Cherokee County Research Help

Courthouse Records

Most researchers know there was a fire at the Cherokee County Courthouse in the closing days of the Civil War and all the records were destroyed. If you're wondering what records you might find if you were to visit in search of that one tiny clue to connect with that illusive ancestor, I will tell you a little about what I found on my first visit. To my amazement, many, many old sources for researching your ancestry are in tact and available. One of the biggest surprises were the WILLS and DEEDS! Wills beginning in1869 are indexed and in tact. Another GREAT source of information is the DELAYED BIRTHS which are alphabetized books of birth certificates issued many years after the fact. These documents include parents' names and more. MARRIAGES from 1865 are indexed and actual certificates from as early as 1842 can be found. Recorded DEATHS begin with 1913, but I noticed dates as early as 1904. Death certificates include date of birth, parents' names and sometimes more, such as spouse and place of birth. If you're contemplating a trip to Murphy, to find that one tiny clue, you could be pleasantly surprised at what you might find. There are SOLDIERS DISCHARGE registers, LAND & DEED records and much, much more.