John, here are a few ways to confirm what you're looking for and where it's located. I've numbered them here, and also below. 1) Contact Sue Maggart-Petty, head of the Smith County Archives. See below. (Sorry for the extraneous info. I can't seem to pull out just the part on her. 2) Go to the website URL below, where a listing of all microfilmed Smith County records is listed, including the records of the Loose Records Project. 3) 3) When you visit TSLA or the Archives in Smith County, look for these volumes. They evidently were prepared "in-house," so copies can't be purchased--so far as I'm aware (I'd surely like copies if they can be bought!). You'll be disappointed to find the arrangement used for the index to the loose records. All names from earliest to ca 1930 are arranged alphabetically. (That part is good.) However, there's no date attached. And, when you have three different Williams lines from Smith County (as I do), the pages and pages of Williams entries--all with no dates, it's daunting to contemplate searching all those packets, not knowing until I wind the reel to the specific packet number the date of the record (anywhere from 1806-1930). And, the packet numbers don't help in this regard. The number can be #1 and still be a 1930s packet. Best wishes on your trip, Gale Williams Bamman, CG 1) Archival Programs and Services Archives Directory > S-V ____________________________________ _A-B_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/a-b.htm) _C-F_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/c-f.htm) _G-H_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/g-h.htm) _I-L_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/i-l.htm) _M-N_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/m-n.htm) _O-R_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/o-r.htm) _S-V_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/s-v.htm) _W-Z_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/aps/directory/w-z.htm) Sevier County Preservation of Records Department Brad Cannon, Archivist/ Records Manager 125 Court Avenue Ste. 201E Sevierville , TN 37862 Phone: (865) 774 3627 Shelby County Archives John Dougan, Archivist 150 Washington Memphis , TN 38103 Phone: (901) 545-4351 Smith County Archives Sue Maggart-Petty, Certified Archives Manager P.O. Box 112 Carthage , TN 37030 Phone: (615) 735-0200 2) _http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/preservation/countymicro/smit.pdf_ (http://www.tennessee.gov/tsla/preservation/countymicro/smit.pdf) 3) Record Detail CALL NUMBER: _F443.S6 I53_ (http://tns-verso.auto-graphics.com/scripts/perlsoc1.pl?+OPICNO|F443.S6*I53|||) TITLE: Index of loose records, Chancery Court, Smith County, Tennessee. DATE: 19--] PLACE OF PUBLICATION: [S.l. : IMPRINT: s.n., DESCRIPTION: 4 v. ; 29 cm. SUBJECTS: _Court records - Indexes - Tennessee - Smith County_ (http://tns-vers o.auto-graphics.com/scripts/perlsoc1.pl?+su|Court*records*-*Indexes*-*Tennessee*-*Smith*Co unty|) _Smith County (Tenn.) - Genealogy - Sources_ (http://tns-verso.auto-graphics.com/scripts/perlsoc1.pl?+su|Smith*County*(Tenn.)*-*Genealogy*-*Source s|) NOTES: [1] A-E -- [2] F-L -- [3] M-R -- [4] S-Z. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------- In a message dated 9/19/2005 8:19:26 PM Central Standard Time, sellersj@neto.com writes: Dear Group, I am planning to be in the Nashville and Carthage area in late Oct. I will do some research at the Archives in Nashville. I am interested in finding the probate packet for a ancestor who died ca 1807. My understanding is that not all the records are on microfilm( As in most cases, I have done extensive courthouse research in other localities) Is the early packets still in the courthouse? Are they accessible? I know years ago a researcher told me that I had to talk to the county historian. Please tell me the most efficient way to access these early records. John Sellers P. S. The ancestor did not leave a will but early deeds records mentioned an administration. The ancestor is William Sullivan who Sullivan's Bend is named for. I am also related to both Strother and Vadens, more early ancestors, done to my great grandfather who was born in 1843 , the son of Samuel T. Vaden and Permelia Strother Vaden. Sam was the son of Lodwick and Elizabeth Thompson Vaden. Permelia was the daugther of Judd Strother and Elizabeth Sullivan Strother. Who is the dau of William Sullivan SR. All residents of Smith County from about 1800 until mostly 1850's. Elizabeth Sullivan Strother died in 1872 in Smith County. John Sellers ==== TNSMITH Mailing List ==== Submit Your Family Pictures, Biographies, Histories Wills, Fokelore, To The Smith Co Web Project http://www.rootsweb.com/~tnsmith/