Polk County, Tennessee

Societies and Family History Resources ∣ County Courthouse and Government Records ∣ County Genealogy Links

Polk County, Tennessee Facts

When was Polk County, TN Created?

Polk County was founded on November 28, 1839 from Bradley County and McMinn County.

What is the County Seat of Polk County, TN?

The County Seat of government is located in Benton also, the county government website is www.polkgovernment.com/ .

What counties are adjacent to Polk County, TN?

Bordering counties are Monroe County, Cherokee County, NC, Fannin County, Georgia, Murray County, Georgia, Bradley County and McMinn County .

Polk County Courthouse and Government Records

Polk County Courthouse

What genealogical records can I find in the Polk County Courthouse?

The following information and facts indicates whatever birth, death, marriage, land, wills, and courtroom records will be in Polk County or in the Tennessee State Library & Archives. The dates indicated below could be the first widely known documents for this county.

• Polk County Clerk
  • Address: P.O. Box 158, 6239 Hwy 411, Office #102, Benton, TN 37307
  • Phone: (423) 338-4526
  • Marriage Records:1894
  • Probate Records: 1873
• Polk County Register of Deeds
  • Address: P.O. Box 293, Benton, TN 37307
  • Phone: (423) 338-4537
  • Land & Deed Records: 1894
• Polk County Clerk of Circuit Court
  • Address: 6239 Hwy. 411, Benton, TN 37307
  • Phone: 423-338-4524
  • Chancery Court Minutes: 1866
  • Circuit Court Minutes:1866
  • County  Court Minutes: 1840

Where can find Polk County Birth, marriage, Divorce and Death Records?

Polk County vital records can be found at the Tennessee Department of Health (VDH) Office of Vital Records which has copies for copies of birth certificates, marriage licenses and divorce decrees. There is a fee for each copy requested. Please refer to the information to the Statewide Vital Records in Tennessee for current fees and application process.

Marriage license records are available from the county clerk who issued the marriage license. Court divorce orders may be obtained from the clerk of the court that granted the divorce.

You can search online for Polk County Birth, Marriage, Divorce or Death Records. You can also Order Electronically Online or can download an application for Tennessee Birth Certificate, Marriage Certificate, Divorce Certificate, Death Certificates to mail.

What Polk County, TN census records are available?

Federal Population Schedules for Polk County can be found for 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880 (free index), 1890 (fragment), 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, 1940.

Polk Co. Mortality Schedules can be found for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Polk Co. Industry and Agriculture can be obtained for 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. Polk Co. Union Veterans Schedules is available for 1890. The Slave Schedules exist for 1850 & 1860. One can find free online and printable census forms to help you with your research.

What genealogical and historical societies, archives, museums, associations and libraries are available for Polk County, TN?

• Polk County Historical and Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 636, Benton, TN 37307-0636

Polk County Genealogy Resources

Where can I connect with other Polk County, TN Researchers through message boards and forums?

https://www.archives.gov/research/census
• Tennessee Genealogy Community (plus.google.com)
• Tennessee State Genealogy Network (facebook.com)
• Polk County, Tennessee Message Boards (boards.ancestry.com) read and post messages about your ancestors in Polk County
• Polk County, Tennessee Genealogy Forum (genforum.genealogy.com)
• Genealogical “Fact Sheets” About Polk County (tn.gov) The purpose of these fact sheets is to help determine what sources are available for genealogical research about the people and places in Polk County. Although this is by no means an exhaustive list of all the possible places one might search, it does cover the major publications and microfilms available at TSLA on the Polk County.

What other genealogical resources are available in Polk County, TN?

The following are links to Family history and genealogy, Records and Resources relevant to Polk County. A majority of these genealogy links fall into 3 categories: Business oriented Sites, Personal Sites or Organization Sites. Some have free access some call for a payment. This is merely a collection which has been collected or submitted. I do not endorse or promote one genealogy site over another. Feel free to suggest your own most popular Polk County genealogy or family history affiliated sites.

Polk Co. TN Books, Newspapers & Publications

• Tennessee Newspapers Books & Publications Research Guide
• Tennessee historical newspaper archives online (newspapers.com)
• Historical Newspapers from Tennessee (1795 – 1929 ) (genealogybank.com) Rapidly find names and key phrases in over 450 million content articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements as well as other items written in over 2,800 old U.S. newspapers. Brand new articles and other content added every month!
• Tennessee Newspaper List by County and City (.state.tn.us)
• Polk County, Tennessee Books (amazon.com)
• Search Tennessee Obituaries (1990 to current) (genealogybank.com)

Polk Co. TN Birth, Marriage & Death Records

• Tennessee Vital Records Research Guide
• Order Hard Copies of Vital Records  (archives.com)
• Social Security Death Index (search.ancestry.com)

Polk Co. TN Court, Probate Land and Tax Records

• Tennessee Real Estate Assessment Data Property Search (assessment.state.tn.us)
• Polk County Records on Microfilm (tennessee.gov) – Order County Microfilm Inventories and Reels
• Early Polk County Records Available on Interlibrary Loan (tennessee.gov)
• BLM Land Records (glorecords.blm.gov)

Polk Co. TN Census Records

• Tennessee Census Records Research Guide
• Polk County, TN Census Records Links
• Polk County, TN Census QuickFacts

Polk Co. TN Cemeteries & Church Records

• Polk Co., Tennessee Graves (findagrave.com)
• Polk County Tombstone Transcription Project (usgwtombstones.org)
• Polk Co., Tennessee Cemeteries (Internment.net)
• Polk Co., Tennessee Cemetery Books (amazon.com)
• Polk County, Tennessee Church Books (amazon.com)

Polk Co. TN Family Websites, Pictures & Histories

• Create a Free Family Tree (ancestry.com)
• 1911 Who’s Who in Tennessee: A Biographical Reference Book of Notable Tennesseans – (tngenweb.org)
• Nichols and Related Families (nicholsgenealogy.com)

Polk Co. TN General and History Websites

• Polk County Tennessee (genealogytrails.com)
• Polk County History and Culture (tennesseeencyclopedia.net)
• Polk County, Tennessee Wikipedia (wikipedia.org)
• Polk County, Tennessee Wiki (familysearch.org)
• Polk Co. TN Genealogy (kindredtrails.com)
• Family History Library (familysearch.org)
• Polk County – American History and Genealogy Project (usgennet.org)
• Polk County, Tennessee (linkpendium.com)
• Cyndi’s List – United States – Tennessee – Counties – Polk (cyndislist.com)
• Polk Co. TNGenweb (tngenweb.org)
• Polk County Genealogy Queries (cousinconnect.com)
• Polk Co. Data Collections (search.ancestry.com)

Polk Co. TN Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

• See Also Map of Tennessee Links and Information
• Polk Co. D.O.T. County Highway Map
• 1895 Polk County Map (livgenmi.com)

Polk Co. TN Military Records

• Tennessee Military Records Research Guide
• Tennessee Military Records (Fold3.com) delivers access to military records, stories, photos, and personal documents of the Tennessee both women and men that served. Great for Polk County genealogists, researchers, historians plus much more.