CLAIBORNE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOURCE BOOKS


CLAIBORNE COUNTY PIONEER PROJECT

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CLAIBORNE COUNTY HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL SOURCE BOOKS

Information on the following is credited to Roy Bowman
e-mail: [email protected] for additional information or clarification.
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The following has been extracted from a booklet "Inventory of Historical Writings" by Bonnie Mazingo Page, 1991. The booklet covers Anderson, Campbell, and Union Counties in addition to Claiborne and costs $3.00 plus $1.00 postage (her address is listed below). [Note: Bonnie Page's books are a terrific value]

The Rural Route addresses listed in the booklet have since been changed to regular street addresses to facilitate 911 emergencies. We have tried to update as many of these addresses that we could from listings at switchboard.com.

Many of the books are out of print and are only available in libraries and private collections.

 

All of the following is the extract from "Inventory of Historical Writings".
A few notes & address changes added where available.

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CLAIBORNE COUNTY

This is the third of the four counties of which I'm compiling the historical materials that have been written about the county and the people. Much has been published about Claiborne County through the years. That is good, but I'm not sure if all the writings were published in a book or collection. Perhaps, someday, those early historical accounts will be put in book form. I'm referring to those by Cloud and others that have appeared in newspapers from time to time.

"Claiborne County" by Holt was sponsored and published by the State of Tennessee as a part of the Tennessee County History Series. It was printed in the 1970's. It is likely out of print.

"The Peoples History of Claiborne County, Tennessee, 1801-1988", was compiled and published by the Claiborne County Historical Society. It has been reprinted and is available for $59.00 (includes tax and mailing). Contact the Claiborne County Historical Society, Box 32, Tazewell, TN 37879, phone 423-626-3878.

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For the following books contact Bonnie Page:
PO Box 70, Lake City, TN 37769, phone 423-426-2338.

"Claiborne County (Its Towns, Cities, and Points of Interest) As of 1940" - Updated 1986. It is based on information collected by the WPA around 1940, but was never published. It is a pamphlet. Cost $3.00 plus $.50 postage.

"Pruden (As We Remember It)" was compiled in 1983. Pruden is in the coal mining section of Claiborne County and Bell County, Kentucky. The book has much history, many memories of people, and lots of pictures. Cost: Soft cover $15.00, hard cover $18.00, plus $1.50 mailing.

"Speedwell (Through 200 years)" was published in 1985. It has 380 large pages of compiled material about this rural area along the Powell River at the junction of Claiborne, Campbell, and Union counties. Cost $25.00 plus $2.00 postage.

"Clearfork and More (History and Memories)" was published in 1986. This hardback book has 424 large pages of compiled information on the coal mining camps of Claiborne and Campbell counties in Tennessee and Bell County in Kentucky that are in Clearfork valley. The camps in Claiborne County are Eagan, Clairfield, Valley Creek and Purden. The material in the Pruden book is not repeated, but there is much additional information on that camp. Cost $25.00, plus $2.50 mailing.

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For the following books written by Lawrence Edwards of his life and
experiences mostly around Speedwell contact his widow:
Christine A. Edwards, 1429 Nashville Hwy, Lancing, TN 37770

"Vagabondia" experiences at Speedwell and in his early travels and work. Cost $2.00 plus $.50 for postage.

"Minutes of Davis Creek Church - 1797-1907" edited by Lawrence Edwards. Very few copies are still available. Cost $15.00, plus $.50 postage.

"Gravel In My Shoe", cost $6.00, plus $.50 postage.

"There Was A Time: Boyhood Recollections", limited number still available. Cost $5.95, plus $.50 postage.

"Write That Down, She Said", cost $3.00, plus $.50 postage.

"Poems", cost $2.00, plus $.50 postage.

"Bits of Memory", was published and sold by Times Printing Company of Montevello, Alabama. It may be available from that company.

"Old Speedwell Families" (the original is not available)

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"Old Speedwell Families", revised and updated was researched by Lawrence Edwards and Joy Davis. It was published by Southern Historical Press in Easley, South Carolina. See next item written by Joy Davis.

"Old Speedwell Families" was reprinted in 1983 by Joy Edwards Davis with corrections and some additions. A few copies are still available. Cost $35.00, contact Joy Edwards Davis, Rt. 2, Box 302, LaFollette,TN, 37766-9558, phone 423-562-8742.

"More Speedwell Families", is another genealogy book. It was published by Joy Edwards Davis in 1988. Cost $35.00. See above address.

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Other books written about Claiborne county history
or people or families of the county are:

"Appalachian Haven", by Robert Breeding. Part of the book is a historically correct novel of a remote area in Claiborne County. The other part is the history of the area as the author grew up there during the depression and his return there several decades later to find the lifestyle much the same. Contact Robert Breeding, 3328 Cunningham Rd, Knoxville, TN 37918, phone 423-922-8411.

"Tales and Times of Papa Keck", by Robert Breeding is the story of his father-in-law who was a teacher in Claiborne County. He was also a local politician (squire), so there is much discussion of the political scene. He was a good story-teller and several stories are told in the book. Contact Robert Breeding at the above address.

"The Kecks of Claiborne County "Down in the Barns", was published in 1983 by Virginia Billingsly Fletcher. It is the history and genealogy of the Keck family. Contact Virginia B. Fletcher, 721 N. West 73rd Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33317.

"Claiborne County Folks", by John Robertson was published when he was eighty years old. It is a genealogy record of some of the many families in Claiborne County. Contact John Robertson, 1565 Old Highway 63, Speedwell, TN 37870-6167, phone 423-869-2178.

"Phoenix of the Mountains", was published in 1977 by Joseph E. Suppiger, a history teacher at LMU. It is the story of Lincoln Memorial University. Contact Mr. Suppiger or The Lincoln Memorial University Press at Lincoln Memorial University, Harrogate, TN 37752.

"The Genesis of Lincoln Memorial University", a two-act play was written by Earl Hobson Smith. It was produced by the drama department at the university several times. Contact Lincoln Memorial University (above).

"Wilderness Road", was written by Robert Kincaid. It tells of the early history of the region leading to Cumberland Gap. Contact LMU Publications (address above).

"Ausmus Family History, 1711-1962" , was published by Harry L. Ausmus. The book is no longer available.

"The Muncys in The New World", was published in 1988 by Estle Pershing Muncy, M. D. It is an 86-page paperback. Contact Dr. E. P. Muncy, 501 S. Bishop St., Jefferson City, TN 37760.

"Autobiography of Estle Evans (age 3 to 80)", was published in 1990. It is a 98 page paperback book that sells for $10.00. Contact Estle Evans, Rt. 1, Box 297, Cumberland Gap, TN 37724.

"Folksy Sketches From Appalachia", was published by Funson Edwards in 1985. It is a series of short articles and episodes as Mr. Edwards remembered his youth in Powell Valley and his experiences as a teacher. Contact Mrs. Funson Edwards, Speedwell, TN.

"The Bowman and Related Families of Claiborne County", was compiled by Roy Bowman. It is a large hardback book. It costs $35.00 plus $3.50 postage. Contact Roy Bowman, 11502 Bear Paw Path, San Antonio, TX 78245, phone 210-675-5681.

"Cemeteries of Claiborne County", was published by Paul Johnson. It is a hardback book listing most of the cemeteries in the country with information from the markers. Contact Paul Johnson, 577A Rr 4, Tazewell, TN 37825. Ph: 423-626-3029.

A Complete Index to "Cemeteries of Claiborne County" by Paul Johnson is available from Denny & Marla Brubaker, E-Mail: [email protected]. Every name is indexed by page number with infants to age 6 identified as well as possible maiden names.

"All Our Churches of Claiborne County, Tennessee", was published by Wayne Noah and his family in 1986. He pictured and gave a brief history of each of the churches in the country. Contact Wayne Noah, Rt. 2, New Tazewell, TN 37825. [note: no current address listing.]

"Paradise By Faith":, History of Shawanee Baptist Church, by Ralph Robinson. The church history of one of the oldest churches in Claiborne County is written in the context of the early history of the area. Cost $10.00 plus $2.50 postage. Contact Ralph Robinson, 176 Brunswick Dr., Harrogate, TN 37752-7516, phone 423-869-2701.

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Other genealogical publications on Claiborne County are:

"Chadwell Pioneers and Patriots", by Sharon Chadwell-Phillips. Some of the Chadwell family lived in Caliborne County. Cost $39.95 plus $3.00 postage. Contact Sharon Chadwell-Phillips, 12720 W. 76th Terrace, Shawnee Mission, Kansas 66216.

"Families of Dallas, Lourens, Rogers" (Also Hall, Ausmus, Wilson, and Other Relatives), is four volumes [plus fifth book with full name index]. Contact Euretha R. Lourens, 3721 Charlotte Dr., Enon, OH 45323, phone 513-864-5873.

"Claiborne County, Tennessee Marriages 1868-1891", paperback, published in 1984. Contact Byron Sistler, 1712 Natchez Trace, Nashville, TN.

"Claiborne County, Tennessee Marriages 1838-1850 and Campbell 1838-1853", by E. Whitney. Cost $15.00. Contact Tennessee Valley Publication, 1345 Oak Ridge Turnpike #318, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

"1900 Claiborne County Census", 483 pages, cost $45.00 (postage included). Contact Vestina Minton, Rt 3, Box 373, Harrogate, TN 37752.

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For the following books on Claiborne County, contact:
Mark Treadway, 217 Smith St., Monroe, MI 48161, phone 313-242-2490.

1830 Census   $16.50 (prices include postage)

1840 Census   $16.50

1850 Census   $16.50

1860 Census   $16.50

1870 Census   $16.50

1880 Census   $40.00

(There is no 1890 Census anywhere)

1900 Census   $40.00

1910 Census   $51.00

[The 1920 Census is also available from Mark)

Obituaries 1890-1939  $42.00

Obituaries 1940-1949  $51.00

Obituaries 1850-1854  $51.00

(He has started a fourth volume)

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Emma G. Dunn (now deceased) has written three books.

(1) Her book on the "Gibbs community" can be purchased through Sonja Smith Collins [note: Sonja is no longer able to handle this book].

(2) "The Way It Was Back When" Tells of her parents, grandparents, and her own memories of life in Claiborne, Union, and Knox Counties. It is not available at present but may be reprinted if there is enough interest. Contact her sister whose address is below.

(3) "The Petree Family of Claiborne, Union, Campbell, and Knox Counties". Cost $8.00, plus $2.00 mailing. Contact Mrs. Ernest (Fern) Whited, 7600 East Emory Rd., Corryton, TN 37721, phone 615-687-0858. [I believe this book was also supported by Sonja Collins and may not be available at this time.]

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People who have written of the area are:

Jadon Gibson - has written many historical articles for the newspapers of the Tri-State area.

Wilma Rogers - has published a small pamphlet giving the history of the Rogers Farm in Speedwell, Tennessee.

Hazel Wilson Hatcher - wrote a pamphlet on Speedwell telling of its history and the Wilson family there.

Mary Ann Russell (deceased) - wrote many poems of her relationship to the people and the land.

Cloud - wrote of Old Time Tazewell. Although it evidentally was never put in a book, it contained some very valuable historical information. It has been printed in The Claiborne Progress.

The Claiborne Progress - has published much historical information and has printed special historical editions from time to time.

The Middlesboro Daily News - has printed much historical material and has published several historical editions of the Middlesboro-Cumberland Gap-Harrogate area.

Bernard Stallard (deceased) - wrote many articles for the papers. I'm not certain of the titles of his pamphlets that were published.

Paul Bostic - is doing some extensive research on the Bostic family.

Earl Quintrell - has done a good deal of research on several families in the county - Quintrell, Wilson, McBee, Yoakum, and VanBebber.

Lilliam Carr - has done much writing for the paper as she remembered the past. She wrote a pamphlet on how we lost our dialect. She continues to write for The Claiborne Progress.

The Carr Family - has been written about, but I'm not sure of the author. I think Park A. Carr, postmaster of Harrogate (now deceased) worked on the family history. Contact Paula Gammell, Tennessee Valley Publications, 1345 Oak Ridge Turn Pike #118, Oak Ridge, TN 37830

Maynard Head - now working at Cumberland College has written of early lifestyle and published it in many newspapers and some were published in books.

Joe Clark - a noted photographer published several pictorial books of the area. He is now deceased and I understand that all or most of his books are out of print.

 

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