose Case Files Marriage (Cl) · County Court Loose Records1870–1936
- Loose Case Files Marriage (W) · County Court Loose Records1870–1939
- Marriage, Loose Records · County Clerk1870–1939
- Marriage-Black, Loose Records · County Clerk1870–1929
- Loose Case Files (Deaths) · County Court Loose Records1890–1899
- Divorce-Index, Loose Records · County Clerk1900–1942
- Vital Statistics · County Clerk1908–1912
Tax lists
- Tax Books · Trustee1852–1982
Records of free Black and enslaved people
- Loose Case Files (Slaves) · County Court Loose Records1830–1858
Military and pensions
- Military Discharges · Register of Deeds1917–1987
Court orders and minutes
- Court Records, Loose Index · Chancery/ Circuit1800–1870
- Loose Case Files · County Court Loose Records1800–1915
- Court Records, Loose · Chancery/ Circuit1811–1930
- Loose Case Files (War Records) · County Court Loose Records1812–1994
- Loose Case Files (Misc.) · County/Circuit Court Loose Records1824–1930
- Minutes · Circuit Court1832–1986
- Minutes · County Clerk1832–1986
- Minutes · Chancery Court1834–1986
- Loose Case Files (Citizenship) · County Court Loose Records1846–1918
- Loose Case Files (Bride) Index · County Court Loose Records1870–1939
- Loose Case Files (Insanity) R/GSU · County Court Loose Records1870–1936
- Loose Case Files (Misc. Divo.) · County Court Loose Records1890–1944
- Loose Case Files · County/Circuit Court Loose Records1890–1930
- Court Records, Loose · Chancery Court1900–1930
- and 10 more series in the full listing
County government and the poor
- Bonds & Letters, Ad. Ex. Guar · Probate Records1872–1898
- Bonds, Conservators · Probate Records1956–1978
- Misc., Planning Commission · Cowan, City of1971–1985
- Misc., Planning Commission · Decherd, City of1978–1988
Other records
- Miscellaneous Records, Loose · County Clerk1849–1930
- Ranger Book · County Clerk1868–1925
- Criminal Records, Loose · Circuit Court1870–1930
- Merchants Licenses · County Clerk1879–1895
- Professional Register · County Clerk1889–1966
- Certificates · School Board1899–1911
- Leases, Oil and Gas · Register of Deeds1911–1958
- Ordinances · Winchester, City of1912–1988
- Abbott, 1928-Embrey, 1927 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- Embrey,1928-Horton,1921 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- Horton, 1921-Moore, 1922 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- Morris, 1920-Shetters, 1928 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- Shelley, 1920-Vaboiver, 1920 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- Vaughan, 1923-Yates, 1920 · Loose Court Records1920–1929
- and 4 more series in the full listing
Open TSLA's full microfilm listing (PDF)
Source: Tennessee State Library and Archives, county records microfilm listing. Some record titles reflect the segregated record-keeping of their time. Statewide birth and death registration began in 1914, after a brief statewide attempt in 1908–1912.
Where to find the records
- Franklin County official website
Hours, addresses and phone numbers for the register of deeds, the county clerk and the chancery and circuit court clerks, and any online record search the county offers.
- The register of deeds
Deeds, mortgages and other land records, usually from the county's beginning.
- The county clerk
Marriage licenses and bonds and the county court's minutes. For most of the 1800s the county court also handled wills, estates and guardians.
- The chancery and circuit court clerks
Lawsuits, including the chancery suits families used to divide land and settle estates.
- TSLA: Franklin County records on microfilm (PDF)free
Every filmed volume with its years and roll number, by office.
- Tennessee State Library and Archivesfree
The state archives in Nashville, with microfilm of county records from every county.
- FamilySearch Catalogfree
Search by place for "Tennessee, Franklin" to find filmed and digitized records, many viewable free online with a FamilySearch account.
Offices change their hours and access rules; call before you visit.
Boundaries and parent counties
Formed from: Land not yet in any county
Later formed partly from Franklin County: Coffee County, Moore County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1807, search the parent county. The Atlas of Historical County Boundaries shows each boundary change.
Research tip
Tennessee's county court minutes record estate settlements, guardians, road orders and much more. When a will is missing, look there and in the chancery court, where families often went to divide land.