North Carolina, United States Genealogy

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Bibles were often given to a bride as a wedding gift, and families recorded in them information about their immediate family and close relatives. Bible records can include birth, marriage, and death dates; parents’ names; and names of children and their spouses, including maiden names. A person’s age at the time of death may be given. Many families kept Bible records from the 1700s to more recent times, although few of these records have survived. Some have been donated to local libraries or societies, but you may need to contact descendants to find some family Bible records.

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Did You Know?

 * City and county directories are similar to present-day telephone books and are useful for locating people. They were often published annually, listing heads of households, employed household members, and their occupations, and addresses. They can be used with census records or as substitutes for them.

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Online Resources:
The internet is an important tool for obtaining information. The internet itself can serve as a library. Through the internet family history researchers can:


 * Search large databases.
 * Search computer libraries and on-line catalogs.
 * Locate other researchers.
 * Post queries.
 * Send and receive e-mail.
 * Join in computer chat and lecture sessions.

You can find computerized research tips and information about ancestors from North Carolina in a variety of sources at local, state, national, and international levels. Many internet sites can be accessed for free but some do require a membership fee. Addresses on the Internet change frequently. A few of the many available sites are:

•Ancestry: www.ancestry.com. Ancestry is a subscription site but can be accessed at the Family History Library and several of the Family History Centers. There are many North Carolina databases available.

•Cyndi Howells’ List: www.cyndislist.com/nc.htm. This list has more links to other North Carolina genealogical sites and describes more resources than anywhere else on the Internet.

•FamilySearch™ Internet: www.familysearch.org At this site you can access the Family History Library Catalog, Ancestral File, International Genealogical Index, Social Security Death Index, research guides, and lists of Family History Centers You can also learn about and order Family History Library publications.

•Genealogical Bulletin Board Systems (GBBS): http://www.genealogy.org/state.asp?state=nc This site lists genealogical electronic bulletin boards where you can look for answers and post queries.

•GenExchange: http://www.genexchange.org/state.php?state=nc This site includes databases (church, cemetery, census, land, immigration, naturalization, and vital records), directories, historical accounts, mailing lists, queries, local surname researchers, and look-up volunteers.

•HeritageQuest Heritage Quest can be accessed through many local and university libraries with a patron library card. It can also be accessed at the Family History Library (www.heritagequestonline.com) and some Family History Centers. Databases that can be accessed are census records, digital books, PERSI (Periodical Source Index), Revolutionary War, Freedman Bank and the US Serial Set (various records: legal, court, land).

•Linkpendium – The Definitive Directory: http://www.linkpendium.com/genealogy/USA/NC/ This site has links to state and county resources.

•Rootsweb: http://www.rootsweb.com/roots-l/usa/nc.html This site contains a useful list of sites and resources and includes a large, regularly updated research coordination list.

•USGenWeb: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncgenweb/ This site is a cooperative effort by many volunteers to list genealogical databases, libraries, message boards, and other resources available on the Internet for each county, state, and country. County pages are located at: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncgenweb/county.html

•Wee-Monster: http://home.att.net/~wee-monster/vitalrecords.html. (Replace vitalrecords with deathrecords, census, military or naturalization to locate other resources.) This site lists records available by state, by county and by some cities. North Carolina information: http://www.genealogybranches.com/northcarolina.html

For Further Reading
Information about research and records in North Carolina is available in:

Draughon, Wallace R. North Carolina Genealogical Reference: A Research Guide for All Genealogists, both Amateur and Professional. 2nd ed. Durham, N.C.: Smith Publishing, 1966. (FHL book 975.6 D2dr 1966) The book includes chapters about genealogical collections, maps, county research (with published sources for each county), records at the state archives, Quakers (with a map showing the location of monthly meetings), and missing records (giving dates).

Eichholz, Alice, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources. 3rd ed. Provo: Ancestry, 2004. (FHL book 973 D27rb 1992.) This book contains bibliographies and background information on history and ethnic groups. It also contains maps and tables showing when each county was created. Pages 541–560 contain a chapter about North Carolina research.

Hofmann, Margaret M. An Intermediate Short, Short Course in the Use of Some North Carolina Records in Genealogical Research. Rocky Mount, N.C,: Copy-It Print, 1990. (FHL book 975.6 D27hm.) This book has chapters about maps, record interpretation, military records, land records, petitions, non-public record sources, and oral histories.

Hofmann, Margaret M. The Short, Short Course in the Use of North Carolina’s Early County-Level Records in Genealogical Research. Ahoskie, N.C.: Atlantic Printing, 1988. (FHL book 975.6 D27h.) This book contains discussions on how to use bonds, censuses, court records, land records, probate records, and marriage records.

Leary, Helen F. M., and Maurice R. Stirewalt, eds. North Carolina Research: Genealogy and Local History. 2nd ed. Raleigh, N.C.: North Carolina Genealogical Society, 1996. (FHL book 975.6 D27n 1996.) This is a how-to book. Chapter2 contains instructions on how to use strategies in studying various types of sources.

Schweitzer, George K. North Carolina Genealogical Research. Knoxville, Tenn.: G. K. Schweitzer, 1984. (FHL book 975.6 D27s.) This important reference book lists specific books and microfilms and the types and dates of records available on state, county, and some city levels. It also lists libraries and county histories. Chapter3 contains descriptions of records at the state archives, state library, and the libraries at Duke University and the University of North Carolina.

A free brochure about genealoical research is available from the North Carolina State Archives: Genealogical Research in the North Carolina State Archives

Another good article is located online through the North Carolina State Library: Tar Heel Tracks: Genealogical Research in North Carolina http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/iss/gr/tracks.htm