IREDELL COUNTY, NC HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

Sketches of Western North Carolina, Historical and Biographical by C. L. Hunter, (1877) – 388 Pages
Source: Internet Archive
Book ID: CH.2025.09.23.2112.AR

Iredell County, North Carolina: A Genealogical Overview

Nestled in the western Piedmont of North Carolina, Iredell County stands as a historic crossroads, shaped by the Scots-Irish and German pioneers who traveled the Great Wagon Road to settle its fertile lands. From its origins as a revolutionary hotbed and the site of the colony’s westernmost French and Indian War outpost, Fort Dobbs, it grew into a center for agriculture, trade, and industry. For genealogists, Iredell County’s records are exceptionally rich, documenting a diverse and independent-minded people who played a significant role in the development of the Carolina backcountry.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Iredell County was carved from one of North Carolina’s largest and most historically significant parent counties, and it later contributed territory to several of its neighbors.

  • 1788: County Formed: Iredell County was established on November 15, 1788, shortly after the American Revolution.
  • Parent County: It was formed from the western portion of Rowan County. All genealogical research for individuals living within the modern boundaries of Iredell County prior to late 1788 must be conducted in the records of Rowan County.
  • Subsequent Formations: Portions of Iredell County’s original territory were later used to help form several neighboring counties:
    • Catawba County (1842)
    • Alexander County (1847)
    • Yadkin County (1850)
  • Name Origin: The county was named in honor of James Iredell, Sr., a distinguished attorney, a delegate to the state’s constitutional ratification convention, and one of the first justices appointed to the United States Supreme Court by President George Washington.
  • County Seat History: The county seat, Statesville, was established in 1789. Its central location was chosen to serve the new county, and its name was selected to honor the original states of the newly formed nation. Statesville has remained the county seat throughout its history.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The area was a hunting ground shared by the Catawba and Cherokee peoples.
  • Colonial Settlement: The first significant wave of European settlement began in the early 1750s. The region became a primary destination for Scots-Irish Presbyterian families migrating south from Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia along the Great Wagon Road. German families also established farms, particularly in the eastern part of the county. These two groups formed the bedrock of the county’s early culture.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • Fort Dobbs: Constructed in 1756 under the direction of Governor Arthur Dobbs, this fort was the westernmost colonial outpost in the Province of North Carolina. It provided critical protection for settlers on the frontier during the French and Indian War (1754-1763).
    • Fourth Creek Congregation: The establishment of the Fourth Creek Presbyterian Meeting House (now the First Presbyterian Church of Statesville) in the 1750s marked the first organized community in the area. The church served as the religious, social, and political center for early settlers, and its records are invaluable.
    • Railroad Development: The arrival of the Western North Carolina Railroad in 1858, followed by the Atlantic, Tennessee and Ohio Railroad, transformed Statesville into a major rail crossroads. This spurred economic growth in tobacco processing, the manufacture of whiskey (a major cash product), and later, textiles and furniture.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Iredell County has well-maintained records and a very active genealogical community that has published numerous research aids.

  • County Courthouse: The Iredell County Courthouse, 221 E Water St, Statesville, NC 28677, is the main repository for historical records.
    • Register of Deeds: This office holds land records (deeds, plats) from 1788, marriage licenses, and birth and death records.
    • Clerk of Superior Court: This office is the repository for probate records, including wills and estate files, dating from 1789. It also holds the county’s civil and criminal court records.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in North Carolina began in 1913. Records from that point forward are available from the state, with local copies held by the Iredell County Register of Deeds.
    • Marriage Records: Marriage bonds from 1789 to 1868 and marriage licenses from 1868 to the present are held by the Register of Deeds. Marriages prior to late 1788 are found in Rowan County records.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Iredell County Public Library: The main library in Statesville has an excellent Local History & Genealogy Room. Its collection includes extensive microfilm of county records and newspapers, published family histories, and numerous abstracts of Iredell and Rowan county records.
    • Genealogical Society of Iredell County: This highly active society is an essential resource. It has published dozens of volumes of abstracted county records, including deeds, wills, court minutes, and cemetery inscriptions, which greatly simplify research.
    • Fort Dobbs State Historic Site: A reconstructed historic site that offers programs and exhibits on the county’s earliest colonial history.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Wilkes County (north)
    • Yadkin County (northeast)
    • Davie County (east)
    • Rowan County (southeast)
    • Cabarrus County (south)
    • Mecklenburg County (south)
    • Lincoln County (southwest)
    • Catawba County (west)
    • Alexander County (northwest)

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