Rowan County, North Carolina Genealogy

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

Description
Rowan County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for Matthew Rowan, Governor of North Carolina at the time.

County Courthouse
Rowan County Courthouse 202 N Main Street PO Box 2568 Salisbury, NC 28144-4346 Phone: 704-636-3102 Rowan County Website Register of Deeds has birth, marriage death and land records. Clerk Superior Court has divorce records from 1881, probate 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 image
 * (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * Rowan County Bible Records at RootsWeb

Business, Commerce, and Occupations

 * Brumfield, Lewis Shore. "The Clingman Store Ledgers," [1818-1822] Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 2 (May 1992):1509-1516. Available at.
 * Smith, John H. "Unidentified Merchant's Ledger 1837-1846 North Carolina State Archives," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):2548-2552. Available at.

Occupations


 * "Clerk of Court," Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):889. Available at.
 * "Clerks of Court in Rowan County, 1753-1795" Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Nov. 2000):3535-3542. Available at.
 * Craig, James H. "The Arts and Crafts in North Carolina: Rowan County Court Records," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 2 (June 1988):33-36; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):66-69. Available at . Apprenticeship records 1770s-1810s.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Apprentice Bonds 1777-1850," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Aug. 1997):2811-2818; Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3169-3179; Vol. 14, No. 4 (Nov. 1999):3316-3325; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Feb. 2000):3385-3394. Available at.
 * "Return of Strays," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1994):1936. Available at.
 * Thorp, Daniel B. "Doing Business in the Backcountry: Retail Trade in Colonial Rowan County, North Carolina," The William and Mary Quarterly, Third Series, Vol. 48, No. 3 (Jul., 1991), pp. 387-408. Available at JSTOR ($).
 * Thorp, Daniel B. "Taverns and Tavern Culture on the Southern Colonial Frontier: Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1776," The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 62, No. 4 (Nov., 1996), pp. 661-688. Available at JSTOR ($).

Cemeteries

 * at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)
 * "Cemetery Record," Rowan County Register, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Nov. 2001):3749. Available at . [Discusses a gravemarker from Salem United Methodist Church, Cincinnati, Ohio, surname: Hill, date of death: 1867, which identifies the person's 1791 birthplace as Rowan County, North Carolina.]
 * "Cemetery Records - Lowerstone Church," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):58-65. Available at.
 * "Rowan County Cemeteries: The Crystal Spring Cemetery," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Feb. 1988):522. Available at.
 * "Salisbury National Cemetery - Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):53-55. Available at.
 * Sell, Kenneth D. "Preliminary Checklist of Rowan County Churches and Cemeteries," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1987):4-11; Vol. 1, Nos. 3-4 (Fall and Winter 1987):26-30; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 1988):20-23; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun. 1988):45-48; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):87-91; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):128-129; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):37; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Mar. 1989):73-74. Available at.
 * "Small Cemeteries in Western Rowan, Christ Episcopal," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):124-127. Available at.

Census Records

 * 1790-1900 "Population of Rowan County, North Carolina 1790-1900," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, Nos. 3-4 (Fall and Winter 1987):9. Available at.
 * 1800 Linn, Jo White. "1800 Census of Salisbury, North Carolina," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 2 (May 1994):2019-2022. Available at.
 * 1820 "1820 Census of Rowan County Digest of Manufactures," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1994):1937-1958. Available at.
 * 1850 Belk, Steven. "The 1850 Mortality Schedule," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):71-76. Available at.
 * 1860 Beck, Patricia B. "1860 Mortality Schedule," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):111-114; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):18-20. Available at.
 * 1865 Linn, Jo White. "Citizens of Salisbury in 1865," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Nov. 2000):3547-3550. Available at.
 * 1870 "1870 Census, Rowan County, North Carolina," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Spring 1988):10-19; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun. 1988):49-54; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):77-85; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):115-126; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):29-36; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Mar. 1989):62-69; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):89-94; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):142-147. Available at.

Church Records

 * 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Fries, Adelaide L. Colonial Churches of North Carolina Within the Bounds of Rowan County as Set Off in 1753. 1936. Available at.
 * Rankin, S.M., George Swelle, and Adelaide Price. Churches of the Colonial Period in Rowan County [North Carolina]. Raleigh, North Carolina: Filmed by North Carolina Department of Archives and History, 1962. Available at . [Includes Baptist, Church of England, Friends, Lutheran, Moravian, Reformed, and Presbyterian Churches.]

Baptist


 * Abbott's Creek. Formed about 1753. Later located in Davidson.
 * Bear Creek. Constituted 1791.
 * Dutchman's Creek. Constituted 1792.
 * Forks of Yadkin River. Constituted 1793.
 * Jersey Settlement. Constituted 1758.
 * Timber Ridge. Constituted 1788.
 * "Associational Minutes," [Yadkin Baptist Church, Patterson, N.C.] Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1347-1348. Available at.
 * "Readers Write," [Describes church minutes and 1787 list of members (189 names) for Dutchman Creek Baptist Church (name changed to Eaton's Baptist Church in 1790] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 4 (Nov. 1986):198. Available at.
 * "Records of Dutchman's Creek Baptist Church in Rowan County, NC," [1770s] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):112. Available at.

Church of England (Later Episcopal)


 * St. Luke's Parish. Established 1753.
 * "St Andrews Episcopal Church - Woodleaf, Rowan Co., N.C.," [1840s] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):100-101. Available at.

German Reformed


 * Grace or Lower Stone Church, Rockwell, N.C. Established by 1795.
 * Pilgrim Church, near Lexington, N.C. Established about 1757. Later located in Davidson. Baptisms from 1757-1845 are included in the International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.

Lutheran


 * Organ or Zion Church, near Rockwell, N.C. Building erected 1794.
 * Agner, Martha Withers. "An Overview of Union Evangelical Lutheran Church, Rowan County, North Carolina," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1994):1929-1935. Available at.
 * "Biography of Pastor Samuel Rothrock," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):13. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "1775-1776 Marriages from the Diary of Johann Gottfried Arends," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Nov. 1988):675-678. Available at . [Lutheran minister.]
 * Linn, Jo White. "Records of Heidelberg Evangelical Lutheran (Old Dutchmans Creek) Church," [1780s-1860s] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):861-872. Available at.
 * "Ministerial Acts - Rev Chrisenberry A Brown - Concordia Pastorate 1892-1893," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):108-110. Available at.
 * Rothrock, Samuel. Diaries of Rev. Samuel Rothrock of Rowan County, [North Carolina], 1834-1863. MSS., Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, North Carolina, available at . [Includes confirmations, baptisms, and burials, 1850-1858, for Organ Lutheran Church, St. Stephen's Lutheran Church, St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church, and St. Peter's Evangelical Lutheran Church.]

Presbyterian

List of Churches and Church Parishes
 * Centre Church, Mount Mourne, N.C. Organized 1765. Originally known as the Osbourne Meeting House; later located in Iredell.
 * Third Creek Church, Cleveland, N.C. Founded before 1789.
 * Fourth Creek Church, Statesville, N.C. Organized about 1750. Later located in Iredell.
 * Holcomb, Brent H. "Some Rowan County References from the Southern Christian Herald," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):681. Available at . [Presbyterian newspaper.]
 * Linn, Jo White. "First Presbyterian Church Baptismal Records," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1815-1824. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "The Petition of His Majesty's dutiful and loyal Subjects, Inhabitants of Rowan County to His Excellency Josiah Martin Esquire Governor and Commander in Chief over the Province of North Carolina 1773," [Presbyterian Petition] Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb. 1995):2203-2205. Available at.
 * "Transcript of a Map of Fourth Creek Congregation by William Sharpe, Esq. 1773," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):340-341. Available at . [Identifies names and places of residence of many people.]
 * FamilySearch Places

Court Records
Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions


 * Hunt, William M. "An Account of Claims Laid on the County of Rowan for the Year 1764 from Rowan County Court Minutes, 1755-1767, p 551-552, (C.R. 85.301.2)," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 3 (Aug. 1992):1616-1618. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions," [1790-] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):72-76; Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):315-324; Vol. 3, No. 2 (May 1988):565-574; Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):876-883; Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1089-1097; Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1349-1358; Vol. 7, No. 4 (Nov. 1992):1631-1642; Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1994):1959-1969; Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb. 1995):2189-2199; Vol. 11, No. 4 (Nov. 1996):2597-2608; Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov. 1997):2849-2858; Vol. 13, No. 3 (Aug. 1998):3039-3049; Vol. 14, No. 2 (May 1999):3223-3235; Vol. 15, No. 2 (May 2000):3370-3433; Vol. 16, No. 1 (Feb. 2001):3594-3606; Vol. 16, No. 3 (Aug. 2001):3692-3700. Available at.

Mecklenburg County Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions'


 * Smith, John Howard. "Rowan County Powers of Attorney in the Mecklenburg County Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions," [April Court 1859] Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb. 1995):2206. Available at . [Rowan County surname: Albright.]

Salisbury Commissioners' Court


 * Linn, Jo White. "Records of The Salisbury Commissioners' Court, 1875," Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Aug. 1995):2309-2316. Available at.

Salisbury District Superior Court


 * Linn, Jo White. "Salisbury District Superior Court Minutes, 1756-1770," [through 1785] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):41-47; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Aug. 1986):132-140; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Aug. 1987):385-393; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Feb. 1988):523-530; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):747-756; Vol. 5, No. 1 (Feb. 1990):981-987; Vol. 6, No. 2 (May 1991):1280-1284; Vol. 7, No. 2 (May 1992):1519-1526; Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1993):1713-1717; Vol. 8, No. 2 (May 1993):1771-1778; Vol. 8, No. 4 (Nov. 1993):1881-1887; Vol. 9, No. 3 (Aug. 1994):2080-2090; Vol. 10, No. 2 (May 1995):2243-2253; Vol. 12, No. 2 (May 1997):2727-2732; Vol. 13, No. 1 (Feb. 1998):2929-2936; Vol. 14, No. 3 (Aug. 1999):3257-3264; Vol. 16, No. 4 (Nov. 2001):3715-3727. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Salisbury District Superior Court, Equity Enrolling Docket 1787-1794, 1797-1798," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1997):2689-2693. Available at.

Emigration and Immigration

 * Gehrke, William H. "The Beginnings of the Pennsylvania-German Element in Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 58, No. 4 (1934), pp. 342-369. Available at ; digital version available at JSTOR ($).
 * [http://www.pricegen.com/immigrantservants/search/simple.php/search/advancedResults.php?surname=&givenName=&varientSurnameSpellings=&gender=&dateOfBirthDay=&dateOfBirthMonth=&dateOfBirthQuantifier=&dateOfBirthYear=&placeOfBirthParish=&placeOfBirthTown=&placeOfBirthCity=&placeOfBirthCounty=&placeOfBirthColony=&placeOfBirthNation=&occupations=&religions=&orphan=&familyPosition=&immigrationYearQualifier=&immigrationYear=&portOfDepartureTown=&portOfDepartureCity=&portOfDepartureCounty=&portOfDepartureNation=&placeOfArrivalTown=&placeOfArrivalCounty=&placeOfArrivalColony=&shipName=&convict=&yearOfIndentureQualifier=&yearOfIndenture=&lengthOfIndentureYears=&lengthOfIndentureMonths=&yearOfFreedomQualifier=&yearOfFreedom=&placeOfIndentureTown=&placeOfIndentureCity=&placeOfIndentureCounty=Rowan&placeOfIndentureColony=North+Carolina&agentSurname=&agentGivenName=&agentTitle=&masterSurname=&masterGivenName=&masterTitle=&residenceParish=&residenceTown=&residenceCity=&residenceCounty=&residenceColony=&residenceNation=&landowner=&literate=&spouseSurname=&spouseGivenName=&spouseMarriageDateDay=&spouseMarriageDateMonth=&spouseMarriageDateQualifier=&spouseMarriageDateYear=&spouseMarriageLocationParish=&spouseMarriageLocationCounty=&spouseMarriageLocationColony=&spouseMarriageLocationNation=&deathDateDay=&deathDateMonth=&deathDateQualifier=&deathDateYear=&deathLocality=&deathCounty=&deathColony=&deathState=&testate=&proofServantStatus=&proofConvictStatus=&headright=&preServitudeSources=&postServitudeSources=&comments=&family=&sourceCitations=&interestedResearchers= List of imported servants and transported convicts] who served labor terms in Colonial Rowan County, North Carolina (work in progress), courtesy: Immigrant Servants Database.
 * Offman, David Isaiah and Paul G. Kinney. Genealogical Records of Early German and Other Families that Settled in the Area of North Carolina, of Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph, Rowan Cos. MSS., available at.

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
African Americans 
 * 1862-1870   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1863-1872   at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only

Paul Heinegg's Free African Americans of Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Maryland and Delaware [free online book] is a very helpful guide to free blacks in Rowan County, North Carolina before 1820. [Identifies following free African American surnames in Rowan County: Allen, Baltrip, Brandon, Carter, Chavis, Deormond (see introduction), Faggot, Ferguson, Foquett, Freeman, Grimes, Hains, Harris, Locklear, Mitchell, Stewart, Taborn, Valentine. Sources Heinegg used to identify free African Americans in Rowan County include: (1) U.S. Federal Census Records, (2) Minutes, Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions (Abstracts), 1753-1795, Vols. 1, 2. North Carolina State Archives Microfilm No. C.085.30001, and (3) MS Tax Lists. North Carolina State Archives Stack File No. CR 085.701.6.] Other items found on Heinegg's website include:


 * "'Other Free' Heads of Households in the 1790 North Carolina Census, by County," (from the printed form of the census) [Identifies following Rowan County surnames: Brandon and Montfort.]
 * "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1800 North Carolina Census, by County," [Identifies following Rowan County surnames: Chavis, Fargason, Freeman, and Stapleton.]
 * "'Other Free' Heads of Household in the 1810 North Carolina Census, by County," [Identifies following Rowan County surnames: Buck, Bunch, Denson, Freeman, Giles, Hains, Shavers, Stuart, and Swenny.]
 * "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 North Carolina Census, by Family Name," [Includes following Rowan County surnames: Bird, Bruffett, Buck, Carter, Freeman (2), Grimes, Lockler, Spike, and Valentine.]
 * "Service in the Revolutionary War," [Includes information about the following free African American patriot surname in Rowan County: Harris.]

After the Civil War, ex-slave marriages were legalized, see:


 * Linn, Jo White. "Cohabitation Bonds in North Carolina," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Feb. 1998):2937-2938. Available at.
 * Watson, June Clodfelter. Cohabitation Bonds for Rowan County, North Carolina: Recorded in 1866. [Salisbury, North Carolina]: Genealogical Society of Rowan County (North Carolina), [1996?]. Available at.

Other records of African Americans in Rowan County include:


 * Henderson, Lisa Y. "Documents Tracing the Relationship Between John Wilson McNeely and His Slave, Lucinda," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):50-52. Available at.

Funeral Homes

 * 1907-1914 Summersett Funeral Home Records 1907-1914, Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):107-110; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):21-25. Available at.
 * Boone-Carroll Funeral Home in Cleveland
 * Brown Kannapolis Mortuary in Kannapolis
 * Carolina Cremation in Salisbury
 * Clark Funeral Homes in Kannapolis
 * Hairston Funeral Home in Salisbury
 * Lady's Funeral Home & Crematory in Kannapolis
 * Linn-Honeycutt Funeral Home in China Grove
 * Lyerly Funeral Home in Salisbury
 * Noble & Kelsey Funeral Home, Inc in Salisbury
 * Powles Staton Funeral Home in Rockwell
 * Rowan Funeral Service Inc in Salisbury
 * Summersett Funeral Home in Salisbury
 * Whitley's Funeral Home in Kannapolis

Genealogies

 * See Rowan County, North Carolina Compiled Genealogies for a list of 250+ published books and articles, or jump to the surname using the alphabet bar.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Compiled Genealogies for Multiple Families


 * Offman, David Isaiah and Paul G. Kinney. Genealogical Records of Early German and Other Families that Settled in the Area of North Carolina, of Alamance, Chatham, Guilford, Randolph, Rowan Cos. MSS.,
 * Links to Rowan County Family Pages in "Rowan County North Carolina Genealogy and History USGenWeb," USGenWeb. More than 50 families are identified.
 * Stroupe, Ethel. "Jersey Settlement Origins: First Families of Jersey Settlement," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Feb. 1996):2413-2434. Discusses possible New Jersey origins of many Rowan County early settlers.

Land and Property Records
Bounty Land Warrants


 * Linn, Jo White. "Bounty Land Warrants Recorded in Rowan County," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1834-1835. Available at.

Confiscated Property


 * Bennett, William D. "List of Rents of Confiscated Property in Rowan, 1783," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):617. Available at.
 * Bennett, William D. and Jo White Linn. "North Carolina Confiscated Property, 1777-1786," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):618-619. Available at.
 * "List of Men Whose Property was Threatened with Confiscation," [1782] Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):620. Available at.

Deeds


 * Kluttz, James W. Rowan County, North Carolina, Genealogical Abstracts of Deeds: Deed Books 15-19, 1797-1807. Reviewed in Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov. 1997):2869-2870. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Deeds," [Deed Book 11] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):29, 30-36; Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):92-97; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Aug. 1986):149-151, 155-160; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Aug. 1987):403-412; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):621-632; Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):850-860; Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1099-1111; Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1337-1346; Vol. 9, No. 3 (Aug. 1994):2057-2068; Vol. 10, No. 3 (Aug. 1995):2317-2329; Vol. 11, No. 2 (May 1996):2502-2518. Available at.

Directories of Land Owners


 * Kluttz, James W. The Early Landowners of Rowan County, North Carolina. 6 vols. Landis, North Carolina: J.W. Kluttz, 1995. Available at.

Grants


 * Linn, Jo White. "Unclaimed State Land Grants in Rowan," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 2 (May 1994):2026. Available at.

Land Entries


 * Enochs, Richard A. "Rowan County Vacant Land Entries 1790-1795," Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 1 (May 1989):805-814; Vol. 5, No. 2 (May 1990):1043-1052; Vol. 6, No. 2 (May 1991):1287-1292. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Land Entries 1752/53," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 3 (Aug. 1986):141-148; Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):345-348. Available at.

Squatters


 * Bennett, William Doub. "Squatters' Rights (Adverse Possession of Real Property)," Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1329-1335. Available at.

Local Histories

 * Bennett, William D. "Highways &amp; Byways: The Road from Salisbury to Salem &amp; to Lexington," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 4 (Nov. 1998):3081-3093. Available at.
 * Julian, Wilbur C. "Rowan County and the Yadkin River," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3145-3150. Available at.
 * "Rowan County History," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):3. Available at.
 * Shook, Pauline Moser and John C. Roberts. Capt. Daniel Little, Esq., and His Contemporaries: John Dunn, John Lewis Beard, Conrod Michael, Michael Brown, William Temple Coles, and Most of the Population of Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1792: Documented. Sandpoint, Idaho: P.M. Shook, 1994. Available at.

Maps and Gazetteers

 * Axelson, Edith F. "Post Office Records," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1122-1127. Available at . [Includes map of Rowan County showing locations of old post offices.]
 * Brawley, James S. Bicentennial Commemorative Map of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1953. Salisbury, North Carolina: J. Brawley, 1953. Available at.
 * "Downtown Salisbury, North Carolina Map," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring 1987):11. Available at . [Identifies old buildings, cemeteries, churches, etc.]
 * Ferguson, H.W. "Rowan County North Carolina 1780," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Feb. 1996):2440-2441. Available at . ["Compiled from USGS 1:100,000 maps Boone, Hickroy, Salisbury, &amp; Winston Salem quandrangles. Stream names are those used by Richard A. Enochs in his book Rowan County, NC, Vacant Land Entries, 1778-1789 published in 1988."]
 * Linn, Jo White. "Sanborn City Maps," [Salisbury, 1880s-1930s] Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 4 (Nov. 1990):1161-1163. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Sauthier and Kizziah Maps of Salisbury," [1770 and mid 1750s] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 2 (May 1989):815-817. Available at.
 * "Map of Rowan County," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):90-91. Available at . [Identifies rivers and creeks.]
 * "Map Showing Waterways and Boundaries of Old Rowan County," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):30-31. Available at.
 * "Map Showing Proposed Bridges Across the Yadkin River to Salem and to Raleigh," [1814-1815]Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 1 (Feb. 1991):1236-1237. Available at.
 * Miller, C. M., "Map of Rowan County", drawn by C. M. Miller, CE in 1903, Map, showing locations of families, churches, schools, and towns in Rowan County, North Carolina.
 * Norris, Carol. "Names Appearing on Sharpe's 1773 Map of Fourth Creek," Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 1 (Feb. 1995):2201-2202. Available at.
 * Rendleman, David Atwell. "Rowan County Land Ownership Map Section #1," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Feb. 1990):996-997. Available at.
 * Rendleman, David Atwell. "Rowan County Land Ownership Map Section #2," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 2 (May 1990):1055. Available at.
 * Rendleman, David Atwell. "Rowan County Land Ownership Map Section #3," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1115. Available at.
 * "Salisbury Historic District: Showing 30 Nineteenth Century Structures," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Aug. 1987):400-401. Available at.
 * "Transcript of a Map of Fourth Creek Congregation by William Sharpe, Esq. 1773," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):340-341. Available at . [Identifies names and places of residence of many people.]
 * FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places

Migration

 * Dexter, Darrel. "St. Johns Lutheran Church Cemetery, Union County, Illinois," Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 2 (May 1989):793-804. Available at . Many German pioneers from Rowan County, North Carolina migrated to this area.
 * Duke, Howard. "A List of Persons Migrating from North Carolina to Wayne County, Indiana, 1800-1861," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):40-46; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):85-88; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):131-132. Available at.
 * "From Pennsylvania to Wachovia," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Feb. 1992):1470. Available at.
 * Gehrke, William H. "The Beginnings of the Pennsylvania-German Element in Rowan and Cabarrus Counties, North Carolina," The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 58, No. 4 (1934), pp. 342-369. Available at ; digital version available at JSTOR ($).
 * Linn, Jo White and James Alfred Locke Miller. "Implied Migrations: from Augusta County, Virginia, to Rowan County, North Carolina," Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1989):762-765. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Migration from Halifax County, NC, to Rowan County," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1115; Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1814. Available at . Discusses Coltrane family.
 * Palmer, Stan. "Rowan County Natives Buried in the Old Wetaug Cemetery," [Wetaug, Illinois] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 2 (June 1988):39-40. Available at.
 * Condon, Sindey S. and Darrell Dexter. "Pioneer Sketches of Union County, Illinois," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):88; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):130. Available at . Surnames of migrants: McLain, Rendleman.
 * "Soaking the Yule Log," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1997):2698. Available at . Migration data on the Cathey and Locke families.
 * Stroupe, Ethel. "Jersey Settlement Origins: First Families of Jersey Settlement," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Feb. 1996):2413-2434. Available at . Discusses possible New Jersey origins of many Rowan County early settlers.

Transportation


 * Bennett, William D. "Highways &amp; Byways: The Road from Salisbury to Salem &amp; to Lexington," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 4 (Nov. 1998):3081-3093. About overland transportation through Rowan County. Available at.
 * Julian, Wilbur C. "Rowan County and the Yadkin River," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3145-3150. About river transportation through Rowan County. Available at.

Military Records
French and Indian War 


 * Linn, Jo White. "1759 Rowan County Militia List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):273-274. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "1759 Rowan County Militia Lists," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Nov. 1992):1643-1644. Available at.
 * Watt, W.N. "1760 Rowan County Militia Lists," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):275. Available at.

Militia 


 * "Surry County Militia Officers 28 June 1774," Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1359-1360. Available at.

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


 * "1779 Pay Roll to Goal Guards in Salisbury 20 Sept. - 5 Nov; Capt. George Laumann," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Nov. 1999):3326-3328. Available at.
 * "Address from Rowan Militia Officers for Consideration," [1778] Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Aug. 1995):2299-2300. Available at.
 * Bennett, William D. "List of Rents of Confiscated Property in Rowan, 1783," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):617. Available at.
 * Bennett, William D. and Jo White Linn. "North Carolina Confiscated Property, 1777-1786," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):618-619. Available at
 * Brawley, James S. "The Rowan Resolves," 1774 Committee of Safety, Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina; identifies some of the signers. Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 2 (May 1988):580-581. Available at.
 * Hunter, Cyrus Lee. Sketches of Western North Carolina Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties. Raleigh, [North Carolina] : Raleigh News Steam Job Print., 1877. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Ancestry ($).
 * Linn, Jo White. "Genealogical Gleanings From Revolutionary War Pension Applications," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1993):1725-1730. Available at.
 * "List of Men Whose Property was Threatened with Confiscation," [1782] Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):620. Available at.
 * Nolan, John B. "The Revolutionary Era in Rowan County, North Carolina: From Colony to Statehood," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov. 1997):2837-2846. Available at.
 * "Patriots Oath of Allegiance," Salisbury Evening Post, 1 December 1976. Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):55. Available at.
 * "Revolutionary War Records," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):148-149. Available at . Merrell and Merrill pensioners.
 * "Revolutionary War Sketches," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):25. Available at.
 * "Rowan Records from Afar," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):653. Available at . Revolutionary War Pensions of soldiers surnamed Young and Ellis who had relocated to other parts of the nation.

War of 1812 


 * "Muster Rolls of Soldiers of the War of 1812," ["Third Company, detached from the third Rowan Regiment"] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):111. Available at.
 * "North Carolina Society, United States Daughters of 1812 Celebrates 75th Year," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1987):12-13. Available at.
 * "Some Rowan County War of 1812 Depositions," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 2 (May 1999):3238-3240. Available at.
 * Rowan County Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Mexican War, Civil War records, 1781-1919 (Salt Lake City, Utah:Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 2004)FHL Film 2180019 Item 4

War with Mexico 


 * Bennett, William Doub. "Rowan County in the Mexican War or the Aborted Company A," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1825-1833. Available at.

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 and 1901 1885 and 1901 Confederate Pension Applications at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
 * 1885-1953  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images


 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Artillery 10th Regiment Volunteers-1st Artillery, Company D
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Detailed Men, Company H
 * - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Detailed Men, Company I
 * - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company B
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company B
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company K
 * - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company B
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company E
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company K
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company E
 * - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company G
 * - 7th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 8th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
 * - 8th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company K
 * - 10th Battalion, North Carolina Heavy Artillery, Company C


 * "Applications for Pensions for Rowan County Civil War Veterans Who Were Wounded or Pensions for the Wives of Veterans Killed in Service," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):9-12; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):150-152. Available at.
 * "Civil War Collection - State Archives," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):126; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):47-49; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):103. Available at.
 * "Claims for Bounty &amp; Pay 1861-1865," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):103. Available at . Heirs of individuals who died in Civil War military service.
 * Cook, G.W. "The North Carolina Militia of Northwest North Carolina 1861-1865: The Rowan County Organization," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):335-339. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "The Confederate Prison at Salisbury," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Nov. 1999):3310-3311. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Save Your Confederate Bonds, the South's Going to Rise Again!" Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 4 (Nov. 1999):3312-3313.
 * "The Road to Richmond: Memoirs of Major Abner R. Small," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3180. Available at . Includes a Civil War description of the Confederate Prison in Salisbury.
 * Smith, John H. "Rowan County Civil War Veterans, Report of Maimed Soldiers, 1867," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 2 (May 1996):2498-2499. Available at.

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

Naturalization and Citizenship

 * Ball, Sandra. "Rowan County Naturalizations, August Court of Pleas &amp; Quarter Sessions," (1845) Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 4 (Nov. 1993):1887. Available at.
 * Beck, Pat. "Immigration Records, Rowan County, North Carolina," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, Nos. 3-4 (Fall and Winter 1987):13-16. Available at . Declarations of Intention, 1909-1914.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Naturalizations, 1753-1776," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):50-52. Abstracts from Salisbury District Superior Court Minutes, 1756-1770. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Some Naturalizations in Rowan County 1792-1862," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Feb. 1996):2435-2438. Available at.
 * Rosenthal, Patricia N. "Rowan County Naturalizations 1824-1826," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1993):1710-1712. Available at.

Newspapers

 * North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
 * North Carolina Newspaper Digitization Project, North Carolina State Archives. Search full text historical newspapers published in Salisbury.
 * Holcomb, Brent H. "Some Rowan County References from the Southern Christian Herald," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):681; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1989):768. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Items from Salisbury Newspapers 1832, 1833," Special Collections, Cooper Library, Clemson University. Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug. 1996):2533-2543. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "The North-Carolina Mercury and Salisbury Advertizer," [1799-1801] Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (May 1988):641-646; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1989):757-761; Vol. 5, No. 2 (May 1990):1053-1055. Available at.
 * Reynolds, Juanita. "Excerpts from The North Carolina Mercury, published in Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina by Coupee," (1799-1800) Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 2 (June 1988):37-38. Available at.

Other Records
Bible Records
 * Rowan County Register: Available at . Numerous articles written about Bible records of residents of Rowan County. Surnames include: Anderson, Beeman, Bless, Braly, Brock, Brunt, Burton, Caldwell, Carswell, Caton, Cauble, Chaffin, Chambers, Coon, Correll, Dickey, Dobbin, Duckworth, Eddleman, Falls, Fesperman, File, Graham, Hall, Hurley, Inness, Johnston, Kerr, Lewis, McConnell, McKnight, Macay, Miller, Petry, Pitt, Redwine, Sheek, Smith, Snider, Swicegood, Taylor, Wellman, and Whitaker. Periodical indexed in: https://search.findmypast.com/search/periodical-source-index PERSI]; Available at.

Historic Residences
 * "Bed and Breakfast," [Stewart-Marsh House] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):891. Available at.
 * "Bed and Breakfast," [Rowan Oak House] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):891. Available at.
 * "Bed and Breakfast," [Louis H. Clement House] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 3 (Aug. 1989):891. Available at.
 * "Burning of John Houser's House in 1819," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Feb. 1998):2914. Available at.
 * Hood, Davyd Foard. The Architecture of Rowan County. 1983.

Officials


 * "Delegates to the North Carolina Constitutional Conventions--1788, 1789," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, No. 2 (Summer 1987):14-16. Available at . [Includes delegates from this county.]

Petitions
 * Rowan County Register contains articles about numerous petitions filed in Rowan County. Available at.

Poorhouses, Poor Law, etc. 


 * Linn, Jo White. "Loose Records of Wardens of the Poor in Rowan County 1771-1871," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Aug. 1998):3020-3025; Vol. 14, No. 3 (Aug. 1999):3265-3279. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Apprentice Bonds 1777-1850," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Aug. 1997):2811-2818; Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3169-3179; Vol. 14, No. 4 (Nov. 1999):3316-3325. Available at.

Post Office


 * Axelson, Edith F. "Post Office Records," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1122-1127. Available at . [Includes map of Rowan County showing locations of old post offices.]

Private Papers


 * "Funerals and Burials from Rev. Samuel Rothrock's Diary," (Lutheran, 1834-1883). Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):96-99; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):14-17; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Mar. 1989):70-72; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):99-102; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):137-141. Available at.
 * Krimminger, Betty L. "Civil War Letters," Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 2 (May 1991):1285-1286; Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1336; Vol. 7, No. 2 (May 1992):1527-1528. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "1775-1776 Marriages from the Diary of Johann Gottfried Arends," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Nov. 1988):675-678. Available at.

Voting Records 


 * 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * Koontz, Lu J. "1865 Election/Voter List for Rowan," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 2 (May 1992):1517-1518. Available at.
 * Smith, John H. "1815 Election at Thompson's Mill," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 3 (Aug. 1997):2789-2794. Available at.

Probate Records
Online Probate Indexes and Records
 * 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and image
 * 1663-1978 (*); at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1663-1979  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
 * 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)
 * 1743-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1743-1959 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
 * 1753-1830 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1753-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1757-1942 (*); Superior Court and County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1757-1959 Rowan County North Carolina list of will book testators SAMPUBCO. Browsable index of testators of wills.
 * 1757-1959 (*); Superior Court and County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
 * 1761-1959 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1762-1803 Images of Wills and Estates, Book A, 1762-80; Book B, 1781-1791; Book C, 1792-1803; Book D, 1797-1801; Book F, 1802-1804. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
 * 1764-1952 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1787-1848 (*); Court of Equity at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1790 Pre-1790 Rowan County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online
 * 1796-1861 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1803-1893 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1807-1868 (*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1819-1822 (*); Probate Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1820-1834 (*); Court of Equity at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1849-1959 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1868-1909 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1868-1959 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1870-1959 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1879-1959 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1884-1885 (*); Justice of the Peace at FamilySearch Catalog — images
 * 1889-1909 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1904-1948 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1916-1959 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1926-1942 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1933-1956 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1938-1962 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * 1949-1962 (*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
 * Rowan County, North Carolina Will Abstracts. 1943. By Reyes, Virginia Smith. Rowan County, North Carolina : Rowan County, North Carolina. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.
 * Will of Jonas Sparks, The Little Bit : The Official Publication of the Family of Captain Daniel Little, Esqire, Inc. - v.5, no.1(Spring 1982). 1982. By Little, Lawrence Lewis. Conover, North Carolina : Family of Captain Daniel Little, Esq.. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library.

Wills
 * Bennett, William D. "Testators & Intestates of Rowan County 1778," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Nov. 1992):1643-1644. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Annotated Unrecorded Wills of Rowan County 1805-1868," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 2 (May 1996):2473-2497. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Wills," [Will Book G] Rowan County, Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):5-15; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Aug. 1986):127-131; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):253-256; Vol. 3, No. 2 (May 1988):555-564; Vol. 5, No. 2 (May 1990):1031-1042; Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1836-1847; Vol. 10, No. 2 (May 1995):2255-2268; Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1997):2669-2682; Vol. 12, No. 3 (Aug. 1997):2797-2810; Vol. 13, No. 1 (Feb. 1998):2915-2926; Vol. 13, No. 3 (Aug. 1998):3055-3066; Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3153-3168; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Feb. 2000):3399-3413; Vol. 15, No. 2 (May 2000):3455-3470; Vol. 15, No. 3 (Aug. 2000):3492-3509; Vol. 16, No. 2 (May 2001):3626-3643; Vol. 16, No. 3 (Aug. 2001):3673-3690; Vol. 16, No. 4 (Nov. 2001):3728-3743. Available at . [These abstracts contain additions and corrections to Linn's previously published abstracts of Rowan probate records, which appear in book form.]

Administrations
 * Bennett, William D. "Testators &amp; Intestates of Rowan County 1778," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Nov. 1992):1643-1644. Available at.

Estate Divisions
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Divisions of Estates, Book A: 1807-1842," [and Book B: 1845-1848] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):22-28; Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):83-89; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):264-272; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Feb. 1988):496-504; Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):736-746; Vol. 5, No. 4 (Nov. 1990):1151-1160; Vol. 6, No. 2 (May 1991):1295-1305; Vol. 6, No. 3 (Aug. 1991):1361-1371; Vol. 7, No. 2 (May 1992):1534-1545; Vol. 8, No. 2 (May 1993):1759-1770; Vol. 14, No. 2 (May 1999):3205-3218; Vol. 15, No. 1 (Feb. 2000):3370-3382; Vol. 16, No. 1 (Feb. 2001):3608-3619. Available at.

Guardian Bonds
 * "Guardian Bonds," 1780s-1860s, Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 2 (June 1988):42-44. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Guardian Bonds 1764-1789," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):63-71. Available at.

Inventories
 * Rosenthal, Patricia N. and Jo White Linn. "Rowan County Inventories and Sales 1785-1787," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 3 (Aug. 1990):1115. Available at.

Loose Estate Papers
 * Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Loose Estate Papers," [1753-1850] Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):98-105; Vol. 1, No. 3 (Aug. 1986):161-167; Vol. 2, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):257-263; Vol. 3, No. 2 (May 1988):582-592; Vol. 5, No. 1 (Feb. 1990):999-1009; Vol. 6, No. 1 (Feb. 1991):1223-1234; Vol. 7, No. 1 (Feb. 1992):1471-1482; Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1993):1697-1709; Vol. 10, No. 4 (Nov. 1995):2352-2364; Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug. 1996):2553-2564; Vol. 12, No. 2 (May 1997):2743-2753; Vol. 13, No. 2 (May 1998):2973-2986; Vol. 14, No. 3 (Aug. 1999):3283-3298; Vol. 15, No. 2 (May 2000):3434-3448; Vol. 15, No. 3 (Aug. 2000):3511-3525; Vol. 16, No. 2 (May 2001):3645-3656. Available at.
 * Spencer, Betty Dan Gilliam. "Rowan County Loose Estate Papers: Brown," Rowan County Register, Vol. 9, No. 2 (May 1994):1989-2018. Available at.

School Records

 * "The Common Schools of Rowan County," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):79-84; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):128-130. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Some Rowan County Private Schools, 1790-1900," Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 3 (Aug. 1995):2301-2308. Available at.
 * "Teachers for Schools, 1812," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 2 (May 1999):3218. Available at.

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.

Tax Records

 * 1747 "Earl Granville's Quit Rents in the Rowan Area," [1747; instructions, no personal names] Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 2 (May 1988):578-579. Available at.
 * 1754-1767 Linn, Jo White. "Number of Rowan County Taxables 1754-1767," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 1 (Feb. 1993):1689-1693. Available at . Details interesting statistics, but lists few personal names.
 * 1758 "1758 Rowan County Tax List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Nov. 2000):3531-3532. Available at.
 * 1758 Tax Lists, Rowan County, 1758 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1759 Tax Lists, Rowan County, 1759 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1761 Tax Lists, Rowan County, 1761 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
 * 1761 Tax Lists for 1761-1845 (transcripts) online at FamilySearch
 * 1761 Linn, Jo White and Michael Brown. "1761 Rowan County Tax Lists," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 4 (Nov. 1992):1629-1630; Vol. 9, No. 2 (May 1994):2023-2025. Available at
 * 1769-1770 Linn, Jo White. "Undated [1769-1770] Rowan County Tax List Fragment," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 1 (Feb. 1998):2939-2946. Available at.
 * 1772 Abell, Mrs. John W. "1772 Rowan County Tax List (Partial - Davidson County Area) Taken by James Smith," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 3 (Aug. 1987):394-396. Available at.
 * 1772 "1772 Guilford County Tax List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 2 (May 1996):2500-2501. Available at.
 * 1778 Tax Lists, 1778 (transcript) online at FamilySearch
 * 1782 "Capt. Cowan's Company Assessment to Feby 1782," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 2 (May 1996):2544-2546. Available at.
 * 1783 Bennett, William D. "List of Rents of Confiscated Property in Rowan, 1783," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 3 (Aug. 1988):617. Available at.
 * 1783-1892 Tax Records, Rowan County, 1783-1892 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1783-1849 Tax Records, Rowan County, 1783-1849 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1784 Tax Lists, 1784 (transcript, see p. 30) online at FamilySearch
 * 1784 Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County 1784 Tax List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 1 (Feb. 1987):531-534. Available at.
 * 1787 Philbeck, Miles S. "A 1787 Rowan County Tax List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Nov. 1988):679-681. Available at.
 * 1790 Smith, John H. "Rowan County Tax List -- Insolvents for 1790," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1997):2688. Available at.
 * 1790 "Some 1790 Rowan County Insolvents," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Aug. 2000):3510. Available at.
 * c1794 Hollabaugh, Mary Louise, Debra A. Blake, and Jo White Linn. "Mystery (c1794) Rowan County Tax List," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 4 (Nov. 1996):2593-2596. Available at.
 * 1796 Linn, Jo White. "Capt. Andrew Bostian's Company for the Year 1796," [Land Tax, Southern Rowan County on Cold Water Creek] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 4 (Nov. 1989):917-918. Available at.
 * 1802-1804 Tax Lists, 1802-1804 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1807 Tax Lists, 1807 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1814 Taxables, 1814 (images) online at FamilySearch
 * 1815 Tax Lists, Rowan County, 1815 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
 * 1815 Linn, Jo White. 1815 Rowan County, North Carolina, Tax List (Salisbury, North Carolina: J.W. Linn, 1987) FHL Book 975.671 R49L
 * 1819 Linn, Jo White. "Missing 1819 Tax List of Capt. Swink's Company," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Feb. 1992):1450-1452. Available at.
 * 1822 Linn, Jo White. "Assessment of the Town of Salisbury for the Year 1822," Rowan County Register, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Aug. 1993):1848-1851. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Tax List for Salisbury," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Aug. 1998):3033-3038. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Town Company Rowan County Tax List Taken by Capt. Giles," Rowan County Register, Vol. 13, No. 3 (Aug. 1998):3029-3032. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Hertsell Taken by Richard ?," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Aug. 1996):2565-2568. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Willis's Company," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 1 (Feb. 2000):3395-3398. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Snider," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 3 (Aug. 2000):3480-3483. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Cavendar Taken by Joseph Hanes," Rowan County Register, Vol. 15, No. 4 (Nov. 2000):3543-3546. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Jeter's Company," Rowan County Register, Vol. 16, No. 1 (Feb. 2001):3622-3624. Available at.
 * 1823 "1823 Rowan County Tax List of Capt. Lentz's Company," Rowan County Register, Vol. 16, No. 4 (Nov. 2001):3746-3747. Available at.
 * 1826 "1826 Tax List of Capt. Cornell's Company," Rowan County Register, Vol. 12, No. 1 (Feb. 1997):2683-2687. Available at.
 * 1830 Smith, John Howard. "Rowan County 1830s Tax Lists: Sheek &amp; Smith Papers - Duke University," Rowan County Register, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Nov. 1995):2345-2351. Available at.
 * Bennett, William D. "Taxation in Colonial North Carolina," Rowan County Register, Vol. 6, No. 4 (Nov. 1991):1389-1403. Available at.
 * Bennett, William Doub. "North Carolina Taxation During the Revolution," Rowan County Register, Vol. 7, No. 1 (Feb. 1992):1453-1458. Available at.

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
 * Pre-1914 Delayed Birth Certificates from the Register of Deeds, [persons born before 1914] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):118-121. Available at.

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
 * 1753-1800 "Abstract 1700s Marriage Bonds - Registrar's Office Rowan County," [1753-1800] Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, Nos. 3-4 (Fall and Winter 1987):5-6; Vol. 2, No. 2 (Jun. 1988):32; Vol. 2, No. 3 (Sep. 1988):70; Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):127; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Mar. 1989):3-6; Vol. 3, No. 2 (Mar. 1989):56-61; Vol. 3, No. 3 (Sep. 1989):95-98; Vol. 3, No. 4 (Dec. 1989):133-136. Available at.
 * 1759-1962 Rowan County Marriage Index 1759-1962 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
 * "Cowan Marriage Record from Tennessee Co., TN," Rowan County Register, Vol. 14, No. 1 (Feb. 1999):3187. Available at.
 * 1775-1776 Linn, Jo White. "1775-1776 Marriages from the Diary of Johann Gottfried Arends," Rowan County Register, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Nov. 1988):675-678. Available at.
 * 1780s-1850s "Found! Additional Rowan County Marriage Licenses," [1780s-1850s] Rowan County Register, Vol. 4, No. 1 (Feb. 1989):732-735. [Found in the private papers of Rev. Samuel Eusebius McCorkle, earliest ordained minister of Thyatira Presbyterian Church.] Available at.
 * 1851-1868 Linn, Jo White. "Rowan County Marriage Registers, 1851-1868," Rowan County Register, Vol. 2, No. 2 (May 1987):325-334; Vol. 3, No. 3 (May 1988):633-640; Vol. 9, No. 1 (Feb. 1994):1970-1975. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Willful Destruction of 475 Rowan County Marriages Licenses," Rowan County Register, Vol. 11, No. 1 (Feb. 1996):2242. Available at.

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
 * "Deaths on Original Register of Rebel Prison Hospital at Salisbury, NC. Kept by Rebel Authorities 1864," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):102. Available at.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Salisbury, North Carolina, Death Register September 1909-10 October 1911," Rowan County Register, Vol. 5, No. 1 (Feb. 1990):988-993; Vol. 8, No. 2 (May 1993):1779-1785; Vol. 12, No. 4 (Nov. 1997):2859-2868. Available at.

Divorce

 * 1803-1899 "Petitions for Divorce, Seperation, Alimony, Etc. in Rowan County 1803-1899," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Dec. 1988):104-106. Available at.
 * 1926-1975  at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
 * 1958-2004 North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $

Family History Centers

 * Introduction to Family History Centers
 * Kannapolis North Carolina Family History Center

Libraries
Rowan Public Library 201 West Fisher Street Salisbury NC, 28144 Telephone 980-432-8670 Website There are three branches in the system. Isothermal Community College Library PO Box 804 Springdale, NC 28160-0804 Telephone 828-395-1307 Website This library has 6 volumes of the missing court records of Rowan County that have been microfilmed. The Salisbury District, Superior Court minutes/records are on the Stanley-Yancey page. Salisbury Microfilms, unit 4, drawer 3, section D: 1756-1770 and 1782-1801 (3 volumes); 1797-1799 and 180-1809 (3 volumes)

Societies
Genealogical Society of Rowan County PO Box 4305 Salisbury, NC 28145-430 Email [mailto:GSRCNC.Contact@Gmail.com GSRCNC.Contact@Gmail.com] Website

Websites

 * Piedmont Trails - A personal source of materials dedicated to the history and genealogy of North Carolina and beyond. Documents of Rowan County, NC early settlers, maps and ancestor lineage.
 * – 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.

Research Guides

 * Linn, Jo White. "The McCubbins Collection: The Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, NC," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Feb. 1986):16-21. Available at . [Originally published in Heritage Quest, Sep./Oct. 1985 Issue.
 * Linn, Jo White. "Tips for Genealogists Working in North Carolina Records," Rowan County Register, Vol. 1, No. 2 (May 1986):77-82. Available at.
 * Terrell, Kay. "Edith M. Clark History Room, Rowan Public Library," Journal of the Genealogical Society of Rowan County, North Carolina, Vol. 1, No. 1 (Spring 1987):9-11. Available at.