The data contained in this article were taken from TN State Library & Archives Record Group 36, the compiled service records of soldiers and sailors who served in the First World War from Tennessee. Information on individual servicemen and women came from the files of Major Rutledge Smith, Chairman of the National Council of Defense for Tennessee, World War I; from the office of the Adjutant General of Tennessee, 1933-1937; and from the report of the Provost Marshal General to the Secretary of War, 1917-1918.

The records were compiled pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution No. 76, Public Acts of 1919, and were received and stored by the Tennessee State Library and Archives in accordance with Chapter No. 301, Public Acts of 1937. They also include information about those who were killed in service. Further information about their deaths can be found in the Gold Star records at the State Library and Archives.

The fields show--in order from left to right--the serviceman's name, age or year of birth, birthplace, notes, and page number in the original volume. The data is arranged by county. It should be noted that additional information regarding the soldier's rank, training, dates of service, discharge, etc. can be obtained from the microfilmed records in Record Group 36.

Copies of an individual service record, as well as copies and searches of other World War I collections, can be ordered from TSLA. For ordering instructions, please see the TSLA web site.

Errors in the military records are not uncommon; it may be the case of a simple spelling error or misheard information. The information in the WWI listings is given as it appears on the original record. While TSLA cannot change the information on the record, names that may be spelled incorrectly will be marked with a question mark (?).

The index that follows is not promised to be a "complete" list of all Jefferson Countians who served in World War I. Individuals from Tennessee who enlisted in other states are not included. Only those soldiers whose names appear in the compiled service records (TSLA Record Group 36) are included.