Rowan County, North Carolina Genealogy

United States &gt; North Carolina &gt; Rowan County

Parent County
1753--Rowan County was created from Anson County. County seat: Salisbury

Record Loss
1865--Some of the records were destroyed by Federal troops.

Neighboring Counties

 * Cabarrus
 * Davidson
 * Davie
 * Iredell
 * Montgomery
 * Stanly

African American

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

Church
General


 * Fries, Adelaide L. Colonial Churches of North Carolina Within the Bounds of Rowan County as Set Off in 1753. 1936. Available at FHL.
 * 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 FHL. [Includes Baptist, Church of England, Friends, Lutheran, Moravian, Reformed, and Presbyterian Churches.]

Lutheran


 * Rothrock, Samuel. Diaries of Rev. Samuel Rothrock of Rowan County, [North Carolina], 1834-1863. MSS., Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, North Carolina, available at FHL. [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.]

Family Histories
It is anticipated that this bibliography will eventually identify all known family histories published about residents of this county. In addition to finding a direct ancestor’s surname listed, and watching to see if more recent publications make additions and corrections to earlier works, this list is also useful for determining if genealogists have published accounts, to quote Elizabeth Shown Mills, for any members of an ancestor’s “FAN Club” [Friends, Associates, and Neighbors]. Checking publications about those individuals can lead you to new information about your own ancestry. Be mindful that compiled genealogies may contain errors.

General


 * 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 FHL.
 * Links to Rowan County Family Pages in "Rowan County North Carolina Genealogy and History USGenWeb," USGenWeb. [More than 50 families are identified.]

Bibliography


 * [Andrews] Craig, Marion Stark. James Andrews (RW Soldier) of Back Creek, Rowan County, NC: Died 20 November 1821: A Genealogical Compilation. Little Rock, Arkansas: M.S. Craig, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Arey]See also Eary.
 * [Arey] Davidson, Harriet Arey. The Early Areys of Rowan County, North Carolina. MSS., 1974, available at FHL.
 * [Arey] Davidson, Harriet Arey. Palatine Progeny - the Arey Family of Rowan County, North Carolina and Related Families, 1749-1983. Davidson, North Carolina: H.A. Davidson, 1983. Available at FHL.
 * [Barnes] McElwee, Pinckney G. Genealogy of Shadrack Barnes of Rowan County, North Carolina, a Soldier in the Revolutionary War. Washingon, D. C.: McElwee, 1952. Available at FHL. 1958 revised edition is also available at FHL.
 * [Beanblossom] Hays, Samuel P. The Descendants of J. Christian and Catherine Beanblossom of Rowan County, North Carolina and Harrison County, Indiana and Darke County, Ohio. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: S.P. Hays, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Bodenhamer] Heuss, Lois Ione Hotchkiss, Hubert E. Bodenheimer, and David R. Bodenheimer. Christian Bodenhamer (Bodenheimer-Bodenhammer) of Rowan County, North Carolina, and His Descendents. [Charlotte, North Carolina?: L.I.H. Heuss, H.E. &amp; D.R. Boednheimer, 1989]. Available at FHL.
 * [Bostian] Jorgensen, Ada Petrea. One Line of the Bostian Family of Rowan County, North Carolina. Hendersonville, North Carolina: A.P. Jorgensen, 1982. Available at FHL.
 * [Bowlby] Barekman, June B. Some New Jersey Families Found in Early Rowan County, North Carolina; Bowlby, Palmer, Dailey, Todd, Stevens. Chicago, Illinois: n.p., 1970. Available at FHL.
 * [Briggs] Barker, Harold G., Maurine Clifford, and William M. Hunt. The Briggs Families of Old Anson, Old Rowan, and Davidson Counties, North Carolina and Brown County, Illinois. 2 vols. Rye, New York: H. G. Barker &amp; M. Clifford &amp; W.M. Hunt Jr., 1985. Available at FHL.
 * [Brown] Brown, Richard L. A History of the Michael Brown Family of Rowan County, North Carolina. Michael Brown Family Association, 1921. Original edition as well as a 1973 reprint are available at FHL.
 * [Burgess] Reginald, R. The House of the Burgesses: Being a Genealogical History of Edward Burgess of King George and Stafford Counties, Virginia, with His Sons - Garner Burgess of Fauquier Co., Virginia; William Burgess of Stafford Co., Virginia; Moses Burgess of Orange County, Virginia; Reuben Burgess of Rowan Co., North Carolina - and His Grandsons - Edward Burgess of Culpeper Co., Virginia; John Burgess of Harrison Co., Kentucky; Henry Burgess of Fleming Co., Kentucky; Edward Burgess of Scott Co., Kentucky; John P.B. Burgess of Halifax Co., Virginia; Edward Burgess of Kanawha Co., West Virginia; William Burgess of Davie Co., North Carolina; Reuben Burgess of Davie Co., North Carolina; and Thomas Burgess of White Co., Tennessee - Together with Their Known Descendants Named Burgess. San Bernardino, California: Borgo Press, 1983. Available at FHL.
 * [Burgess] Burgess, Michael and Mary A. Wickizer Burgess. The House of the Burgesses: Being a Genealogical History of William Burgess of Richmond (later King George) County, Virginia, His Son Edward Burgess of Stafford (later King Geoge) County, Virginia, with the Descendants in the Male Line of Edward's Sons: Garner Burgess of Fauquier County, Virginia, William Burgess of Stafford County, Virginia; Edward Burges, Jr. of Fauquier County, Virginia, Moses Burgess of Orange County, Virginia; Reuben of Rowan (later Davie) County, North Carolina. San Bernardino, California: Burgess and Wickizer, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Buttram] Waid, Charles V. and Barbara L. Brown Waid. Buttram: Bertram - Boutteram - Burtram - Butrum - Burtrum - Buttrum - Butram - Burtrum - Burttram - Burttrum: The Descendants of William Buttram I &amp; Margaret of Rowan County, North Carolina. Birmingham, Alabama: Buttram Family Association, 1998. Available at FHL.
 * [Dailey] See Bowlby.
 * [Deacon] See Reed.
 * [Denny] Rankin, S.M. and Elizabeth Chapman Denny Vann. Denny Families of Buffalo Church, Rowan and Guilford Counties, North Carolina: A Study of a Group of North Carolina Dennys, Information Extracted Mainly from History of Buffalo Church and Her People and Rankin and Wharton Families. MSS., 1946, available at FHL.
 * [Eary] See also Arey.
 * [Eary] Cruse, Bernard W. Some of the Descendants of Peter Eary: (Petter Ihrig) Born Before April 1765 in Germany, Died in Rowan County, North Carolina. Concord, North Carolina: B.W. Cruse, 2007. Available at FHL.
 * [Gillespie] Lentz, Gilbert G. Lentz and Gillespie Families in Rowan County, North Carolina, 1749-1818. Sacramento, California: G.G. Lentz, 1993. Available at FHL.
 * [Glasscock] Meinke, Terry and Arthur L. Glasgow. My Glasscock Ancestors: The Genealogy of the Glas(s)cock (alias Glassco and Glasgow) Families of Richmond, Prince, Fauquier and Frederick Counties in Virginia; Rowan County, North Carolina; Jefferson County in West Virginia; Adams, Brown, Green and Knox Counties in Ohio; Sangamon County in Illinois and Wright, Morrison, Cass and Hubbard Counties in Minnesota from 1643 to 1933. Palatine, Illinois: T. Meinke, 2004. Available at FHL.
 * [Glover] Kluttz, James W. Our Glover Family of Rowan County, North Carolina. Cary, North Carolina: J.W. Kluttz, 2006. Available at FHL; digital book at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Goss] Heuss, Lois Ione Hotchkiss. Frederick Goss of Rowan County, North Carolina: and His Descendants. Akron, Ohio: L.I.H. Heuss, 1968. Available at FHL.
 * [Gracey] Daughters of the American Revolution. Custis Chapter (Washington). Gracey Family, Gravestone Inscriptions, and Bible Records of the Gracey Family of North Carolina with Will of Patrick Gracey of Rowan Co., N.C. MSS., 1945, available at FHL.
 * [Hampton] Olsen, Nola Rosenbaum. Hampton Family Abstracts, Rowan County, North Carolina. Camarillo, California: Olsen, [197?]. Available at FHL.
 * [Holmes] Linn, Jo White. A Holmes Family of Rowan and Davidson Counties, North Carolina: with Haden, Helig, Reid, Rex, Linn, Smith, Bernhardt, Snider, Pearson, Graham, White, Sawyer, Foushee, Ballou, Hurley, Morrison, King, Erwin, Pannill, Dillard, Knowles. Salisbury, North Carolina: n.p., 1988. Available at FHL.
 * [Hunt] Hunt, Mitchell J. A Corrected Genealogy of Col. Jonathan Hunt (1716-1782) and His Rowan Co., North Carolina Siblings and Their Descendants. Willow Grove, Pennsylvania: M.J. Hunt, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Karriker] Karriker, John C. The Karrikers of Rowan County, North Carolina. Mooresville, North Carolina: J. C. Karriver, 1980. Available at FHL.
 * [Kern] Kern, Mary Margaret. The Kern Family of Rowan County, North Carolina, Nicholas County, Kentucky; Boone, Clinton, Lawrence, Monroe Counties, Indiana; Hancock County, Illinois; Lee County, Iowa. Noblesville, Indiana: M.M.K. Garrard, 1968. Available at FHL; digital book at BYU Family History Archives.
 * [Kern] Kern, Charles Ronald. History of the John Kern Family of Rowan County and Montgomery County, North Carolina. Birmingham, Alabama: C.R. Kern, 2001. Available at FHL.
 * [Knox] Goodman, Hattie S. The Knox Family: A Genealogical and Biographical Sketch of the Descendants of John Knox of Rowan County, North Carolina, and Other Knoxes. Richmond, Virginia: Whittet &amp; Shepperson, 1905. Available at FHL.
 * [Lentz] Lentz, John Paul. Lentz Heritage: Records and Descendants of the Four Lentz Brothers Who Settled in Rowan County, North Carolina Between 1778 and 1782. Burlington, North Carolina: J. P. Lentz, 1986. Available at FHL.
 * [Lentz] Lentz, John Paul. Lentz Heritage: Newsletter, Records and Descendants of the Four Lentz Brothers Who Settled in Rowan County, North Carolina Between 1778-1782. Burlington, North Carolina: J.P. Lentz, 1988. Available at FHL.
 * [Lentz] Lentz, Gilbert G. Lentz and Gillespie Families in Rowan County, North Carolina, 1749-1818. Sacramento, California: G.G. Lentz, 1993. Available at FHL.
 * [Little] Little, Lawrence L. Captain Daniel Little, Esquire of Salisbury, Rowan County, North Carolina. Portales, New Mexico: L.L. Little, 19--?. Available at FHL.
 * [Little] 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 FHL.
 * [Mullikin] Mullican, N. Spencer. Mullikins and Mullicans of North Carolina: A History of Lewis Mullikin and His Descendants Covering the Period Since His Arrival in Rowan County, North Carolina, in 1781 from the Western Shore of Maryland. Winston-Salem, N.C.: N.S. Mullican, [1953?]. Available at FHL.
 * [Palmer] See Bowlby.
 * [Park] Park, Evelyn Potter and Warren R. Park. Allen Park, 1745-1805, of Rowan County, North Carolina and Madison County, Kentucky: Including Some of His Descendants and Allied Families. Chandler, Oklahoma: n.p., 1970. Original edition and 1977 supplement available at FHL.
 * [Park] Park, Percival David. Moses Park (1738-1828) of Rowan and Mecklenburg Counties, North Carolina, Son of the Immigrant John Park of Virginia. Charlottesville, Virginia: P.D. Park, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Park] Park, Percival David. Possible Origins of Some Park Families in the Eastern Part of Old Rowan County, North Carolina: (Short Title: Park Origins). Charlottesville, Virginia: P.D. Park, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Parker] Hinson, William Ashley. Richard Parker I and His Descendants: A History of the Parkers of Rowan County and Stanly County, North Carolina. Kernersville, North Carolina: W.A. Hinson, 1995. Available at FHL.
 * [Pennington] Jones, Marvin T. Some Descendants of Ephraim Pennington of Rowan County, North Carolina: Including Those of Pennington's Point, McDonough County, Illinois. Wyndmere, North Dakota: M.T. Jones, 1994. Available at FHL.
 * [Phillips] Phillips, Randy H. Ezra Phillips, Son of John Phillips of Rowan County, North Carolina, and Family Records, 1757-1982. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Pinkston] Belk, D. Stephen. The Family of Thomas Pinkston (1808-1885), Rowan County, North Carolina. Salisbury, North Carolina: n.p., 1976. Available at FHL.
 * [Pool] Poole, William Lee. Early North Carolina Pool Clan of Bladen, Anson, Rowan, and Davidson Counties: Eleven Generations of Edward Pool and His Descendants from the Early 1700's to the Present 1983. Macon, Georgia: W.L. Poole, 1983. Available at FHL.
 * [Pope] Sparks, Mildred Jenkins. Descendants of George Whitefield Pope, 1750-1989: Pastor of Abbotts Creek Baptist Church, Rowan (now Davidson Co.), North Carolina. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Reed] Craig, Marion Stark. Joseph Reed (Died 1751) of Anson County, NC &amp; Wife, Elizabeth, Who Married James Deacon and Lived in Rowan County, NC: A Genealogical Dompilation. Little Rock, Arkansas: M.S. Craig, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Reid] Barlow, Lundie W. The Descent of Emmaline Jernigan Moore Barlow from Alexander Reid (ca. 1700-1777) of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and Rowan County North Carolina. MSS., available at FHL.
 * [Riddle] Sheek, Ann Carol Ellis. Descendants of Stephen and Elizabeth Douthit Riddle of Rowan County, North Carolina. [Clemmons, North Carolina]: A.E. Sheek, 1982. Available at FHL.
 * [Scott] Craig, Marion Stark. John Scott (Died 1760) of Rowan County, NC and Son, John Scott, of Rowan, Tryon &amp; Rutherford (Cain/Cane Creek) Counties, NC &amp; Livingston County, Ky. (Died 1811): A Genealogical Compilation. Little Rock, Arkansas: M.S. Craig, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Sechler] Sechler, Earl T. Sechler Family of Rowan County, North Carolina: With Pennsylvania Ancestors of Philadelphia Co., Pa. (now Montgomery Co.) and Northampton Co., Pa. (now Lehigh Co.), and Southern Missouri Descendants (Dallas Co., Polk Co., Taney Co., Christian Co., Stone Co., Green Co., Mo.) and Atlanta, Ga. San Francisco, California: E.T. Sechler, 1980. Available at FHL.
 * [Stevens] See Bowlby.
 * [Strub] Priest, Lyman W. The Strub Family: Three Generations of the Descendants of Johannes and Elisabeth (Löliger) Strub: Rowan, Surry, Stokes, Forsyth Counties, North Carolina, Bartholomew County, Indiana, Edwards County, Illinois, 1719-1884: Related Families Include: Alberty, Aldridge, Billeter ... Charlottesville, Virginia: L.W. Priest, 1991. Available at FHL.
 * [Tatum] Tatum, James Orval. The Ancestry [of] Haley Tatum (1752 or 1760-1819) of Rowan County, North Carolina and His Descendants 1599-1995. n.p.: J.O. Tatum, 1995. Available at FHL.
 * [Todd] See Bowlby.
 * [White] Brayton, John Anderson. The Descendants of Moses White of Rowan Co., NC: Including the Families of Peden, Templeton, Wilson, Fowler, Pearson, Trim and Morrow. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: J.A. Brayton, 1992. Available at FHL.
 * [Wilson] Coal, Darlene White. Wilsons of Abbott's Creek, Lexington, NC and Wilsons of Pott's Creek, Rowan County, NC: Wilson Family Notes, Giles County, Tennessee. Orangeville, California: D.W. Cole, 1988. Available at FHL.
 * [Wright] White, Lillie Elizabeth Wright Lane. Genealogy of the Wright Family: Descendants of Richard Wright, Sr., Whose Will was Probated in Rowan County, North Carolina, on February 8, 1785: In Brief, Some Genealogy of the Morgan, Sears, Kutch, Hazel and Sanders Families. Bloomington, Indiana: L.E.W.L. White, 1943. Available at FHL.

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 FHL; digital version available at JSTOR ($).
 * [http://www.immigrantservants.com/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 indentured 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 FHL.

Land
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 FHL.

Local Histories

 * 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 FHL.

Maps

 * Brawley, James S. Bicentennial Commemorative Map of Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1953. Salisbury, North Carolina: J. Brawley, 1953. Available at FHL.

Military
Revolutionary War


 * Hunter, Cyrus Lee. Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical: Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln and Adjoining Counties, Accompanied with Miscellaneous Information, Much of it Never Before Published. Raleigh, North Carolina: Raleigh News Steam Job Print., 1877. Available at FHL; 1970 reprint is also available at FHL.

Occupations

 * 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 ($).
 * Thorp, Daniel B. "Taverns and Tavern Culture on the Southern Colonial Frontier: Rowan County, North Carolina, 1753-1776," The Journal of Southern History, Vol. 62, No. 4 (Nov., 1996), pp. 661-688. Available at JSTOR ($).

Private Papers

 * [Rothrock] Rothrock, Samuel. Diaries of Rev. Samuel Rothrock of Rowan County, [North Carolina], 1834-1863. MSS., Rowan Public Library, Salisbury, North Carolina, available at FHL. [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.]

Web Sites

 * USGenWeb project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
 * Family History Library Catalog