Records that survive
These are the record series the Tennessee State Library and Archives (TSLA) has microfilmed for Monroe County, with the office that kept each and the earliest and latest years filmed. A span can include gaps.
Land and deeds
- Deed and General Index · Register of Deeds1820–1947
- Deeds · Register of Deeds1820–1986
- Trust Deeds · Register of Deeds1868–1986
- Deed and General Index, Dir · Register of Deeds1947–1989
- Deed and General Index, Rev · Register of Deeds1947–1989
Wills
- Wills · Probate Records1833–1983
Estates and guardianships
- Inventories · Probate Records1853–1970
- Bonds, Administrators · Probate Records1864–1960
- Settlements, Guardian · Probate Records1864–1980
- Settlements, Admin. and Guard · Probate Records1868–1885
- Estates, Insolvent · Probate Records1872–1941
- Bonds, Executors · Probate Records1877–1921
- Bonds, Guardian · Probate Records1877–1925
- Estates, Claims Against · Probate Records1892–1922
- Settlements, Admin. and Exec · Probate Records1900–1988
- Settlements, Guard.& Conserv · Probate Records1980–1987
- Settlements, Executors · Probate Records1983–1985
Marriages, births and deaths
- Marriages · County Clerk1838–1985
- Vital Statistics (Births) · County Clerk1881–1889
- Vital Statistics (Births/Deaths) · County Clerk1909–1911
Tax lists
- Tax Book · Madisonville, City of1861
- Tax Books · Trustee1874–1978
- Tax Book · Sweetwater, City of1877–1885
Military and pensions
- Military Discharges · Register of Deeds1919–1958
Court orders and minutes
- Enrollments · Circuit Court1820–1866
- Minutes · Circuit Court1827–1923
- Loose Records Case 11-125 · Chancery Court1832–1839
- Minutes · Chancery Court1832–1986
- Loose Records Case 125-189 · Chancery Court1839–1841
- Loose Records Case 189-324 · Chancery Court1841–1846
- Loose Records Case 325-383 · Chancery Court1846–1847
- Loose Records Case 386-453 · Chancery Court1847–1850
- Loose Records Case 449-516 · Chancery Court1849–1853
- Loose Records Case 517-573 · Chancery Court1853–1856
- Loose Records Case 573-635 · Chancery Court1856–1858
- Loose Records Case 631-686 · Chancery Court1858–1859
- Minutes · County Clerk1858–1986
- Loose Records Case 687-770 · Chancery Court1859–1863
- and 11 more series in the full listing
County government and the poor
- Bonds, Conservators & Guard · Probate Records1957–1968
Roads
- Misc., Road Book · County Clerk1881–1891
Other records
- Loose Records File Misc · Circuit Court1820
- Loose Records, Index · Chancery Court1832–1863
- Loose Records File Ba-Bo · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Bo-Co · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Co-Ev · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Ev-Ha · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Ha-Is · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Is-Le · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Le-Mc · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Mc-Ro · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Ro-St · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File St-Wa · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records File Wa-De · Circuit Court1840–1877
- Loose Records Index File Ab- · Circuit Court1840–1877
- and 7 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
- Monroe 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: Monroe 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, Monroe" 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: Roane County
Check the parent county for earlier records: Roane County
Later formed partly from Monroe County: Loudon County
Records stay with the county that created them. If your ancestor lived here before 1819, 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.