Thursday, June 19, 2014

Online Deed Records - North Carolina


The Register of Deeds Office - A Free Alternative  


Many Register of Deeds Offices are digitizing their historical deeds and land grants and putting them online. Several North Carolina counties have already been digitized. Here is a list of counties who currently have their deeds digitized and available to download from the web FOR FREE.


Alamance County - still in the process of being digitized, goes back to 1849 (as of June 2014)
Alexander County - Digitized deeds going back to 1847
Alleghany County - Digitized deeds going back to 1859
Anson County - digitized deeds going back to 1749
Ashe County - digitized deeds going back to 1799
Chatham County - digitized deeds going back to 1771
Cumberland County - - digitized deeds going back to 1754
Duplin County - digitized deeds going back to 1749. And they have the land grant maps!
Edgecombe County - digitized deeds going back to 1759. Sign in as a guest, then click the Online Index Books link at the top of the page. (Index only. No access to deed images at this time).
Forsyth County - digitized deeds going back to 1849
Guilford County - digitized deeds going back to 1771. 
Iredell County - Digitized deeds going back to 1788. Select “Search Online Records” in center of page, Sign in as a Guest, and click on Indexes Prior to 1964 tab
Johnston County - digitized deeds going back to 1789, land division records, plats
Jones County - digitized deeds going back to 1784
Lincoln County - digitized deeds going back to the 1700s. Click the "Old Index Book" tab
Martin County - digitized deeds going back to 1771
Mecklenburg County - digitized deeds going back to 1763 (See instructions in the comments below)
Mitchell County- deeds have been digitized but not indexed. Go to "Search Deeds;" Then scroll down to "Non-Indexed Deed Images." Click "re", then click the book and page nos and the deed image should appear.
Orange County - digitized deeds 1752-1969
Pitt County - digitized deeds going back to 1792
Sampson County - digitized deeds going back to 1784
Stokes County -  digitized deeds going back to 1787
Wake County - digitized deeds going back to 1785

Check back with this site often for updates to newly added Counties! - 


You can also follow my Pinterest Board - North Carolina Deeds and Land Grants - to receive updates to newly added counties.

Many thanks to everyone writing in with new updated links!!!

Additional Information: Check out these helpful posts

Reading land grants in North Carolina which uses Metes and Bounds
Finding Land Grants using the North Carolina State Archives' Online Catalog (MARS)
North Carolina Land and Property from the FamilySearch.org Wiki
Why Use Deeds and Land Grants in YOUR research


8 comments:

  1. I'm looking forward to Orange, Bladen, Rockingham, Ashe, and Allegheny Counties being online!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Here are 3 more NC counties that are online:

    Forsyth County http://www.co.forsyth.nc.us/rod/online_lookup.aspx - To look at deeds prior to 1965, click Begin your online search, Accept the disclaimer, then scroll down to Old Index Books". Deeds go back to 1849

    Guilford County http://countyweb.co.guilford.nc.us/online-docs-index To look at deeds prior to 1981, Click "real estate index & image", Accept the disclaimer, then click "Old Index books". Deeds go back to 1771

    Wake County - http://services.wakegov.com/booksweb/genextsearch.aspx Deeds go back to 1785.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Barbara! I added them to the blog post and the Pinterest board!

      Delete
  3. Another 3 NC counties that are online:

    Iredell County - http://www.co.iredell.nc.us/Departments/RegDeeds/ - Digitized deeds going back to 1788. Select “Search Online Records” in center of page, Sign in as a Guest, and click on Indexes Prior to 1964 tab

    Alexander County - http://www.alexandercountync.gov/rod/ - Digitized deeds going back to 1847

    Alleghany County - http://alleghanycounty-nc.gov/register_of_deeds.php - Digitized deeds going back to 1859

    ReplyDelete
  4. I need assistance finding a citation in some old documents for Isaac Helms and heirs.

    Deed Bk 1; Copy of pgs 338-9 (1838)
    One place states Mecklenburg and another one states Union County with a 3rd stating Court of Pleas and Sessions 1846.

    I have not been able to find it. Any leads would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi, thanks for writing. The Mecklenburg County Register of Deeds online viewing system can be tricky to use. You can find images of old deeds by following the steps below:

      1. Go to the website: http://meckrodindex.com/
      2. Click the link to the disclaimer to enter the site
      3. Select the year of the Index book you are looking for
      4. Select the letters of the last name of the grantor (person selling the land) you are looking for
      5. Click on each index page link on the right side of the page until you find the page that has the last name of the person you are looking for
      6. Write down the page number corresponding to the last name you are looking for
      7. Type in the page number of the last name you are looking for into the box in the upper left hand corner of the page and then click the "look up page" button beside it.
      8. Write down the information listed on the index sheet that appears. Check both grantors (left side of page) and grantees (right side of page) if interested.
      9. In order to view the actual deed images, you must click the "Microfilm Viewer" link in the upper left of the page. This will open a new window in your browser.
      10. Once you are in the Microfilm Viewer page, change the "Book Type" from "Real Estate" to "Old Real Estate" in the drop down menu
      11. Select the book from the drop down box
      12. Type in the page number into the Frame box - the page number may or may not correspond to the Frame number
      13. If the page you are looking for appears in the images below, then click the magnifying glass icon next to the Select button at the top right of the image. This will open the image in a new window. If the page you want does not appear in the images shown, click the back or forward frame arrows until the image appears.
      14. Once the image appears, you can download it by clicking the download button at the top right of the page. If you do not see it, then move your cursor to the top of the page until you do see it.

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  5. You can search deed records in Lincoln County, NC at their website. I found stuff all the way back to the late 1700s. There is Grant and Deed data. After you click on the terms of service you get a popup window. Click on the "Old Index Book" tab and then either Grant or Deed. Then put a name or partial in the Name box and search. You will get an index page. Find the person of interest and enter the book and page number into the appropriate box in the "View Document Image" fields and click go to view the image.

    http://72.15.246.181/LincolnNC/

    ReplyDelete