Collection Information
The Montgomery County Archives is the repository for nearly all the pre-1950 governmental records of Montgomery County. With some exceptions, we have both the original and a microfilm copy of these records.
Some of our holdings include:
- Marriages, bound (from 1838) and loose (from 1866)
- Probate record books (begin 1796)
- Deed books (begin 1788)
- Land mortagage books (begin 1896)
- Loose papers of the County and Chancery Courts
- County Court minutes (from 1805)
- Chancery Court minutes (from 1840)
- Delayed birth certificate orders
- Voters List, 1891 (Substitute for the destroyed 1890 Census)
We also have microfilm copies of the various schedules of the 1820 through 1930 Montgomery County census including population, mortality, manufacturing, slave, and agricultural schedules. If you are interested in Tennessee law, we have a substantial and growing collection of Tennessee Supreme Court reports, TCAs, Public and Private Acts, Tennessee Digests, and other references.
Several database indices are available on our in-house system, including:
- Chancery Court case papers, Series I, II, and III (plaintiff & defendant index)
- County Court case papers (an every name index is under construction; files beginning with letters A-Di are now indexed and available)
- Circuit Court case papers (plaintiff & defendant index)
In addition, we have several other record groups, which have not yet been processed. Among these are 1930s-1950s tax records, various maps, loose papers of the Quarterly Court, Circuit Court papers, loose wills, more Chancery Court papers, and chattel mortgage books. We have a small but growing manuscript and special collections section. Recent donations and acquisitions include a group of Lewis Family letters, Bryce Stewart papers, and the Forwood papers.