North Carolina Genealogy Forum  |  North Carolina Genealogy Newsletter



Suggest a resource/link or submit an article for inclusion

Chatham

The county was formed in 1771 from Orange County. It was named, like Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1758, for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, who served as British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1768 and opposed harsh colonial policies.

In 1907 parts of Chatham County and Moore County were combined to form Lee County. The award winning PBS Documentary Family Name notes Chatham County as the place the relationship between the African-American and European-American branches of the Alston family originated. George Moses Horton, Historic Poet Laureate of Chatham County, North Carolina (1797?-1883) lived most of his life in Chatham County and is among the few slaves to have published material while still a slave.
Source Wikipedia

The Cape Fear river begins in Chatham County where the Haw and Deep River’s join. This is below B. Everett Jordan Lake which is used for flood control and as a reservoir. It is controlled by the Army Corps of Engineers. It’s also part of the Jordan Lake State Recreation Area. The county is in North Carolina Slate Belt and the groundwater is full of minerals for which a resort near Mt. Vernon Springs gained renown in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The resort is gone, but the springs are owned by a local Church. Chatham county is also home to the only workable coal deposits in the state of North Carolina.

The county seat of Chatham County is Pittsboro. Chatham County contains the following townships: Albright, Baldwin, Bear Creek, Cape Fear, Center, Gulf, Hadley, Haw River, Hickory Mountain, Matthews, New Hope, Oakland, and Williams.

Sites of interest in Chatham County are the Carnivore Preservation Trust, Chatham County Historical Museuem, Jordan Lake Educational State Forest, the North Carolina Railroad Museum and the Fearrington Village and House.

Chatham County NCGenweb Site
Chatham County NCGenweb Archives (Digital Library)

Chatham County Historical Association, Inc.
P.O. Box 913
Pittsboro, NC 27312

Chatham County Courthouse
PO Box 87
County Courthouse
Pittsboro, NC 27312

Chatham County Public Libraries
The Wren Memorial Library
500 N. 2nd Avenue
Siler City, NC 27344

Census

1790 Federal Census - Hillsborough District - transcription

1800 Federal Census Index

1800 Federal Census transcription - part 1 of 3
1800 Federal Census transcription - part 2 of 3
1800 Federal Census transcription - part 3 of 3

1810 Federal Census Index

1820 Federal Census Index - by last name only

1820 Federal Census transcription Directory opens to listing of text files 1820cena.txt through 1820cend.txt

1830 Federal Census Index - by last name only

1840 Federal Census Index - by last name only

1850 Federal Census Index - by last name only

1850 Federal Census and Index transcribed Directory opens to listing of text files for index *(idx .txt) and text files by page number (pg .txt)

1850 Federal Census Transcription - Lower regiment

1850 Federal Census Transcription - Lower regiment - Free blacks

1850 Federal Census Transcription - Upper Regiment

1850 Federal Census Transcription - Upper Regiment - Free Blacks

Cemeteries

USGS listing of Cemeteries of Chatham County

Cemetery Transcriptions

Query Forums

Chatham County, NC Query Forum
Latest North Carolina Genealogy Query posts for Chatham County from the Forum:

North Carolina Genealogy Forum: Forum: Chatham County NC Genealogy Queries - Recent Topics

Ann on “Obediah William Leonard b abt 1775″

I am researching Obediah William Leonard Sr b abt 1775 in N C m Sarah Williams abt 1795. I have the son of Obediah William and Sarah as Obediah Jr. b 1795 and Thomas b abt 1780 in Grayson Co Virginia. Obediah Sr. d abt 1870 in Sebastain Co. Ark. Can anyone tell me who was Obediah William’s his first wife?


Chatham County, NC at Genforum

Cities and towns of Chatham County:

Bear Creek
Bennett
Bonlee
Bynum
Fearrington Village
Goldston
Gulf
Harpers Crossroads
Moncure
Pittsboro (County Seat)
Siler City
Silk Hope

News related to Chatham County, NC

“chatham county” nc - Google News

Silver Alert issued for missing Chatham man - Greensboro News Record

Silver Alert issued for missing Chatham man
Greensboro News Record, NC - 7 hours ago
RALEIGH — The NC Center for Missing Persons has issued a Silver Alert for Dan L. Frazier, a missing man who lives in Chatham County.
Silver Alert issued for missing Chatham man News & Observer
Missing Chatham Co. Man Last Seen In Cary MyNC.com
Silver Alert issued for missing Chapel Hill man WRAL.com
all 5 news articles




Area schools to get Internet funds - Durham Herald Sun

Area schools to get Internet funds
Durham Herald Sun, NC - Nov 29, 2008
Chatham County schools were surprised with the amount they received, $95880, which was about $35000 more than expected. "We were happily surprised to find




On Exhibit: Area Galleries and Museums - Winston-Salem Journal


Winston-Salem Journal
On Exhibit: Area Galleries and Museums
Winston-Salem Journal, NC - Nov 29, 2008
31: "100 under $100," works by more than 90 Chatham County artists. Reception: Noon until 5 pm next Sunday. Free. Phone: 919-542-4144.




Group buying 286 acres of pines - Durham Herald Sun

Group buying 286 acres of pines
Durham Herald Sun, NC - Nov 27, 2008
By Neil Offen : The Herald-Sun PITTSBORO — The Triangle Land Conservancy has purchased 286 acres in the "Forks of the River" area of Chatham County's Deep




John Brown, longtime NC legislator, dies at home - Wilkes Journal Patriot

John Brown, longtime NC legislator, dies at home
Wilkes Journal Patriot, NC - Nov 21, 2008
by Staff Retired NC State House Representative John Walter Brown, 90, of Austin-Traphill Road, Elkin (in the Benham community), who served in the state
Former NC Rep. Brown dies at 90 The Daily Advance
all 15 news articles




Chatham 4-H livestock club members participate at NC state fair - Chatham Journal Weekly


Chatham Journal Weekly
Chatham 4-H livestock club members participate at NC state fair
Chatham Journal Weekly, NC - Nov 24, 2008
Pittsboro, NC - Members of the Chatham County Charging Champions 4-H Livestock Club participated in beef and dairy competitions at the North Carolina State


Suggest a resource/link or submit an article for inclusion