North Carolina Genealogy

Vance County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 42,954. Its county seat is Henderson.

The county was formed in 1881 from parts of Franklin County, Granville County, and Warren County. According to the 1955 book, Zeb’s Black Baby, by Samuel Thomas Peace Sr., “The formation of Vance County was accomplished largely as a political expediency. It was in 1881 when Blacks in large numbers were voting solidly Republican. Granville and Franklin Counties were nip and tuck, Democratic or Republican. From the Democratic standpoint, Warren County was hopelessly Republican. But by taking from Granville, Franklin and Warren, those sections that were heavily Republican and out of these sections forming the new county of Vance, the Democratic party could lose Vance to the Republicans and save Granville and Franklin for the Democrats. [U.S.] Senator [Zebulon Baird] Vance was a Democrat. He took kindly to this move and thanked the [North Carolina] Legislature for honoring him with naming the new county after him. At the same time…Vance showed his humor by always referring to Vance County as ‘Zeb’s Black Baby.’” In the 1890 Census, Vance County was more than 63 percent African American.

Zebulon Baird Vance was a Governor of North Carolina (1862-1865, 1877-1879) and United States senator (1879-1894). In 1881, he was arguably the state’s most popular politician.

Kerr Lake is in Vance County and is the largest man made lake east of the Mississippi River (50,000 acres). It was designed as flood control for Eastern North Carolina. It is currently a state recreation area and tourist attraction. The lake was named for congressman John H. Kerr a supporter of the lake project.

Vance County Tourism Department

The county is divided into eight townships: Dabney, Henderson, Kittrell, Middleburg, Sandy Creek, Townsville, Watkins, and Williamsboro.

Source Wikipedia.

Vance County History – article from the official Vance County Web Site.

Vance County Genealogy Resources

Vance County NCGenweb site Official NCGenweb Site

USGenWeb Archives – for Vance County, NC Genealogy Document Transcriptions

NCVance – Independent Vance County History and Genealogy Site (Not affiliated with the Genweb Project.)

Vance County, North Carolina American History and Genealogy Project

Vance County Historical Society
P.O. Box 2284
Henderson, NC 27536

Vance County Government

Vance County Government
122 Young Street
Henderson, NC 27536

Register of Deeds
Vance County
(252)738-2110
122 Young Street, Suite F
Henderson, NC 27536
8:30am – 5:00pm

H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library
205 Breckenridge St.
Henderson, NC 27536
Telephone: (252) 438-3316

A local newspaper for Vance County is The Daily Dispatch Henderson, NC

Census

Cemeteries

USGS Listing of Cemeteries in Vance County, NC

Cemetery Transcriptions – at NCVance (Plank Chapel at time of posting)

Cemetery Transcriptions – USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription project – Island Creek Baptist Church, Kittrell Confederate Cemetery, Plank Chapel, Savage Cemetery, Woodlief Cemetery.

Cemetery Transcriptions – WPA historical records survey (1940) – Pre 1914 burials only.

Kittrell Confederate Cemetery transcription – at NCGenWeb site for Vance County.

Cemetery Transcriptions 30-35 text files with cemetery name as title of file – USGenweb Archives – may duplicate information at the Tombstone Transcription project.

Vance County Cemetery Census

Query Forums

Vance County, NC Query Forum

Latest North Carolina Genealogy Query posts for Vance County from the Forum:

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Vance County, NC at Genforum

Cities and Towns of Vance County, NC

* Henderson
* Kittrell
* Middleburg
* South Henderson

News related to Vance County, NC

“vance county” nc – Google News

Arrests, citations in Henderson, Vance County – Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration)

Arrests, citations in Henderson, Vance County Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration) She was placed in Vance County Jail pending a court hearing June 24. • Michael Ryall, 28, of 3818 N.C. 56, Creedmoor, was arrested April 30 on a misdemeanor charge of communicating threats. He was served with a criminal summons at 550 West Andrews …

Director expected to be recognized at Vance school board meeting – Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration)

Director expected to be recognized at Vance school board meeting Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration) Pamela Jackson, recently appointed exceptional children's director for Vance County Schools, is expected to be recognized by the N.C. Association of Educators during Monday night's school board meeting. Jackson replaced Bobbie Richardson as EC …

Durham named to school board – South Hill Enterprise

Durham named to school board South Hill Enterprise Ewell, a music teacher with Vance County Schools, indicated that she wanted to support high quality instruction by local teachers and increase students' global competitiveness. Crews, an activity assistant with … At last week's meeting, the board … and more »

Program with tarps will help outdoor cleanliness – Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration)

Program with tarps will help outdoor cleanliness Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration) “We're going to begin distributing to residents when they come into the transfer station,” said Lee Bodenhamer, general manager at Waste Industries Vance County. “It is against the law to haul waste without a tarp over it, and that's regardless of …

Boys & Girls Clubs: Vance County teen named ‘Youth of the Year’ – Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration)

Boys & Girls Clubs: Vance County teen named 'Youth of the Year' Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration) Boys & Girls Clubs: Vance County teen named 'Youth of the Year'. May. 17, 2013 @ 09:11 PM. B&G – Youth of Year.jpg. Tyree A. Green. The Boys & Girls Clubs of North Central North Carolina recently named Tyree A. Green its 2013 Youth of the Year.

Solar farms begin acquiring permits – Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration)

Solar farms begin acquiring permits Henderson Daily Dispatch (registration) According to Jordan McMillen, director of the planning department, two projects, one on Bearpond Road in Henderson and one on N.C. 39 South about halfway between Henderson and the Vance County line, have received approval for conditional use …