Frequently Asked Questions

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS . . . . . . ABOUT SUMNER COUNTY

When did Sumner County become a county? And from what county?

It became a county in 1786 and was formed from the eastern part of Davidson County.

Where is the county seat of Sumner County?

The county seat is Gallatin, Tennessee.

For whom was Sumner County named?

The county was named after General Jethro Sumner, a Revolutionary War hero, who was born in 1733 and died in 1807 in Warren County, NC.

. . . ABOUT RESEARCHING IN SUMNER COUNTY

How do I get a copy of a birth record from Sumner County?

You can obtain a copy of a birth record from the Sumner County Archives or the Tennessee State Library & Archives. (Note: Several birth records are online. View the Online Birth Records site.)

How do I get a copy of a death record from Sumner County?

You can obtain a copy of a death record from the Sumner County Archives or the Tennessee State Library & Archives. (Note: Several death records are online. View the Online Death Records site.)

How do I get a copy of a marriage record from Sumner County?

You can obtain a copy of a marriage record from the Sumner County Archives or the Tennessee State Library & Archives. (Note: Marriage records from 1787-1850 & 1858 are online. View the Online Marriage Records site.)

I would like copies of wills and other probate records. Where do I look?

You can obtain copies of wills and other probate records (estate, inventory, accounts, settlements, etc.) from the Sumner County Archives. Don't forget to search through the hundreds of wills on the Sumner Co. TNGenWeb Will Transcription Site!

What years did Sumner County keep census records? Are any years online?

Sumner County, TN has census records beginning in 1820. Several census years are online, including mortality schedules. Check out all the listing on the Sumner County, TN Census and Mortality Records site.

I would like to obtain military records for my Sumner County ancestor. Where do I look?

The Tennessee State Library and Archives in Nashville provides War of 1812 muster rolls; militia commissions of officers, 1796-1862; Civil War records and World War I records. On the Sumner Co. TNGenWeb page we have several Military Histories and Muster Rolls

How do I find other people researching the same surname(s) that I am researching?

Search through the numerous contributions found on the Sumner Co. TNGenWeb Family Album Biographies & Descendancy Charts site and check the Queries on the Sumner Co., TN Rootsweb Message Board.

You have Sumner County cemeteries listed. But how do I find out where my ancestor is buried?

A great resource book called Sumner County, Tennessee Cemetery Records, compiled by Margaret Cummings Snider and Joan Hollis Yorgason, provides comprehensive cemetery listings up to the 1970s. Several cemteries have been transcribed and placed on the Cemetery Listings site. If you can't find the burial you are looking for you can request a Sumner County Cemetery Lookup.

Is there an Archives in Sumner County? Is there an Archives for the State of Tennessee

Yes, there is the Sumner County Archives, an excellent source of information. They have a website and an e-mail. Check out the Sumner County Archives. Another great source of information is the Tennessee State Library & Archives.

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