Recording the state’s history...one family at a time
East Tennessee Historical Society
Family Heritage Programs
Thousands have been inspired to begin their own fascinating journey into the past through two ETHS heritage programs, the “First Families of Tennessee” and the “Civil War Families of Tennessee.” After satisfying the requirements of the program, successful applicants receive a handsome certificate bearing both their name and that of their ancestor. The information furnished by applicants as proof of lineage is housed in the McClung Historical Collection of the Knox County Public Library. These valuable collections of documentation cover thousands of families and provide a wealth of research materials for present and future historians and genealogists.
First Families of Tennessee Membership
Membership in First Families of Tennessee is open to anyone who can prove direct descent from a person living in any part of what is now Tennessee before or by the time of statehood in 1796. For more information about this program, and to download an application, visit here.
Civil War Families of Tennessee Membership
The Civil War Families of Tennessee is open to direct or collateral descendants of any individual who served in Tennessee during the Civil War—Union or Confederate. Service may have been in a Tennessee unit or through another unit that was active in the state. Membership also is open through an ancestor who served elsewhere but lived in Tennessee either before, during, or after the war. For more information about this program, and to download an application, visit here.