Anson County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Anson County is located in the Southern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with South Carolina. It was named for George Anson, 1st Baron Anson, a British Admiral, who circumnavigated the globe from 1740 to 1744, and later became First Lord of the Admiralty.

County Courthouse
Anson County Courthouse N Green Street P O Box 352 Wadesboro, NC 28170 Phone: 704-994-3201 Anson County Website Death &amp; Register of Deeds has birth records from 1913 marriage records from 1869 and land records Clerk Superior Court has divorce from 1868 Probate records from 1750 &amp; court records from 1770

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 county was formed in 1749 from Bladen County. It was named for George Anson, Baron Anson, a British admiral, who circumnavigated the globe from 1740 to 1744, and later became First Lord of the Admiralty. Like its parent county, Anson County was originally a vast territory with indefinite northern and western boundaries. Reductions in its extent began in 1753, when the northern part of it became Rowan County. In 1762 the western part of Anson County became Mecklenburg County. In 1779 the northern part of what remained of Anson County became Montgomery County, and the part east of the Pee Dee River became Richmond County. Finally, in 1842 the western part of Anson County was combined with the southeastern part of Mecklenburg County to become Union County. Anson County was named in honor of British Admiral Lord George Anson, a First Lord of the Admiralty. He commanded the vessel which brought Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz Germany, to her future husband King George III. Germans to the area around Anson County, as did many settlers from the British Isles, Africa, and Moravia. In 1750 Anson County was formed from Bladen County. At that time, it reached all the way to the Mississippi River. Although it has been cut in physical size five times since then, the people of that county have enabled its presence to reach beyond the Mississippi to the far corners of the world.

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 - at FamilySearch — index
 * Anson County Churches

Baptist
 * Beaverdam. Constituted 1790.
 * Cartledge Creek aka Dockery's Meeting House, near Rockingham, N.C. Organized about 1774. Currently located in Richmond.
 * Fork of Little River. Church built 1758. Later located in Montgomery.
 * Hitchcock. Constituted 1772. Edwards published a membership list dated 1772 in Materials Towards a History of the Baptists... (1772), 128. Later located in Richmond.
 * Pee Dee River. Constituted 1785.
 * Rocky River, Burnsville, N.C. Began before 1772.

Church of England
 * St. George's Parish. Established 1749.

Genealogies

 * Anson County Heritage, North Carolina, 1995. Wadesboro, N.C.: Don Mills &amp; Anson County Heritage Book Committee, 1995..

Bibliography
 * Burns Kelman, Helen Parker. Parkers of Anson Co., N.C. with the Burnses and Curlees. Raleigh, N.C.: H.P. Kelman, c1993, 2001..
 * Curlee Kelman, Helen Parker. Parkers of Anson Co., N.C. with the Burnses and Curlees. Raleigh, N.C.: H.P. Kelman, c1993, 2001..
 * Gulledge Wiggins, Marie Gulledge. "Anson County, North Carolina Marriages," "Anson County, North Carolina Records," and "Anson County, North Carolina Court Records," Marie G. Wiggins Genealogical Collection Including Variant Surnames. MSS. Microfilmed 1993:.
 * Hardin Craig, Marion Stark. Benjamin Hardin (IV): 1764-1848 (Revolutionary War Soldier and Pensioner) and Wife, Elizabeth Scott and Their Family Connections: A Genealogical Compilation. Little Rock, Ark.: M.S. Craig, 1991..
 * Helms Myers, Sara M. and Sallie C. Pressley. George Helms and Tilman Helms, 1720-1900: History &amp; Genealogy of the Helms Family, Pioneers of Anson &amp; Meck. Counties, North Carolina, Five Generations. Cassopolis, Mich.: S.M. Myers, 1981..
 * Huntley Redfearn, Daniel Huntley. History of the Redfearn Family. Miami, Fla.: n.p., 1942..
 * Jarman German, John L. "Finding the Father of David German of North Carolina and Shelby County, Indiana," The American Genealogist, Vol. 68, No. 2 (Apr. 1993):87-94.
 * McLendon Redfearn, Rosalind McLendon. The McLendons of Anson County. Wadesboro, N.C.: n.p., 1957..
 * Moore Austin, Nancy Jane Moore and Mary Lois Moore Yandle. The Moore Families of Anson and Union Counties, North Carolina: 1750-1986. Charlotte, N.C.: N.J.M. Austin, c1988..
 * Parker Kelman, Helen Parker. Parkers of Anson Co., N.C. with the Burnses and Curlees. Raleigh, N.C.: H.P. Kelman, c1993, 2001..
 * Preslar Dunn, Edwin C. Some Genealogical Notes on the Preslar/Presley Family of Anson Co., N.C. Albuquerque, N.M.: E.C. Dunn, 1985..
 * Presley Dunn, Edwin C. Some Genealogical Notes on the Preslar/Presley Family of Anson Co., N.C. Albuquerque, N.M.: E.C. Dunn, 1985..
 * Redfearn Redfearn, Daniel Huntley. History of Redfearn Family. Miami, Fla.: n.p., 1942..
 * Redfearn Redfearn, Daniel Huntley. History of the Redfearn Family. Miami, Fla.: Redfearn, 1954..
 * Redfearn Redfern, Michael Robert. The History of the Redfearn Family Revisited. Louisville, Colo.: M.R. Redfern, c2005..
 * Reed Craig, Marion Stark. Benjamin Hardin (IV): 1764-1848 (Revolutionary War Soldier and Pensioner) and Wife, Elizabeth Scott and Their Family Connections: A Genealogical Compilation. Little Rock, Ark.: M.S. Craig, 1991..
 * Reed Craig, Marion Stark. Joseph Reed (Died 1751) of Anson County, NC &amp; Wife, Elizabeth, Who Married James Deacon and Lived in Rowan County, NC: A Genealogical Compilation. Little Rock, Ark.: M.S. Craig, 1991..
 * Sheppard Sheppard, Thomas C. The Sheppard Family: Descendants of William Sheppard of Anson County, North Carolina. Fairmont, W.Va.: T.C. Sheppard, 1992. ; digital version at Family History Archives.
 * Taylor Taylor, James L. Stephen Taylor and Descendants, Johnston and Anson Counties, North Carolina and Westward 1750's-1996. Typescript. Microfilmed 2001: ; digital version at Family History Archives.
 * Wall Thomas, Anne Wall. The Walls of Walltown: The Known Descendants of James Wall of Anson County, North Carolina. Carrboro, N.C.: A.W. Thomas, c1969. Digital version at.
 * Wiggins Wiggins, Marie Gulledge. "Individuals found in Anson co., N.C. deeds," in Wiggins Genealogical Collection. MSS. Microfilmed 1990:.

Land and Property Records
Anson County land and deed records may be obtained through the local Register of Deeds or through the North Carolina State Archives for older records. Contact the Registry's office at the below address, and also click onto the link to get further details about the office:

Anson County Register of Deeds 101 S. Greene Street, Suite 131 Wadesboro, NC 28170 704-994-3208

There are a number of transcribed Deed Records at the following:


 * Anson County Deeds

Military Records

 * Anson County Military Records

Revolutionary War 
 * 1779-1782 - at FamilySearch

Civil War 


 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org
 * 1861-1865 - at FamilySearch.org
 * 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


 * - 14th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 4th Volunteers, Company C
 * - 1st Brigade, North Carolina Reserves, Company I
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company I
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (59th North Carolina State Troops), Company A
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company G
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company I

World War I 
 * 1917-1919 - at FamilySearch

World War II 
 * 1940-1948 - at FamilySearch

Newspapers

 * Anson Record - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1955-1981
 * Anson Record &amp; Messenger Intelligencer - full-text digital issues in Google News Archive; covers 1981-1982
 * Anson County USGenWeb Newspapers
 * North Carolina Newspapers Project -info from the State Library about what kinds of newspaper records are available on microfilm

Other Records
County Records
 * 1833-1970 - at FamilySearch

Probate Records
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.org
 * 1738-1741, 1759 - 1769 - Minutes of the Pleas and Quarter Session Court 1738-1741; 1759-1769 and General Index (information about wills, inventories, sales, orphans, administrators, etc.) North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * 1751-1962 - have been digitized by FamilySearch
 * 1760-1800 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
 * Pre-1790 - Pre-1790 Anson County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online.
 * Images of Wills & Estates 1751-1779; Book A, 1801-1857; Book B, 1828-1838; Book C, 1837-1841; Book D, 1853-71; Book E, 1873-1903 North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * Anson County NC Loose Estates Index, 1663-1979
 * Anson County Wills from the USGenWeb Archives
 * Website tips.

Copies of Wills are available through the County Clerk of the Court or through the North Carolina State Archives.
 * Clerk of Court-Telephone:704-694-2314
 * North Carolina State Archives

School Records
Yearbooks 
 * Anson County students at NC colleges - a list via the NCGenWeb Yearbook Index

Tax Records

 * 1750 - Quit Rent 1750 (transcript) only includes two names online at USGenWeb Archives
 * 1763 - Tax Lists, Anson County, 1763 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1763 - Tax Lists, Anson County, 1763 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1763 - Tax Lists, Anson County, 1763 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1815 - Tax Lists, Anson County, 1815 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1815 - Anson-Union County, NC - Tax List, 1815 Partial (transcript) online at USGenWeb Archives
 * 1842-1849-1842, 1843, 1845, 1847, 1849 partial tax lists (transcripts) online at USGenWeb Archives

Vital Records

 * 1800-2000 - at FamilySearch — index and images


 * Anson County was formed from Bladen County around 1749. The first courthouse was located on the north bank of the Pee Dee River in an area called Mount Pleasant. In 1782, it was decided that the location of the courthouse was unsatisfactory, and a commission was formed to select a more appropriate site. The commission established the county seat in New Town, the first chartered town in Anson County.
 * The name of the town was later changed from New Town to Wadesboro. We are currently in our sixth courthouse. Through all the years, the moves and the fires, we have managed to keep all our deed records. The first deed recorded in the first book is dated March 25, 1749. Our marriage records, sadly, are a different story. Except for a few marriage bonds and a list of marriages gleaned from other sources, our early marriage records did not survive the courthouse fire of 1868. Our current marriage records start after this date. North Carolina did not require counties to maintain copies of birth and death records until late 1913, so our records for births and deaths date from October 1913 forward. Wills are kept in the office of the Clerk of Court.
 * The Anson County Register of Deeds office is located at 101 S. Greene St., Suite 131, Wadesboro, NC. Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. We observe legal holidays at the direction of the Board of County Commissioners. Two hour parking is available on the street. We are a small but very busy office ,and our work space is limited. We often have attorneys, paralegals, real estate agents, appraisers, genealogists, etc. using the office at the same time. We ask that each person be considerate of others working and doing research in the office, and help us provide an atmosphere in which we can all work. If you have any questions, call us at 704-994-3208. We look foward to seeing you in Anson County.
 * Anson County Registry of Deeds

Birth

 * 1800-2000 - at FamilySearch.org
 * 1866-1964 - at FamilySearch.org
 * 1870-1962 - Anson County Birth Index 1870-1962. Batch at FamilySearch.
 * 1870-1903 - Anson County Bastardy Bonds - Betty Camin's online database covers 1870-1903
 * 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 $
 * 1749-1979 - Anson County Marriage Index 1749-1979 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.
 * 1759-1979 - at FamilySearch.org
 * 1762-1979 - at FamilySearch
 * 1763-1868 - at FamilySearch
 * 1825 - Anson County Marriages from the USGenWeb Archives
 * GenWed has marriages for Anson County as early as 1825. They are abstracts from various sources.

Death

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

Divorce

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

Societies

 * Anson County Historical Society 206 East Wade Street Wadesboro, NC 28170-2229 Website

Websites

 * NCGenWeb: Anson County genealogy resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
 * Anson County USGenWeb Archives
 * North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * – 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.