Special Collections

The Archives and History Division of the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism houses numerous special collections including manuscripts, artifacts &c. The collections consist of documents and artifacts donated by private individuals, businesses, churches, civic and community groups and other organizations throughout East Tennessee, Southwest Virginia and western North Carolina.

Please note that, while many of our Manuscript items are donated from third parties, the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism does not certify the authenticity of information herein; readers are advised to read the Disclaimer.

Your donations are important to us! We take your donations seriously! Each collection and all donated items undergo an extensive preservation and cataloging process, and are then placed in acid-free containers. Finding aids are prepared to showcase your items and to pave the way for public viewing. We make careful notes of any copyrights and restrictions you may have placed on your collection. Thank you for helping us to preserve history and genealogy in Sullivan County and surrounding areas of East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia!

Please contact us if you have a collection or just an item or two that you would like preserved and listed here.

COLLECTIONS GUIDE:


MSS 0001
W. E. Shaw Family Bible, 1939.

MSS 0002
Franklin, the Apostle of Modern Times, 1924.

MSS 0003
Sullivan County, Tennessee Scrapbook, c. 1920-1940.

MSS 0004
Sullivan County, Tennessee Store Ledger, c. 1882-1898.

MSS 0005
Dr. Richard L. McConnell Collection, 1953-2003.

MSS 0006
Caldwell Family Collection, c. 1883-1973 (not inclusive).

MSS 0007
Samuel Slaughter (1831-1907) Portrait, undated.

MSS 0008
Fannie Maupin Portrait, undated.

MSS 0009
Isaac and Nancy Shipley Odell Portrait, undated.

MSS 0010
Doane Family Papers, c. 1873-2004 (not inclusive).

MSS 0011
Leona Taylor Aiken Collection, undated.

MSS 0012
Mary Jane Biddle Collection, undated.

MSS 0013
Homer H. Smith Collection, 1948.

MSS 0014
William R. Dulaney and Mary C. Taylor Collection, c. 1812-1921 (not inclusive).

MSS 0015
Phillips Store Ledger, c. 1908-1909.

MSS 0016
Newspaper Clippings, c. 1950s-1960s.

MSS 0017
Andrew Johnson Photographic Slides, undated.

MSS 0018
Walter Wampler Collection, 1905-1957 (not inclusive).

MSS 0019
Edward C. Erwin and Mary Frances Boyd Wedding Anniversary Scrapbook, 1982.

MSS 0020
Henry Anderson (1807-1861) Family History Collection, c. 1860.

MSS 0021
Sullivan County Retired Teachers Association Scrapbooks, 1966-2006.

MSS 0022
Thomas Kemper Fink Collection, c. 1800-1929 (not inclusive).

MSS 0023
Thomas J. Cross Magistrative Ledgers, 1873-1923.

MSS 0024
Mary Winona Payne (1908-2001) Photograph Collection, various dates.

MSS 0025
Frank Stewart Smith Collection, various dates.

MSS 0026
Girl Scout Collection, Bristol, various dates.

MSS 0027
Sullivan County Judicial Ledger, Register of Warrants, 1853-1874.

MSS 0028
Samuel Patton Hicks Family Collection, c. 1889-1937 (not inclusive).

MSS 0029
Captain J. N. Bachman Civil War Muster Roll, Sixtieth TN Regiment, 1863.

MSS 0030
Tony Marion Collection, 1872-1893 (not inclusive).

MSS 0031
Sullivan County Questers Collection, 1963-1998 (not inclusive).

MSS 0032
Nannie Johnson Postcard Collection, c. 1907-1908.

MSS 0033
Strickler Family Letters, c. 1800-1900 (not inclusive).

MSS 0034
Blountville High School Memorabilia, 1928.

MSS 0035
Ernest Edward Smallwood (1922-1998) Centennial Scrapbook, 1958.

MSS 0036
Millpoint Institute School Ledger, Board of Trustee Minutes, 1889-1920.

MSS 0037
Noah J. Phillips Collection of Newspaper Articles, 1891-1901.

MSS 0038
Sullivan County Parent-Teacher Association Scrapbooks, 1932-1972 and 1970-1981. (not inclusive)

MSS 0039
Blountville, Tennessee Documents and Photographs, c. 1799-1891 (not inclusive).

MSS 0040
Historic Sites of Sullivan County, numbered edition, 1976.

MSS 0041
James W. Houtz Family Photographs, undated.

MSS 0042
John Thomas Land Grant, 1818.

MSS 0043
Dr. J. G. M. Ramsey, "Autobiographical Genealogical and Historical Remarks of his own family", 1868.

MSS 0044
Noah J. Phillips Newspaper Articles, 1902-1906.

MSS 0045
American State Papers, 5 vols., nonsequential, 1860.

MSS 0046
United Daughters of the Confederacy Scrapbooks, King's Boatyard Chapter, 1988-1996.

MSS 0047
Elliott C. Lewis and Robert W. Pechin Portrait, 1895.

MSS 0048
Robert E. Lee Engraving, undated.

MSS 0049
S. E. Massengill Company Photograph, 1949.

MSS 0050
John Robert Snow-Margaret Ellen Dooley Collection, c. 1853-1975 (not inclusive).

MSS 0051
Earl Lee Feathers Collection, various years.

MSS 0052
Charles Elmer Jones-Helen Wine Garst Family Collection, c. 1886-1904 (not inclusive).

MSS 0053
Yearbooks, regional high schools and universities, various years, c. 1900-ongoing.

MSS 0054
"The Greene County Story", The Greeneville Sun, 1979.

MSS 0055
Shelbyville Times-Gazette Sesqui-Centennial Historical Edition 1819-1969, 1969.

MSS 0056
Industrial Supplement, Bristol Courier, Bristol, VA-Tenn., 1904.

MSS 0057
Bristol News, 1868-1873 (not inclusive).

MSS 0058
Jesse Davis Childress Family Bible, 1882.

MSS 0059
Blountville High School Reunion Scrapbooks, Class of 1944, various years.

MSS 0060
Hunt Historical Library Collection.

MSS 0061
W. Dale Carter Digital Land Database Collection, spanning c. 1775-1820.

MSS 0062
W. Dale Carter Papers.


MSS 0063
Kenneth W. Stallard Collection, c. 1875-2004.


MSS 0064
Philip M. Hamer Collection: Tennessee, A History, 1673-1932.


MSS 0065
John Rochelle Collection, 2006-2008.


MSS 0066
Troy E. Taylor Collection.


MSS 0067
Gary Rose Historic Photographic Collection.


MSS 0068
Martha Elizabeth Fleenor Green Collection.


MSS 0069
Jeanne Smallwood Bullock Collection.


MSS 0070
PBS Ancestors Series Collection.


MSS 0071
Buchanan Family Collection, c. 1857-1972 (not inclusive).


MSS 0072
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant, 1885.


MSS 0073
Botswanna Imani Collection, 2008.

MSS 0074
William Henry Harrison Gaines Maps Collection, c. 1900.

MSS 0075
Abraham Butler Tipton family Bible, 1821.

MSS 0076
Dr. Donald W. Lane Genealogical Research Database, 2009.

MSS 0077
Hart Family Collection.

MSS 0078
Dr. John J. Ensor (1826-1909) Portrait.

MSS 0079
Inter-Mountain Newsletter Collection, 1929-1947 [not inclusive].

MSS 0080
Ruth Richard Powell Family Collection.

MSS 0081
Joseph Cloyd Byars, Sr. Papers.

MSS 0082
Eliza Gammon Cunningham Collection.

MSS 0083
Mary F. Carter Civil War Collection

MSS 0084
James Henderson Galloway (1824-1885) family Bible

MSS 0085
Hawk Family Photograph: Portrait of James Meredith Hawk (1838-1926)

MSS 0086
Hawk Family Photograph: Portrait of Sarah Amanda Hayes Hawk (1861-1938)

MSS 0087
Mary F. Carter Historical and Genealogical Research Collection

MSS 0088
Wally Ketron, Jr. Collection

MSS 0089
Eugene L. Ison Collection

MSS 0090
Melissa Ann Skipper Collection

MSS 0091
Shelby Lodge Masonic Records, ca1865-ca1899

MSS 0092
Mary Taylor Dulaney Turner Newspaper Articles, ca1978-ca2001

MSS 0093
Artifact: Early Salesman's Sample Radiometer from Blue Ridge Glass Company

MSS 0094
Ledger for Commissioners of the Poor, 1899-1931

MSS 0095
The Plow: The Monthly Newsmagazine for the Mountains, 1977-1978

MSS 0096
Sherman Lilly Collection, Drawings of Historic Blountville

MSS 0097
Dun & Bradstreet Reference Book

MSS 0098
Inez Smith Collection
The Inez Smith Collection contains 37 deeds and/or contracts from various business entities including Bluff City Funeral Home, Bluff City Baptist Church, Virginia and Southwestern Railway Company, and involved various people with the following surnames: Fisher, Henly, Lockhart, Rush, Smith, Stacey, King, McClellan, Rosenbalm, Jenkins,  Lyon, Morrell, Inscho, Weaver, Messimer, Parks, Henson, Masengill, Dyche, Riley, Fleming, Wagner, Rutledge, Torbett, Sams, Malone, Tester, Francis.  Dates range from circa 1899 to circa 1954, not inclusive.

MSS 0099
Book: Fletcher's Studies on Slavery, 1852

MSS 0100
Bettie Anderson Civil War Letters (facsimiles)
Letters were written between 1863 to 1865 to Miss Bettie Anderson from various men in the Texas Brigade.

MSS 0101
Photograph of I.O.O.F. Home, Clarksville, Tennessee, 23 October 1912

MSS 0102
Ann Morrison Unidentified Photographic Collection

MSS 0103
Blountville Scrapbook Collection
(14 scrapbooks)

MSS 0104
Robert Duncan Wood Family Portrait Collection
Collection contains 5 oversized portraits of the Wood family and their home.

MSS 0105
War of the Rebellion Atlas Map Collection (incomplete set)
About this Collection - This collection is a select portion (total of 61 maps) of the original Atlas published in 1895 to accompany the War of the Rebellion series.
About the Original Atlas - The Atlas to Accompany the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies (also referred to as the War of the Rebellion Atlas) was published as a companion piece to the Official Records of the American Civil War. It contains maps and other images derived from materials generated by both Union and Confederate military personnel during the American Civil War.  The original Atlas was published by the United States Department of War in 1895. It features maps of engagements large and small including Gettysburg, the Siege of Vicksburg, Shiloh and the various epochs of the Atlanta campaign.  The original Atlas is composed of 178 plates containing more than 1,050 individual graphic elements.  Graphic elements include maps, line art illustrations derived from photographs, technical drawings, and other illustrations.  The original Atlas contains three general types of illustrations: maps, illustrations based on photographs, and illustrations/technical drawings.

MSS 0106
Vilas Bray Harr Collection
This collection contains a 1960s Parent-Teacher Association scrapbook, a 1936-1937 Blountville High School Basketball Team Scrapbook, an Autograph book.

• Item 1 - 1960s Parent-Teacher Association Scrapbook
• Item 2 - Blountville High School Basketball Team Scrapbook, 1936-1937
• Item 3 - Autograph Book belonging to Vilas Bray when she attended Gunnings Grammar School
• Item 4 - Sullivan County Home Demonstration Club Scrapbook, 1935. Item originally belonged to Lelia Latture Harr (1872-1961), mother-in-law of Vila Matilda Bray Harr (1920-2001)

MSS 0108
Rock Springs Community Collection

MSS 0109
Print, documents & miscellany (oversized), from various donors

Box 1 - Prints and Photographs
Item 1 - Print, Chester Inn, Jonesborough TN, by Ted Barnet
Item 2 - Print, Leslie's Mill [Lessley's Mill]
Item 3 - Photograph 1, Paul Fain Anderson
Item 4 - Photograph 2, Paul Fain Anderson, photograph 2


Box 2 - Documents
Item 1 - Diploma, John Edward Dail, 1912
Item 2 - Diploma, John Edward Dail, 1912
Item 3 - Diploma, John Edward Dail, 1916
Item 4 - Diploma, John Hugh Dail, 1948
Item 5 - Diploma, John Hugh Dail, 1978
Item 6 - Diploma, Rhea Anderson Dail, 1948
Item 7 - Diploma, Birdie Kate Anderson, 1921

MSS 0110
Daniel Gregory Postcard Collection

Box  1 - Postcards

• Item 1 - Union Station Looking South, Bristol, Va. & TN.  
• Item 2 - Legion Pool With Civic Auditorium and J. Fred Johnson Park in The Background, Kingsport, Tennessee.
• Item 3 - Airplane View of Tennessee Eastman Corp. Plant, Kingsport, Tennessee.
• Item 4 - Administration Building And Portion of Plant. Tennessee Eastman Corporation, Kingsport, Tennessee.   
• Item 5 - A General View By Night of Tennessee Eastman Corporation Plant, Kingsport, Tennessee.   
• Item 6 - Bird's-Eye View of The Mead Corporation, Kingsport, Tennessee.   
• Item 7 - Architect's Sketch of Boone Dam, Eastern TN near Bluff City.  
• Item 8 - First Baptist Church, Kingsport, Tennessee.  
• Item 9 - Municipal Stadium, Bristol, Va.-Tenn.  
• Item 10 - Birds-eye View of Bristol, Va.-Tenn.  
• Item 11 - High School By Night, Bristol, Tennessee.  
• Item 12 - Pemberton Oak, By Moonlight, Bristol, Va.-Tenn.  
• Item 13 - Abram Falls, Near Bristol, Va.-Tenn.  
• Item 14 - Natural Tunnel, Near Bristol, Tenn.-Va.  
• Item 15 - Entrance to May's Prestion's Conference Room, Bristol Caverns, Bristol, Tenn.-Va.   
• Item 16 - King College, Bristol, Tennessee.   
• Item 17 - Dogwood Festival Time on the King College Campus, Bristol, Tennessee.
• Item 18 - South Holston Lake in Eastern Tennessee.   
• Item 19 - Butler Memorial Bridge on Highway 421 Across the South Holston Reservoir.   
• Item 20 - Sunset Scene Showing Chimney Top Mountain.   
• Item 21 - U.S. Post Office. Kingsport, Tennessee.  
• Item 22 - "Rotherwood" Kingsport, Tennesee.  
• Item 23 - Kingsport, Tennessee.
• Item 24 - State Street, Bristol, Va. Tenn.  

MSS 0111
Blountville High School Band Uniform and Hat

Disclaimer
Information presented on this website, including online database information, is collected, maintained and provided for the convenience of our patrons. While every effort is made to keep such information accurate and up-to-date, the Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism does not certify the authenticity of information herein that originates from third parties. The Sullivan County Department of Archives and Tourism shall under no circumstances be liable for any actions taken or omissions made from reliance on any information contained herein from whatever source or any other consequences from any such reliance.