Finding North Carolina Ancestors

Lincoln County was formed in 1779 from Tryon County (see our guide Finding Tryon County Ancestors). Since then all or parts of Catawba, Cleveland, and Gaston Counties have been cut out of this area.
Go to: http://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/finding/tryon-county-ancestors

Did your family come from Lincoln County? Here's a list of some basic resources in our collection to get you started. For help finding more, stop by the Reference Desk at the Gastonia Main Library.

For more titles not in this guide, search our library Catalog by Subject for: Lincoln County or by the name of a place, such as Lincolnton.

• 720.9756 BRO NCC. Our Enduring Past: a Survey of 235 Years of Life and Architecture in Lincoln County, North Carolina (pub. 1986). Index only of properties listed.
• 929.1 YOU NCC. Our Own Story: an African-American History of Lincoln County, North Carolina.  2 vols. Pub.1991 and 2001.. Not indexed.
• 975.6 HAR NCC. Lincoln County, North Carolina (pub. 2000).  Images of America series.  Has index of family names.
• 975.6 HAR NCC. Lincoln County Revisited (pub. 2003).  Images of America series.
• 975.6 HAR NCC  Lincolnton: Photographs from the Clyde R. Cornwell Collection.  Images of American series.
• 975.6 SHE NCC. Annals of Lincoln County, North Carolina...1749 to 1937 (pub. 1937) by William L. Sherrill. Partially indexed.
  • Read the full text online in HeritageQuest and Ancestry Library Edition
    Go to: https://www.nclive.org/cgi-bin/nclsm?rsrc=218
  • Every Name Index to Annals of Lincoln County North Carolina
    Go to: http://www.everynameindex.com/LincolnCoNC.html
• 975.67 HUN NCC. Sketches of Western North Carolina: Historical and Biographical, Illustrating Principally the Revolutionary Period of Mecklenburg, Rowan, Lincoln, and Adjoining Counties... (pub. 1877) by C. L. Hunter. Not indexed. Full text available for free online; simply do an internet search for the title. Circulating copy available.
• 975.678 IN NCC. In Our Own Words: The Story of Lincoln County (pub. 2006).
• 975.678 LIN NCC. Lincoln County, North Carolina, 1779 - 1979: Past, Present, Future (pub. 1979).
• 975.678 LIN NCC. Lincoln Times-News: 1966 Historical. Not indexed.
• 975.678 N NCC. History of Lincoln County by Alfred Nixon. Various editions/reprints of an article in North Carolina Booklet, vol. IX, no. 3, Jan. 1910.
  • Online at Archive.org and http://www.ncgenweb.us/lincoln/ncl_nixon.htm
• 975.6782 HER NCC. Heritage of Lincoln County (pub. 1997) by the Lincoln County Heritage Book Committee. Surname index only.

Print Sources

• 929.1 NOR NCC. "Marriage and Death Notices from Extant Lincolnton Newspapers, 1836 - 1853". Two part article in North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal. Marriages are in vol. 2 no. 2 (April 1976), p. 62 - 84 and deaths in vol. 2 no. 3 (July 1976), p. 136 - 146.
• 929.3 BYN NCC. Marriage Bonds of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina by Curtis Bynum
• Cross-Index of Bondspersons to Grooms for “Marriage Bonds of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina” by Ray Yount.
  Go to: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~ncglgs/MarriageBonds.htm
• 929.3 DEL NCC. Lincoln County, N. C.: Index to Vital Statistics – Deaths (4 vols in 2). 1913 - 1992.
• 929.3 ING NCC. Lincoln County, North Carolina Marriage Records, 1783 - 1866.
• 929.3 LIN NCC. Lincoln County, North Carolina Marriage Records (3 vols). 1868 - 1936. Vol. 1, 1868-1886--Vol. 2, 1887-1900--Vol. 3, 1901-1936.
• Microfilm. Lincoln County: Record of Freedmen's Marriages, 1866.  1 roll microfilm.
• Microfilm Marriage register, 1851-1971. 2 rolls microfilm.

Online Sources

FamilySearch.org, a free web site, has multiple databases of births, deaths, and marriages.

• Birth

  • North Carolina, Birth Index, 1800-2000.  Name index.

  • North Carolina, Births and Christenings, 1866-1964.  Name index.

• Marriage
  • North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979.  With record images.

    • Includes Lincoln County Cohabitation records, 1866; Lincoln County Marriage bonds, 1779-1868;  Lincoln County Marriage licenses, 1912-1920; and Lincoln County Marriage registers, 1851-1869.

  • North Carolina, Marriages, 1759-1979.  Name index.

  • North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970. Browse images.

    • Includes Lincoln County Marriage records, 1892-1916.

  • Marriage licenses (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1868-1961 includes Marriage licenses, 1868 - 1961 (Browse images)

• Divorce and Separation

  • Lincoln County, North Carolina divorce records, 1811-1899, 1914, 1916, 1920-1921.

  • Maiden names of divorced women records, 1942-1964. Lincoln County (North Carolina). Superior Court Clerk

  • North Carolina, Lincoln County, divorce records, 1942-1969

  • Land records (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1763-1961; index, 1763-1907,1893-1964. Includes Deeds of Separation.

• Death

  • North Carolina, Deaths and Burials, 1898-1994.  Name index.

  • North Carolina, Deaths, 1906-1930.  Images of death certificates are included.

  • North Carolina, Deaths, 1931-1994.  Index, with some images of death certificates included.
    (Select "View the Record Details" for possible death certificate image)

• Bastardy Bonds (Illegitimate children)

  • Lincoln County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes 1779-1868.
    Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236177

  • Bastardy bonds and records Lincoln County 1880-1893.

• Cohabitation Records

  • North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979.  With record images.
    Includes Lincoln County Cohabitation records, 1866; Lincoln County Marriage bonds, 1779-1868;  Lincoln County Marriage licenses, 1912-1920; and Lincoln County Marriage registers, 1851-1869.

  • North Carolina Digital Collections Lincoln County Cohabitation Records

• Ancestry Library Edition (for in-library use only) includes indexes and some actual certificates for North Carolina marriages, births, and deaths. Keep in mind that the statewide birth and death registration started in 1913 in North Carolina.
  • North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011, Includes marriage bonds, licenses, certificates, and registers, as well as indexes and abstracts to the various records from 87 North Carolina counties. Of special interest to African American researchers are records of cohabitation, which were required to be recorded in 1866 in order for the marriages of recently emancipated enslaved people to be legally recognized.
    [Ancestry Library Edition available for in-library use only at all Gaston County Library locations.]
  • Marriage Bonds of Tryon and Lincoln Counties, North Carolina by Curtis Bynum is included in Ancestry's North Carolina, Marriage Records, 1741-2011.

• North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Available in Ancestry Library Edition (for in-library use only).
  Includes Estate Records, Wills 1765-1779; Wills 1824-1939; and more.
• Lincoln County, North Carolina, will records, 1824-1964, will index, 1772-1964; estate records, 1735-1914
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236139
• Lincoln County, North Carolina, wills and estate papers, 1663-1978
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/457028
• North Carolina, Estate Files, 1663-1979 (Not all counties are Indexed. Use Lincoln County Surname Letter index)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1911121
  N.C. Estate Files, Lincoln County Index of names also available.
• North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501

Print Sources

• 929.3 ING NCC Lincoln County, North Carolina Abstracts of Wills - Frances Terry Ingmire. Publication Date: 2004. v.1. 1824-1838.
• 929.3 PHI NCC Lincoln County, North Carolina Will Abstracts 1779-1910 - Miles S. Philbeck. Publication Date: 1986.

Miscellaneous Lincoln County newspapers are available online. Please check our Historical Newspapers guide.
Go to: http://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/serials/historical-newpapers

Online Sources:

• Lincoln Republican, Jan 23, 1840 - May 25, 1842.
• Lincoln Courier, Jul 30, 1845 - Sep 20, 1895.
• Carolina Republican, Sep 5, 1848 - Jan 27, 1853.
• The Constitution (Lincolnton, N.C.) - 1880
• The Trumpet (Lincolnton, N.C.) - 1886-1888
• The Lincoln Democrat (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1895-1896
• The Lincoln Journal (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1895-1906
• The Lincoln Courier (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1891
• Lincoln Transcript (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1836
• The Western Whig Banner (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1840
• Lincoln Progress (Lincolnton, N.C.) – 1873-1882
• The Lincoln Times (Lincolnton, N.C.) - 1907-1962
• Lincoln Times, June 20, 1935 - April 28, 1955.
• The Historic North Carolina Digital Newspaper Collection contains Lincolnton newspapers including the Lincoln Courier, Lincoln Progress, Lincoln Transcript, The Carolina Republican, The Constitution, The Hokeville Express, Lincoln County News, Lincoln County Times, The Lincoln Courier, The Lincoln Democrat, The Lincoln Journal, The Lincoln Times, The Trumpet, The Western Whig Banner, Tri-Weekly Courier.
  Log in to NC Live with your library card number to access this collection.
  Go to: https://www.nclive.org/cgi-bin/nclsm?rsrc=411

For any additional newspapers, please contact the Jonas Library, Lincolnton (see below).

Microfilm at the Jonas Library, Lincolnton:

• Lincoln Republican, Jan 23, 1840 - May 25, 1842.
• Lincoln Courier, 1845-1851 and 1867.
• Carolina Republican, Sep 5, 1848 - Jan 27, 1853.
• Lincoln Progress, May 17, 1873 - Mar 11, 1882.
• Lincoln Courier, Sep 16, 1887 - Sep 20, 1895.
• Lincoln Democrat, Sep 27, 1895 - Dec 24, 1896.
• Lincoln County News, Jan 2, 1925 - Dec 29, 1939.
• Lincoln Times, Jan 3, 1938 - Dec 30, 1940.
• Lincoln County News, Jan 2, 1941 - Sep 30, 1965.
• Lincoln Times News, Jan 3, 1963 - May 27, 1985; Jan 1, 1986 to date.
• "Miscellaneous" issues of papers including: Lincoln Transcript, 1836; Western Whig Banner, 1840; Hokeville Express, 1855; The Trumpet, 1887; The Constitution, 1880; The Plow, Forge & Grip, 1891; and the Lincoln Journal, 1898-1901.

Visit Census LibGuide for more information about United States and North Carolina Census records.

Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/census

Our North Carolina Collection includes city directories for Lincolnton. It is not a complete collection; please check our guide to the city directories to see if the volume you need is in the collection.
Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/city-directories

Online Sources

Digital images of many Lincoln County records can be found at FamilySearch.org.
Tip: FamilySearch collections are images of the actual records as microfilmed. This means that they may include internal indexes that you can access by browsing to locate specific names even before the collection is indexed by Family Search.

• North Carolina, Lincoln County, civil action papers, 1771-1918 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2017885
• North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1916185
• North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501
  • Lincoln County Orders and decrees, 1868-1954 Book 1-32. May include adoptions, name changes, incompetency (lunacy) hearings, and many estate and guardian matters.
  • General Index Special Proceedings, Orders, Decrees, Adoptions and Lunacy Proceedings - Lincoln County From 1868.
• Court minutes of Tryon County, 1769-1779
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/327304
• Court minutes of Tryon and Lincoln counties, North Carolina, 1769-1782.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/12833
• Lincoln County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes 1779-1868.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236177
• Lincoln County Superior Court of Law and Equity Minutes 1816-1868.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236181
• Lincoln County Superior Court Minutes,1842-1964.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236192
• Cross index to judgments, 1858-1941
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/684685
• Lincoln County Enrolling docket, 1812-1859 [some years missing]; Enrolling docket 1860-1868.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/685046
• Trial appearance and reference docket court of pleas and quarter sessions, 1772-1778
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2246859
• Lincoln County Record of official bonds, 1874-1901
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/684683
• Lincoln County, North Carolina slave records, 1784-1864 (Starts on IMAGE 510)
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1283316
• Lincoln Co., North Carolina pension records, 1885-1894, 1901-1907
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1283294
• North Carolina, Lincoln, Stokes and unidentified counties, miscellaneous record. (Includes Lincoln County criminal indictments and Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for criminal cases)
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2246819

Print Sources

• 929.3 LIN NCC Lincoln County, North Carolina : Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions. - Anne Williams McAllister & Kathy Gunter Sullivan. Publication Date: 1987. 5 vols. 1779-1812.
• 975.678 LIN NCC Lincoln County, NC trial and appearance docket (1783-1795), Albert B. Pruitt. 2016.

State Archives of North Carolina

• The State Archives of North Carolina has original records for Lincoln County. Contact Archives of North Carolina for availability.
• Trial Docket, Superior Court, 1843-1870 (CR.060.322) available at State Archives of North Carolina. Volume CR.060.322.005 includes Clerk's Minute Docket (Special Proceedings), 1869-1889. Footprints In Time by The Gaston Lincoln Genealogical Society. Call Number: 929.1 F N.C.C (Mar 2017, p.19) article discusses these records.
• Orders and Decrees and Special Proceedings 1868-1968. [CR.060.922] "Scope and Content  Includes records created in hearings before the clerk. These have sometimes been distributed among other series of records based on subject: see also Court Records subseries 919, Inebriates, Lunacy, and Judicial Hospitalizations Records; series 4, Land and Property Records; series 5, Estates Records; and series 6, Marriage, Divorce, and Vital Statistics, subseries 604, Divorce Records, and subseries 901, Adoption Records, if available." Available at the Archives of North Carolina.
  • Lincoln County Orders and decrees, 1868-1954 Book 1-32 and General Index Special Proceedings, Orders, Decrees, Adoptions and Lunacy Proceedings - Lincoln County From 1868 are available online through Family Search. They are part of the North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
    Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501

You can search our Catalog by Keyword for: Lincoln County microform or simply ask the Reference Desk at the Gastonia Main Library for help finding records.

More in Our Guides

• Gaston - Lincoln Biography & History Index. Find biographical information “buried” in our book and journal collection.
• The United States Census for Genealogists: 1790 – 1940. Detailed information on our holdings of original and transcribed census records.
• The United States Census for Genealogists: 1940
• Lincoln County Cemeteries.
• Lincolnton City Directories
• Lincoln County Records on Microfilm

Online Sources

Digital images of many Lincoln County records can be found at FamilySearch.org.

• Lincoln Co., North Carolina school related papers, including student lists, 1845-1863, 1883-1884, 1893-1897, 1899.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1281691
  NOTE: Some transcriptions of these records are available in Footprints In Time by The Gaston Lincoln Genealogical Society. Call Number: 929.1 F N.C.C. Check the Tables of Contents for "Lincoln County School Records"
• Minutes, 1885-1964. Lincoln County (North Carolina). Board of Education
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236154

Print Sources (Available at Gastonia Main Library):

• 929.3 PRU NCC. Lincoln County, NC Land Grants (1779-1802)
• 929.3 PRU NCC. Lincoln County, NC Land Grants (1802-1952)
• 929.3 PRU NCC. Index of People in Lincoln County, NC Deed Books 1-4 and 16-51.
• 929.3 PRU NCC. Index of Places in Lincoln County, NC Deed Books 1-4 and 16-51.
• 929.3756 PRU NCC Abstracts of Land Entries. - Albert Bruce Pruitt. 4 vols. (1778 – 1953)
• 929.3756 PRU NCC. Abstracts of Deeds, Lincoln Co., NC. - Albert Bruce Pruitt.  13 vols. (1786-1880)
• 929.3756 PRU NCC Abstracts of Lincoln Co., NC: Land Entries 1780 & 1795-1797; Land Processions 1789-1834, & Lincolnton, NC Deeds 1785-1868. - Albert Bruce Pruitt. 1 vol.

Online Sources

At the Lincoln County Geographic Information System (GIS) website, you can locate an online county property record, searching by owner name, parcel, address, road name, and state road number. Also search by deed or plat reference.You can select optional map "Layers" on the left side. Select "Photography" in the upper right corner for aerial photographs from different years.
Go to: https://www.lincolncounty.org/289/GIS

Lincoln County Land Records are on the Register of Deeds web page. This site is easier to use if you start with the print indexes above and the Lincoln County GIS.
Go to: http://lincolnrod.com/

Index to Land Warrants, Plats of Survey, and Related Land Grant Records, 1679-1959. Tennessee and North Carolina counties arranged alphabetical by county. Click on the link for “Show advanced search options”. Type “Land Warrants, Plats of Survey” into the Title search field.
Includes 12.14.82 Lincoln County (4307 files).
Go to: https://archives.ncdcr.gov/search-catalog/search-doc

Digital images of many Lincoln County land records can be found at FamilySearch.org in the following collections:

• Real estate conveyances (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1769-1911; indexes, 1769-1923.
  (NOTE: 929.3 PRU NCC. Index of People in Lincoln County, NC Deed Books 1-4 and 16-51 by Albert Bruce Pruitt will help you locate deeds in this Family Search collection)
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/77350
• Land records (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1763-1961; index, 1763-1907,1893-1964.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/399872
• Lincoln County land entries, 1783-1795,1798-1853.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/269677
• North Carolina warrants, surveys and related documents. Includes Tryon (Lincoln) County.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1888591
• Land records, North Carolina and Tennessee; indexes, 1600-1959 contains Land warrants, Lincoln County, no. 1 - 3791 and 01-0526.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/695114
• Sales and resales of land records, 1921-1964.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236239
• Lincoln County Levies on land (1 unlabeled volume) 1838-1846.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/685830

Tax Records

• Transcriptions of Lincoln County, NC Tax Records - NC GenWeb Project. Search for taxpayer names and places on tax lists.
  Go to: http://www.ncgenweb.us/lincoln/tax/taxrec.htm
• Tax lists (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1784-1886 Includes Lincoln County Tax lists, undated; tax lists, 1784-1785, 1789, 1792, 1805-1806, 1817-1820, 182]-1822, 1825-1836, 1839, 1837-1840, 1841-1844, 1846-1849, 1850, 1851-1853, 1856-1857, 1858-1859, 1860-1886.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1642737
• Footprints In Time by The Gaston Lincoln Genealogical Society. Call Number: 929.1 F N.C.C
  Includes 1805 Lincoln County Tax List of Captain Thomas Ferguson; 1817 and 1819 Tax List of Lincoln County; The 1818 Lincoln County Tax List for Captain Abraham Mauney's Company; Lincoln County Tax List (Capt. Glenn's Company); Lincoln County Tax List 1844; Capt. Robinson Company 1850 Tax List; Capt. Henderson's 1850 Tax List. See Footprints In Time -- INDEX for Volume and page.
• 929.3756 PRU NCC Lincoln County, NC Tax List 1837 - Albert Bruce Pruitt. Publication Date: 1988.
• United States Internal Revenue Assessment Lists, 1862-1874 (Browse by State or Territory) 
  Includes the 1866 Lincoln County Tax List.                       
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/2075263
• Internal revenue assessment list for North Carolina, 1864-1866 Scroll down for 2 rolls of District collections. District 6 annual list for Gaston and Lincoln start on Image 741 of roll 2.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/577904
• North Carolina, County Records, 1833-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Includes Lincoln County Tax Records 1868-1913; 1914-1924. Digital images of originals housed at the North Carolina Records Center, Raleigh, North Carolina.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2029065
• Lincoln County Inheritance tax record 1921-1964.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/film/007640788

   

  Tax Records, 1784-1927 available at the State Archives of North Carolina. Includes CR.060.701 List of Taxables, Tax Lists, Tax Records, 1784 - 1886 (available Family Search) and 1916 -1927.

Voter Registration Records

• 929.2 GRA NCC "Grandfather Clause" Voter Registration : Lincoln County, North Carolina, 1902-1908 - Paul H. Dellinger. Publication Date: [1985.]
• Lincoln County Permanent Registration of Voters, 1902-1908. Lincoln County (N.C.). Clerk of Superior Court. List of permanent voters under the Grandfather Clause in North Carolina in Lincoln County from 1902-1908. The State Archives of North Carolina.
  Search by Title for "Lincoln County Permanent Registration of Voters, 1902-1908"
  Go to: https://digital.ncdcr.gov/advancedsearch
• Lincoln Co., North Carolina permanent roll of registered voters, 1902-1908. Includes the following townships: Lincolnton, Catawba Springs, Ironton, Howards Creek, North Brook.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1281696
• FamilySearch.org has the North Carolina, Voter Registers and Certificates of Registration, 1868-1964. Index and images of voter registration lists and certificates of permanent registration from various counties in North Carolina. Includes the following Lincoln County, N.C. townships: Lincolnton, Catawba Springs, Ironton, Howards Creek, North Brook.
  Go To: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/3326982

Jury Records

• Lincoln Co., North Carolina jury lists, other records, ca. 1772-1919. (IMAGE 133 - 785)
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/1281699

Reasons given by called jurors for inattendance in court 1797 - 1832 (IMAGES 374 - 462)
Lists of Jurors 1830-1859 (IMAGES 463 - 664)
Lists of Jurors 1860 - 1919 Broken Series (IMAGES 665 - 785)

• North Carolina, Lincoln County, poor records, 1764-1868. Warden of the Poor, Lincoln County, 1820-1868, C.060.90005, 1820-1868.

Family Search

• Lincoln County, North Carolina, probate records, 1831-1964
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/245267
  • Includes Guardians records 1924-1964 and Guardian bonds 1868-1925.
• North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501
  • Lincoln County Orders and decrees, 1868-1954 Book 1-32. Records may include adoptions, name changes, incompetency (lunacy) hearings, and estate and guardian matters. NOTE: Name index at front of each roll may not indicate type of record for that name.
  • General Index Special Proceedings, Orders, Decrees, Adoptions and Lunacy Proceedings - Lincoln County From 1868. Indexed A-Z by Defendants then Plaintiffs. NOTE: If name is not located in the Special Proceedings general index, then search the name index at the beginning of each roll of the Orders and Decrees.
• See also Probate Records: Wills, Estates section for records that may contain guardianship information.

Ancestry Library Edition

• Ancestry Library Edition (only available in all library branches) North Carolina, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998. Includes Accounts; Administrators, Bonds; Appointment of Administrators, Executors, and Guardians; Appointment of Executors; Apprentice Bonds and Records; Estates; Executor and Guardian Records; Executors Index; Executors Records; Guardian Bonds; Guardian Index; Guardian Records; Index to Appointment of Administrators, Executors, Guardians, and Trustees; Orders and Decrees; Wills; Sales and Inventories of Estates; Settlements; Special Proceedings Docket; Will Records and Index; Wills 1663-1978; Estate Papers 1839-1951.
  •  Includes Lincoln County Guardians Records, 1924-1964 and Guardian Bonds, 1868-1925.

Microfilm

• Lincoln County Microfilm Records. Microfilm copies of the following Lincoln County records are in the North Carolina Collection:
  • Guardian bonds, 1868-1925;
  • Estate files, 1779-1925.
  • Record of estates, 1847-1863.
  • See Lincoln County Records on Microfilm for more records.

• North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501
  • Lincoln County Orders and decrees, 1868-1954 Book 1-32. Records may include adoptions, name changes, incompetency (lunacy) hearings, and estate and guardian matters. NOTE: Name index at front of each roll may not indicate type of record for that name.
  • General Index Special Proceedings, Orders, Decrees, Adoptions and Lunacy Proceedings - Lincoln County From 1868. Indexed A-Z by Defendants then Plaintiffs. NOTE: Some adoptions were located in this record, however not all adoptions may have been indexed. If name is not located in the Special Proceedings general index, then search the name index at the beginning of each roll of the Orders and Decrees.
• North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/1911121
  • Lincoln County, North Carolina, will records, 1824-1964, will index, 1772-1964; estate records, 1735-1914 Includes Petitions for Adoption in some of the Estate Records.
    Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236139
• Land records (Lincoln County, North Carolina), 1763-1961; index, 1763-1907,1893-1964.
  Includes Deeds of Separation which sometime mention Petitions for Adoption.

Family Search

• Lincoln County, North Carolina, County Court Minutes 1779-1868. Includes "bound out" records for child apprenticeships.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236177
• Apprentice bonds, 1869-1887 and 1893-1917
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236170

• North Carolina, Probate Records, 1735-1970 (Not indexed, but you can browse images)
  Go to: https://familysearch.org/search/collection/1867501
  • Lincoln County Orders and decrees, 1868-1954 Book 1-32.
  • General Index Special Proceedings, Orders, Decrees, Adoptions and Lunacy Proceedings - Lincoln County From 1868.

• The State Archives of North Carolina hold the following records:

  Inebriates, Lunacy, and Judicial Hospitalizations Records, 1899-1968 (Lincoln County, North Carolina)
  Record ID: CR.060.919
  Date Expression: 1899-1968
  From Date: 1899
  Thru Date: 1968

  Scope and Content:  Records include documentation of hearings for commitment of insane persons and inebriates, listing the name of the alleged lunatic, oaths of parties testifying to his/her lunacy, and copies of the clerk's order of commitment and the superintendent of the state hospital's order of release. See also Court Records subseries 922, Orders and Decrees and Special Proceedings. [CR.060.922]
  
  Search the Discover Online Catalog by the title, "Inebriates, Lunacy, and Judicial Hospitalizations Records, 1899-1968"
  Search Record ID: CR.060.919 for Lincoln County. These records are available at the State Archives of North Carolina.

• Chattel mortgages, Gaston County, 1914-1915. Bound account book that includes a handwritten personal property inventory for men and women in Gaston County between 1914 and 1915. (Some Lincoln and Cleveland County records are included)
  Go to: https://lib.digitalnc.org/record/24539

Miscellaneous Records

Digital images of many Lincoln County records can be found at FamilySearch.org in the following collections:

• North Carolina, Lincoln County, miscellaneous record, 1764-1923 (Includes Misc papers, box #83, 1786-1867; and Misc records, 1778-1847) "Miscellaneous Records contains a variety of records including those that do not fall easily into the main record categories as well as those that were in too small of a quantity to be catalogued separately."  View State Archives description of contents for Lincoln County Miscellaneous Records
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/2246818
• The State Archives has County Record Box Lists including Miscellaneous Records. These are lists of names and description of contents, not links to digital copies.

Board of County Commissioners

• Access the Lincoln County Board of Commissioners Archived Meeting Minutes for Board of Commissioners’ approved meeting minutes for public release and review from 1997 through 2020.
• Lincoln County (North Carolina). Board of County Commissioners Minutes, 1870-1964 (Family Search) 
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236149

Bridge and Road Records

• 929.3 DUN NCC v.1 Lincoln County Road Records (1781-1822), Bridge Records (1813-1868) - Stewart E. Dunaway. Publication Date: 2012. -- v.2 Lincoln County road records, volume 2 (1823-1832) -- v.3 Lincoln County road records, volume 3 (1833-1869) Copies of original images.

Incorporation records

• Incorporation records, 1887-1941 (Lincoln County North Carolina. Superior Court Clerk) include Certificates of Incorporation, Dissolution, and Amendment to the Charter. Also includes Suspension and Reinstatement of Charters.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/236146

Post Office

• Postmaster Appointments for Lincoln County, North Carolina. Record of Appointments of Postmasters, 1832-Sept. 30, 1971. M841. Roll 94. National Archives. Go to: https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78762802
• Maps: Post Office includes North Carolina post route maps, and North Carolina Postmark Catalog.

Microfilm

• Lincoln County Records on Microfilm (Not all microfilm records are available online)
  Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/records-on-microfilm/lincoln-county

Journals

• 929.1 FOO NCC. Footprints in Time. Vol. 1 (1987) – to date.
  • Published by the Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society
    Go to: http://gastonlincoln.org/
  • Footprints in Time INDEX: 1987 - 2015
    Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/footprints_in_time_index
• 929.1 ESW NCC. Eswau Huppeday. Vol. 1 (1981) – to date.
  • The journal of the Broad River Genealogical Society in Cleveland County includes material from surrounding counties with much from Lincoln County.
    Go to: http://broadrivergen.org
• 929.1 BUL NCC. Bulletin of the Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County. Vol. 1 (1974) – to date.
  • Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County searchable online index listing of the contents of Volume I (1973) through Volume XLV (2017) of the Bulletin.
    Go to: http://www.oldtryon.com/
  • Note: Lincoln County was part of the old Tryon County.

• The Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County, P. O. Box 938, Forest City, N. C. 28043
  Go to: http://www.oldtryon.com/
• The Broad River Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 2261, Shelby, NC 28151-2261
  Go to: http://broadrivergen.org
• Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society
  Go to: http://gastonlincoln.org/
• More local HISTORY and GENEALOGY organizations.
  Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/local-organizations/history
  Go to: https://gastonlibrary.libguides.com/local-organizations/genealogy

Books relating to Lincoln County genealogy may be purchased from:

• Gaston-Lincoln Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 584, Mount Holly, NC 28120.
  Go to: http://gastonlincoln.org/
• Broad River Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 2261, Shelby, NC 28151-2261.
  Go to: http://broadrivergen.org
• The gift shop at the Gaston County Museum of Art and History in Dallas, NC.
  Go to: http://www.gastoncountymuseum.org/

Lincoln County Library

The Charles R. Jonas Library in Lincolnton has a North Carolina Collection with an extensive collection of surname files, Lincoln County newspapers on microfilm, directories, and other resources.
Go to: https://www.lincolncounty.org/986/Library

Lincoln County Historical Association & Museum

The Lincoln County Historical Association collects and preserves historical information and materials relating to Lincoln County History. You can view these items at the Lincoln County Museum of History, located in the Lincoln Cultural Center.

Please call for hours.

Online

• NC GenWeb page for Lincoln County
  Go to: http://www.ncgenweb.us/lincoln/index.htm
• Lincoln County NC Genweb Archives
  Go to: http://www.usgwarchives.net/nc/lincoln.htm
• Ancestry Message Board; you don't need an Ancestry membership to use the boards.
  Go to: http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.northam.usa.states.northcarolina.counties.lincoln/mb.ashx
• On the FamilySearch Wiki, Lincoln County, North Carolina Genealogy.
  Go to: https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/Lincoln_County,_North_Carolina_Genealogy

The Gaston County Public Library staff welcomes requests for specific information from those who are unable to use the collection in person.

Please email: