Burke County, North Carolina Genealogy
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Guide to Burke County, North Carolina ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Burke County is located in the Western portion of North Carolina and was named for Thomas Burke, delegate to the Continental Congress and governor of the state 1781-1782[2].
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Burke County Courthouse
201 S Green Street
P O Box 219
Morganton, NC 28680
Phone: 828-438-5450
Burke County Website
Register of Deeds has birth and death records from 1913
marriage, land and military discharge records from 1865;
Clerk Superior Court has divorce, probate and court records from 1865[3]
Burke County, North Carolina Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
| Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
| 1913 | 1865 | 1913 | 1865 | 1865 | 1865 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1865--Many court records and most land records burned by Federal troops. Former Burke County Genealogical Society President Betsy Pittman's article can help you discover your Burke County ancestors despite record loss, see:
For suggestions about research in places that suffered historic record losses, see:
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
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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. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
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:[6]
| Cities | ||
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Census-designated places | ||
| Townships | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
- Bible Records at North Carolina Digital Archives - index and images
- Old Southern Bible Records at Google Books
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- North Carolina, Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images Also at: Ancestry ($)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
| Historical populations | ||
|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± |
| 1790 | 8,106 | — |
| 1800 | 9,929 | 22.5% |
| 1810 | 11,007 | 10.9% |
| 1820 | 13,411 | 21.8% |
| 1830 | 17,888 | 33.4% |
| 1840 | 15,799 | −11.7% |
| 1850 | 7,772 | −50.8% |
| 1860 | 9,237 | 18.8% |
| 1870 | 9,777 | 5.8% |
| 1880 | 12,809 | 31.0% |
| 1890 | 14,939 | 16.6% |
| 1900 | 17,699 | 18.5% |
| 1910 | 21,408 | 21.0% |
| 1920 | 23,297 | 8.8% |
| 1930 | 29,410 | 26.2% |
| 1940 | 38,615 | 31.3% |
| 1950 | 45,518 | 17.9% |
| 1960 | 52,701 | 15.8% |
| 1970 | 60,364 | 14.5% |
| 1980 | 72,504 | 20.1% |
| 1990 | 75,744 | 4.5% |
| 2000 | 89,148 | 17.7% |
| 2010 | 90,912 | 2.0% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-1970 - North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Baptist
- Catawbo River. Constituted 1785.[7]
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
Many pre-1850 road orders have been published in the Journal of the Burke County Genealogical Society.
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
- 1862-1870 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Assistant Commissioner Records, 1862-1870 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1863-1872 North Carolina, Freedmen's Bureau Field Office Records, 1863-1872 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; images only
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Heritage Funeral Service and Crematory in Valdese
- Kirksey Funeral Home in Morganton
- Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center in Morganton
- Thomas Murray Funeral Service Licensee in Morganton
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- Plumlee Plumlee, Robert D. The Plumlee Family. Clearwater, Fla.: Plumlee Systems, Inc., 1969, 1979. Digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- Deeds 1855-1985 -- Search on the Burke County Register of Deeds website
- Deeds of Burke County -- NCGenWeb Archives
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
- Book: Catawba Valley and highlands Burke County, Western North Carolina (1896) - via the Internet Archive
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- Burke County Maps - via NC Maps Digital Collection
- FamilySearch Places: Map of cities and towns in this county - How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Burke County for European settlers included:[8]
- Old Cherokee Path pre-historic
- Jonesboro Road 1769
- Rutherford's War Trace 1776
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- 1778-1833 Delamar Transcripts of Revolutionary War Petitions at North Carolina Genealogical Society - index ($)
- 1779-1782 - North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1775-1782 - Emmett R. White. Revolutionary War soldiers of Western North Carolina : Burke County. 3 volumes. Greenville, South Carolina : Southern Historical Press, c2011. FHL 975.685 M2w
Civil War
- 1861-1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1861-1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org - 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 - North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 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
Regiments. Men in Burke County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (within a regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Burke County:
- - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, usually known as the Bethel Regiment.
- - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company B
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company D
- - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company E
- - 41st Regiment Volunteers - 3rd Cavalry, Company F
- - 5th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry, Company C
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company F
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company I
- - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company D
- - 6th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company E
- - 8th Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company C
World War I
- 1914-1918 World War I Papers at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
- 1917-1919 - North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 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 - North Carolina, Discharge and Statement of Service Records, 1940-1948 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
- 1799-1893 - Burke County marriages - may be included throughout Carrie Broughton's 6-volume index of the Raleigh Register & State Gazette newspaper (1799-1893). Marriages are listed by year and PDF files are searchable. Available on the North Carolina Digital Collections website.
- Burke county newspapers - a listing of newspapers published in the county & libraries that hold them; via the Library of Congress.
- Burke County residents in the newspaper - name listing of people from the county as located in misc. newspaper articles; time span varies. Articles indexed in the NC People in the Papers database.
- North Carolina Newspaper Digitization Project - contains full-text papers from 1752-1890s. Search for your Burke County ancestors.
- Deaths of Burke County - list of county area deaths reported in various newspapers; dates range from late 1700s to 1900s.
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
Voter Registration
- 1868-1898 - North Carolina, Voter Registration Records, 1868-1898 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Indexes and Records
- 1660-1790 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry ($)
- 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - index and images
- 1663-1978 Burke County, North Carolina Wills and Estate Papers, 1663-1978(*); County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1663-1979 North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1665-1998 North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry ($)
- 1720-1960 Will Books A to F and 1 to 8 (1720-1960) at FamilySearch.org How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1735-1970 - North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry ($)
- 1790 Pre-1790 Burke County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online. Website tips.
- 1793-1905 Burke County (North Carolina) Wills, 1793-1905(*); County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions and Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — images
- 1793-1963 Will Books 1 to 9 (1793-1963) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1793-1963 Will Records, 1793-1963(*); Superior and County Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1832-1963 Probate Records, Accounts, Administrators, Guardians, Executors, Inventories, Settlements, etc., 1832-1963(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- 1869-1922 Administrators Bonds, 1869-1896; Record of Administrators, 1897-1922(*); Superior Court at FamilySearch Catalog — index & images
- Images of Wills and Estates 1793-1869. North Carolina Pioneers ($)
- Images of Wills & Estates, Book A (1764-1921); Book B, (1908-1924); Book C, (1924-1954) North Carolina Pioneers ($)
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Book: The North Carolina School for the Deaf at Morganton, 1894-1944 (1945)
- Burke County students at NC colleges - list via the NCGenWeb Yearbook Index
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
- 1760-1839, 1864, - Tax Lists and Related Documents: Old Burke County, North Carolina 1760-1839 & 1864. Publisher's bookstore.
Many tax lists have been published in the Journal of the Burke County Genealogical Society.
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 - North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Birth[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 - North Carolina Birth Index 1800-2000 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1866-1964 - North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1886-1964 - North Carolina Births and Christenings, 1866-1964 - search this name index to birth, baptism and christening records from the state; via FamilySearch
- 1913-1922 - North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- Burke County Births - search on the website of the Burke County Register of Deeds
Marriage[edit | edit source]
- 1741-2004 - North Carolina, United States Marriages at Findmypast
- 1741-2004 - North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry $
- 1759-1979 - North Carolina Marriages 1759-1979 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; Index
- 1762-1979 - North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1763-1868 - North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1774-1854 - Burke County Marriages 1774-1854 North Carolina Pioneers
- 1867-1939 - Burke County Marriage Index 1867-1939. Batch B868464 at FamilySearch.[9]
- To 1799 - North Carolina Marriages to 1799, a database, available to members North Carolina Pioneers
- Burke County Marriages - search on the website of the Burke County Register of Deeds
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1898-1994 - North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1906-1930 - North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 at FamilySearch.org - 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 - North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- Burke County Deaths - search on the website of the Burke County Register of Deeds
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1926-1975 - North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1958-2004 - North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Burke County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local Family History Centers or Affiliate Libraries
- Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
- FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Burke County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Burke County Public Library
- Hickory North Carolina Family History Center
- Morganton North Carolina Family History Center
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Burke County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
- Burke County Genealogical Society
PO Box 661
Morganton, NC 28680-0661
828-764-9266
Email: bcgs-nc@hotmail.com
Website Facebook
- Burke County Historical Society
PO Box 151
Morganton, NC 28680-0151
828-764-9266
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Burke County NCGenWeb genealogy resources; part of the national USGenWeb Project
- Burke County NCGenWeb Archives
- North Carolina Pioneers North Carolina Pioneers
- FamilySearch Catalog – 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[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/Burke
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Burke County, North Carolina. Page 506-514 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 505-509.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Burke County, North Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burke_County,_North_Carolina, accessed 9 February 2020.
- ↑ George Washington Paschal, History of North Carolina Baptists, 2 vols. (1930; reprint, Gallatin, Tenn.: Church History Research and Archives, 1990), 2:562. FHL Book 975.6 K2p 1990.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), North Carolina.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/4/4d/Iginorthcarolinaa.pdf.
