Gaston County, North Carolina Genealogy
Guide to Gaston 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]
Gaston County is located in the southwestern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with South Carolina. It was named for William Gaston, member of the U.S. House of Representatives and justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Gaston County Courthouse
325 N Marietta Street
Box 1578
Gastonia, NC 28053
Phone: 704-868-7684
Gaston County Website
Register of Deeds has birth, marriage and death records from 1913, land records from 1847.
Clerk Superior Court has divorce and court records.[3]
Gaston 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 | 1913 | 1913 | 1847 | 1847 | 1839 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
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1874 Courthouse fire destroyed many court records.
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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 | ||
| Townships | ||
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
The earliest European settlers of Gaston County were principally Scots Irish, Pennsylvania Dutch, and English. In the 1750s, Dutch settler James Kuykendall and others constructed the Fort at the Point at the junction of the Catawba and South Fork Rivers. The fort was built because of ongoing hostilities with the Cherokee, but it was apparently never attacked. Tensions between the settlers and the Native American inhabitants (primarily of the Catawba tribe) were eased considerably when the boundary dispute between North Carolina and South Carolina was settled in 1772, after which most of the Catawba settled on a reservation near Fort Mill, South Carolina.
Most early farms were small, cultivated primarily by White yeoman farmers of English ancestry. North Carolina's colonial policy restricted the size of land grants, and in Gaston County they tended to be about 400 acres (1.6 km2) each. One of the earliest grants in the area was given to Captain Samuel Cobrin, commander of a local militia company, on September 29, 1750.
Between 1845 and 1848, Gaston County experienced an industrial boom. During this three-year period, the first three cotton mills in the County were established. Some authorities[who?] say that the first one was established by Thomas R. Tate on Mountain Island, near the present site of Duke Energy's Mountain Island Dam and Hydroelectric Station. Other sources say that the first mill was established by the Linebergers and others on the South Fork River near McAdenville. Most sources agree that among the first three mills in operation in the County was the Stowesville Mill, founded by Jasper Stowe and Associates in the South Point Community south of Belmont. Gaston County still leads all other counties in the country both in the number of spindles in operation and in the number of bales of cotton consumed.
(Source: Wikipedia)
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
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. | %± |
| 1850 | 8,073 | — |
| 1860 | 9,307 | 15.3% |
| 1870 | 12,602 | 35.4% |
| 1880 | 14,254 | 13.1% |
| 1890 | 17,764 | 24.6% |
| 1900 | 27,903 | 57.1% |
| 1910 | 37,063 | 32.8% |
| 1920 | 51,242 | 38.3% |
| 1930 | 78,093 | 52.4% |
| 1940 | 87,531 | 12.1% |
| 1950 | 110,836 | 26.6% |
| 1960 | 127,074 | 14.7% |
| 1970 | 148,415 | 16.8% |
| 1980 | 162,568 | 9.5% |
| 1990 | 175,093 | 7.7% |
| 2000 | 190,365 | 8.7% |
| 2010 | 206,086 | 8.3% |
| 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
List of Churches and Church Parishes
Court Records[edit | edit source]
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]
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
- The Bureau of Land Management General Land Office has searchable land records for North Carolina.
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
Migration[edit | edit source]
Early migration routes to and from Gaston County for European settlers included:[7]
- Occaneechi Path pre-historic
- Lower Cherokee Traders' Path pre-historic
- Catawba and Northern Trail pre-historic
- Fall Line Road about 1735 (overlapped Occaneechi Path)
- Great Valley Road (south fork) 1740s (overlapped Occaneechi Path)
- Upper Road about 1783 (overlapped Lower Cherokee Traders' Path)
Military Records[edit | edit source]
Revolutionary War
- 1779-1782 North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Civil War
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1861-1865 North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry
- 1885-1953 North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Regiments. Men in Gaston 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 Gaston County:
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company A
- - 11th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company I
- - 16th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company M
- - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Detailed Men, Company B
- - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company C
- - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company E
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Company E
World War I
- 1917-1919 North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
World War II
- 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
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 $
- 1663-1979 North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1663-1789 Secretary of State Wills at North Carolina Digital Collections - 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 - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- 1760-1800 North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry $
- 1839-1970 NC County Records: Gaston County includes indexed images of Estates 1839-1970 and Guardianships 1849-1964
- Images of Wills and Estates 1847-67; 1869-98; 1898-1916 North Carolina Pioneers $
School Records[edit | edit source]
- Sacred Heart College. Founded in 1892 by the order of the Roman Catholic Sisters of Mercy. Closed in 1987.
- Gaston County College Students. Name list of students at various NC colleges with identified hometowns in the county.
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]
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 - How to Use this Collection; index
- 1866-1964 North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index
- 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
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 - 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
- 1848-1929 Gaston County Marriage Index 1848-1929 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1898-1994 North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- 1906-1930 North Carolina Deaths 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 $
- 1910-1956 Gaston County Death Index 1910-1956 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch.[8]
- 1931-1994 North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
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 Gaston 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 Gaston County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Gaston-Lincoln Regional Library System
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Gaston County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
- Belmont Historical Society
40 Catawba Street
Belmont, North Carolina 28012
(704) 825-4848
Email: Charlespatsy@aol.com
Website
- Cherryville Historical Museum
109 E Main St.
Cherryville, NC 28021
(704) 435-8011
Email: Charlespatsy@aol.com
Website
- Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society
PO Box 584
Mt. Holly, NC 28120
Website
- Mount Holly Historical Society Museum
131 S Main St.
Mount Holly, NC 28012
980-277-1249
Website
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Gaston County, NCGenWeb genealogy resources; part of the national USGenWeb project.
- 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/gaston
- ↑ 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), Gaston 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, "Gaston County, North Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaston_County,_North_Carolina, accessed 14 February 2020.
- ↑ 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/9/91/Iginorthcarolinag.pdf.
