Rutherford County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Rutherford County is located in the Southwestern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with South Carolina. It was named for Revolutionary War General Griffith Rutherford, a member of the North Carolina Provincial Congress.

County Courthouse
Rutherford County Court 229 N Main Street P O Box 551 Rutherforton, NC 28139-0630 Phone: 828-287-6155 Courthouse burned in 1857 Clerk Superor Courtt has birth records from 1917 death records from 1913 marriage dirvorce probate court and land records from 1779 tax lists and voter registration

Register of Deeds P.O. Box 551 Rutherfordton, NC 28043 Phone: 828-287-6156 Fax: 828-287-6470 Website

Clerk Superior Court 229 N Main St Ste 203 Rutherfordton, NC 28139 Phone: (828) 288-6100

Parent County
1779--Rutherford County was created from Tryon County. Tyron County was abolished in 1779. County seat: Rutherfordton

Boundary Changes
After Rutherford County's initial creation in 1779, there have been some distinct changes made to the boundaries.

In 1791, a small portion of the west sides of Rutherford and Burke County created Buncombe County.

In 1841, about a third of the county on the east side, as well as western side of the neighboring Lincoln county, were formed into Cleveland County.

The year following that, 1842, a small portion of the northern side of Rutherford county and half of the neighboring County of Burke was taken to make McDowell County.

In 1855, the southwestern side of the county was formed into Polk County.

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
1907--Fire burned courthouse

Neighboring Counties

 * Buncombe
 * Burke
 * Cherokee County, South Carolina
 * Cleveland
 * Henderson
 * Mcdowell
 * Polk
 * Spartanburg County, South Carolina

Baptist

 * Bill's Creek. Constituted 1782.
 * Buffalow Creek. Constituted 1777.
 * Green River. Constituted 1778.
 * Mountain Creek. Constituted 1789.
 * Sandy Run. Constituted 1788.

Presbyterian

 * Brittain Church, Rutherfordton, N.C. Organized 1768. Originally located in Tryon County.

County Records

 * 1833-1970 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Genealogy
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. Use this list to:


 * Locate publications about direct ancestors
 * Find the most updated accounts of an ancestor's family
 * Identify publications, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, about an ancestor's "FAN Club" [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]


 * "Notes on a Proctor Family of Northeastern Rutherford Co., N.C.," The South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research, Vol. 38, No. 3 (August 2010):102-110.

Migration
Early migration routes to and from Rutherford County for European settlers included:


 * Old Cherokee Path pre-historic

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


 * - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company D
 * - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company G
 * - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company N
 * - 1st Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company B
 * - 1st Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company C
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company G

World War I

 * 1917 - 1919 - at FamilySearch — index and images

World War II

 * 1940 - 1948 - at FamilySearch — index and images

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


 * Pre-1790  - Pre-1790  Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online - free. Website tips.
 * 1780 - 1784 - Minutes of the Pleas and Quarter Sessions 1780 to 1784. (mentions wills filed, inventory lists, sales, administratrators, orphans, deeds proved, etc. If you cannot find a will in the will book, this is where to search) North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * 1782 - 1964 - have been digitized by FamilySearch - free.
 * 1782 - 1964 - Rutherford County North Carolina list of will book testators SAMPUBCO - Browsable index of testators of wills. - Free
 * Images of the Minutes of the Pleas and Quarter Sessions Court 1780-1784; 1799-1802; 1804-1817. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * 1823 - 1833 - Images of Wills and Estates 1823-1833. North Carolina Pioneers ($)

Taxation

 * 1776 - Tax Lists, Tryon County, 1776 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1782 - Tax Lists, Rutherford County, 1782 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1782 - Tax Lists, Rutherford County, 1782 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1829 - Tax Lists, Rutherford County, 1829 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections

Birth Records

 * 1800 - 2000 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1866 - 1964 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 1880 - 1932 - Rutherford County Birth Index 1880-1932. Batch at FamilySearch - free.

Death Records

 * 1898 - 1994 - at FamilySearch.org — index
 * 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 Records

 * 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 $
 * 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
 * 1851 - 1965 - Rutherford County Marriage Index 1851-1965 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch - free.

Societies and Libraries
Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County PO Box 938 Forest City, NC 28043 Rutherford County Library 255 Callahan Koon Rd. Spindale NC 28169 Website

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Forest City North Carolina Family History Center

Websites

 * Rutherford 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.
 * North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * North Carolina Pioneers ($)