Records and Resources

Did you know that the Courthouse survived the Civil War and with only a few exceptions records exist from 1808? Lots of data to pursue in this county!

Please send submissions to data and records to the Rhea County Coordinators!

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Biographical

• CALDWELL, James Reid – 1929 Graduate of Oglethorpe University
• Goodspeed Biographies of Rhea County

Books

• Rhea County Bibliography – courtesy of the Tennessee State Library & Archives
• Rhea County books for sale – at SK Booksellers, Mountain Press

Businesses

• Account Ledger of Asa Newport, Blacksmith

Cemeteries

• Individual Cemetery Listings on this site
• Map of Rhea County cemeteries – see local cemeteries on a Google map

Census

• 1830 Rhea County census
• 1840 Rhea County Heads of Families index
• 1850 Rhea County census – transcription
• 1860 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1870 census – transcription | free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1880 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1900 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1910 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1920 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1930 census – free search at FamilySearch.org
• 1940 census- free search at FamilySearch.org

Churches

Court

• Rhea County, TN Private Acts – 1807, 1809, 1811, 1813, 1815, 1817, 1819, 1820-21, 1822, 1825-1826, 1828-29
• Rhea County Probate Court Books

Deaths

• Rhea County Obituaries – dates vary for these user-submitted death notices
• Index to TN Deaths: 1908-1912
• Index to TN Deaths: 1914-1933
• TN Death Certificates: 1914-1955 – free registration required to view images

Deeds

• Colbaugh/Kalbach Family Research
• Holloway Family — site by Del Spencer
• Leuty Family

Geography & Maps

• 1836 Plat Map and Civil Districts
• Rhea County Civil Districts
• Map location of Rhea County

History

• Chronology of Rhea County – a brief timeline
• In the Beginning…
• Formation of Rhea County

Land

• Heritage Farms of Rhea County

Marriages

• Index to Tennessee Marriages, 1796 – 1850
• Misc. Rhea County marriage notices

Military

• Fort Hiwassee Roster (1809)
• War Casualties of East Tennessee – a searchable database of war-related deaths
• Southern Claims Commission

Newspapers

• Rhea County newspapers
• Find old issues of Rhea County newspapers on microfilm
• The Dayton Herald News Gazette
• Excerpts from the 1880s from Rhea County newspapers
• Rhea County Newspapers at Family Search – sign into Family Search to see list of images

People

• First Families of Tennessee
• Former County Historian: Bettye Jeane Broyles
• GoodSpeed Biographies
• They Went That a Way – Rhea County families that migrated to other places.

Wills

• Will of John Able
• Will of John Hill
• Will of John Hood
• Will of Joseph Love

• Wills, 1825-1967 – original wills are available online at FamilySearch.org; requires a free registration to view images.