View theDeed Abstracts
of Alleghany County, NC
Transcriber's Notes
Alleghany County, North Carolina, was established in 1859 from Ashe County, which was established in 1799 from Wilkes County. To find land transactions prior to 1859, you will generally need to search the records of either Ashe or Wilkes County. However, a substantial number of early deeds were later recorded Alleghany County's deed books, which is very helpful to researchers!
You can browse these abstracts by year, or use the every-name index.
When reviewing the deed abstracts, keep the following in mind:
- The Alleghany Deed Books can be referred to by letter or number. Deed Book A is the same as Deed Book 1, Deed Book B is the same as Deed Book 2, etc.
- You can look up the original deed images at the Alleghany
County Register of Deeds
website. Many of the
deeds are scribbly and difficult to read, so I am sure I have
made a few errors; it is always good to double-check the original
records yourself. - Unless otherwise noted, you can assume that the deed identifies the grantor and grantee as residents of Alleghany County or (prior to 1859) Ashe County, NC. You can also assume that the land was located in present-day Alleghany County.
- Keep a map handy when reviewing deeds, to help find where your ancestors lived. However, be aware that the names of geographic features may have changed. In Alleghany County, for example, Cheek Mountain, Fender Mountain, and Doughton Mountain appear to be relatively modern names; during the 19th century, this entire ridge in central Alleghany County was known (at least in official records) as Peach Bottom Mountain. Different features may also have similar names. Descriptive words for creeks and mountains like Glady, Piney, Brushy, Bald, Round, etc. were very common. Terms like Branch, Creek, and Fork were often used interchangeably and may not be the same on modern maps.
- Spelling can be very inconsistent in old records. Be sure to search for alternate spellings.
- These abstracts do not include the full "metes and bounds" descriptions which appear in the original deeds. For an explanation of measurements used in old deeds (i.e., chains and poles), click here.
- "X" means the person signed their name with a mark instead of a signature. This usually indicates that the person could not read or write.
- Land descriptions were often copied from earlier deeds, and may be inaccurate. For example, an 1846 deed from Andrew Willey to Chesley Cheek (DB 1, p.325) mentions neighboring properties owned by Lenoir and Connelly, early residents who were long gone by 1846. In this case, the legal description of the property was probably copied from the original 1801 land grant to John Overton (DB 7, p.174).
Organization of these abstracts. I have arranged the abstracts chronologically because that made the most sense to me. However, the deed books themselves are not in any particular order. The clerks simply copied the deeds however they received them, which in some cases was years after the original transactions took place. The first twenty deed books cover the following years:
| Book | In Use | Oldest Deed |
|---|---|---|
| A-1 | 1859-1872 | 1816 |
| B-2 | 1872-1881 | 1801 |
| C-3 | 1875-1883 | 1809 |
| D-4 | 1878-1882 | 1846 |
| E-5 | 1879-1886 | 1828 |
| F-6 | 1885-1886 | 1809 |
| G-7 | 1885-1888 | 1801 |
| H-8 | 1888-1892 | 1845 |
| I-9 | 1892-1894 | 1782 |
| J-10 | 1894-1896 | 1801 |
| K-11 | 1896-1898 | 1810 |
| L-12 | 1898-1899 | 1799 |
| M-13 | 1899-1900 | 1797 |
| N-14 | 1900-1901 | 1782 |
| O-15 | 1901-1902 | 1817 |
| P-16 | 1902-1903 | 1811 |
| Q-17 | 1903-1904 | 1804 |
| R-18 | 1904-1905 | 1797 |
| S-19 | 1905-1905 | 1854 |
| T-20 | 1905-1906 | 1805 |
In most cases, the deed's effective date is the date of the actual sale or other transaction. The abstracts also include the date the deed was "proven" (i.e., authenticated in court), and the date it was "registered" (copied into the deed book), if this information appears in the original deed.
I have omitted the names of government officials who appear repeatedly in deed certifications and registrations. These officials included:
- Allen GENTRY, Clerk of the County Court, 1859-1861
- Horton S. REEVES, Clerk of the County Court, 1862-1868
- Charles G. FOWLKES, Clerk of the County Court, 1866-1868
- William A.J. FOWLKES, Clerk of the Superior Court, 1864-1868
- Berry H. EDWARDS, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1868-1873
- John J. GAMBILL, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1873-1882
- R.S. CARSON, Probate Judge/Clerk of the Superior Court, 1882-1890
For the first few years of Alleghany County's existence, the court clerk was responsible for copying the deeds into the deed book. Later, this job was given to the Register of Deeds, often assisted by various Deputy Registers.
- Thomas EDWARDS, Register of Deeds, 1865-1868
- F.M. MITCHELL, Register of Deeds, 1868-1880
- F.G. MCMILLAN, Register of Deeds, 1880-1882
- F.M. MITCHELL, Register of Deeds, 1882-1886
- J.C. ROUP, Register of Deeds, 1886-1892
Copyright Notice. You are welcome to copy, print out, or use these abstracts in any fashion for non-commercial purposes. Commercial use is not permitted.