Records that survive
These are the record series the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) has microfilmed for Henderson County, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps.
Land and deeds
- Deed Index · Register of Deeds1856–1983
- Deeds · Register of Deeds1856–1994
- Trust Deeds · Register of Deeds1890–1994
- Deeds c · Register of Deeds1978–1986
- General Deed Index · Register of Deeds1984–1994
Wills
- Loose, Wills · Probate Court, loose papers1873–1927
- Loose, Probate Wills · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Wills · Probate Records1895–1986
Estates and guardianships
- Bonds, Administrators · Probate Records1861–1982
- Bonds, Executors · Probate Records1861–1900
- Settlements, Admin. and Exec · Probate Records1866–1982
- Estates, Insolvent · Probate Records1867–1940
- Settlements, Guardian · Probate Records1887–1982
- Inventories · Probate Records1893–1982
- Loose, Admin. & Executors · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Loose, Claims Against Estates · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Loose, Guardian Settlements · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Loose, Inventories · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Loose, Settlements · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Bonds, Guardian · Probate Records1919–1979
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriages · County Clerk1893–1991
- Marriage Record Bks., Index · County Clerk, loose papers1894–1950
- Marriage Record Books · County Clerk, loose papers1894–1950
- Divorce Records · Chancery Court, loose papers1896–1950
- Index to Divorces · Chancery Court, loose papers1896–1950
- Vital Records · County Clerk1908–1938
- Addendum-Marriage Rec. Bks · County Clerk, loose papers1928–1946
- Marriage Rec. Bks. (missing) · County Clerk, loose papers1943–1945
Tax lists
- Tax Books · Trustee1895–1985
Military and pensions
- Military Discharges · Register of Deeds1933–1994
Court orders and minutes
- Loose, Index to Ct. Case Files · County Clerk, loose papers1850–1900
- Loose, Court Case Files · County Clerk, loose papers1857–1900
- Loose, Court Minutes · County Clerk, loose papers1860–1866
- Loose, Index to Ct. Minutes · County Clerk, loose papers1860–1866
- Minutes, Quarterly · County Clerk1860–1993
- Cases: File #1069 - #330 misc · Chancery Court, loose papers1870–1915
- Index to Chancery Ct./Misc · Chancery Court, loose papers1871–1918
- Minutes · Chancery Court1880–1994
- Minutes · County Clerk1891–1989
- Cases: File #472-misc. pg.#400 · Chancery Court, loose papers1893–1915
- Minutes · Circuit Court1893–1975
- Cases: File #358 - #410 · Chancery Court, loose papers1895
- Cases: File #408 - #293 · Chancery Court, loose papers1895–1896
- Minutes, Criminal · Circuit Court1895–1899
- and 21 more series in the full listing
Other records
- Miscellaneous Receipt Book · Chancery Court1857–1895
- Loose, Years Support · Probate Court, loose papers1895–1927
- Loose, Bastarory Records · County Clerk, loose papers1896–1903
- Loose, Index to Bastarory Rec · County Clerk, loose papers1896–1903
- Drainage Records · County Clerk1915–1924
- Leases, Oil and Gas · Register of Deeds1920–1968
- Index to Addendum · County Clerk, loose papers1928–1946
- Miscellaneous Records · Register of Deeds1969–1994
- Ordinances · Parkers Crossroad, City of1981–1983
- Greenbelt · Register of Deeds1983–1988
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
- Henderson 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: Henderson 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, Henderson" 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: Hardin County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Hardin County
Later formed partly from Henderson County: Chester County, Decatur County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1821, 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.