Source: Tennessee State Library & Archives. Click here to view any updates.

Overton County

Overton County was formed in 1806 from Jackson County and Indian lands
(Acts of Tennessee 1806 [2nd Session], Chapter 27).

The county seat is Livingston.

There was a fire at the Overton County courthouse in 1865.

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SELECTED PUBLISHED COUNTY HISTORIES

• Bicentennial Echoes of the History of Overton County, Tennessee, 1776-1976 (Eldridge, 1976) *
• Echoes From the Foothills  (Livingston Academy,  1952)*
• History of Overton County, Tennessee  (Overton County Historical Book Committee,  1992) [surname index]*
• Our Wonderful Overton County Heritage  (Knight,  198?)
• Overton County : An Informal History (Oakley, 2006)
• Overton County, Tennessee, Pictorial History  (1996) [surname index]
• This & That : Genealogy, History , Overton County, Tennessee (Dishman, 2008)

Additional county and community histories can be found at the Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources: Overton County. The items in the bibliography may not all be available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.  

PUBLISHED LOCAL RECORDS

• 15th Census of the United States, 1930 : Overton County, Tennessee  (Gann,  2002) [name index]*
• 1820 Overton County, Tennessee Census (Cox, 2005) [name index of head of household]
• 1836 Overton County, Tennessee, Civil Districts & Tax Lists  (Douthat,  2001) [name index]*
• 1862 Tax List for Overton County, Tennessee  (Tate,  1996) [name index]*
• 1880 Census, Overton County, Tennessee  (Sistler,  1993) [alphabetical by head of household]*
• 1900 Overton County, Tennessee Census  (Manis,  1999) [name index]*
• 1908 Through 1912 Birth and Death Records, Overton County, Tennessee  (Dishman,  2001) [surname index]
• 1910 Overton Co., Tn Census Index  (Gray,  1996) [alphabetical by head of household]*
• Cumberland Co., Tennessee, Fentress Co., Tennessee, Jackson Co., Tennessee, Loudon Co., Tennessee, Morgan Co., Tennessee, Overton Co.  [1891 enumeration of male voters]  (Reed,  1990)
• “I Now Pronounce You Man & Wife” : Overton Co., Tennessee Marriages, 1867-1927  (Gray,  1996) [alphabetical]*
• Index of Overton County Roll Call : Cemetery Records, 1795-1975  (Norris & Ledford,  19??) [name index]
• Index to Deeds, 1806-1865  [vol. 1  1806-1859;   vol. 2  1810-1865]  (WPA, 1940) [alphabetical indexes by grantor and grantee]
• Overton County 1850 Census  (Pierce,  1989) [surname index]
• Overton County 1870 Census  (Pierce,  1990) [name index]*
• Overton County Roll Call   [Epitaphs:  vol. 2  M-Z] (Norris,  2000) [alphabetical]*
• Overton County Roll Call : Cemetery Records, 1795-1975  (Norris,  1987)*
• Overton County, Tennessee, 1820 Census  (Davis, Moulton & Mullins,  1988)
• Overton County, Tennessee, Circuit Court Minutes, 1815-1824  (WPA,  1939) [name index]
• Overton County Tennessee Death Certificates, 1908-1912  (Gray,  1999) [alphabetical]*
• Overton County Tennessee Death Certificates, 1914-1925  (Gray,  1999) [alphabetical]*
• Overton County, Tennessee : Genealogical Records  (Whitley,  1983) [surname index]*
• Overton County, Tennessee, Minute Book, 1852-1856  (WPA,  1936) [name index]
• Overton County Tracker : Former Overton Countians Buried Away from Home According to Overton County Newspaper Obituaries (Norris, 2004) [alphabetical listings]
• Overton County Veterans : Spanish American War – Vietnam War (Norris, 2002?) [alphabetical listings by war]
• Reference Docket, 1818-1839, Receipts for Land Tax, 1838-40 [index]  (WPA,  1936)

LOCAL RECORDS ON MICROFILM 

An inventory of microfilmed Overton County records is available on our web site.  Individual reels of microfilm may also be purchased.

Earliest records include:

• marriages from 1867
• wills from 1870
• inventories of estates from 1848
• deed index from 1806
• chancery court minutes from 1846
• county court minutes from 1837
• circuit court minutes from 1815
• tax books from 1872

The following reels are available on interlibrary loan from the Library and Archives:

• Deed Index — 1806-1904  (#32,  1 reel)*
• Deeds — 1801-1813   (#33,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1814-1825  (#34,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1823-1838  (#35,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1836-1845  (#36,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1835-1851  (#37,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1851-1858  (#38,  1 reel)*
• Deeds  — 1846-1865  (#39,  1 reel)*
• Inventories — 1848-1861  (#21,  1 reel)*
• WPA Records, Overton County  (Record Group #107, Roll 64,  1 reel). Roll includes General Index to Deed Books A-Q (1806-1865),  Circuit Court Minute Book (1815-1824),  County Court Minute Book (1852-1856),  Reference Docket (1818-1822) and Receipts for Land Tax (1838-1840).*

NEWSPAPERS ON MICROFILM 

Newspapers were published in Livingston.  Scattered early issues are available from 1888, and a complete run begins in 1943.   Microfilms are loaned to Tennessee libraries.  Individual reels may also be purchased.  An Inventory of Newspapers on Microfilm at the Library and Archives is available on our web site.SELECTED MANUSCRIPTS MATERIAL

• R. L. Mitchell, Jr., Ledgers and Diaries, 1884-1934 (Microfilm Manuscript #1563,  2 reels)*

CENSUS RECORDS

• Census on microfilm for Overton County:  1820-1880, 1900-1930
• State-wide census index:  1820-1880
• State-wide census index on microfilm  (Soundex):  1880,  1900-1930
• Overton County census records in book form:  1820,  1850,  1870*,  1880*,  1900*,  1910*,  1930*

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR OVERTON COUNTY

• County Index to Tennessee Confederate Pension Applications
• Early Tennessee Tax Lists at the Tennessee State Library and Archives
• Funeral Home Records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1908-1912
• Index to Tennessee Death Records 1914-1933
• School Census Records
• Tennessee World War I Veterans

* Indicates this title may be borrowed on Interlibrary Loan from the Library and Archives.