Madison County Genealogy
- Formed 1851
- Parent county / earlier Buncombe, Yancey
- County seat Marshall
- Neighbors buncombe, yancey, haywood
Photos & maps
What’s new
- Charleston-class research hub: history essay, record matrix, towns, repositories, and local history news.
- Formation 1851 from Buncombe, Yancey — search parents for earlier events.
- Seat: Marshall · Library: Madison County Public Library.
- Method guides: Start here · Formation · Census.
In-depth topics
Towns & communities
Madison County was formed in 1851 from Buncombe, Yancey. The county seat is Marshall. Neighboring counties include buncombe, yancey, haywood.
This hub combines a modern research floor—record matrix, towns, repositories, news—with local history narrative. Always search parent jurisdictions for pre-formation events.
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Asheville, North Carolina, Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 19,635. Its county seat is Marshall.
The county was formed in 1851 from parts of Buncombe County and Yancey County. It was named for James Madison, fourth President of the United States (1809-1817).
Source: WIkipedia.
Madison County Genealogy Resources
Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, Inc.
P.O. Box 2122
Asheville, NC 28802
(covers Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Madison, Swain, and Transylvania Counties)
Madison County Genealogy Society
PO Box 155
Mars Hill, NC 28754
(They hold meetings at 7 PM on the first Monday of the month in Marshall, NC at the Public Library.)
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Madison County Government
Madison County - Register of Deeds
Online Records Search
County Administration Building
5707 Highway 25/70
PO Box 66
Marshall, NC 28753
(828) 649-3014
Madison County Library
Main Library
1335 North Main Street
Marshall, NC 28753
(828) 649-3741 Phone
(828) 649-3504 Fax
Mars Hill Branch
25 Dogwood Street
P.O. Box 28
Mars Hill, NC 28754
(828) 689-5183 Phone
Hot Springs Branch
88 Bridge Street
P.O. Box 175
Hot Springs, NC 28743
(828) 622-3584
Tax Records
Landers Surname in Tax lists for 1903/1905
Census Records
1900 Federal Census Transcription - Partial transcription of Madison County, NC Census for 1900
Madison County Cemeteries
Query Forums
Cities and Towns of Madison County
- * Hot Springs
- * Mars Hill
- * Marshall
- Marshall (County Seat)
- Hot Springs
- Mars Hill
- Walnut
- Spring Creek
The County also has the following townships:
* Township 1 - Marshall
* Township 2 - Laurel
* Township 3 - Mars Hill
* Township 4 - Beech Glenn
* Township 5 - Walnut
* Township 6 - Hot Springs
* Township 7 - Ebbs Chapel
* Township 8 - Spring Creek
* Township 9 - Sandy Mush
* Township 10 - Grapevine
* Township 11 - Revere Rice Cove
News related to Madison County, NC
History notes
Madison County (seat: Marshall) is a core research hub for families who lived, married, worshipped, or owned land in this part of the Mountains region of North Carolina.
Madison County sits in North Carolina’s mountain corridor, where Cherokee boundary history, gap roads, and later rail/tourism eras layer onto farm and valley communities. Formation in 1851 from Buncombe, Yancey means many pre-1851 events live in parent counties—never search the modern map alone.
Neighboring counties—buncombe,yancey,haywood—frequently hold the “missing” deed, marriage, or burial when households straddle lines or move a few miles for work, church, or better land. Always record the jurisdiction as named in the original, then map it onto modern county pages.
Use the panels on this hub for record availability, towns, repositories, and local history news. Pair them with the statewide Start here path and the counties & formation guide when events predate 1851.
Local history & events
- Madison County mulls future of historic courthouse as plans move forward for new building - WLOS
- Flash flooding destroys historic Madison County church; pastor says congregation has ‘got to have faith’ - FOX Carolina News
- Samuel Burks: Revolutionary War Soldier, Madison County Tran... - Park Hills Daily Journal
- NC state budget includes $27M for Madison County's new public service complex - WLOS
- Madison County opens new covered 1,500-seat arena at fairgrounds - WCYB
- Death investigation results in 3 felony arrests in Madison County - WLOS
Research tools
Record availability matrix
| Record type | Coverage | Years (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal census | good | 1790–1950 | Federal schedules available for NC with known quirks/losses in some years. Place the household in the correct county for each decade. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Birth records | sparse | 1915– | Statewide birth registration is comparatively late in NC. Use delayed births, church registers, Bibles, and census for earlier generations. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Marriage records | partial | 1851– | County marriage records improve in the 19th–20th centuries; earlier events often appear in church books, bonds, or newspapers. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Death records | partial | 1915– | Death certificates denser after statewide registration; earlier deaths via obituaries, church burial, probate, and cemeteries. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Land & deeds | good | 1851– | Deeds/ROD series typically begin near county formation; colonial grants/plats may predate the county and live at State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Probate & estates | good | 1851– | Wills, administrations, and equity files are core sources. Courthouse losses push research to neighbors, microfilm, and State Archives of North Carolina. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Church & parish | partial | varies | Church coverage varies by denomination and survival; check local societies and denominational archives. |
| Newspapers | varies | varies | Title survival varies widely. Search local weeklies plus larger regional papers; use Chronicling America and the State Library of North Carolina and DigitalNC. |
| Military | good | 1775– | Revolutionary through 20th-century service may generate pensions, CMSRs, and local militia notes. Pair with county context for battles and units. |
| Cemeteries | partial | varies | Published surveys, Find a Grave, churchyards, and family plots. Unmarked burials are common—use obituaries and church books. |
| Court records | partial | 1851– | Common pleas, sessions, and other court series often begin near formation; equity may be with or near probate. Before 1851, search parent jurisdiction: Buncombe, Yancey. |
| Tax lists | sparse | varies | Tax lists can substitute for missing census years. Coverage is uneven by locality and year; check State Archives of North Carolina and published abstracts. |
Newspapers
Cemeteries & burial research
- Madison County cemeteries (Find a Grave / surveys)
Societies & repositories
Research starting points
Census
Federal census schedules are foundational for Madison County household reconstruction. Collect every decade, note neighbors (FAN club), and track the county name as it existed that year—especially across formation and split boundaries.
Vital records
North Carolina statewide vital registration expanded in the early 20th century. For many Madison County families you will rely on marriage bonds, church registers, Bible records, newspapers, delayed births, and probate—not only a modern certificate.
Cemeteries (legacy notes)
Cemetery surveys for Madison County appear in published books, Find a Grave, USGenWeb archives, churchyards, and family plots. Absence of a stone is not absence of burial—pair markers with obituaries and church books.
Courthouse & contacts
The county seat is Marshall. Confirm current Register of Deeds, Clerk of Superior Court, and library hours before visiting—offices move and digital portals change.
Public library: Madison County Public Library
If not found here, try…
- Formed 1851
- Parent / earlier jurisdiction Buncombe, Yancey — check district-era records before this county existed (districts guide).
Neighboring counties (deeds, marriages, newspapers, and kin often cross the line):