Clerks of the Courts
County Court	Superior Court of Law and Equity
Sevier, John, 1778-85	Allison, David, 1788-91
Sevier, James, 1785-88	Russell, Andrew, 1791-92
Tipton, John, 1787	Roane, Archibald, 1792-93
Gourley, Thomas, 1787-90	Carter, Landon, 1793-94
Sevier, James 1790-1822	Carter, John, 1796-1806
Stephenson, 1822-2?	Anderson, James V., 1806-10
Sevier, James, 1824-36	Greer, Samuel, 1836-44
Chancery Court	Circuit Court of Law and Equity
Smith, William H., 1844-56	Anderson, James V. 1810-36
Lucky, Seth J.W., 1836-42	Ryland, John, 1836-48
Hoss, Henry, 1856-60	Embree, Worley, 1848-52
Deadrick, J.F., 1842-65	Crawford, John H., 1852-61
Conley, J. A., 1860-66	Armstrong, E., 1864-66
Hoss, Henry, 1865-70	Deakens, James E., 1886-70
Grisham, 1866-78	Wheeler, C., 1870-74
Swingle, B.G., 1870-82	Luttrell, S.S., 1874-77
Shipley, E. A., 1878-86	Mathes, W.E., 1878-86
Bowman, A.B., 1882-?	Cooper, Lewis, 1886-?
Leab, Jacob, 1886-
Young,W.F.

Subjects in the Collection

 

County Government--Tennessee--Washington County--Records and Correspondence

Court Records--Tennessee--Washington County

Courts--Tennessee--Washington County

Crawford, John H.

Crime--Tennessee--Washington County

Decedents' Estates--Tennessee--Washington County

Divorce--Tennessee--Washington County

Illegitimacy Justices of the Peace--Tennessee--Washington County

School Boards--Tennessee--Washington County

Tennessee. Chancery Court (Washington County)

Tennessee. Circuit Court (Washington County)

Tennessee. County Court (Washington County)

Tennessee. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Washington County)

Tennessee East--History

Tennessee. Superior Court of Law and Equity (Washington District)

Washington County (Tenn.)--History

Record Listings. For details, see the subgroup descriptions

Subgroup A, Superior Court of Law and Equity Records, 1785-1811

Boxes 1-4

Series I, Bound Volumes, Volumes 1-4, Box 1

Series II, Judicial Records, Boxes 2-4.

 

Subgroup B, Circuit Court Records, 1801-1950

Boxes 11-143

Series B-I, Bound Volumes, Volumes 5-206 (including boxes 5-10)

Series B-II, Civil/Criminal Records

Series B-III, Civil Case Records

Series B-IV, Criminal Case Records

 

Subgroup C, Chancery Court Records, 1830-1934

Boxes 145-223

Series C-I, Bound Volumes, Volumes 207-229 (including box 144)

Series C-II, Administrative Records, Box 145

Series C-III, Case Records, 1831-1934, Boxes 146-223

Subseries C-III-A, Alphabetical Records, Boxes 146-208

Subseries C-III-B, Numerical Records, Boxes 208-223

 

Subgroup D, County Court Records, 1779-1950

Boxes 225-275.

Series D-I, Bound Volumes, Volumes 230-236, (including Box 224).

Series D-II, Judicial Records, Boxes 225-246

Series D-III, Administrative Records, Boxes 247-266

Series D-IV, Education Records, Boxes 267-270

Series D-V, Election Records, Boxes 271-175

 

Subgroup E, Justice of the Peace Records, 1790-1965

Boxes 277-299

Series E-I, Bound Volumes, Volumes 237-281, (including Box 276)

Series E-II, Civil Case Records

Series E-III, Civil/Criminal Case Records

Series E-IV, Criminal Case Records

 

Subgroup F, Miscellaneous Records, 1794-1944, Volumes 282-368

Boxes 300-303

Series F-I, Juvenile Court, 1916-1918, Volume 282

Series F-II, Jury Commission, 1927-1944, Volumes 283-234

Series F-III, Exhibits, 1800-1938, Volumes 285-368

Series F-IV, Miscellaneous Files, 1794-1938, Boxes 300-301

Series F-V, Damaged Documents, various dates, Boxes 302-303

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Record Subgroup Descriptions

Subgroup A, Superior Court of Law and Equity, 1785-1811, Volumes 1-4 (located in Box 2), Boxes 3-4

Subgroup A consists of 4 volumes: bail bond book; casebook (minutes); executive docket; and witness book and the administrative records of the clerks of the superior court. Included in the civil and criminal cases are legal documents submitted to or generated by the superior court in cases involving $100 and upwards. These cases are concerned with settlement of estates; debts; land disputes; trespassing; slander; assault; theft and murder. The various types of records involved in the suits are: subpoenas; bonds; declarations; depositions; injunctions; affidavits; fiera facias; and capias ad respondendums. Subgroup A is divided into the following series; Series A-I, four volumes related to the cases; and Series A II, Civil and Criminal cases.

 

Series A-I, BOUND VOLUMES, 1788-1809, Box 1

Series A-I contains the casebook (minutes) summarizing cases heard by the courts and the dockets scheduling actions of the superior court. The cases involve both civil and criminal cases. The volumes are arranged alphabetically by type of record then chronologically.

 

Series A-II, SUPERIOR COURT RECORDS, 1785-1811, Boxes 2-4

Series A-II consists of the civil and criminal cases involving land disputes; debts; trespassing; settlement of estates; slander; assault; theft and murder with some cases being appealed from the county court. The arrangement is chronological.

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Subgroup B, Circuit Court, 1801-1950, Volumes 5-206 (including Boxes 5-10), Boxes 11-143

Subgroup B consists of bound volumes including bond books, dockets, jury books, minutes, and casebooks and the records resulting from petitions to and actions of the circuit court. The circuit court head civil cases and criminal cases involving felonies and misdemeanors.

 

Series B-I, BOUND VOLUMES, 1808-1946, Volumes 5-206 (including boxes 5-10)

 

Series B-I, contains bond books, executive dockets, rule dockets, trial dockets, jury books, enrolling dockets, minutes, grand jury dockets, and witness dockets concerning civil and criminal cases before the circuit court. The cases involved civil suits concerning debts, divorce and damages and criminal charges as murder, larceny, assault, battery, tippling, lewdness, adultery, rape, transporting liquor, bestiality, carrying arms, and forgery. The volumes are divided first into subseries A, B, and C. Within the respective subseries the volumes are arranged alphabetically by type and then chronologically.

 

Subseries A, CIVIL, Volumes 5-58

Subseries B, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL, Volumes 59-119.

Subseries C, CRIMINAL, Volumes 120-206.

 

Series B-II, CIVIL/CRIMINAL RECORD, 1810-1941, Boxes 11-115

 

Series B-II consists of the civil cases involving suits concerning debts, divorce and damages, and the criminal cases involving suits concerning assault, battery, tippling, lewdness, murder, adultery, rape, bestiality, carrying arms, larceny, forgery and transporting liquor. The cases contain subpoenas, narratives, depositions, notices, warrants, petitions for certiorari, exhibits, declarations, fi-fas, answers, bonds, notices, decrees and demurrers. There are three subseries. The cases continued for a number of years, and therefore records in each packet may extend well past the starting date by which the records are filed.

 

Subseries B-II-A, FILE NUMBERS, 1-841, 1910-1950, Boxes 11-69

Subseries B-II-A includes both civil and criminal cases, arranged numerically by files number on case. The civil cases concern debts, divorce and damages, and the criminal cases concern assault, battery, tippling, lewdness, murder, adultery, rape, carrying arms, larceny, forgery and transporting liquor. The arrangement is chronologically by the file number on the case.

 

Subseries B-II-B, ALPHABETICAL FILES, 1865-1888, Boxes 70-73

Subseries B-II-B includes both civil and criminal cases, alphabetically arranged by plaintiff's last name. The civil cases concern debts, divorce and damages, and the criminal cases concern assault, battery, tippling, lewdness, murder, adultery, rape, carrying arms, larceny, forgery and transporting liquor. The arrangement is alphabetical by the defendants last name.

 

Subseries B-II-C, CHRONOLOGICAL FILES, 1810-1948, Boxes 74-115

Subseries B-II-C includes both civil and criminal cases, arranged chronologically by earliest date of case. For those cases that are arranged chronologically, the records are filed by the earliest date appearing on the bundle of records. The civil cases concern debts, divorce and damages, and the criminal cases concern assault, battery, tippling, lewdness, murder, adultery, rape, carrying arms, larceny, forgery and transporting liquor. The arrangement is chronological. Inclusive dates in a files are indicated in parenthesis following the full date.

 

Series B-III, CIVIL CASE RECORDS, 1810-1841, Boxes 116-127

 

Series B-III consists of court documents related to civil cases involving divorce, debts and damages. Included among these documents are summons, petitions, fifas, declarations, narratives, subpoenas, bonds, decrees and answers. The records are arranged chronologically by the earliest date in the bundle of records as received. Some cases continued for a number of years, and therefore records in each packet may extend well past the starting date by which the records are filed. Inclusive dates in a file are indicated in parenthesis following the full date.

 

Series B-IV, CRIMINAL CASE RECORDS, 1810-1845, Boxes 128-143

 

Series IV consists of court documents related to criminal cases involving crimes such as assault, battery, tippling, murder, lewdness, adultery, rape, bestiality, carry arms, larceny, forgery and transporting liquor. Included among these documents are subpoenas, narratives, depositions, notices, warrants, summons, bonds, fi-fas and demurrers. The arrangement is chronological by the earliest date on the bundle of records as received. Many cases continued for a number of years, and therefore records in each packet may extend well past the starting date by which the records are filed Inclusive dates in a file are indicated in parenthesis following the file date.

Top of Page	To Beginning of Listings	Washington County Index

Subgroup C, CHANCERY COURT, 1830-1934, Volumes 207-229 (Including Box 144), Boxes 134-223

 

Subgroup C contains the administrative records of the clerk of chancery court and legal documents submitted to or generated by the chancery court concerned with the settlement of estates, divorces, damages, debts, and delinquent taxes. The records include dockets, lists of costs, correspondence, petitions, original bills, defendant's answer, subpoenas, fiera facias, depositions, transcripts, and exhibits. This subgroup is divided into four series. In so far as possible the arrangement reflects the filing system used by the court; but due to use prior to processing, the papers of some cases have been cross filed in both the alphabetical and numerical subseries.

 

Series C-I, BOUND VOLUMES, 1864-19?1, Volumes 207-229 (Including Box 144)

 

Series C-I contains receipt dockets, cash books, rule dockets, trail dockets and appearance dockets of cases heard by the chancellor concerning the settlement of estates, debts, damages, divorce, and state suits for delinquent taxes. The volumes are divided into two subseries: Subseries C-I-A, Administrative and Subseries C-I-B, Case. The arrangement is first alphabetical by type of volume and then chronological.

 

Subseries C-I-A, ADMINISTRATIVE, Volumes 207-211

Subseries C-I-B, CASE, Volumes 212-230

 

Series C-II, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1842-1912, Box 145

 

Series C-II includes the clerks notes and correspondence, docket pages and list of court costs which concern more than one case. The records are arranged chronologically by decade

 

Series C-III, JUDICIAL CASE RECORDS, 1831-1934 Boxes 146-223

 

Series C-III contains petitions, original bills, depositions, transcripts, opinions and exhibits to cases heard by the chancery courtThe documents relate to estate settlements, divorce, debt, damages and delinquent taxes. This series is divided into two subseries: A and B.

 

Subseries C-III-A, ALPHABETICAL RECORDS, Box 146-208.

Subseries C-III-A contains petitions, original bills, defendant's answers, subpoenas, fiera facias, depositions, transcripts, and exhibits such as deeds, wills, receipts, are related to cases concerning estate settlement, divorce, taxes. The arrangement is alphabetical by the plaintiff's initial.

 

When possible, cases involving estate settlement have been filed by the name of the defendant; however when the name of the deceased was not readily apparent, the case may have been filed by the name of the administrator or plaintiff.
Many civil suits resulted in cross-suits which were filed with the original case. Suchcases have been left together. Some cross-suits may have been separated prior to processing. Researchers are advised to check the names of all persons known to have been involved in any case.

 

Suits pending between 1883-1911 were often assigned case numbers and may be located in Series C-III-B, Numerical Files, and researchers are advised to check for such cases in both series.

 

Subseries C-III-B, NUMERICAL RECORDS, Boxes 208-223

Subseries C-III-B, included hills, depositions, opinions, transcript, and exhibits to cases heard by the chancery court between 1883-1911. These cases were assigned individual case numbers in sequence on the date the case began and are arranged numerically by the case number in groups of one hundred. Frequently the case number was not recorded on every document related to a case; therefore, documents from these cases may have been filed in Series C- III-A, Alphabetical Files.

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Subgroup D, COUNTY COURT, 1780-1949, Volumes 230-236 (including Box 224), Boxes 225-275

Subgroup D contains administrative records and legal documents generated by or submitted to the county court which functioned as a judicial body, financial administrator, and supervisor of public education and elections in Washington County. In the early nineteenth century the county court was also referred to as the court of pleas and quarter sessions. This subgroup includes election returns, poll lists, correspondence, financial reports, receipts, warrants, petitions, orders, wills, deeds, and depositions.

Subgroup D is divided into five series. In so far as possible the records have been separated according to the functions of the court and arranged to reflect the filing system used. However, due to the overlapping functions of the court and use of records prior to processing, some papers may be cross filed in the administrative and judicial series.

 

 

Series D-I, BOUND VOLUMES, 1789-1903, Volumes 230-236 (Including Box 224)

 

Series D-I includes accounts of insolvent estates, execution docket, federal appropriations docket, road book, and trial docket concerning the judicial and administrative functions of the court. Volumes of tax books, deeds registers, livestock and pet registers, and merchant licenses received with the court records remain in room B-3 of Sherrod Library. Due to the small number of volumes for county court, the books were not divided to reflect the functions of the court. The volumes are arranged alphabetically by type and then chronologically.

 

Series D-II, JUDICIAL RECORDS, 1780-1939, Boxes 225-246

 

Series D-II consists of summons, subpoenas, warrants, wills, deeds, depositions and petitions concerned with civil and criminal suits. The cases involve debt, estate settlements, bastardy, assault, battery, drunkenness, malicious mischief, slander, and larceny. The records are arranged chronologically by decade.

 

Series D-III, ADMINISTRATIVE RECORDS, 1780-1949, Boxes 247-266

 

Series D-III contains correspondence; petitions to and orders of the justices of the court; records of county expenditures including receipts and warrants; and reports of county officials covering activities and fees collected. As an administrative body the court was responsible for the supervision of the roads; maintenance of county property; regulation of businesses; and the care of the poor, orphans, and handicapped. The records are arranged chronologically by decade. (NB Tax books and receipts, privileged licenses, deed registers, livestock and pet registers, receipt books, merchant's licenses, canceled checks, and bundles of payment warrants received with these records remain in B-3 of Sherrod Library).

 

Series D-IV, EDUCATION RECORDS, 1805-l936, Boxes 267-270

 

Series D-IV includes attendance records, reports, contracts, census of scholastic population, receipts, payment warrants, applications, and correspondence concerning the operation of the county schools. The records are arranged chronologically by decade; the single volume of the minutes is located at the end of the series.

 

Series D-V, ELECTION RECORDS, 1820-1920s, Boxes 271-275

 

Series D-V includes attendance records, reports, contracts, census of scholastic population, receipts, payment warrants, applications, and correspondence concerning the operation of the county schools. The records are arranged chronologically by decade; the single volume of the minutes is located at the end of the series.

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Subgroup E, JUSTICE OF THE PEACE, 1779-1954, Volumes 237-281

Subgroup E contains justice dockets, subpoenas, summons, depositions, warrants, appearance and cost bonds concerning civil cases involving small debts, bastardy and misdemeanors. Justices also recorded sworn statements of witnesses for cases pending in other courts; such records could be filed in the justice's records or with the case records in the deciding court. The records are divided into four series.

 

Series E-I, BOUND VOLUMES, 1818-1954, Volumes 237-281

 

Series E-I contains the justice and magistrate dockets of cases heard by the justices of the peace in Washington County. The volumes are divided into three subseries. Within each subseries the volumes are arranged alphabetically by the title and then chronologically.

 

Subseries E-I-A, CIVIL CASES, 1818-1954, Volumes 237-256.

Subseries E-I-B, CIVIL AND CRIMINAL CASES, 1868-l954, Volumes 257-266.

Subseries E-I-C, CRIMINAL CASES, 1818-1954, Volumes 267-281

 

Series E-II, CIVIL CASE RECORDS, 1789-1931, Boxes 276-277

 

Series E-II consists of attachments, garnishments, magistrates warrants and execution orders, and replevins related to civil cases heard by the justices or pending in other courts. The suits predominantly involved the recovery of property, collection of debts by businesses and individuals and damaged property. The files are arranged chronologically by the earliest date on the bundle of records; therefore, dates may overlap.

 

Series E-III, CIVIL/CRIMINAL CASE RECORDS, 1779-1948, Boxes 278-295

 

Series E-III includes depositions, garnishments, summons, warrants, subpoenas and transcripts related to trial proceedings heard by the justices or pending in other courts Cases largely concerned various misdemeanors such as drunkenness, disorderly conduct and traffic violations; bastardy; and civil suits relating to small debts and property damage. The files are arranged chronologically by the earliest date on the bundle of records; therefore dates may overlap.

 

Series E-IV, CRIMINAL CASE RECORDS, 1816-l950, Boxes 296-299

 

Series E-IV contains depositions, warrants, subpoenas and transcripts for trial proceedings, predominantly involving public drunkenness, trespassing, assault and battery and traffic violations. The arrangement is chronologically by the earliest date in the bundle of records; therefore, dates may overlap.

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Subgroup F, MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS, 1794-1944, Volumes 282-368, Boxes 305-306

Subgroup F contains all papers and bound volumes received with the Washington County Court Records not (demonstrably) connected with court and administrative records filed elsewhere. This subgroup includes exhibits to unidentified cases as daybooks, account books and ledgers; bound volumes of the juvenile court and the jury commission; correspondence; property descriptions; ballads; and legal documents of which the court could not be ascertained. The subgroup is divided into four series.

 

Series F-I, JUVENILE COURT, 1916-1918, Volume 282.

 

Series F-I contains one trial docket scheduling cases heard by the juvenile court between April 1916 and November 1918.

 

Series F-II, JURY COMMISSION, 1927-1955, Volumes 283-284

 

Series F-II consists of two minute books of the jury commission concerning the selection of jurors the court terms from August 1927 to June l944.

 

Series F-III, EXHIBITS, 1800-1938, Volumes 285-368

 

Series F-III contains business and estate ledgers, account books, daybooks, and inventories which were submitted as exhibits to cases pending in unidentified courts. An exhibit index dated 1911 is included at the first of the series. The volumes are arranged first alphabetically by company name, estate name, and type of record then chronologically.

 

Series F-IV, MISCELLANEOUS FILES, 1794-1938, Boxes 305-306

 

Series F-IV includes correspondence, pamphlets, advertisements, news clippings, ballads, property line descriptions, notes, and legal documents not identified with one of the above Washington County courts. The papers are arranged chronologically by decade with undated papers located in front.

 

NON-MANUSCRIPT MATERIAL

 

The following photographs and negatives have been removed from the records and placed in the Archives Photographic collections under Washington County Court Records:

 

Six 3 1/2 x 4 1/2 negatives of WPA Anna Lea Keys

Four 8 x 10 photographs filed as exhibits to an unidentified case in l909

Three 2 x 3 photographs relating to the case, state vs. Red Wilson

 

OVERSIZE MATERIAL

 

Oversize documents have been removed from individual cases and placed in oversize folders and stored by accession number in the map cabinets. Each folder contains a list of cases included within, together with the reference indicating the box and folder which originally contained the documents.

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