The county takes its name from General John Sevier, first Governor of the State of Tennessee. John Sevier never lived in the county. The best-known fire was in 1856. Only one record book, a surveyor's entry book, survived.
Most records held at the state and federal level prior to that date are still available.
The Hamilton District Court records, presently held by the Knox County Archives , contain a wealth of information on Sevier Countians prior to 1810. Events recorded in neighboring counties may also be a resource. Church and personal histories and regional newspapers are important resources that are often overlooked. Many families migrated to other parts of the United States and took records with them. No federal censuses exist prior to 1830.