Diane L. Richard, MEng, MBA
North Carolina genealogists frequently explore county records for the rich record resource that they are. Do you know that many relevant records are “hidden” in paperwork that is found in state-level collections? The Secretary of State Records, 1663-1985, is one such collection. Many people are familiar with some of the records of the Land Office (Colonial and State), 1693-1959, as we’ve researched land warrants, entries, patents, plats, grants, the Glasgow land fraud, and more in pursuit of our ancestors and their land. We’ll briefly discuss land records and the breadth of what is to be found beyond the land records most frequently consulted.
We’ll then delve into the other gems found in this collection, including and not limited to: Correspondence concerning Revolutionary War Veterans and Pensioners (1818-1859), Automobile Licenses (1909-1918), Atlantic and N.C.R.R. Employees (1855-1863), Out-of-State Insurance Companies and Their Agents (1891-8), Shellfish Franchises (1858+), Bonds of County Officials (1741-1848), Coroners Inquests (1738-1775), Voter Registration, Poll Books & More (1867-1908), Colonial Probate records, Committee of Safety Records (1774-1776), and more juicy gems than we’ll have time to discuss in detail!
(Image source: “Archives and History-State Library Building“, licensed under Creative CommonsCC0 1.0, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons.)
Available in the NCGS online bookstore is North Carolina Research – Genealogy and Local History, the text for the NCGS Webinar Series. For more information about the speaker, please see our flyer (pdf file).
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