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.