Johnston County, North Carolina Genealogy
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Guide to Johnston 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]
Johnston County is located in the central portion of North Carolina and was named for Royal Governor of North Carolina Gabriel Johnston.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Johnston County Courthouse
207 East Johnston Street
PO Box 118
Smithfield, NC 27577-4515
Phone: 919-989-5160
Johnston County Website
Register of Deeds has marriage and land records.
Clerk Superior Court has probate and court records.[3]
Johnston 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.
| Marriage | Court | Land | Probate | Census | ||
| 1914 | 1746 | 1914 | 1759 | 1748 | 1760 | 1784 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
|
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
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]
| Towns | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Townships | ||
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History Timeline[edit | edit source]
- June 28, 1746 Royal Governor Gabriel Johnston signs legislation creating the County of Johnston.
- Oct. 18, 1775 Independent North Carolina's Provincial Council holds its first meeting at Johnston County Courthouse (Smithfield).
- May 9, 1777 Town of Smithfield chartered by the N.C. General Assembly.
- May 3-15, 1779 N.C. General Assembly meets in Smithfield.
- Feb. 16, 1861 Town of Boon Hill chartered - renamed Princeton in 1873.
- March 19-21, 1865 Civil War Battle of Bentonville rages as the "bloodiest battle ever fought on North Carolina soil."
- April 12, 1869 Town of Clayton chartered.
- Feb. 11, 1873 Town of Selma chartered.
- Jan. 30, 1874 Town of Pine Level chartered.
- March 7, 1887 Towns of Benson and Kenly chartered.
- March 11, 1889 Town of Four Oaks chartered.
- May 1, 1899 Town of Jerome chartered - renamed Micro in 1905.
- Aug. 15, 1945 Farmers Day in Smithfield celebrates the end of World War II.
- Sept. 1, 1965 Johnston County's public schools begin racial desegregation, completed by consolidation of high schools in 1969.
- Oct. 1, 1991 Land-use zoning instituted throughout Johnston County as suburbanization follows recently completed I-40 from Raleigh.
- Aug. 2, 1996 Town of Wilson's Mills re-chartered (original charter issued in 1927, revoked in 1971).
- Nov. 3, 2009 Town of Archer Lodge incorporated by a majority vote of residents within its proposed borders.
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. | %± |
| 1790 | 5,691 | — |
| 1800 | 6,301 | 10.7% |
| 1810 | 6,867 | 9.0% |
| 1820 | 9,607 | 39.9% |
| 1830 | 10,938 | 13.9% |
| 1840 | 10,599 | −3.1% |
| 1850 | 13,726 | 29.5% |
| 1860 | 15,656 | 14.1% |
| 1870 | 16,897 | 7.9% |
| 1880 | 23,461 | 38.8% |
| 1890 | 27,239 | 16.1% |
| 1900 | 32,250 | 18.4% |
| 1910 | 41,401 | 28.4% |
| 1920 | 48,998 | 18.3% |
| 1930 | 57,621 | 17.6% |
| 1940 | 63,798 | 10.7% |
| 1950 | 65,906 | 3.3% |
| 1960 | 62,936 | −4.5% |
| 1970 | 61,737 | −1.9% |
| 1980 | 70,599 | 14.4% |
| 1990 | 81,306 | 15.2% |
| 2000 | 121,965 | 50.0% |
| 2010 | 168,878 | 38.5% |
| Source: "Wikipedia.org". | ||
For tips on accessing Johnston County, North Carolina Genealogy census records online, see: North Carolina Census.
- 1790-1940 Johnston County Census Records
Church Records[edit | edit source]
- 1700-1970 - North Carolina, Church Records, 1700-1970 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
Baptist
- Mill Creek. Established by 1808.[7]
- Rocky Spring. Constituted 1793.[7]
- Three Creeks. Established by 1789.[8]
Church of England
- St. Patrick's Parish. Established 1756.[9]
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]
- [Humphries] Holcomb, Brent Howard. Ancestors and Descendants of Charles Humphries (d. 1837) of Union District, South Carolina, 1677-1984. Columbia, S.C., 1985. FHL Book 929.273 H889hb.
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
Click a neighboring county
for more resources
for more resources
- 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 - 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 Johnston 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 Johnston County:
- - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company H
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry
- - 5th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company C
- - 7th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry, Company F
- - 7th Battalion, North Carolina Cavalry, Company G
- - 8th Regiment, North Carolina Senior Reserves, Captain John Daniel's Company
Civil War Battles
The following Civil War battle was fought in Johnston County:
- March 19-21, 1865 Bentonville, also known as Bentonsville[10]
- Map showing Civil War battles in North Carolina.
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]
- Johnston County Deaths. List of county area deaths reported in various newspapers; dates range from late 1700s to 1900s.
- North Carolina Newspapers at DigitalNC
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Smithfield Herald Obituaries from Jan 2011 forward (GenealogyBank) $
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 $
- 1760-1859 Images of Wills and Estates. North Carolina Pioneers $
- 1760-1962 Will Books (1760-1962) at FamilySearch.org - How to Use this Collection; images only (by County)
- Pre-1790 Pre-1790 Johnston County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills (North Carolina State Archives)
School Records[edit | edit source]
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]
- 1779 Tax Lists, New Bern District, 1779 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1779 Tax Lists, New Bern District, 1779 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1784 Tax Lists, Johnston County, 1784 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, at Ancestry $
- 1784 Tax Lists, Johnston County, 1784 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
- 1809-1819, 1863 Tax Lists, 1809-1819, 1863 (images) at FamilySearch
- 1815 Tax Lists, Johnston County, 1815 (images) at North Carolina Digital Collections
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
- 1850-1895 Johnston County Bastardy Bonds 1850-1895 at USGenWeb
- 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
- 1764-1930 Johnston County Marriage Index 1764-1930 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch[11]
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 $
- 1931-1994 North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch - How to Use this Collection; index and images
- Deaths at the Johnston County NCGenWeb site
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 Johnston County. For state-wide archival repositories, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Johnston County Heritage Center
241 East Market Street
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-934-2836
Collections
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 Johnston County. For state-wide library facilities, see North Carolina Archives and Libraries.
- Johnston County Heritage Center
241 East Market Street
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-934-2836
Website
Facebook
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Johnston County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see North Carolina Societies.
Johnston County Heritage Center
241 E. Market St.
Smithfield, NC 27577
919-934-2836
E-mail: heritagecenter@johnstonnc.com
Website Facebook
Johnston County Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 2373
Smithfield, NC 27577-2373
828-631-2646
Websites[edit | edit source]
- NCGenWeb Johnston County
- Johnston County Heritage Center
- Johnston County, NCGenWeb Archives
- 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.
- ↑ NCpedia Johnnston County
- ↑ 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), Johnston 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, "Johnston County, North Carolina," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnston_County,_North_Carolina, accessed 17 February 2020.
- ↑ 7.07.1 Lemuel Burkitt and Jesse Read, A Concise History of the Kehukee Baptist Association: From Its Original Rise Down to 1808 (1808), Chapter 16. Digital version at archive.org.
- ↑ George Washington Paschal, History of North Carolina Baptists, 2 vols. (1930; reprint, Gallatin, Tenn.: Church History Research and Archives, 1990), 1:491. FHL Book 975.6 K2p 1990.
- ↑ Robert J. Cain, ed., The Church of England in North Carolina: Documents, 1699-1741 (Raleigh, N.C.: Division of Archives and History, North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, 1999), xxxiii. FHL Book 975.6 K2cr.
- ↑ Heritage Preservation Services, Civil War Battle Summaries by State, (accessed 8 August, 2012)
- ↑ Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at Marriages at the Johnston County NCGenWeb site
