Ashe County, North Carolina Genealogy
Guide to Ashe 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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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
Ashe County is located in the upper Northwest corner of North Carolina and shares borders with Tennessee and Virginia. It was named for Samuel Ashe, Governor of North Carolina from 1795 to 1798[2].
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Ashe County Courthouse
Court Street, P O Box 367
Jefferson, NC 28640
Phone: 704-694-3212
Ashe County Website
Register of Deeds has birth records from 1913
marriage records from 1853, divorce records from 1750
and court records from 1770[3]
Ashe 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 | 1853 | 1913 | 1800 | 1778 | 1800 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
1865 -- The Ashe County Courthouse in Jefferson was destroyed by fire in 1865. Many of the records survived.
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Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
The area that became Ashe County had, at various times, been a part of Anson County, Rowan County, Surry County, and Wilkes County. Both Alleghany and Watauga Counties were formed out of Ashe County. For animated maps illustrating North Carolina county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation North Carolina County Boundary Maps" (1664-1965) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
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]
Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Townships | ||
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Population Statistics by Township, Year
Laurel
1870 | 1880 | 1900 | 1910 | 1920 | 1930 | |
Dwellings | 88 | |||||
Families | 88 | |||||
People | 456 | |||||
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224 | |||||
|
213 | |||||
|
9 | |||||
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10 | |||||
|
0 | |||||
|
0 | |||||
|
0 | |||||
Real Estate | $36,880 | |||||
Personal Estate | $47,620 |
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
The line between Virginia and North Carolina was established in 1749 by a surveying party led by Peter Jefferson, thus establishing the northern border of what became Ashe County. The first recorded visit to the area occurred in 1752 when Bishop Augustus Spangenberg, head of the Moravian Church of America, came, looking for 100,000 acres of land upon which to settle.
The area that became Ashe County was part of Anson County during the early colonial period, part of Rowan County in 1753, Surry County in 1771, Wilkes County in 1777 and, from 1784-1789, was part of the State of Franklin.
After being associated with the State of Franklin. the territory was claimed as part of Washington County which, in turn, was a part of the Southwest Territory, and later Tennessee. This was the case until it was annexed back by North Carolina into Wilkes County again in 1792.[7]
Ashe County was incorporated as a separate entity by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1799. The county was named for Samuel Ashe, a Revolutionary War patriot, Governor of North Carolina, and superior court judge.
Ashe County is the northwestern-most county in the state of North Carolina, and covers 427 square miles. The county seat is the city of Jefferson, established in 1799. This was the first city in America to be named for Thomas Jefferson. He was Vice-President of the United States at the time.
Jefferson, the county seat, was platted in 1803. An early courthouse was destroyed in 1865. The old 1904 courthouse is now a historic landmark in Jefferson.
See also:
- Formation of Ashe and Alleghany Counties, North Carolina (New River Notes)
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
Specific Cemeteries
- Old Sullivan Cemetery, Jerd Branch, Helton Township (New River Notes)
- Spencer Branch Cemetery, Helton Township (New River Notes)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1800 | 2,783 | — |
1810 | 3,694 | 32.7% |
1820 | 4,335 | 17.4% |
1830 | 6,987 | 61.2% |
1840 | 7,467 | 6.9% |
1850 | 8,777 | 17.5% |
1860 | 7,956 | −9.4% |
1870 | 9,573 | 20.3% |
1880 | 14,437 | 50.8% |
1890 | 15,628 | 8.2% |
1900 | 19,581 | 25.3% |
1910 | 19,074 | −2.6% |
1920 | 21,001 | 10.1% |
1930 | 21,019 | 0.1% |
1940 | 22,664 | 7.8% |
1950 | 21,878 | −3.5% |
1960 | 19,768 | −9.6% |
1970 | 19,571 | −1.0% |
1980 | 22,325 | 14.1% |
1990 | 22,209 | −0.5% |
2000 | 24,384 | 9.8% |
2010 | 27,281 | 11.9% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
- 1800 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (New River Notes)
- 1800 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1810 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (New River Notes)
- 1810 census, Ashe County, North Carolina, | Pt. 2 | 1820 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (New River Notes)
- 1820 census, Ashe County, North Carolina, Index | Notes | Part 1 | Part 2 (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1830 census, Ashe County, North Carolina, Index | Notes | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1840 census, Ashe County, North Carolina, Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1850 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1860 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (images) (U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- 1870 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (New River Notes)
- 1880 census, Ashe County, North Carolina (images; U.S. GenWeb Archives)
- Ashe County, North Carolina 1870 Federal Census Index, Precision Indexing, 1993. Google Books
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-1970 - North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch — index
- Ashe County, NC GenWeb Archives: Churches
- Fletcher, James Floyd. A History of the Ashe County, North Carolina and New River, Virginia Baptist Associations. 1982. (Google Books link, no preview)
- Stafford, Garland R. Methodism in Ashe County, North Carolina from the Beginning to 1961. 1974. (Google Books link, no preview)
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
- Ashe County - District 23 (includes courthouse hours, location, and disability access; The North Carolina Court System)
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
- Ham, Roy. Oral History Interview with Roy Ham, 1977, Interview H-0123-1, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 2007. Documenting the American South (complete text and audio)
- Miller, Denny. The Miller Families of Ashe County, North Carolina. Google Books (no preview)
- Shepherd Family Lines of Ashe County, North Carolina
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- Ashe County, North Carolina Land Grants, 1799-1936 (New River Notes)
- Ashe County, North Carolina Register of Deeds (official site)
- Ashe County, North Carolina Remote Access Site (official site)
- Register of Deeds Records, Ashe County (Ashe County Government)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
County histories often provide important details of events and people of the local area. They often list such things as the names of first settlers, dates of settlement of communities, names of those who served in military organizations, details about the establishment of churches and businesses in the county and its towns, and many other facts helpful to the genealogist and family historian.
- Anderson-Green, Paula Hathaway. A Hot-Bed of Musicians: Traditional Music in the Upper New River Valley (discusses Ashe County folk musicians and briefly mentions their family connections). Google Books
- Arthur, John Preston. Western North Carolina: A History (from 1730 to 1913), Raleigh, North Carolina: Edwards & Broughton Printing Company, 1914. Google Books
- Ashe County Historical Society. Ashe County Revisited (Images of America series). Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2002 (photo history). Google Books
- Cooper, Leland R. and Mary Lee Cooper. The People of the New River: Oral Histories from the Ashe, Alleghany, and Watauga Counties of North Carolina. McFarland, 2001. Google Books | publisher | WorldCat
- Cox, A.B., Footprints on the Sands of Time: A History of Southwestern Virginia and Northwestern North Carolina, Sparta, North Carolina: Star Publishing Company, 1900. New River Notes (complete text)
- Crawford, Martin. Ashe County's Civil War: Community and Society in the Appalachian South. The University Press of Virginia, 2001. Google Books | publisher | additional info
- Fletcher, Arthur L. Ashe County: A History. Jefferson, North Carolina: Ashe County Research Assn., 1963; McFarland & Co., 2009. Google Books
- Goss, Bernard. The Heritage of Ashe County, North Carolina. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: Ashe County Heritage Book Committee in cooperation with the History Division of Hunter Publishing Co., 1984. WorldCat
- History of Ashe County (NC Digital Collections, NC State Archives)
- Houck, John, Clarice Weaver, and Carol Williams, Ashe County Historical Society. Ashe County (Images of America series), Charleston, South Carolina: Arcadia Publishing, 2000, 2003 (a photo history of the county). Google Books | WorldCat
- Miller, Danny. The Miller Families of Ashe County, NC, 2007. Google Books
- Oral History Interview with Roy Ham, 1977, Interview H-0123-1, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007). Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 2007. Documenting the American South (complete text and audio)
- People from Ashe County, North Carolina, General Books, 2010. Google Books
- Reeves, Eleanor Baker. A Factual History of Early Ashe County, North Carolina: Its People, Places and Events. 1986.
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- Ashe County GIS (detailed online maps)
- Libre Map Project Virginia Map and GIS Data (detailed online topo maps)
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- 1779-1782 - North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch
- Ashe County, North Carolina Revolutionary War Pension Roll (New River Notes)
War of 1812
- Ashe County, North Carolina War of 1812 Veterans (New River Notes)
Civil War
- 1861-1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org
- 1861-1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org
- 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
Other Resources
- The American Civil War in Alleghany County, North Carolina, and Ashe County, North Carolina (New River Notes)
- Crawford, Martin. Ashe County's Civil War: Community and Society in the Appalachian South (Nation Divided: New Studies in Civil War History). University of Virginia Press, 2001. Google Books page (with preview)
Regiments. Men in Ashe 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 Ashe County:
- - 4th Regiment, Virginia State Line (Cavalry and Infantry) (Confederate). Company B.[8]
- - 50th Regiment, Virginia Infantry (Confederate). Company D (Wilson Rifles).[9]
- - 1st Battalion, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company D
- - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, Company A
- - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Detailed Men, Company G
- - 5th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry, Company D
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company B
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company F
World War I
- 1917-1919 - North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch
- Bickett, Thomas Walter. The Ashe County Case. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina, 2002. WorldCat
- World War I draft registration cards, 1917-1918, for Ashe County have been microfilmed. Copies of these records are available at the Family History Library (their microfilm number 1765559) and are also available online at Ancestry.com, for a subscription fee. The original cards are maintained in the Southeast Regional Archives of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in East Point, Georgia and have been microfilmed by the National Archives as their Microcopy M1509.
World War II
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- The Ashe Mountain Times
- Jefferson Post
- The Mountain Messenger, 6 Feb 1873 (the only extant issue; in New River Notes)
- The Mountain Times
Some older Ashe County, North Carolina news has been reported in the following:
- The Landmark, Statesville, North Carolina (during at least the 1880s-1890s)
- Raleigh Register, Raleigh, North Carolina (during at least the 1850s)
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- Ashe and Alleghany Counties Representation in the North Carolina General Assembly, 1800-1876 (New River Notes)
- Eastern Cherokee Applications at the National Archives: These discuss in detail a number of Ashe County families attempting to prove Cherokee ancestry.
- Ashe County, North Carolina Records Inventory: Original Records (New River Notes)
- North Carolina Digital Collections: Ashe County (NC State Archives)
County Records
- 1833-1970 - North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 at FamilySearch
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Online Probate Records
- 1660-1790 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry $
- 1663-1979 - North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch
- 1665-1998 - North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry $
- 1735-1970 - North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch.org
- 1760-1800 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
- 1801-1941 - Will Books A to G (1801-1941) have been digitized by FamilySearch
The recording of wills and probate proceedings for the residents of Ashe County are the responsibility of the Clerk of Superior Court in the County Courthouse.
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Ashe County in NC Yearbook Index (GenWeb)
- Baldwin School, Old Fields Township, Ashe County, North Carolina, 1914 (New River Notes)
- Healing Springs High School Commencement Program, 1932 (New River Notes)
- Jefferson High School, Jefferson, NC, Annual Catalogue, 1924-1925 (New River Notes)
Yearbooks
- Ashe County students at NC colleges - a 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]
- 1815-1815 Ashe County, North Carolina Tax List (transcript) online at New River Notes
- 1815 - Mullins, Johnny C. "Ashe County, North Carolina-1815 Tax List," The Mountain Empire Genealogical Quarterly, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Winter 1983):236-238; Vol. 3, No. 1 (Spring 1984):10-11. FHL US/CAN Book 975 D25m v. 2 (1983)
- 1815 - Tax Lists, Ashe County, 1815 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1815 - Ashe Co. NC 1815 Tax List (transcript) online at USGenWeb Archives
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
- 1800-2000 - North Carolina, Department of Archives and History, Index to Vital Records, 1800-2000 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Vital records maintained by Ashe County are the responsibility of the Register of Deeds in the County Courthouse. Divorces are included in the duties of the Clerk of Superior Court at the Courthouse.
Birth[edit | edit source]
- starting 1913
- near full compliance by 1920
- 1913-1966 - Ashe County Birth Index 1913-1966. Batch C549467 at FamilySearch
- 1800-2000 - North Carolina Birth Index 1800-2000 at FamilySearch.org
- 1866-1964 - North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch.org
- 1913-1922 - North Carolina, Center for Health Statistics, Vital Records Unit, County Birth Records, 1913-1922 at FamilySearch — index and images
Marriage[edit | edit source]
Ashe County marriage records started in 1828. The Register of Deeds issued marriage licenses beginning in 1868.
- 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
- 1762-1979 - North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch
- 1763-1868 - North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch
- 1801-1872 - Marriage Records of Ashe County, North Carolina, 1801-1872 (New River Notes)
- 1851-1966 - Ashe County Marriage Index 1851-1966 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[10]
- Pre-1799 - North Carolina Marriages to 1799, database North Carolina Pioneers
- Ashe County, North Carolina Marriage Bonds at USGenWeb
- Ashe County Historical Society. Marriage Records of Ashe County, North Carolina 1801-1872, with Some After 1872. Ashe County Historical Society, 1989. Google Books
Death[edit | edit source]
- starting in 1913
- near full compliance by 1920
- 1913-1966 - Ashe County Death Index 1913-1966. Batch B549463 at FamilySearch
- 1898-1994 - North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch.org
- 1906-1930 - North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 at FamilySearch.org
- 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
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1926-1975 - North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch
- 1958-2004 - North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry $
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Ashe County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
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 Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Ashe County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Ashe County Public Library
148 Library Dr.
West Jefferson, NC 28694
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Ashe County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
- Ashe County Historical Society
Rt. 1, 148 Library Drive
West Jefferson 28694
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Ashe County Chamber of Commerce (includes visitor info)
- Ashe County Civil War History (about the book Ashe County's Civil War)
- Ashe County Heritage Development Plan (pdf; Ashe County Heritage Council)
- Ashe County History
- Ashe County, NC (RootsWeb)
- Ashe County, NC GenWeb Archives
- The Ashe County NCGenWeb Project, a member of The NCGenWeb Project, an affiliate of The USGenWeb Project
- Ashe County Government: History
- Ashe County, North Carolina (Wikipedia)
- Ashe County, North Carolina: The Land of the Sky
- Ashe County Public Library: Genealogy & Local History
- The Built Heritage of North Carolina: Historic Architecture in the Old North State: Ashe County
- History of Ashe County (Ashe County Chamber of Commerce)
- Linkpedium: Ashe County Genealogy and Family History, referencing links to resources for Ashe County
- Museum of Ashe County History
- Museum of Ashe County to Hold Grand Opening (article, Ashe Mountain Times)
- New River Notes: Ashe County, North Carolina section
- 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/ashe
- ↑ 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), Ashe 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, "Ashe County, North Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ashe_County,_North_Carolina, accessed 6 February 2020.
- ↑ Arthur L. Fletcher, Ashe County: A History (Jefferson, N.C.: Ashe County Research Assoc., 1963), 33-34.
- ↑ The Virginia State Line: Organizational Structure of the Virginia State Line, Ranger95.com, accessed 11 June 2012.
- ↑ John C. Chapla, 50th Virginia Infantry (Lynchburg, Va.: H.E. Howard, 1997). FHL Book 975.5 M2vr v. 129.
- ↑ 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.