COFFEE COUNTY, TN HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

*None Listed

Coffee County, Tennessee: A Genealogical Overview

Nestled on the Eastern Highland Rim of Middle Tennessee, Coffee County is a region defined by its agricultural heritage, its strategic importance during the Civil War, and its 20th-century role as a center for national defense and aerospace research. With two primary towns, the county seat of Manchester and the railroad hub of Tullahoma, its history is a blend of rural tradition and technological advancement. For genealogists, the county’s records tell the story of pioneer families who farmed its fertile soil and the soldiers and scientists who later shaped its modern identity.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Coffee County was created in the 1830s from sections of three older, well-established counties. Identifying the correct parent county is the first step for any research prior to 1836.

  • 1836: County Formed: Coffee County was officially established on January 8, 1836.
  • Parent Counties: It was formed from portions of Bedford, Warren, and Franklin counties. To trace ancestry before 1836, a researcher must use land records and maps to determine which of these three parent counties their ancestor’s property was originally located in.
  • Subsequent Formations: The county’s boundaries have remained relatively stable since its formation.
  • Name Origin: The county was named in honor of General John Coffee, a close confidant of Andrew Jackson and a celebrated hero of the Creek War and the War of 1812.
  • County Seat History: Manchester was platted and established as the county seat in 1836 due to its central location. It has served as the seat of county government continuously since that time.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The area contains the “Old Stone Fort,” a significant prehistoric earthwork structure indicating ancient Native American occupation. At the time of European-American settlement, the land served as hunting grounds for the Cherokee and Chickasaw.
  • Pioneer Settlement and Economy: Settlement by pioneers from Virginia, the Carolinas, and other parts of Tennessee began in the early 1800s. They were drawn to the fertile creek and river bottoms of the Duck River watershed. The early economy was agrarian, focused on corn, wheat, tobacco, and livestock, with numerous small distilleries operating throughout the county.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • The Railroad and Tullahoma: The arrival of the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad in the 1850s bypassed Manchester and led to the creation of Tullahoma as a planned railroad town. This established a second major economic and population center in the county.
    • The Civil War’s Tullahoma Campaign: Coffee County was the center of the Confederate Army of Tennessee’s defensive line in the spring of 1863. In June of that year, Union Major General William S. Rosecrans executed the brilliant Tullahoma Campaign, a series of flanking maneuvers that forced Confederate General Braxton Bragg to abandon Middle Tennessee without a major battle.
    • World War II and the Space Age: In 1940, the U.S. Army established Camp Forrest near Tullahoma, a massive training base that housed hundreds of thousands of soldiers during World War II. After the war, the site was chosen for the Arnold Engineering Development Complex (AEDC), a premier Air Force center for aerospace research and testing, which became the county’s largest employer and a driver of its modern economy.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Research in Coffee County is aided by an excellent county archives, though researchers should be aware of a significant early record loss.

  • Coffee County Archives: Located at the Coffee County Administrative Plaza in Manchester, the Archives is the primary repository for the county’s historical records. It holds loose court papers, tax records, and many other original documents essential for genealogical research.
  • County Courthouse: The Coffee County Courthouse, 1 Public Square, Manchester, TN 37355, houses the offices of the officials who create modern records.
    • Register of Deeds: Holds all land records (deeds, mortgages, land grants) from the county’s formation in 1836.
    • Clerk of the County Court (County Clerk): Holds probate records (wills, inventories, estate settlements) and marriage records.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration began in Tennessee in 1914. For official certificates after that date, contact the Tennessee Office of Vital Records. There are no official county-wide birth or death records prior to 1914.
    • Marriage Records: Held by the County Clerk’s office. Crucially, marriage records from 1836 to 1852 were destroyed in a courthouse fire. Records exist from 1853 to the present. For the missing period, researchers must rely on census records, Bible records, newspapers, and records from the parent counties.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Coffee County-Manchester Public Library: Contains a local history and genealogy room with helpful published sources, family histories, and census microfilms.
    • Coffee County Historical Society: Publishes a quarterly journal, “The Echo,” and is an active resource for local history and genealogy.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Rutherford County (northwest)
    • Cannon County (north)
    • Warren County (northeast)
    • Grundy County (east)
    • Franklin County (south)
    • Moore County (southwest)
    • Bedford County (west)

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