Chatham County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

County Courthouse
Chatham County Courthouse 12 East Road Pittsboro, NC 27312 919-542-3240 Court has divorce records from 1913 Probate Records from 1771 &amp; court records from 1869

Register of Deeds PO Box 756 Pittsboro, NC 27252 Telephone: 919-542-8235 Fax: 919-542-8235 Website Clerk of Superior Court PO Box 369 Pittsboro, NC 27312 Telephone: (919) 545-3500

History
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 deterent 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.

Parent County
1770--Chatham County was created 5 December 1770 from Orange County. County seat: Pittsboro

Boundary Changes
In 1897 Chatham lost a portion of the NW boundary to Alamance Co., from a survey to establish a previously de facto boundary.

In 1907 Chatham lost a portion of the SE boundary to form the newly established Lee Co.

For animated maps illustrating North Carolina county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation North Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1664-1965) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website.

Record Loss
Many court records missing, including:


 * The court minutes and other court records from the time of ratification of the bill                           to establish the county, in April of 1771 to 1774, there are no pleas and quarter session minutes.


 * There is a gap of about 5 years between 1800 to 1805 in these minutes.

Populated Places - Population as of the 2000 census
 Incorporated Cities:


 * Fearrington - population: 903
 * Goldston - population: 319
 * Pittsboro - County Seat- population 2, 226. It is located 34 mi. SE of the state capitol, Raleigh.
 * Siler City - population: 8,747

Unincorporated Cities:


 * Bear Creek
 * Bennett
 * Bonlee
 * Brickhaven
 * Bynum
 * Carbonton
 * Corinth
 * Crutchfield Crossroads
 * Gulf
 * Haywood
 * Moncure
 * Silk Hope
 * Wilsonville

Neighboring Counties

 * Alamance
 * Durham
 * Harnett
 * Lee
 * Moore
 * Orange
 * Randolph
 * Wake

Cemeteries

 * Buckhorn Methodist Church Cemetery
 * Asbury Methodist Church Cemetery
 * Center Grove Cemetery
 * Fall Creek Church Cemetery
 * Ebenezer Methodist Church Cemetery
 * Bell's Baptist Church Cemetery
 * Martha's Chapel Church Cemetery
 * Mt. Zion Methodist Church Cemetery
 * Tick Creek Baptist Church Cemetery
 * Rives Chapel Church Cemetery
 * Meronies Methodist Cemetery
 * Antioch Christian Church Cemetery
 * Bell-Clark Cemetery
 * Dowdy Family Cemetery
 * Mays Chapel Cemetery

Church

 * List of Chatham County Churches

Baptist

 * 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 County.
 * Tick Creek. Founded before 1773.

Court
Chatham County Courthouse Clerk of Superior Court (Wills &amp; Estates) ADDRESS: P.O. Box, 369, (12 East St.) Pittsboro, NC 27312 Phone No. (919) 542-3240

Certified copies of documents are $2.00 for the first page, .25 for additional pages. Uncertified copies are $1.00 for the first page and .25 for additional pages.

The following links will take you to an index or transcribed court records for the years as indicated:


 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions 1774-1779
 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions Aug 1792
 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions 1794
 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions 1795
 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions 1797-1800
 * Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions 1805

Other Court Records:


 * Apprenticeship Bonds 1784-1837
 * Orphan Bonds 1774-1800
 * Guardian Accounts 1800-1830
 * Guardian Accounts 1828-1842
 * Bastardy Bonds 1775-1799
 * Bastardy Bonds 1871-1879

Land
The Register of Deeds Office maintains the following records for public inspection and retrieval:


 * 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 leaseholdings. * 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.

Courthouse Annex - Register of Deeds P.O. Box 756, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Ph. No. (919) 542-8235

Chatham County deed records are indexed and copies of the actual documents are available online starting from 1771.

Access to Chatham County Deeds Online Search

Local Histories

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

Maps

 * 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.

Revolutionary War

 * 1779 - 1782 - at FamilySearch — 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
Online Records
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1861 - 1865 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
 * 1885 -1953 - at FamilySearch — 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 II

 * 1940 - 1948 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

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

Probate
Online Probate Records

Copies of wills and estate records can be obtained from the Clerk of the Superior Court. Information on fees are available on their website:
 * 1660 - 1790 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1663 - 1979 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1665 - 1998 - North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1735 - 1970 - at FamilySearch.org — images
 * 1760 - 1800 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry.com — index and images

Chatham County Courthouse Annex 12 East Street P.O. Box 756 Pittsboro, NC 27312 (919) 542-8235

Clerk of Superior Court The elected Chatham County Clerk of Court is David Samuel Cooper. He and some 14 staff members are responsible for all clerical and record keeping functions of the General Courts of Justice. His staff is spread throughout the courthouse annex and is organized according to their function and duties.

The Clerk's offices are open from 8:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. The telephone number is (919) 542-3240, the fax number is (919) 542-1402, and the mailing address is P.O. Box 369, Pittsboro, NC 27312.

Decedent's Estates: Periodic inventories and the accountings necessary to administer the estates of deceased persons are filed, and appropriate forms obtained, from Clerk of Court. Estate-related business is conducted and all estate-related records are maintained at the Clerk of Court's Office, 12 East Street, Pittsboro. This office is also where wills are probated. It is a good idea to contact this office before making an official visit in order to insure that all of the required documentation is available.


 * Pre - 1790 - Pre-1790 Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online - free. Website tips.


 * 1780 - 1931 - have been digitized by FamilySearch - free.

The following links will take you to an Index to Chatham County Wills and Estate Records:


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

The Following links will take you to a series of Wills that have been abstracted:

The Following are links to Images of Records on FamilySearch:
 * 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


 * 1663 - 1964 - NC Estate Records 1663-1964: Chatham County
 * 1735 - 1970 - NC Probate Records 1735-1970: Chatham County

Taxation

 * 1795 Chatham County Tax List
 * 1815 Chatham County Tax List
 * 1755 Orange County Tax List (many Chatham Co. families were included before formation of Chatham)

Vital Records
Courthouse Annex - Register of Deeds P.O. Box 756, Pittsboro, NC 27312 Ph. No. (919) 542-8235

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.

Births

 * 1775 - 1800 - Bastardy Bonds from Chatham County Court Minutes 1775-1800 at USGenWeb - free.
 * 1800 - 2000 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1866 - 1964 - at FamilySearch.org — index

Marriages

 * 1772 - 1929 - Chatham County Marriage Index 1772-1929 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * Chatham County Marriage Bonds
 * Chatham County Marriages
 * 1741 - 2004 - North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1759 - 1979 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1762 - 1979 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1763 - 1868 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Deaths

 * Chatham County Death Certificates
 * 1898 - 1994 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1906 - 1930 - at FamilySearch.org — index and images
 * 1908 - 2004 - North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $
 * 1909 - 1975 - North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
 * 1931 - 1994 - at FamilySearch.org — index

Divorce

 * 1958 - 2004 - North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $

Voter Registration

 * Chatham Co. Voter Registration Books 1890-1896 - online Collection from FamilySearch
 * Chatham Co. Voter Registration: Canvas Book 1888-1890 - online Collection from FamilySearch

Societies and Libraries
Chatham County Historical Association, Inc. PO Box 93 Pittsboro, NC 27312 E-mail:[mailto:history@chathamhistory.org history@chathamhistory.org] Website

Chatham County Historical Association PO Box 913 Pittsboro, NC 27312-0913 website

Web Sites

 * Chatham County, NC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * 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