Lee County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Lee County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for Confederate general Robert E. Lee.

County Courthouse
Lee County Courthouse 1400 S Horner Blvd PO Box 4209 Sanford, NC 27331 Phone: 919-718-6300 Lee County Website Register of Deeds has birth records from 1913; delayed birth, marriage, death from 1908; deeds from 1908; military discharges; probate records from 1906, and court records.

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:

Bible Records

 * Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and images
 * Lee County Bible Records at Georgia Genealogy Trails

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Presbyterian List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Buffalo, Sanford, N.C. Founded 1797.
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
The Clerk of Superior Court is elected for four years and must be a resident of the county in which he or she is elected. Unlike clerks of court in other states, the Clerk of Superior Court in North Carolina has numerous judicial functions.
 * 1908-1951 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1909-1930 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1911-1923 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images

As judge of probate, the Clerk has exclusive original jurisdiction over matters relating to the probate of wills, and the administration of estates, including appointing personal representatives, auditing their accounting, and removing them from office if necessary. The Clerk also presides over many other legal matters including adoptions, incompetency proceedings, condemnation of private lands for public use, and foreclosures. The Clerk is responsible for all clerical and record-keeping functions of the district and superior court. In addition, the Clerk receives and disburses money collected each year from court fees and fines.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups

 * 1862-1870   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1863-1872   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Funeral Homes

 * Bridges-Cameron Funeral Home in Sanford.
 * Knotts Funeral Homes in Sanford.
 * McLeod Funeral Home in Sanford.
 * Miller-Boles Funeral Home in Sanford.
 * Rogers-Pickard Funeral Home in Sanford.
 * Smith Funeral Home Broadway, Inc. in Broadway.

Land and Property Records
Online Land Indexes and Records Lee County Deed Records
 * North Carolina Land Grants at NC Historical Records Online - index, requires free account to view images

Maps and Gazetteers

 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Military Records
Revolutionary War 
 * 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
 * 1779-1782  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Civil War 
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1861-1865  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 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 - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1885 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images

World War I 
 * 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1917-1919  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

World War II 
 * 1939-1945 World Ward II Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1940-1948  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Newspapers

 * 1888 Vital Statistics from the Jonesboro Leader (NCGenWeb)
 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC

Obituaries

 * Lee County Obituaries (USGenWeb Archives)

Other Records
Voter Registration
 * 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1720-1960  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1735-1970  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1908-1927 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1908-1937 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1908-1937  at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1912-1926 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * North Carolina Probate Records tips
 * Dates Vary United States Wills and Deeds Experimental Search at FamilySearch - incomplete index and images, counties and dates vary

There are Probate records available through the Lee County Clerk of the Superior Court which includes wills, estate records and all transactions in reference to settlement of estates.

Social Security Records

 * 1935-2014 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
 * 1936-2007 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index

Vital Records

 * 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Birth

 * 1800-2000  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1866-1964  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
 * 1913-1922  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Marriage

 * 1741-2004 North Carolina, United States Marriages at Findmypast
 * 1741-2004 North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1759-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; Index
 * 1762-1979   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1763-1868  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1908-1926 Lee County Marriage Index 1908-1926 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * Lee County Marriages (USGenWeb Archives)

Death

 * 1898-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1906-1930  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection;index and images  Also at:  MyHeritage ($)
 * 1908-2004 North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry $
 * 1909-1975 North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry $
 * 1931-1994  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images

Divorce

 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

FamilySearch Centers

 * Apex North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Asheboro North Carolina FamilySearch Center
 * Raleigh North Carolina FamilySearch Center


 * Wake County Public Libraries-Olivia Raney Local History Library Branch - an affiliate library

Societies
Lee County Genealogical and Historical Society PO Box 3216 Sanford, NC 27331-3216 Website

Websites

 * USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Lee County NCGenWeb
 * Lee County NCGenWeb Archives
 * – 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.