Northampton County, North Carolina Genealogy
Guide to Northampton County, North Carolina ancestry, family history, and genealogy birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
Northampton County, North Carolina | |||||||||
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![]() Location in the state of North Carolina | |||||||||
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Founded | 1741 | ||||||||
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County Seat | Jackson | ||||||||
Courthouse | |||||||||
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 History
- 3 Places/Localities
- 4 = Resources
County Information
Description
Northampton County is located in the Northeastern portion of North Carolina and shares a border with Virginia. It was named for James Compton, Earl of Northampton[1].
County Courthouse
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Northampton County Courthouse
Jefferson St P O Box 120
Jackson, NC 27845
Phone: 252-534-2511
Reg of Deeds has birth, marriage and death and land records
Clerk Superior Court has divorce records from 1800
pro & ct rec from 1761[2]
Register of Deeds
PO Box 128
Jackson, NC 27845-01280
Telephone: 252-534-2511
Fax: 252-534-1580
Website
Clerk of Superior Court
PO Box 217
Jackson, NC 27845
Telephone: (252) 574-3100
History
Northampton County was formed in 1741 from Bertie County and was named in honor of James Crompton Earl of Northampton, an English nobleman. Located in the northeastern section of the state, it is bounded by the State of Virginia and neighboring North Carolina counties of Halifax, Bertie and Hertford. The Roanoke River determines the southwest border of Northampton following its flow from the Roanoke Rapids Lake in the northwestern corner of Northampton County. The Meherrin River marks the northeastern border. The present land area is 536 square miles and the 2003 estimated population was 21,782. Jackson is the seat of Northampton County and is an extremely fertile area along the Roanoke River with cotton, corn and peanuts being its principal crops. The first courthouse was built here in 1742 and was known as Northampton Courthouse; Jackson, NC was incorporated in 1823 and named after Andrew Jackson who was born near the NC/SC line, studied law in Salisbury, NC and later became the seventh President of the United States.
During the Nat Turner slave insurrection of 1831 in the adjoining Southampton County, Virginia, NC militia were mobilized at Jackson, NC in readiness for the anticipated slave uprising that was quelled prior to the militia's intervention. The Northampton County Courthouse was built in 1859 and it is purported that Cornwallis visited a tavern that was located diagonally opposite the Courthouse. Lafayette, the first Frenchman to come to the aid of the American revolutionary cause and whom the United States Congress commissioned a major general of the Continental Army on July 31, 1777 dined in Jackson on his 1825 triumphal visit to North Carolina.
Parent County
1741--Northampton County was created from Bertie County.
County seat: Jackson [3]
Boundary Changes
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.
Record Loss
Some records are missing.
Places/Localities
Populated Places
Neighboring Counties
- Bertie
- Brunswick County, Virginia
- Greensville County, Virginia
- Halifax
- Hertford
- Southampton County, Virginia
- Warren
= Resources
Cemeteries
Tombstone Transcriptions Online | Tombstone Transcriptions in Print | List of Cemeteries in the county |
Findagrave.com | Family History Library | Findagrave.com |
NCGenWeb | WorldCat | Billion Graves |
NCGenWeb Archives | ||
Tombstone Project | ||
North Carolina Cemeteries | ||
Internment | ||
Billion Graves | ||
See North Carolina Cemeteries for more information. |
- North Carolina, Historical Records Survey, Cemetery Inscription Card Index at FamilySearch — index and images
Census
For tips on accessing Northampton County, North Carolina Genealogy census records online, see: North Carolina Census.
Church Records
- See a listing of Northampton County Churches at NCGenWeb
Baptist
There was a Baptist Church at Potecasi by 1778.[4]
Church of England
- Northwest Parish. Established by 1727.[5]
- St. George's Parish. Established by 1762. Vestry minutes begin 1773.[6]
County Records
- 1833-1970 - North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 at FamilySearch — index and images
Court
Family Histories
A great deal of information about several early Northampton County families is presented in:
- Dozier, Rebecca Leach, Lou Woodard King and Penn Perry. Twelve Northhampton County, North Carolina Families, 1650-1850: Bridgers, Daughtry, Futrell, Jenkins, Joyner, Lassiter, Martin, Odom, Parker, Stephenson, Sumner, Woodard. Baltimore, Md.: Gateway Press, 2004. FHL Book 975.649 D2d
Books and Articles
- Binford - Bruner, Mary L. Binford Family Genealogy. Greenfield, Ind.: Wm. Mitchell Printing Co., [1925]. Digital version at FamilySearch Books Online - free; FHL Book 929.273 B512b.
- Boddie - Leary, Helen F.M. "The Two William Boddies of North Carolina," The American Genealogist, Vol. 66, No. 1 (Jan. 1991):16-29; Vol. 62, No. 2 (Apr. 1991):106-110; Vol. 66, No. 3 (Jul. 1991):148-153. Available at FHL.
Land
The Northampton County Register of Deeds Office has real estate records extending back as far as 1741.
Northampton County Register of Deeds
Thomas Bragg Street
Jasper Eley Annex Building
PO Box 128
Jackson, NC 27845
Phone: (252)534-2511
Local Histories
Maps
The Northampton County NCGenWeb site has an array of maps and mapping projects using the Google Earth application. For a complete listing of map records click onto Northampton County Places
Northampton County maps from the NC State Archives Digital Maps Collection
Military
Revolutionary War
- 1779 - 1782 - North Carolina Revolutionary Pay Vouchers 1779-1782 at FamilySearch — index and images
Civil War
Online Records
- 1861 - 1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
- 1861 - 1865 - North Carolina, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
- 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1861 - 1865 - U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry — index (free)
- 1885 - 1953 - North Carolina, Confederate Soldiers and Widows Pension Applications, 1885-1953 at FamilySearch — index and images
Regiments. Service men in Northampton County, North Carolina Genealogy 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 Northampton County, North Carolina Genealogy:
- - Northampton County U.S. Colored Troops
- - 12th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company N
- - 12th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company O
- - 15th Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, formerly the 5th Volunteers, Company A
- - 1st Brigade, North Carolina Reserves, Company K
- - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, Company B
- - 1st Regiment, North Carolina Junior Reserves, Company K
- - 2nd Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry, Company H
- - 3rd Battalion, North Carolina Light Artillery, Company A
- - 3rd Regiment, North Carolina Infantry, Company K
- - 4th Regiment, North Carolina Cavalry (59th North Carolina State Troops), Company K
World War I
- 1917 - 1919 - North Carolina, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — index and images
World War II
- 1940 - 1948 - North Carolina, Discharge and Statement of Service Records, 1940-1948 at FamilySearch — index and images
Newspapers
Probate
Online Probate Records
- 1660 - 1790 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1660-1790 at Ancestry.com — index and images ($)
- 1663 - 1979 - North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1665 - 1998 - North Carolina Wills and Probate Records 1665-1998 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1735 - 1970 - North Carolina Probate Records 1735-1970 at FamilySearch.org — images
- 1760 - 1800 - North Carolina Will Abstracts 1760-1800 at Ancestry.com — index and images
Probate records, including wills & estate records are handled by the Northampton County Clerk of the Superior Court, located at the County Courthouse. Contact their office for details of what is available and fees.
Northampton County Courthouse
104 West Jefferson St
PO Box 217
Jackson, NC 27845
(252) 574-3100
- Pre - 1790 - Pre-1790 Northampton County, North Carolina Genealogy Wills stored at the North Carolina State Archives are online - free. Website tips.
- 1741 - 1961 - Will Books A, 1 to 13 (1741-1961) have been digitized by FamilySearch - free.
A number of probate records have been transcribed or images and can be viewed on the following sites:
- Index to Wills - NCGenWeb Northampton Co.
- 1833 - 1970 - NC County Records 1833-1970: Estate Records - from FamilySearch; indexed images of Northampton Co. Estate Records are included in this Collection
Taxation
- 1762 - Tax Lists, Northampton County, 1762 (index) in NC Taxpayers, online at Ancestry ($)
- 1780 - Tax Lists, Northampton County, 1780 (index) in NC Taxpayers vol. 2, online at Ancestry ($)
- 1780 - Tax Lists, Northampton County, 1780 (images) online at North Carolina Digital Collections
Vital Records
Birth Records
- 1800 - 2000 - North Carolina Birth Index 1800-2000 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1866 - 1964 - North Carolina Births and Christenings 1866-1964 at FamilySearch.org — index
Death Records
- 1898 - 1994 - North Carolina Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1906 - 1930 - North Carolina Deaths 1906-1930 at FamilySearch.org — index and images
- 1908 - 2004 - North Carolina Death Indexes 1908-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1909 - 1975 - North Carolina Death Certificates 1909-1975 at Ancestry.com — index and images $
- 1931 - 1994 - North Carolina Deaths 1931-1994 at FamilySearch.org — index
Divorce Records
- 1926 - 1975 - North Carolina, County Divorce Records, 1926-1975 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1958 - 2004 - North Carolina Divorce Index 1958-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $
Marriage Records
- 1741 - 2004 - North Carolina, United States Marriages at FindMyPast — index $
- 1847 - 1867 - Northampton County Marriage Bonds 1847-1867 at USGenWeb - free.
- 1741 - 2004 - North Carolina Marriage Index 1741-2004 at Ancestry.com — index $
- 1759 - 1979 - North Carolina Marriages 1759-1979 at FamilySearch.org — index
- 1762 - 1979 - North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 at FamilySearch — index and images
- 1763 - 1868 - North Carolina, Civil Marriages, 1763-1868 at FamilySearch — index and images
Societies and Libraries
Family History Centers
Family history centers provide one-on-one assistance and free access to premium genealogical websites. In addition, many centers have free how-to genealogy classes. See family history center for more information. Search the online FHC directory for a nearby family history center.
Websites
- Northampton County, NC History, Records, Facts and Genealogy (Genealogy Inc)
- USGenWeb Project. May have maps, name indexes, history or other information for this county. Select the state, then the county.
- FamilySearch Catalog
- NCGenWeb Northampton County
- Northampton County, NCGenWeb Archives
References
- ↑ https://www.ncpedia.org/geography/Northampton
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Northampton County, North Carolina. Page 511 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ The Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America,10th ed. (Draper, UT:Everton Publishers, 2002).
- ↑ George Washington Paschal, History of North Carolina Baptists, 2 vols. (1930; reprint, Gallatin, Tenn.: Church History Research and Archives, 1990), 1:476. FHL Book 975.6 K2p 1990.
- ↑ Donna Sherron, "North Carolina Parishes," accessed 12 October 2012. Digital version at Lost Souls Genealogy - free.
- ↑ 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), 432, 501. FHL Book 975.6 K2cr.