Giles County

Giles County

Giles County was formed in 1809 from Indian lands

(Acts of Tennessee 1809 [First Session], Chapter 55)

The county seat is Pulaski.

There were fires at the Giles County
courthouse in 1813, 1857 and 1907.

Selected Published County Histories
  • African Americans of Giles County (Jones & Hull, 2010) [no index]
  • Black History in Giles County [2 volumes] (Wood, 2000)*
  • Brief Sketch of the Settlement and Early History of Giles County, Tennessee: 1876 (McCallum, 1983) [name index]*
  • Early History of Giles County (McCallum, 1997) [name index]*
  • Finding Our Past: History of Black Education in Giles County, 1920-1970 (Savage, 1986?)
  • Flournoy Rivers’ Manuscripts; and, History of Pisgah by W. Thomas Cardin (Parker & White, 19??)*
  • Giles County: History of Tennessee (Goodspeed, 1990)
  • Giles County, Tennessee: Homecoming ’86 (Hannah, 1986)
  • Goodspeed Histories of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin & Moore Counties of Tennessee (Goodspeed, 1972) [name index]
  • Guide to Historic Sites and Places of Interest in Giles County, Tennessee (Butler, 1995)*
  • Historic Places in Davidson, Williamson, Maury and Giles Counties (Tennessee Historical Commission, 1921?)
  • Historical Study of the Elk River from Fayetteville to Elkton, Tennessee (Sorrells, 1973)
  • In Their Own Words: The Abernathy (Eason, Rivers and Tarpley) Slaves of Giles County, Tennessee (Chase, 2014) [name index]
  • *Official Souvenir Program [of] Giles County, Tennessee, Sesquicentennial, 1809-1959. July 11-18, 1959 (Giles County Sesquicentennial Association, 1959)*
  • Our Town: Pages of the Pulaski Citizen [1810-1890s] (Wamble, 2001)
  • Picture Giles County (Phelps, 1996)
  • Pulaski, Giles County, Tennessee; A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey (195?)*
  • Times From Giles County (Solomon, 1976)*

Additional county and community histories can be found at the Bibliography of Tennessee Local History Sources: Giles County. The items in the bibliography may not all be available at the Tennessee State Library and Archives.  

Published Local Records
  • 1836 Giles County, Tennessee, Civil Districts and Tax List (Douthat, 2004) [name index]*
  • 1880 Census, Giles County, Tennessee (Sistler, 2000) [alphabetical by name of head of household]*
  • Abstracts of Giles County, Tennessee: County Court Minutes, 1813-1816, and Circuit Court Minutes, 1810-1816 (Wells, 1995) [name index]*
  • Abstracts, Giles County Court Minutes, 1865 thru 1868 (Parker, 1989) [surname index]*
  • Book B, Record of Causes Decided in Chancery Court at Pulaski, Giles County, Tenn., Sept. Term 1838 to Mar. term 1842: Abstracts of Genealogical Value (Browning, 1983) [surname index]
  • Cemetery Records of Giles County, Tennessee (Giles County Historical Society, 1986) [surname index]*
  • Cemetery Records of Giles County, Tennessee (Giles County Historical Society, 1998) [surname index]
  • Early Marriages in Giles County, Tennessee (Parker, 1994?) [alphabetical by groom; bride name index]*
  • Estate Settlements, Giles County Court (White, 1994?) [surname index]*
  • Giles County Census, 1850 (Porch, 1971) [surname index]*
  • Giles County Census, 1860 (White & Parker, 1987) [surname index]*
  • Giles County Chancery Court: Woodruff Files A thru S 1830-1900 [6 vols.] (White, 1987) [name index]
  • Giles County, County Court Minutes, Vol. H, 1823-1825 [2 vols.] (WPA, 1942) [name index]
  • Giles County, County Court Minutes, 1833 (WPA, 1942) [name index]
  • Giles County Court Minute Book “S”, 1847-1850 (Parker, 1990) [surname index]*
  • Giles County Lineage Book (Giles County Historical Society, 1982) [surname index]
  • Giles County, Minutes of Trustees and Building Committee of Pisgah Church, 1867-1869 (WPA, 19??)
  • Giles County, Tennessee County Court Minutes, vol. H, 1823-1825 (Tennessee Historical Records Survey Division of Community Service Program Works Projects Administration, 1992?) [name index]
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Court Minutes, vol. 1, 1825-1827 (WPA, 1938) [name index]
  • Giles County, Tennessee Marriage Book [vol. 1 1865-1870; vol. 2 1871-1885] (Cosby, 1994-) [name index]*
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, vol. 2, 1865-70 (WPA, 1939) [name index]
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Marriages, 1818-1862 (1978) [name index]*
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Minute Book B, 1813-15 (WPA, 19??) [name index]
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Miscellaneous Wills, 1830-1857 (WPA, 1940) [name index]
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Population Schedules of the United States Census of 1820 (Presley, 1970?) [surname index]*
  • Giles County, Tennessee, Will Abstracts, 1815-1900 (Parker, 1988) [surname index]*
  • Giles County, Tennessee’s Bit For Uncle Sam During World War I (Ezell, 19??) [name index]
  • History of Giles County, Tennessee [1953 thesis] (Parker, 1996)
  • Index to Giles County, Tennessee Wills; Original Wills, Before 1900, on File in the County Court Clerk’s Office, Pulaski, Tennessee (Embry, 1960) [alphabetical listing]*
  • Index, Loose Chancery Court Cases, Giles County, Tennessee, 1830-1900 (19??) [alphabetical listing]
  • Legacy: Early Family of Giles County, an Account of Some of the Pioneer Families of Giles County (Butler, 1991) [name index]
  • Marriage Records of Giles County, Tennessee Families 1762-1860 (Turner, 2011) [alphabetical by groom; alphabetical by bride]*
  • Marriages of Giles County, Tennessee. 1818 through 1862 (Smith, 1952) [surname index]*
  • Maury County Neighbors; Records of Giles, Lewis, and Marshall Counties, Tennessee (Lightfoot & Shackelford, 1967)
  • Name Index to History of Tennessee … Together With … Sketch of Giles, Lincoln, Franklin, and Moore Counties (Marsh, 1971) [name index]
  • Obituaries from Giles County, Tennessee (Wilhelm, 198?) [alphabetical listing]
  • R.F.D Mail Directory for Giles County, Tennessee: Names of Subscribers on the Rural Free Delivery Routes of Giles County, Tennessee (Benson, 19??) [name index]
  • Supplement (Corrections and additions): Cemetery Records of Giles County, Tennessee (Giles County Historical Society, 1988) [surname index]*
  • Tennessee, Records of Giles County, First Presbyterian Church and Masonic Hall, Pulaski, 1828-1885 (WPA, 1938) [name and surname index]
  • Tennessee, Records of Giles County, General Index to Deeds, vol. A, 1810-1859 (WPA, 1940) [alphabetical by grantor]
  • Tennessee, Records of Giles County, Minute Book vol. C, 1816-1817 (WPA, 1936) [name index]
  • Uncommon Valor: Giles County’s Men and Women Who Served During World War II (Ezell, 2010) [name index]
  • West Central Tennessee Regional Polk City Directory: Including Giles, Lawrence, Lewis and Maury Counties (R.L. Polk & Co., 1997) [alphabetical listing]
Local Records on Microfilm

An inventory of microfilmed Giles County records is available on the Tennessee Secretary of State website.  Individual reels of microfilm may also be purchased.

Earliest records include:

  • marriages from 1865
  • wills from 1860
  • deed index from 1810
  • chancery court minutes from 1838
  • county court minutes from 1810
  • circuit court minutes from 1817
  • tax books (duplicates) from 1875
Newspapers on Microfilm

Newspapers were published in Lynnville and Pulaski.  Scattered early issues are available from 1838, and a complete run begins in 1961.  Microfilms are loaned to Tennessee libraries.  Individual reels may also be purchased.  An Inventory of Newspapers on Microfilm at the Library and Archives is available on Tennessee Secretary of State website.

Selected Manuscripts Material

  • Bethesda Methodist Church Records. Giles County, 1878-1961 (Microfilm Manuscript #692, 1 reel)*
  • Choate Brothers Grocery Store Account Book. Giles County, 1892-1894 (Microfilm Manuscript #613, 1 reel)*
  • Church of the Messiah (Episcopal) Records. Giles County, 1835-1966 (Microfilm Manuscript #918, 1 reel)*
  • Columbia District Records. Tennessee Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1941-1942  (Microfilm Manuscript #686, 1 reel)*
  • Elkton General Store Account Book. Giles County, 1854-1855   (Microfilm Manuscript #326, 1 reel)*
  • Giles County Miscellaneous Records, 1750-1970 (Microfilm Manuscript #499, 2 reels)*
  • Giles County Oral History Project, 1995-1996 (39 audio cassettes)
  • Gordon Family Day Book, ca. 1851-1900 & Brick Church Store Journal, No. 2, 1882-1883   (Microfilm Manuscript #1835, 1 reel)
  • Josephine (Westmoreland) Casey Memoirs, 1910   (Microfilm Manuscript #45, 1 reel)*
  • Lawrence County Miscellaneous Records, ca. 1800-1940   (Microfilm Manuscript #566, 3 reels)*
  • Martha Rivers Adams Collection, 1751-1902 (Microfilm Manuscript #1358, 1 reel)
  • Moore, Daly, and King Hardware Company Account Book. Giles County, 1890 (Microfilm Manuscript #612, 1 reel)*
  • Mt. Moriah Cumberland Presbyterian Church Records. Giles County, 1880-1969 (Microfilm Manuscript #665, 1 reel)*
  • Nancy Carter Richardson Papers, 1700-1990 (Microfilm Manuscript #1430, 1 reel)*
  • Robertson Fork Church of Christ Records. Giles County, 1947-1964   (Microfilm Manuscript #965, 1 reel)*
  • Roberson Fork Church of Christ Records. Lynnville, 1830-1868, 1969 (Microfilm Manuscript #334, 1 reel)*
  • Samuel Hollingsworth Stout Papers, 1819-1963 (Microfilm Manuscript #782, 1 reel)*
  • Thomas Edward Abernathy Papers, 1787-1882 *
  • United Daughters Of The Confederacy, Giles County Chapter Records, 1898-1959   (Microfilm Manuscript #1687, 1 reel)*
  • Wiley – Abernathy – Bass Family Papers, 1671–1972 *

Search for Manuscripts Material in Tennessee Secretary of StateCatalog 

Census Records
  • Census on microfilm for Giles County:  1820-1880, 1900-1930
  • State-wide census index:  1820-1880
  • State-wide census index on microfilm  (Soundex):  1880,  1900-1930
  • Giles County census records in book form: 1820*, 1850*, 1860*, 1880*
Additional Research Aids for Giles County

* Indicates this title may be borrowed on interlibrary loan from the Library and Archives.

Giles County Bibliography

PLEASE NOTE that the Tennessee State Library and Archives does not hold copies of all of the items listed in this bibliography. Please check the Tennessee State Library and Archives Online Catalog or visit the Ask Us a Question! webpage to contact the Library and Archives and verify we have an item in our collection. We will respond to e-mail requests promptly; response time may vary, depending on the amount of research required to answer your question and the unique nature of your request. If you need immediate assistance you may call the reference desk at (615) 741-2764 or visit us in person.

Subjects :

Giles County in General
  • Biographical directory, TN General Assembly, 1796-1969 (Giles County, Preliminary #22). Nashville, TSLA, 1970. 53 pp.
  • Blue, Keith F. A study of the private preparatory schools in the areas of Maury, Giles, & Lincoln counties. N.p., Upper Duck River Development Association, 1973. 40 pp.
  • Bulletin. vol. 1, March 21, 1974-. (Quarterly). Giles County Hist. Soc.
  • Butler, Margaret, ed. Tall tales & true stories about Giles countians. Pulaski, the author, 1979. 93 pp.
  • Estes, P.M. Historic places in Davidson, Williamson, Maury & Giles counties. Nashville, Nashville Auto Club, 1928. 29 pp.
  • Finding our past: history of black education in Giles County, 1920-1970. Pulaski, Giles County Hist. Soc., 1986. 97 pp.
  • Flood insurance study: Giles County, TN, unincorporated areas. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1992. 1 vol.
  • George Peabody College for Teachers. Div. of Surveys & Field Services. Public schools of Giles County, TN: a survey report. Nashville, n.p., 1963. 210 pp.
  • Giles County, 1980-1987: an economic analysis. Nashville, TN Dept. Emp. Sec., 1988. 12 pp.
  • Giles County, TN: a unique quality of life. Pulaski, Giles County Chamber of Commerce, 198-. 32 pp.
  • Giles County, TN: Homecoming ’86. Pulaski, Homecoming ’86 Giles County Committee, 1986. 178 pp.
  • Giles County, TN Sesquicentennial Association. Official souvenir program of Giles County, TN, sesquicentennial, 1809-1959: July 11-18, 1959. Pulaski, the association, 1959. 128 pp.
  • Giles heirlooms: historic recipes & places. Compiled by the Giles County Hist. Soc. Pulaski, Sain Publications, 1992. 192 pp.
  • Goodspeed’s history of TN (Giles County, pp. 749-766, 846-876). Goodspeed, 1886.
  • Killebrew, Joseph B. Resources of Giles County; resources of Lincoln County. Nashville, Union & American, 1871. 14 pp.
  • Knox, Robert D. A history of public education in Giles County, TN. TTU thesis, 1965. 92 pp.
  • McCallum, James. A brief sketch of the settlement & early history of Giles County, TN, 1876. Pulaski, Pulaski Citizen, 1928. 125 pp. (also published in AHM 2 (1897), pp. 303-323)
  • McCary, Charles E.L. Mineral resources summary of the Aspen Hill quadrangle, TN (including the TN portion of the Salem quadrangle, AL-TN). Nashville, TN Div. Geol., 1967. 8 pp.
  • Natural Resource Analysis Demonstrations (TVA). Important farmland, Giles County, TN. Nashville, the service 1978. 1 map.
  • Parker, Clara M. Flournoy Rivers’ manuscripts; & History of Pisgah by W. Thomas Cardin. N.p., 19–. 228 pp. (Flournoy Rivers’ manuscripts were published in the Pulaski Citizen, 1895-1898; History of Pisgah was published in the Pulaski Record, 1904)
  • Parker, Elizabeth C. History of Giles County, TN. MTSU thesis, 1953. 101 pp.
  • Phase II archaeological investigations at site 40GL26 Giles County, TN. Memphis, MSU Dept. Anthrop., 1985. 66 pp.
  • Preparing for economic growth & change, Giles County. Prepared by M. Lynne Holliday, et al. Nashville, TN Advisory Comm. on Intergovernmental Relations, 1990. 84 pp.
  • Soil survey, Giles County, TN. Washington, D.C., US GPO, 1907, 1968.
  • Solomon, James. Times from Giles County. N.p., the author, 1976. 151 pp.
  • Sorrells, Dan R. Historical study of the Elk River from Fayetteville to Elkton, TN; a resource intern report. Knoxville, Elk River Development Assoc. & TVA, 1973. 53 pp.
  • TN Bureau of Agriculture, Statistics & Mines. Essays & addresses, with discussions thereon, at the meeting of the Giles County Farmers’ Institute at Pulaski, TN, March 8 & 9, 1889. Nashville, Campbell Print. Co., 1889. 1p.
  • TN Dept. Transportation [county maps] issued periodically.
  • TN Valley Authority. Ind. Div. Agricultural-industrial survey of Giles County, TN. 2 vols. Knoxville, TVA, 1934. var. pp.
  • Thomas, W.O. “Giles County & Pulaski.” Trotwood’s Monthly 3 (1906), pp. 249-257.
  • US Geol. Survey [topographic maps] issued periodically. Quadrangles: Sandy Hook, Lynnville, Campbells Station, Campbellsville, Milky Way, Brick Church, Cornersville, Bodenham, Pulaski, Tarpley, Frankewing, Appleton, Aspen Hill, Elkton, Dellrose, Union Hill, Salem, Elkmont, Ardmore.
Elkton
  • There was a time: a history of Elkton & outlying communities. Elkton, Elkton High School, 1978. 46 pp.
Ku Klux Klan

(Note: numerous works on the Ku Klux Klan’s development outside of Tennessee, & numerous fictional works, are available but in the interests of space not listed here.)

  • Alexander, Thomas B. Prelude to Ku Kluxism in TN. Vanderbilt U. thesis, 1940. 159 pp.
  • Allen, Ward. “A note on the origin of the Ku Klux Klan.” THQ 23 (1964), p. 182.
  • Barker, Earlene T. The Ku Klux Klan of the 1920s. MSU thesis, 1960. 155 pp.
  • Chalmers, David M. Hooded Americanism; the first century of the Ku Klux Klan, 1865-1965. Garden City, NY, Doubleday, 1965. 420 pp.
  • Damer, Eyre. When the Ku Klux rode. NY, Neale Pub. Co., 1912. 152 pp.
  • Davis, Susan L. Authentic history, Ku Klux Klan, 1865-1877. NY, Am. Lib. Service, 1924. 316 pp.
  • Garett, William R. & J. M. Bass, eds. “Ku Klux mysteries.” AHM 6 (1901), pp. 46-47.
  • Golladay, Edward I. Military government– Ku Klux– defense of the south: speech of Hon. Edward I. Golliday, of TN, delivered in the House of Representatives, April 4, 1871. Washington, D.C., F. & J. Rives & G.A. Bailey, 1871. 14 pp.
  • Horn, Stanley F. Invisible empire: the story of the Ku Klux Klan, 1866-1871. Boston, Houghton, 1939. 434 pp. (various reprints available)
  • Kent, Anne P. The Ku Klux Klan in TN. UT thesis, 1935. 134 pp.
  • Lester, John C. & Daniel L. Wilson. Ku Klux Klan, its origin, growth & disbandment. Nashville, Wheeler, Osborn & Duckworth, 1884. 117 pp. (various reprints available)
  • McFarlin, Brenda M. The Ku Klux Klan in middle TN, 1866-1869. MTSU thesis, 1971. pp.
  • Meriwether, Elizabeth A. Recollections of 92 years, 1824-1916. Nashville, THC, 1958. 249 pp.
  • Randel, William P. The Ku Klux Klan; a century of infamy. Philadelphia, PA, Chilton Books, 1965. 300 pp.
  • Revised & amended prescript of the order of the * * * [Ku Klux Klan]. Pulaski, Pulaski Citizen, 1868. 24 pp. (reprinted AHM 5 (1900), pp. 3-26).
  • Robuck, J.E. My own personal experience & observation as a soldier in the Confederate army during the Civil War, 1861-1865, also during the period of reconstruction. Appending a history of the origin, rise, career & disbanding of the famous Ku Klux Klan, or invisible empire. Exactly why, when & where it originated. Birmingham, AL, Leslie Print. & Pub. Co., 1911. 136 pp.
  • Romine, William B. & Mrs. William B. Romine. Story of the original Ku Klux Klan. Pulaski, Pulaski Citizen, 1934. 29 pp.
  • Sherrod, Isa L. The Ku Klux movement in TN. George Peabody College thesis, 1935. 109 pp.
  • TN General Assembly. Senate. Committee on Military Affairs. Report of evidence taken before the Military Committee in relation to outrages committed by the Ku Klux Klan in middle & west TN. Submitted to the extra session of the thirty-fifth General Assembly of the state of TN, Wednesday, 2d day of September, 1868. Nashville, S.C. Mercer, Printer to the State, 1868. 67 pp.
  • Trealease, Allen. White terror. NY, Harper, 1971. 557 pp.
Martin College
  • Allen, Paul F. A history of Martin College: the first l00 years. Pulaski, Martin College, 1971. 49 pp.
  • Halvarson, Carl M. Struggle & promise; a study of institutional purpose at Martin College, 1870-1970. Nashville, n.p., 1968. 35 pp.
Pulaski
  • Cemeteries as open space reservations. Washington, D.C., US Dept. Housing & Urban Dev., 1970. 69 pp.
  • Cohen, Nell R. Pulaski history, 1809-1950; the beginning, the building, the development, the institutions, & the people of the town of Pulaski, TN. Pulaski, the author, 1951. 99 pp. (TN Homecoming ’86 ed., Pulaski, Giles County Hist. Soc., 1986).
  • Flood insurance study: city of Pulaski, TN, Giles County. Washington, D.C., FEMA, 1987. 12 pp.
  • Floods on Richland & Pleasant Run creeks & two unnamed tributaries to Richland Creek in the vicinity of Pulaski, TN. Knoxville, TVA, 1983. 22 pp.
  • Pulaski, Giles County, TN: a land flowing with milk & honey. Pulaski, n.p., 195-. 33 pp.
  • Pulaski TN Industrial & Agricultural Dev. Comm. Pulaski & Giles County industrial data. N.p., 1958. 20 pp.
  • Pulaski, TN. Memorial Church of the Messiah. Order of services to be used at the laying of the cornerstone of the Memorial Church of the Messiah, Pulaski, TN, Thursday, July 7th, 1887. Pulaski, Citizen Job Print. Dept., 1887. 12 pp.
  • Richardson, William T. Historic Pulaski, birthplace of the Ku Klux Klan, scene of execution of Sam Davis. Nashville, Methodist Pub. House, 1913. 108 pp.
  • US Congress. House. Committee on Public Lands. Report of the Committee on the Public Lands on the petition of the commissioners appointed to fix a site for the town of Pulaski, in the county of Giles & the state of TN, Jan. 18, 1811. Washington, D.C., A & G Wray, 1810. 4 pp.