Lee County, North Carolina Genealogy

Guide to Lee County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.

Description
Lee County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

County Courthouse
Lee County Courthouse 1400 S Horner Blvd PO Box 4209 Sanford, NC 27331 Phone: 919-718-6300 Lee County Website Register of Deeds has birth records from 1913; delayed birth, marriage, death from 1908; deeds from 1908; military discharges; probate records from 1906, and court records.

Populated Places
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 - at FamilySearch — index

Presbyterian
 * Buffalo, Sanford, N.C. Founded 1797.

Court Records
The Clerk of Superior Court is elected for four years and must be a resident of the county in which he or she is elected. Unlike clerks of court in other states, the Clerk of Superior Court in North Carolina has numerous judicial functions.

As judge of probate, the Clerk has exclusive original jurisdiction over matters relating to the probate of wills, and the administration of estates, including appointing personal representatives, auditing their accounting, and removing them from office if necessary. The Clerk also presides over many other legal matters including adoptions, incompetency proceedings, condemnation of private lands for public use, and foreclosures. The Clerk is responsible for all clerical and record-keeping functions of the district and superior court. In addition, the Clerk receives and disburses money collected each year from court fees and fines.

Land and Property Records
Lee County Deed Records

Military Records
Revolutionary War 
 * 1779-1782  at FamilySearch

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
 * 1885-1953  at FamilySearch

World War I 
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch

World War II 
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch

Newspapers

 * 1888 Vital Statistics from the Jonesboro Leader (NCGenWeb)

Obituaries

 * Lee County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Probate Records

 * North Carolina Probate Records tips

Online Probate Records
 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry $
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry $
 * 1735-1970  at FamilySearch
 * 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
 * 1908-1937  at FamilySearch

There are Probate records available through the Lee County Clerk of the Superior Court which includes wills, estate records and all transactions in reference to settlement of estates.

Vital Records

 * 1800-2000 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Birth

 * 1800-2000  at FamilySearch
 * 1866-1964  at FamilySearch
 * 1913-1922  at FamilySearch — index and images

Marriage

 * 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1759-1979  at FamilySearch
 * 1762-1979   at FamilySearch
 * 1763-1868  at FamilySearch
 * 1908-1926 Lee County Marriage Index 1908-1926 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Lee County Marriages (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

 * 1898-1994  at FamilySearch
 * 1906-1930  at FamilySearch
 * 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
 * 1931-1994  at FamilySearch

Divorce

 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch
 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Societies

 * Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 3216 Sanford, NC 27331-3216 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Lee County NCGenWeb
 * Lee County NCGenWeb Archives
 * – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection.  Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.