Reminder to Tennessee Residents--Select Genealogy Databases Available thru TEL

If you are resident of Tennessee you have access to a number of genealogy databases from the comfort of your home thru the Tennessee Electronic Library 


Currently you can access the following thanks to TSLA's agreement with Ancestry.com.

Tennessee, Delayed Birth Records, 1869-1909
Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958
Tennessee, City Birth Records, 1881-1915
North Carolina and Tennessee, Early Land Records, 1753-1931
Tennessee, Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895
Tennessee, Enumeration of Male Voters, 1891
North Carolina and Tennessee, Revolutionary War Land Warrants, 1783-1843
Tennessee, City Death Records, 1872-1923
Tennessee, Wills and Probate Records, 1779-2008
Web: Tennessee, Supreme Court Case Index, 1809-1950

HeritageQuest(made available thru ProQuest) and a few other databases are available as well.  Some may require your library name and card number while other's will check your IP address to iusure you are in Tennessee.

If you are a resident of another state, check with your state library to see what they offer.  I think it's highly likely that they too have some free databases available.

1838 Tax list-Williamson Co TN--Dist 25

Snippet from the C section of the 1838 Tax list for Williamson Co Tennessee's 25th Dist. which includes my Wm C Cook and Joseph Cook among the Crick family which married heavily in the Putman(Wm. C's in-laws) family.

Names shown on the Dist 25 listing.  The writing was a bit difficult to read but not as bad as some I've come across.  I'm sure there are errors on my part.

		Williamson Co TN
		1838 Tax List Names
		District 25

1840 Williamson Co TN Census Head of Households

A look at the head of households in Dist 25 of Williamson Co TN in the 1840 Federal Census. This is the area where Joseph S Cook AND Wm C Cook are listed among the tax records in 1838. Wm C Cook is listed among the tax records of Bedford County's 10th Dist in two tax years prior to that(1836 & 1837)

* Name is not a duplicate and households differ in age breakdowns.

Williamson County, Tennessee District 25 pages 204A-206A (Beginning: Image 190 of 198)
Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line: https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=8057]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Finally have New Ancestor Discoveries at AncestryDNA

After having results for my Autosomal DNA testing from AncestryDNA for a year and four months I am finally just now getting New Ancestor Discoveries.  I had contacted them last year about not having any despite my both my Mother and my Daughters test having In Common New Ancestor Discoveries that I should have also have gotten since my daughter would have gotten them from me.
Their response was a canned one see copy and paste below:

I told them that their response was not logical given the info I mentioned above.  My tree does have almost 9000 people in it but that is hardly large in comparison to a lot of the trees hosted there.

Interestingly enough the New Ancestor Discoveries that I have are not the ones that my Mom and my Daughter share(which my daughter would have gotten from me)  These are Paternal New Ancestor Discoveries.  I can tell because they all have one thing in common--the Putman line which is my Dad's Great Grandmother's line.  My daughter now has these in addition to the Maternal New Ancestor Discoveries she had.  She also has another New Ancestor Discovery which is not showing in mine yet and which also ties to the Putman family.

In addition to these New Ancestor Discoveries I also have a  new milestone of 600 4th cousin or closer matches.  Perhaps my sister's DNA results will be in soon.  The status on it went to lab processing last week.

Ethnic results updated at DNALand

Admittedly I have not done much at DNAland other than register and upload my autosomal DNA test but I had heard that they have new Ethnic breakdown results so I went to check it out.  I think my original results was very generic there.  Something like 90+ European. Seems to be somewhat better now(see the screenshots below)  I still only have one close match there who is also a match at FTDNA.  This match is on my paternal side but beyond that I cannot tell where the connection is since my request to work together to find the connection has went unanswered.  I am sending an update and I hope that will spark a response.

Shows the Ethnic Breakdown in pie chart form

This shows where on the map the ethnic matches were located.

A more detailed explanation of that is included or not included in each grouping.  This varies from site to site--at Ancestry..the ones available at GEDmatch, 23&me and FTDNA.  To date this is the best explanation of what is included  at this site ....the other sites need something like this.  If they have it...it is not easily found.

Will of John R. Cathey--Dickson Co TN -Drawn July 10th 1827--Proved July Term 1828 -- Recorded Jan Term 1830

John R Cathey No. 46

State of Tennessee Dickson County
I John R. Cathey calling to mind the mortality of all flesh and being feeble of body but sound in memory and understanding do ordain this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all others.

1st I give unto my beloved wife Peggy Cathey during her natural life or widowhood all of my lands that I am now in possession of(except fifty acres lying above my son Archy Cathey's which I give to my son Joshua Cathey).  The balance at my wife's decease to be equally divided amongst my four younger sons vez. Daniel, Samuel, Martin and John Cathey.  Also I give to my said wife all my personal property after all my legal debts are paid.  Also I give unto my Daughters Jane and Dolly, one feather bed, one cow and calf each when they come of age or marry.

2nd As I have give to my son George one filly, to Archie one small Horse and to my daugher Maj., wife of William G. Austin a cow and calf and feather bed they are to have no more of the remaining property as I consider they have had their share and neither more when the rest are raised.

3rd I do constitute and appoint Munford Smith and Peggy my wife my sole Executor to this my last will and testament.In Witness hereof I sign and seal the same 10th day of July 1827




Test. John Forsythe    John R. Cathey his mark (seal)

State of Tennessee Dickson County Court July Term 1828
Then was the within paper writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of John R Cathey dec'd produced in open court and proved to be such by the oath of Jno Forsythe as subscribing witness thereto and teh same was ordered to be certified accordingly and recorded

Test. Field Farrar Clerk of said Court

State of Tennessee Dickson County January 30th 1830
Then was the last Will and Testament of John R. Cathey dec'd Recorded in Book A page 103
Field Farrar Clerk