Montgomery County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Located in the south section of the State of North Carolina, Montgomery County is bounded by Moore, Richmond, Stanly, Davidson and Randolph Counties. When Montgomery County was formed in 1779 from Anson County, it was named in honor of General Richard Montgomery, a Revolutionary War brigadier who in 1775 lost his life at the battle of Quebec in the attempt to conquer Canada.

County Courthouse
Montgomery County Courthouse 108 East Main Street PO Box 527 Troy, NC 27371 Montgomery County Website Clerk of the Superior Court has probate records starting from 1785. Register of Deeds has birth and death records from 1913, marriage records from 1779, and deeds, deeds of trust, maps, military discharge records, notary public 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:

History Timeline
When the county was first established it was specified that the first court should be held at the home of Henry Munger, and all subsequent courts should be held where the justices of peace decided until a courthouse was built. In 1783 the Assembly authorized the building of the courthouse on land previously purchased for that purpose. There was some dissatisfaction among the people as to the location that had been selected but this didn't sway the commissioners from the location they had selected. In an effort to appease the ones dissatisfied the act provided for adequate ferries across the Yadkin and Uwharrie Rivers on the court, public, and election days. The General Assembly was petitioned to authorize removal of the courthouse in 1785. In 1791 an act was passed directing that the center of the county be located by actual survey, and Stokes was to be established at that place. petitioned to authorize the removal of the courthouse. When the commissioners failed to act new commissioners were named in 1792. At that time the courts were to be held at the home of Mark Kenneth unless the justices decide on some more convenient place. The courthouse battle continued on for several more years with the commissioners in 1815 being named to again locate the center of the county, purchase land, and erect a courthouse. They were authorized to sell the old courthouse and lot in the town of Henderson and apply the proceeds to the erection of the new buildings. In 1816 Laurenceville was named under the authority of a law enacted in 1815 establishing a town at the courthouse. The courthouse was ordered to be moved in 1843 from Laurenceville to the geographical center. Commissioners were named to locate the center, to acquire land, to lay out a town and erect the public buildings. In 1844 Troy was established as the county seat and remains so today.

Biographies

 * Montgomery County Families &amp; Surnames

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)

Census Records
The 1820 Census records for Montgomery County are missing and were likely lost in one of courthouse fires of 1835 and 1840.

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Baptist
 * Fork of Little River. Church built 1758. Originally located in Anson.
 * Mouth of Hughwarry River. Constituted 1780.
 * Rocky River P.D.R. Constituted 1758.

Methodist List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Randall's United Methodist Church, near Norwood, N.C. Organized about 1785. Later located in Stanly.
 * Zion United Methodist Church, near Pee Dee, N.C. Organized 1786. Originally known as Scarborough's Meeting House.
 * FamilySearch Places

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. Montgomery County has probate records starting from 1785, you should contact the Clerk's office for more specific details about the documents that you are seeking. Phone: 910-576-4211.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1862-1870   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1863-1872   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Land and Property Records
The Register of Deeds office serves as the custodian for real estate and vital records for Montgomery County. The records include deeds, deeds of trust, maps, military discharge records, notary public records, birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage licenses. Deeds are currently indexed and searchable online from 1999; records are being updated regularly, so check back often.
 * Montgomery County Register of Deeds PO Box 695 102 E. Spring St Troy, NC 27371 Phone: 910-576-4271

Local Histories

 * Montgomery County Local History

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * Montgomery County Migrations

Military Records

 * Montgomery County Military Records - from USGenWeb Archives

Revolutionary War 
 * 1779-1782  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * - 1st Brigade, North Carolina Reserves, Company E
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company E
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company A
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company I

World War I 
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II 
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * The Montgomery Herald 139 Bruton Street Troy, NC 27371 Phone: 910-576-6051 Montgomery Herald
 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1868-1898 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records


 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry $
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry $
 * 1720-1960 - at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1735-1970  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
 * Pre-1790 Pre-1790 Montgomery County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills (North Carolina State Archives)
 * 1843-1905 Images of Wills and Estates 1843-1868; 1868-1905.  North Carolina Pioneers $
 * 1843-1964  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1843-1964 Montgomery County North Carolina list of will book testators SAMPUBCO
 * Montgomery County Wills &amp; Estates

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.

Tax Records

 * 1779 Montgomery County 1779 Tax List (transcript) at NCGenWeb
 * 1780 Montgomery County 1780 Tax List (transcript) at NCGenWeb
 * 1782 Tax Lists, Montgomery County, 1782 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
 * 1782 Tax Lists, Montgomery County, 1782 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1782 List of Taxables, 1782 (images) at FamilySearch
 * 1782 1782 Tax List, Montgomery County, NC (images)  at Histories: The Wallaces of Moore County, NC
 * 1843-1846 Tax List, 1843-1846 (images) at FamilySearch

Vital Records
Birth, marriage and death records are available at the Montgomery County Register of Deeds office. Montgomery County has marriage records from 1779, and birth &amp; death records starting from 1913, when the State started requiring the registration of these vital records. Online Records
 * 1800-2000 - at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Montgomery County Vital Records (NCGenWeb Project)
 * Montgomery County Vitals (USGenWeb Archives)

Birth

 * 1800-2000  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1866-1964  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1913-1922  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at FindMyPast
 * 1843-1964 Montgomery County Marriage Index 1843-1964 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1759-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; In
 * 1762-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1763-1868  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Montgomery County Marriages (USGenWeb Archives)
 * Montgomery County, North Carolina Marriage Records (NCGenWeb)

Death

 * 1898-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images  Also at:  MyHeritage ($)
 * 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
 * 1931-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Divorce

 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers

Libraries

 * Sandhill Regional Library System Website

Societies

 * Montgomery Historical Society and Museum PO Box 644 Troy, NC 27371 (336) 301-6254 Website Facebook Museum


 * Stanly and Montgomery County, NC Genealogy Facebook