When you lose someone in a tight-knit place like Paris or Puryear, the first thing people do is check the news. It’s how we stay connected. Whether you're trying to find service times for a neighbor or you’re a genealogy buff digging into 19th-century West Tennessee roots, Henry County TN obituaries are the local heartbeat.
Honestly, finding these records is a lot easier than it used to be, but it’s still kinda confusing if you don't know where to look. You’ve got your traditional newspapers, the modern digital hubs, and then those dusty (but vital) physical archives up on the hill in Paris.
Where to Look Right Now
If the loss happened in the last few days, you basically have three main stops. Most people start with the local funeral homes. They usually post the full text before the newspaper even hits the stands.
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McEvoy Funeral Home and Ridgeway Funeral Home are the big names in Paris. They’ve been around forever—McEvoy since 1901, actually. Their websites are updated almost instantly. If you’re looking for someone in the northern part of the county, like Puryear or even over towards the Kentucky line, you might also want to check Rawls Funeral Home.
Sometimes the passing is handled by a home in a neighboring county, especially if the family is from places like McKenzie or Gleason. Don’t forget to peek at Brummitt-McKenzie or Dilday-Carter just in case.
Then there is Henry County Now. It’s a solid digital resource that aggregates a lot of local happenings, including a dedicated obituary section. It’s convenient because it gathers names from different funeral homes in one scrollable list.
The Paris Post-Intelligencer and the Paper Record
There is something about seeing a name in print. The Paris Post-Intelligencer (the P-I, as everyone calls it) has been the paper of record here for well over a century. If you want the "official" version of Henry County TN obituaries, this is it.
The digital version is okay, but for the real deep dives, you’re looking at their archives. Sites like GenealogyBank have digitized a massive chunk of the P-I. We’re talking nearly 150 years of history.
Why the P-I matters:
- It includes small details the digital hubs miss.
- You can find old "Card of Thanks" notes from families.
- It captures the local vernacular and community ties.
Digging Into the Past: For the History Hunters
Maybe you aren't looking for a recent service. Maybe you’re trying to find out why your Great-Great-Uncle Silas moved to Henry County in 1880. That’s where things get fun—and a little more hands-on.
You have to visit the Henry County Archive & Genealogy Library. It’s located on Grove Boulevard in Paris. Stephanie Tayloe, the county archivist, has done an incredible job keeping things organized. They have death certificates on microfilm for the whole state from 1908 to 1958. Just a heads up: there aren't any certificates for 1913. Nobody really knows why; they just don't exist in the state records.
They also sell master indices for the P-I obituaries. These are broken down by decade (1969-1979, 1980-1989, and so on). If you’re far away, they even do free look-ups if you send them a polite query, though they charge a small fee if you want physical copies mailed to you.
The Tricky Bits of Obituary Research
Names change. Spelling was... optional... back in the day. If you can’t find a specific record, try searching for the spouse’s name. In older papers, women were often listed only as "Mrs. John Smith." It's frustrating, but that was the style.
Also, check the church records. The Archive has microfilm for the Blood River Church of Christ going back to 1867 and First Baptist Church in Paris back to 1833. Sometimes a "funeral mention" in a church ledger is the only record you’ll find if the family couldn't afford a newspaper notice.
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Key Local Resources Table (Wait, let's keep it conversational)
Instead of a boring table, just remember these addresses. The Henry County Courthouse is at 101 West Washington Street. That’s where you’ll find probate records and wills, which often serve as a "legal" obituary if the newspaper one is missing. The W.G. Rhea Library is another great spot on Washington Street for general local history.
What to do next
If you are currently looking for a recent obituary, start with the McEvoy or Ridgeway websites. They are the most current. If you’re doing genealogy, your first move should be the Henry County Archive website to see their list of available death books. They have a "Compilation of Henry County, Tennessee Vital Records" that covers 1758 all the way to 2006. It’s a goldmine.
Check the Social Security Death Index (SSDI) if the person passed after 1962. It won’t give you the narrative of their life, but it will give you the exact birth and death dates you need to narrow down your search in the newspaper archives.