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Please add profiles for those who were born, lived or died in Shelby County, Tennessee.
Official Website
This area along the Mississippi River valley was long occupied by varying cultures of indigenous peoples. In historic times, the Chickasaw controlled much of this area. They are believed to be descendants of the important Mississippian culture, which established fortified and complex cities. The largest of these was Cahokia, which was active from about 950 into the 15th century.
The Shelby County area was part of the lands acquired by the United States government from the Chickasaw as part of the Jackson Purchase of 1818. Shelby County was established by European-American migrants in 1819 and named for Isaac Shelby, the former governor of Kentucky who had helped negotiate the land acquisition.
From 1877-1950, there were 20 lynchings of blacks by whites in Shelby County, the highest number of any county in the state.
Adjacent Counties
- Fayette County
- Tipton County
- Marshall County, Mississippi
- DeSoto County, Mississippi
- Crittenden County, Arkansas
Cities, Towns & Communities
- Arlington
- Barretville
- Bartlett
- Benjestown
- Brunswick
- Collierville
- Cordova
- Eads
- Egypt
- Ellendale
- Fisherville
- Germantown
- Kerrville
- Lakeland
- Lenow
- Memphis (County Seat)
- Millington
- Northaven
- Rosemark
- Shelby Forest
Cemeteries
Links
National Register of Historic Places
Graceland - The home of Elvis Presley
Davies Manor - Oldest Home in Memphis
Beale Street - Home of the Blues
The Memphis and Shelby County, Tennessee Family History Forum
