Chatham County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Chatham County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for William Pitt, Earl of Chatham, who defended American rights in the British Parliament.

County Courthouse
Chatham County Courthouse 12 East Road Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-542-3240 Chatham County Website Register of Deeds has birth and death records from 1913, marriage and land records from 1771. Clerk of Superior Court has divorce records from 1913, probate records from 1771 and court records from 1869.

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
The bill for establishing Chatham County was introduced in the Colonial Assembly, held at New Berne, December 5, 1770. But the bill was not ratified until January 26, 1771 and became effective the first day of April in 1771. The county was named for the first Earl of Chatham - William Pitt, 1708-1778. According to history, the Earl of Chatham was a true believer in the right of America and defended these rights in the British Parliament. Perhaps that zeal of patriotism transmitted itself to the inhabitants of Chatham County, because the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions struck the customary extolling of the King and his titles, in 1773, long before the first shot rang out in New England. Even though Chatham was a Crown Province of North Carolina until statehood was established on July 4, 1776. The county seat of Pittsboro was named for William Pitt, the younger, who was the youngest prime minister of Great Britain. He was 24 years of age, at the time. Chatham was created from Orange County whose area was ten times what it is now. Because of political factions and difficulty in holding court and recording documents, the distance being so great, the counties of Guilford, Wake and Surry were created at the same time as Chatham. As a deterrent to the meeting and assembly of these factions and to facilitate the governing of them. Chatham is in the center of the state, in the hilly, timber covered section of the state. The counties that are neighbors are: Almance, Durham, Harnett, Lee, Moore, Orange, Randolph and Wake.

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and images
 * Chatham County, NC Bibles at USGenWeb Archives


 * Abraham Rencher Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Alexander Leander and Fannie M. Harper Phillips Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Dr. Abner Holton Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Foushee Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * James Martin and Rachel Heding Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * John Rowe Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * John Wesley and Ora Lee (Marks) Utley Family Bible (1) at USGenWeb Archives
 * John Wesley and Ora Lee (Marks) Utley Family Bible (2) at USGenWeb Archives
 * John White Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Julia Emma Utley Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Nathan Alexander Stedman Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Nathaniel J. Alston Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Solomon Bunting Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Thomas Roe Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * Utley Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * William Brantley Family Bible at USGenWeb Archives
 * William Searcy Bible at USGenWeb Archives

Biographies

 * Chatham County Families
 * Letters: William Crutchfield to Wm. P. Pickard
 * Paris T. Utley Letters
 * Aaron Harlan Biography
 * James Fauntleroy Taylor, 1791-1828
 * Isham Sims Upchurch, 1909
 * Deacon White

Cemeteries

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

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * List of Chatham County Churches

Baptist List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Bear Creek Constituted 1786.
 * Collin's Mount Founded before 1773.
 * Deep River Founded before 1773.
 * Haw River Church built 1769.
 * Rocky River, near Siler City, N.C. Organized about 1757. Formerly located in Orange.
 * Tick Creek Founded before 1773.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records

 * 1772-1956 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1774-1861 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1800-1868 (*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1821-1868 (*); Court of Equity at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1827-1900 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1842-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1850-1927 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1868-1891 (*); Board of Commissioners at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1912 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1875-1920 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1877-1894 (*); Board of Magistrates at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1888-1968 (*); Magistrates Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Apprenticeship Bonds 1784-1837 at NCGenWeb
 * Bastardy Bonds 1775-1799 at NCGenWeb
 * Bastardy Bonds 1871-1879 at Archive.org
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Court Minutes, 1774-1792, vol. 1. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Court Minutes, 1774-1792, vol. 2. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Court Minutes, 1774-1792, vol. 3. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Deeds, 1771-1788, v. 1. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Deeds, 1780-1785; v. 02. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina Deeds, 1783-1788. By Laird, Marilyn Poe and Jackson, Vivian Poe. Chatham County, North Carolina : Poe Publishers. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1774-1779 at NCGenWeb
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions Aug 1792 at NCGenWeb
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1794 at NCGenWeb
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1795 at NCGenWeb
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1797-1800 at NCGenWeb
 * Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1805 at NCGenWeb
 * Guardian Accounts 1800-1830 at NCGenWeb
 * Guardian Accounts 1828-1842 at NCGenWeb
 * Miscellaneous Records of Chatham County, North Carolina. 1976. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas : Chatham County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * (*); State Archives at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Orphan Bonds 1774-1800 at NCGenWeb

Chatham County Courthouse Clerk of Superior Court 12 East Street PO Box 369 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-542-3240 Website

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

Funeral Homes

 * Donaldson Funeral Home & Crematory in Pittsboro
 * Jones Funeral Home Inc in Chapel Hill
 * Joyce-Brady Chapel in Bennett
 * Knotts Funeral Home in Pittsboro
 * Pugh Funeral Home in Siler City
 * Russell Funeral Home and Cremation in Siler City
 * Walker's Funeral Home in Chapel Hill

Land and Property Records

 * Register of Deeds PO Box 756 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-542-8235 Website Deed records are indexed and copies of the actual documents are available online starting from 1771 Chatham County Deeds Online Search
 * -All Chatham County land transactions, including any sales or exchanges of real property in the county. This includes any transactions involving parcels of land, easements, rights of way and lease holdings.
 * -Security documents, such as deeds of trust, mortgages, and uniform commercial code filings.
 * -Public records of notaries.
 * -Records of businesses operating under assumed names.
 * -Vital records, including births, deaths and marriages. The office provides certified copies of vital records to persons who are eligible under state law.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Township Map of Chatham County
 * Chatham County in 1870
 * Chatham County Old Trails &amp; Creeks-1770's
 * North Carolina 1779 - with waterways
 * State Map Paths &amp; Trails- 1660-1775
 * Colonial Maps of the U.S.
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * Chatham County Migrations

Military Records
Revolutionary War 
 * 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
 * 1779-1782  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Militia Officers of Chatham County in the Revolutionary War
 * Revolutionary War Timeline
 * Revolutionary War &amp; Bible Records. Series of books with family info; online index of names included under Master Index.

War of 1812 
 * War of 1812 Muster Roll for Chatham County

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
 * 1885 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * Civil War: Cedar Fork Rifles


 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company G
 * - 15th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers, Company M
 * - 1st Brigade, North Carolina Reserves, Company H
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company H
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (63rd Regiment Volunteers), Company E
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (63rd Regiment Volunteers), Company G
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company I
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company B
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company E
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company I

World War I 
 * 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II 
 * 1939-1945 World Ward II Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
 * Transcribed Chatham Co. Newspaper Archives 1847-1887
 * Transcribed Chatham Co., Newspaper Archives 1888
 * The Raleigh Register October 22-29, 1799
 * North Carolina Newspaper Project at NC State Library
 * North Carolina Newspaper Digitization Project

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Chatham Co. Voter Registration Books 1890-1896 at FamilySearch
 * Chatham Co. Voter Registration: Canvas Book 1888-1890 at FamilySearch

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1663-1978 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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 ($)
 * 1770-1931 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1772-1806 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1779-1840 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1780-1931  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1782-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1790 Pre-1790 Chatham County, North Carolina Wills (North Carolina State Archives)
 * 1795-1868 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1798-1857 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1800-1960 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1828 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1870-1912 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Abstracts of Wills and Inventories of Estates, Chatham Co., North Carolina, bk. A. 1965. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Abstracts of Wills and Inventories of Estates, Chatham Co., North Carolina, 1798-1833; bk. B. 1966. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Abstracts of Wills and Inventories of Estates, Chatham Co., North Carolina, 1798-1857; bk. C. 1967. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Chatham County, North Carolina; Inventories and Settlements of Estates, 1821-1827. 1968. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Images of Wills and Estates 1798-1819;1818-1833; 1834-1857. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * Miscellaneous Records of Chatham County, North Carolina. 1976. By Reynolds, Katherine. Houston, Texas. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * North Carolina Probate Records tips
 * Poe Pages : Poe, Pow, Powe, etc., Vol. 11. 1994. By Long, Anne. Grangeville, Idaho : Long, Anne. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Indices to Chatham County Wills and Estate Records: (NCGenWeb)
 * 1782-1794 Wills &amp; Estates 1782-1794
 * 1795-1799 Wills &amp; Estates 1795-1799
 * 1798-1819 Wills &amp; Estates 1798-1819
 * 1800-1812 Index to Estates 1800-1812
 * 1812-1822 Index to Estates 1812-1822
 * 1818-1833 Wills &amp; Estates 1818-1833
 * 1821-1836 Estate Records-Vol. 1, 1821-1836
 * 1834-1868 Wills &amp; Estates 1834-1857
 * 1856-1868 Wills &amp; Estates 1856-1868
 * 1847-1850 Index to Estates 1847-1850

Abstracted wills: (NCGenWeb)
 * Surnames A-B
 * Surnames C-D
 * Surnames E-F-G
 * Surnames H-J-K
 * Surnames L-M-N
 * Surnames O-P-Q-R
 * Surnames S
 * Surnames T-V
 * Surnames W-Y-Z
 * Clerk of the Superior Court 12 East Street PO Box 369 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-542-3240 Website

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

 * 1755 1755 Orange County Tax List (transcript) at NCGenWeb (many Chatham Co. families were included before formation of Chatham)
 * 1795 1795 Chatham County Tax List (transcript) at NCGenWeb
 * 1815 1815 Chatham County Tax List (transcript) at NCGenWeb
 * 1815 Tax Lists, Chatham County, 1815 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections

Vital Records

 * Register of Deeds PO Box 756 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone: 919-542-8235 Website The Register of Deeds Office maintains vital records, including births, deaths and marriages. The office provides certified copies of vital records to persons who are eligible under state law.

Online Records
 * 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1775-1800 Bastardy Bonds from Chatham County Court Minutes 1775-1800 (USGenWeb)
 * 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
 * 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1759-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1762-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1763-1868  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1772-1929 Chatham County Marriage Index 1772-1929 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Chatham County Marriage Bonds
 * Chatham County Marriages

Death

 * 1812-1822 Index to Estates 1812-1822
 * 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
 * Chatham County Death Certificates

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

 * Durham North Carolina Family History Center

Societies
Chatham County Historical Association and Museum 9 Hillsboro St. PO Box 93 Pittsboro, NC 27312-0093 Telephone 919-542-6222 Email [mailto:history@chathamhistory.org history@chathamhistory.org] Website Facebook

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Chatham County NCGenWeb Project
 * Chatham County USGenWeb 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.