Caswell County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Courthouse
Caswell County Courthouse 139 East Church Street Yanceyville, NC 27379 Phone: 336-694-4197

Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records Register of Deeds has land records Register of Deeds PO Box 98 Yanceyville, NC 27379 Telephone: 336-694-4197 Fax: 336-694-7848 Website  Clerk of Superior Court PO Drawer 790 Yanceyville, NC 27379 Telephone: (336) 459-4000

Overview
An Overview of the History of Caswell County, North Carolina

Histories
Yanecy Jr, Bartlett. "The County of Caswell in 1810" Published in 1811.

Parent County
Caswell was created 8 April 1777 from Orange County. Originally, the county seat was at Leasburg. When Person County was created from the eastern half of Caswell County in 1792, the county seat was moved to what today is Yanceyville.

Boundary Changes
Caswell County was created in 1777 from the northern portion of Orange County. In 1792, the eastern half of Caswell County became Person County. No further boundary changes have been made since 1792.

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
Some records may have been destroyed during occupation by militia troops during reconstruction.

Caswell County Courthouse
Caswell County North Carolina Courthouse 139 East church St, Yanceyville, NC 27379 336-694-4197 Clk Sup Ct has div, pro & rec Reg of Deeds has land record

Caswell County North Carolina was from from Orange County 8 Apr 1777

History of the Historic Caswell County, North Carolina Courthouse

Populated Places
Caswell County comprises nine townships: Anderson, Dan River, Hightowers, Leasburg, Locust Hill, Milton, Pelham, Stoney Creek, and Yanceyville. Major communties are: Leasburg, Milton, and Yanceyville (with Milton and Yanceyville being the only incorporated towns in the county).

Neighboring Counties

 * Alamance
 * Orange
 * Person
 * Pittsylvania County, Virginia
 * Rockingham

African American

 * "Slave Cohabitation Records (Caswell County, North Carolina". Caswell County Historical Association blog, April 12, 2007.
 * "Tobacco and Slave Ledger Preservation Project". Caswell County Historical Association blog, August 28, 2008.
 * "Caswell County Slave Traders". Caswell County Historical Association blog, Mar 12, 2007.
 * Spencer, Martha. "African-American Members of the Milton Presbyterian Church" Caswell County Historical Association blog, August 5, 2012.

Business records and commerce

 * 1867-68 Branson's North Carolina Business Directory Transcription. Genealogy Trails.

Churches
By 1810 there were 4 Baptist, 4 Presbyterian and 3-4 Methodist churches.


 * Churches of Caswell County
 * Scott, Jean B.In the Beginning : the Churches of Caswell County. Not avail at FHL. North Carolina State Library General Collection Call Number: 280.409756 In16. See also World Cat.
 * The North Carolina State Library has vertical file material entitled "Caswell County, N.C. churches".

Baptist - Associations

 * Beulah Association

Baptist - Churches
''Blaylock, J. Burch. History of the Primitive Baptist Church of Historic Caswell County, N.C. [Primitive] Southern Historical Collection.


 * Hogan's River. Constituted 1793.
 * Island Ford on Dan River. Constituted 1790.
 * Lick Fork on Hogan's River. Constituted 1792.
 * North Country line. Constituted 1772.
 * [1869-1905, 1905-1917] Baylock, John Burch.Country Line Primitive Baptist Church records in Yanceyville Township, Caswell County, North Carolina. FHL Film 18,446 items 3-4. As of 1946, Minute Book One (to 1868) has not been located.
 * Berry, W. J. Historical Sketch of Country LIne Baptist Church. Publ 1975. Not at FHL. CCHA has a copy---see also World Cat.
 * South Country Line or Waters of Haw River. Constituted 1783. Members from towards Haw River asked to be an arm of Lynches Creek Primitive Baptist Church in 1804 and it was granted.
 * Lynches Creek Church organized July 13, 1799.
 * [1799-1856] Lynches Creek Primitive Baptist Church, Hightowers Township, Caswell County, North Carolina. FHL Film 18,446 item 5. List of African Americans at end.
 * Deep Creek Church. Constituted from Linches Creek Church in 1806.
 * Bush Arbor Primative Baptist Church. ca 1806. From Country Line?
 * [1806-1841] Baylock, John Burch. Bush Arbor Primitive Baptist Church records in Anderson Township, Caswell County, North Carolina. See FamilySearch Catalog. Contains lists of African Americans.
 * Mills Primitive Baptist Church (later Shiloh created). Est 1820. Church on land lying on the waters of Country Line Creek.
 * Beulah Baptist Church org 1834
 * Yanceyville Baptist (Regular) Church. Contstituted 1837 from Country Line Primative Baptist Church. Renamed First Baptist Church of Yanceyville in 1954.
 * Trinity Baptist Church (Old).From Yanceyville Baptist Church in 1840.
 * Milton Baptist Church. Constituted 1844 from Yanceyville Baptist Church. Early minutes lost.
 * Prospect Hill Primitive
 * [1864-1894, 1894-1908, 1908-1945] Baylock, John Burch. Prospect Hill Primitive Baptist Church records, Hightowers Township, Caswell County, North Carolina. See FHL catalog.

Church of Christ

 * Moon Creek Church. Est 1830 in Providence.

Presbyterian - Presbytery

 * Hanover Presbytery (in 1700s had jurisdiciton over Upper Hyco, Dan River and Country Line Creek)
 * Orange Presbytery minutes

Presbyterian - Churches

 * Bethesda (formerly Hart's Chapel, Cobb's Chapel and believed to also been known as Hogan's Creek). Located just off Highway 156 . Established about 1765.
 * "No surviving session minutes from Hart's Chapel, but the earliest minutes of Bethesda are dated October 16, 1819."
 * Bethesda Presbyterian Church. Rootweb CCHA.
 * Jacob Doll Diaries, 1848-1876. Southern Historical Commission. Incl marr, deaths (incl Civil War), sermons.
 * Lytch, W. E. History of Bethesda Presbyterian Church, 1765-1965, Caswell County, N.C. Yanceyville, N.C. : Caswell Messenger, 1965. North Carolina State Library General Collection Call Number: 285.1756575 L996h.
 * Griers (formerly Upper Hyco). Organized in 1753 by Rev. Hugh McAden and emigrants from Pennsylvania tht had settled on the Hyco. Rev McAden also organized Middle Hyco (now Red House Presbyterian) and Lower Hyco (also called Barnett or Criswell).
 * Red House Presbyterian (Middle Hyco). Founded mid-1700s. Originally in Richmond Twp but close to St. Lawrence Twp. Beginning in 1792 the St. Lawrence Twp area became part of Person county. And the Red House Church eventually came under Milton Twp when it was formed from Richmond Twp.
 * [1820-1917] Session Minutes and Records of Red House Presbyterain Church. See Presbyterian Church Historical Society, Office of the General Assembly, Montreat, NC.
 * Long, James M.Ceremony Commemorating Listing of National Register for Red House Presbyterian Church CCHA
 * Red House Presbyterian Church CemeteryCensus.com
 * Milton Presbyterian Church. Established 1826. First minister was Rev. James W. Douglas. Photo of inside of church.
 * Yanceyville Presbyterian Church. Org 1838.
 * John Grasty, Minister of Presbyterian Church in Yanceyville in the late 1840-1850s left a diary.

Latter-day Saints
"Mormon" missionaries arrived in the Anderson community (southeastern) edge of Caswell County) in 1905.


 * Membership Records

Methodist
Google ths: "Methodism in Microcosm: Methodist History in Caswell County, North Carolina, 1780-1905" (hunter.pdf). Google also: huntercaswellmethodismresearchnotes-1.pdf


 * New Hope United Methodist Church.  Est 1779 (at that time part of Orange county) from the efforts of Francis Asbury (a missionary sent by John Wesley to America) and John B Davis; and located abt 6 mi north of Yanceyville.
 * Harrison's Meeting House, later Purley United Methodist Church. Ca 1781. Orig between "mouth of Rattlesnake Creek and and the mouth of Moon's Creek". Mentioned in Asbury's journal. In the early days part of Caswell Twp; but now Dan River Twp.
 * Camp Springs United Methodist Episcopal. Organized in the 1800s. Located 12 miles east of Reidsville in Caswell County.
 * Bethel United Methodist Church. In Pelham Twp. Started out ca 1812 as a Union Church attended mostly by Primitive Baptists. Located at Blackwell on land donated by Dr. Dabney.
 * Leasburg Methodist Church, also known as Bethany and Old Camp Ground.
 * Connally United Methodist Church. Org by 1815. Near Milton on Virginia/North Carolina border.
 * Union United Methodist Church. Est 1820 on land donated by William Richmond, Sr.
 * Yanceyville United Methodist Church. Est 1841.

Court
''Pre-1868 County courts, sometimes called the County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, handled both civil and criminal cases. Minutes contain such matters as estate, land, illegitimacy, apprenticeships, bonds, certificates granting freedom to slaves, and more.''

''Superior Courts of Law were established in each county in 1806. Though the superior courts acted concurrently with the Court of Common Pleas, they handled more serious or complex civil and criminal cases. In 1868, the Superior Courts of Law merged with the Superior Court of Equity.''

''Superior Courts of Equity were also created in 1806. Their purpose was to deal with fairness issues. Most cases related to probate and land matters, and records generally listed heirs. In 1868, they merged with the Superior Court of Law. ''


 * Civil Action Court Papers, 1712-1970. Browsable images for Caswell provided by FamilySearch. Kendall's Historical Abstract of the Minutes of Caswell County, North Carolina 1777-1877 can be used as a partial and informal index.
 * Kendall, Katherine Kerr. Historical Abstracts of Minutes of Caswell County, North Carolina 1777-1877.  Abstracts of minutes of the North Carolina Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for Caswell County, 1777-1868, and of the Caswell County Board of Commissioners, 1868-1877. North Carolina State LIbrary Genealogy 929.3 N8cas K33c. Also FHL US/CAN Book 975.6575 N2k.
 * Caswell county, North Carolina, Equity Court Clerk. Minutes of Equity Court, 1807-1868. Raleigh, North Carolina : North Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1963-1964. FHL US/CAN Film 358,290.
 * Minutes Superior Court, 1807-1931
 * Minutes County Court, 1777-1868
 * Hillsborough District, North Carolina : Superior Court minutes, 1768-1798
 * Hillsborough District, North Carolina : Superior Court minutes, 1768-1798

Family History

 * Caswell County, North Carolina: Surnames. Linkpendium.
 * Caswell County Family Tree

Message Boards

 * Caswell County, North Carolina - Family History &amp; Genealogy Message Board, courtesy: Ancestry.

Entries

 * Pruitt, A. B. Abstracts of land entries, Caswell County, North Carolina, 1778-1795, 1841-1863; Person County, North Carolina, 1792-1795. Rocky Mount, North Carolina : A.B. Pruitt, c1990. FHL US/CAN Book 975.657 R28p. Also at North Carolina State Library.

Surveys and Warrants


 * North Carolina State Library microfilm Caswell Co., 1-345 -- S.108.590. Caswell Co., 346-670 -- S.108.591. Caswell Co., 671-978 -- S.108.592. Caswell Co., 979-1267 -- S.108.593. Caswell Co., 1268-1300, 01-026 -- S.108.594.

Grants

 * An Index to the Caswell county, North Carolina Land Grants is found in Katharine Kerr Kendall's book Caswell County North Carolina : Land Grants, Tax Lists, State Census, Apprentice Bonds, Estate Records. See World Cat or Google Books or FHL US/CAN Book 975.6 A1 no. 125.

To effectively use grants in your research you will need to understand the North Carolina land grant proceedure.

Deeds

 * [1777-1817] Kendall, Katharine Kerr. Caswell County North Carolina Deed Books v. 1 1777-1817. (Easley, South Carolina: Historical Press, c 1989). FHL US/CAN Book 975.6575 R28k v. 1.
 * [1817-1840] Kendall, Katharine Kerr. Caswell County North Carolina Deed Books v. 2 1817-1840. (Easley, South Carolina: Historical Press, c 1989). FHL US/CAN Book 975.6575 R28k v. 2.

The Caswell County Historical Assoication's Dower Rights blog article will help you determine whether a wife should be releasing her dower in a given deed.

Upon obtaining a deed or grant for your ancestor that mentions a creek or a branch, you may have a desire to locate where that creek or branch is located. TopoZone's "Toppgraphic Map Stream Features in Caswell County, North Carolina" will give you the lat and long cordinates.

Local Histories
Bibliography

An Inventory of Historic Architecture: Caswell County, North Carolina, Ruth Little-Stokes and Tony P. Wrenn (1979).

Caswell County in the World War, 1917-1918: Service Records of Caswell County Men, George A. Anderson (1921).

From Rabbit Shuffle to Collins Hill: Stories of Southern Caswell County, North Carolina, Millard Quentin Plumblee (1984)

''In the Beginning. . . The Churches of Caswell County'', Jean B. Scott, Compiler (2000)

Service Record Book of Men and Women of Yanceyville, N.C., and Community, Sponsored by the V.F.W. Post No. 7316 (1947-1949).

The Heritage of Caswell County, North Carolina, Jeannine D. Whitlow, Editor (1985).

When the Past Refused to Die: A History of Caswell County North Carolina 1777-1977, William S. Powell (1977).

Maps

 * Caswell County Historical Association. Maps and/or Maps of Caswell County. The 1868 School District Mapis especially helpful for getting a feel for where the creeks and land owners were located in the early days.
 * North Carolina County Formation Maps. UsGenWeb uses Gold Bug's Animap Plus software. (Click 1777 to see Caswell county formation)
 * Historic USGS Topo Maps are free downloads.

Military
Cameron Family Papers, 1757-1978.Southern Historical Commision. "Troop returns sent to Duncan Cameron when he was a colonel in the North Carolina Militia in 1812, and after his subsequent promotion to major general in 1813." 6th and 16th brigade which made up the 3rd division of the North Carolina Militia. Incl Caswell County.

Revolutionary War

 * 1779 - 1782 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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 — index and images


 * -5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * -6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company A
 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company C
 * - 13th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry formerly the 3rd Volunteers., Company D
 * - 1st Brigade, North Carolina Reserves, Company G
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company G
 * - 41st Regiment Volunteers - 3rd Cavalry, Company C
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (59th North Carolina State Troops), Company B :- 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company I
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company H
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain Alfred A Mitchell's Company
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain George F Fisher's Company

World War I (1914-1918)

 * 1917 - 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940 - 1948 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Newspapers

 * 1819 - Milton Intelligencer. Scattered issues. North Carolina State Library.
 * 1824, 1827, 1828, 1830,1831 - Milton gazette & Roanoke Advertiser. Selected issues. North Carolina State Library.
 * 1840 - 1868 - Broughton, Carrie. "Marriages of Caswell County Reported in Raleigh NC Newspapers 1840-1868".
 * 1841-1881 - The Milton Chronicle. Scattered issues. Available at North Carolina State Library.

Probate
Online Probate Records


 * 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
 * Images of Wills and Estates 1783-92; 1792-1800. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * Images of Wills, Estates, Deeds 1777-1783. North Carolina Pioneers ($)

Wills

 * Pre - 1790 - Pre-1790 Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online - free. Website tips.
 * 1777 - 1799 - "Caswell County, North Carolina - Wills 1777-1799" Access Genealogy.
 * 1777 - 1843 - Caswell County North Carolina Will Books 1777-1814 Katharine Kerr Kendall (1979). And Caswell County North Carolina Will Books 1814-1843, Katharine Kerr Kendall (1983). FHL US/CAN 6575 P28 v. 1-2. As both volumes are bound together, make sure you don't miss the fact that the index to the first volume is mid-way through the book. People with original wills on file at State Archives listed on pages 19x-198. Digitized and made every-name searchable by Ancestry.com in their "Caswell County, NC Will Books, 1777-1843; 1784 Tax List; and Guardians' Accounts, 1794-1819" collection.
 * 1777 - 1963 - have been digitized by FamilySearch - free.
 * 1843 - 1868 - Kendall, Katherine Kerr.Caswell County, North Carolina Will Books 1843-1868. Guardians' Accounts 1848-1868. People with original wills on file at State Archives listed on page 181. FHL US/CAN Book 975.6575 P28k v 5

Estate Packets
North Carolina, Estate Files

The original records are at the Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Taxation

 * 1777-1867 - List of Taxables (Caswell County, North Carolina), 1777-1867 (images) online at FamilySearch.
 * 1777 - Tax Lists, Caswell County, 1777 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1777 - Tax Lists, Caswell County, 1777 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1777 - 1777 Tax List (transcript, pp. 25-35) online at FamilySearch
 * 1777, 1780, 1784 - Tax Lists, 1777, 1780 and 1784 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1780 - Tax Lists, Caswell County, 1780 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1784 - Tax Lists, Caswell County, 1784 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1800 - Alphabetical lists extant for Glouster, Richmond and St. David districts. Non-alphabetical list for Caswell extant.
 * 1802 - Alphabetical lists exist for Richmond and Glouster. No list for St. Davids. Possible list for St. David (date ca 1802).
 * 1803 - One to three copies copies for each of the four districts Caswell, Glouster, Richmond and St. David) exist. Some lists non-alphabetical.
 * 1803 - 1803 Tax List (transcript, pp. 41-47) online at FamilySearch
 * 1804 - Two copies for each of the four districts (Caswell, Glouster, Richmond and St. David) exist. Both copies arranged alphabetical.
 * 1805 - No lists extant for any district.
 * 1806 - Alphabetical lists for Caswell, Glouster. Glouster list microfilm difficult to read--imperative you put film on scanner and enhance patches of names or you will miss most of the names. Non alphabetical list for Richmond Dist taken by Andrew Harrison Jr. There is also one other list (alphabetical) appears to be labeled Caswell Dist, but names are clearly Richmond District folks.
 * 1807 - No lists extant for any district.
 * 1808 - Alphabetical list for St. David's and Caswell districts. Sheets not arranged alphabetically though. Also a non-alphabetical summons list in the middle of St. Davids list.
 * 1809 - Alphabetical list for Richmond District and a very poor quality St David's list.
 * 1839 - Tax Lists, Caswell County, 1839 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1842 - Insolvents for all four tax districts are listed on page 11 in Kendall's Caswell County North Carolina Will Books 1843-1868. Guardians' accounts 1848-1868. FHL US/CAN Book 975.65575 P28k v. 5. (Will Book P, page 222)
 * 1843 - Insolvents for all four tax districts are listed on page 11 in Kendall's Caswell County North Carolina Will Books 1843-1868. Guardians' accounts 1848-1868. FHL US/CAN Book 975.65575 P28k v. 5. (Will Book P, page 223)
 * ca 1845 - List of business taxes collected. Will Book P, page 224.

Births

 * 1800 - 2000 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1866 - 1964 - at FamilySearch.org — index

Deaths

 * 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

 * 1926 - 1975 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1958 - 2004 - North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $

Marriages

 * 1741 - 2004 - North Carolina, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
 * 1780 - 1936 - Caswell County Marriage Books A-L (1st Series) and A-V (2nd Series) Index 1780-1936 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.
 * 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

Books:


 * 1778 - 1868 - Caswell County, North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1778-1868, Katharine Kerr Kendall (1981).

Societies and Libraries
Caswell County Historical Assoc., Inc. PO Box 278 Yanceyville, NC 27379 Website

Family History Centers

 * Caswell North Carolina Family History Center

Websites

 * Caswell County, NC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
 * Caswell County Historical Association
 * Caswell County, North Carolina GenWeb
 * Caswell County Family Tree
 * Caswell County History and Genealogy Yahoo Group
 * Caswell County Historical Association Weblog
 * Caswell County Photograph Collection
 * Caswell County on Facebook
 * Caswell County Cemetery Census