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Guide to Research Materials in the North Carolina Archives
County Records
CRAVEN COUNTY
Established in 1705 as Archdale Precinct of Bath County.
Name changed to Craven in 1712.
ORIGINAL RECORDS
BONDS
Apprentice Bonds and Records, 1748-1910; 2 volumes, 7 Fibredex boxes.
Bastardy Bonds and Records, 1803-1880; 1 volume, 3 Fibredex boxes.
Constables’ Bonds, 1850-1859; 1 volume.
Officials’ Bonds, 1753-1867; 1 Fibredex box.
COURT RECORDS
County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
Minutes, 1712-1715, 1730-1868; 43 volumes.
Appearance Dockets, 1791-1868; 9 volumes.
Execution Dockets, 1754-1867; 28 volumes.
Levy Docket, 1842-1857; 1 volume.
State Dockets, 1786-1859; 4 volumes.
Reference (Trial) and Appearance Dockets, 1778-1791; 2 volumes.
Trial and Reference Dockets, 1789-1807; 3 volumes.
Trial and Petition Dockets, 1807-1868; 14 volumes.
Writs Docket, 1850-1854; 1 volume.
Clerk’s Account Book, 1816-1828; 1 volume.
Superior Court
Minutes, 1807-1820, 1829-1914; 26 volumes.
Equity Minutes, 1850-1868; 3 volumes.
Equity Execution Docket, 1858-1868; Clerk’s Receipt Book (Land
Sales), 1869-1872; 1 volume.
Equity Trial and Appearance Docket, 1850-1859; 1 volume.
Clerk and Master in Equity Sale and Hiring Book, 1858-1875;
1 volume.
Appearance Docket, 1843-1867; 1 volume.
Execution Dockets, 1806-1830, 1840-1869; 5 volumes.
State Dockets, 1815-1861, 1866-1867, 1869; 4 volumes.
Trial, Appearance, Argument and Reference Docket, 1807-1813;
1 volume.
Trial and Argument Docket, 1814-1832; 1 volume.
Trial Dockets, 1845-1868; 2 volumes.
Civil Issues Docket, 1868-1870; 1 volume.
Civil Action Papers, 1756-1908; 71 Fibredex boxes.
Civil Action Papers Concerning Land, 1809-1920; 7 Fibredex boxes.
Criminal Action Papers, 1778-1906; 20 Fibredex boxes.
Circuit Criminal Court/Eastern District Criminal Court
Minutes, 1895-1901; 1 volume.
ELECTION RECORDS
Record of Elections, 1874-1914; 3 volumes.
Election Returns, 1835-1895; 4 Fibredex boxes.
Election Returns for Sheriffs, 1830-1860; 2 Fibredex boxes.
ESTATES RECORDS
Record of Accounts, 1829-1902; 11 volumes.
Administrators’ Bonds, 1868-1917; 5 volumes.
Estates Records, 1745-1945; 167 Fibredex boxes.
Guardians’ Records, 1766-1945; 16 Fibredex boxes.
Guardians’ Bonds, 1869-1910; 5 volumes.
Record of Guardians, 1808-1869; 2 volumes.
Inventories, Accounts of Sale and Deeds, 1763-1767; 1 volume.
Inventories and Accounts of Sale, 1781-1789, 1807, 1830-1867; 11 volumes.
Record of Probate (Estates), 1877-1885; 1 volume.
Fiduciary Account Book (Estate of Major Willis), 1844-1845; 1 volume.
LAND RECORDS
Deeds, Inventories, Wills and Miscellaneous Records, 1729-1855;
21 volumes.
Deeds, Patents, Grants, Deeds of Trust and Mortgage Deeds, 1724-1904;
2 Fibredex boxes.
Acknowledgment of Deeds and Powers of Attorney, 1786-1799; 1 volume.
Index to Deeds, 1744-1846; 3 volumes.
Ejectments, 1787-1872, 1896; 3 Fibredex boxes.
Land Entries, 1789-1861, 1893; Division and Sale of Land, 1803-1910;
1 Fibredex box.
Land Entries, 1834-1903; 1 volume.
Grants and Surveys, 1716-1802 (includes Land Entry Book, 1809-1813);
2 volumes.
Plats of Survey, 1819, 1823, 1826; 1 Fibredex box.
Plats, Surveys and Miscellaneous Land Records, 1754-1901; 1 Fibredex box.
Land Sold for Taxes, 1911-1914, 1925-1937; 24 Fibredex boxes.
MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND VITAL STATISTICS
Marriage Bonds, 1773-1868; 17 Fibredex boxes.
Divorce Records, 1828-1897, 1955; 4 Fibredex boxes.
MILITARY AND PENSION RECORDS
Blind Pensioners, 1902-1927; 1 volume.
State Pension Book, 1903-1938; 1 volume.
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
Buildings, Claims, County Lines and Trustee Settlements, 1780-1918;
1 Fibredex box.
Sheriff’s Settlements, 1811-1854, and State of County Finance, 1834-1856;
1 Fibredex box.
Certificates of Claims, 1829-1846; 2 volumes.
County Trustees’ Settlements, 1817-1868; 3 volumes.
Sheriffs’ Receipt Book, 1836-1845; 1 volume.
Treasurer’s Account Book, 1881-1887; 1 volume.
Treasurer of Public Buildings Accounts, 1817-1857; 1 Fibredex box.
Insolvent Debtors, 1757-1866; 4 Fibredex boxes.
Orders and Decrees, 1869-1879; 1 volume.
Personal Accounts, 1750-1894; 1 Fibredex box.
Minutes, Wardens of the Poor, 1837-1871; 1 volume.
Records of Wardens of the Poor, 1803-1861; 1 Fibredex box.
Miscellaneous Records, 1757-1929; 5 Fibredex boxes.
Letters to Clerk, 1814-1871; 1 Fibredex box.
List of Commissioners of Affidavits, 1851-1884; 1 volume.
Coroners’ Inquests, 1782-1905; 2 Fibredex boxes.
Records of Ships and Merchants, 1770-1858; 3 Fibredex boxes.
Civil Action Papers Concerning Slaves and Free Persons of Color, 1788,
1806-1860, 1885; 1 Fibredex box.
Criminal Action Papers Concerning Slaves and Free Persons of Color, 1781-
1868; 2 Fibredex boxes.
Slaves and Free Negroes, 1775-1861; 1 Fibredex box.
OFFICIALS, COUNTY
Oath Book, 1811-1872; 1 volume.
ROADS AND BRIDGES
Appointment of Constables and Overseers, 1784-1857; 2 volumes.
Road Records, 1767-1868; 3 Fibredex boxes.
Railroad Records, 1855-1908; 2 Fibredex boxes.
SCHOOL RECORDS
Minutes, Board of Superintendents of Common Schools, 1841-1859;
1 volume.
Lists of School Children and Teacher Applications, 1841-1861;
1 Fibredex box.
School Committees, 1841-1861; 2 Fibredex boxes.
Miscellaneous School Records, 1823-1874; 1 Fibredex box.
TAX AND FISCAL RECORDS
Tax Book, 1829-1856; 1 volume.
Tax Records, 1764-1904; 1 Fibredex box.
WILLS
Wills (includes inventories and deeds), 1737-1868; 12 volumes.
Wills, 1748-1941; 16 Fibredex boxes.
Cross Index to Wills, 1750-1914; 1 volume.
MICROFILM RECORDS
BONDS
Apprentice Bonds, 1868-1910; 1 reel.
Bastardy Bonds, 1870-1880; 1 reel.
COURT RECORDS
County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
Minutes, 1712-1868; 15 reels.
Superior Court
Minutes, 1801-1820, 1829-1933; 15 reels.
Equity Minutes, 1850-1860; 1 reel.
ESTATES RECORDS
Record of Estates, 1829-1960; 6 reels.
Record of Accounts, 1868-1951; 7 reels.
Administrators’ Bonds, 1868-1947; 2 reels.
Record of Administrators, 1935-1946; 1 reel.
Guardians’ Bonds, 1868-1927; 2 reels.
Record of Guardians, 1919-1960; 2 reels.
Citations to Guardians, Administrators and Executors, 1869-1885; 1 reel.
Inventories and Accounts of Sale, 1763-1767, 1781-1789, 1807, 1830-1867;
7 reels.
Inventory of the Estate of Major Willis, 1844; 1 reel.
Land Divisions and Plats, 1803-1868; 1 reel.
Record of Settlements, 1869-1955; 5 reels.
Miscellaneous Estates Records, 1740-1870; 6 reels.
Cross Index to Executors and Administrators, 1869-1910; 1 reel.
Cross Index to Guardians, 1868-1910; 1 reel.
Cross Index to Fiduciaries, 1909-1968; 1 reel.
LAND RECORDS
Record of Deeds, 1739-1914; 94 reels.
Index to Deeds and Mortgages, Grantor, 1739-1980; 13 reels.
Index to Deeds and Mortgages, Grantee, 1739-1980; 12 reels.
Land Entries, 1778-1959; 1 reel.
Land Grants, 1783-1809; 1 reel.
Index to Land Grants, no date; 1 reel.
Record of Patents, 1770-1859; 2 reels.
Record of Land Sales by Mortgagees and Trustees, 1921-1946; 3 reels.
MARRIAGE, DIVORCE AND VITAL STATISTICS
Marriage Bond Abstracts, 1740-1868; 1 reel.
Marriage Licenses, 1892-1946; 8 reels.
Marriage Registers, 1851-1960; Record of Cohabitation, 1865-1867; 3 reels.
Marriage Registers, Women, 1851-1946; 3 reels.
MILITARY AND PENSION RECORDS
Record of Armed Forces Discharges, 1927-1981; 7 reels.
Index to Armed Forces Discharges, various years; 1 reel.
MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS
Orders and Decrees, 1868-1925; 2 reels.
Special Proceedings, 1869-1949; 9 reels.
Cross Index to Special Proceedings, 1869-1960; 1 reel.
Minutes, Wardens of the Poor, 1837-1871; 1 reel.
OFFICIALS, COUNTY
Minutes, Board of County Commissioners, 1868-1902; 3 reels.
TAX AND FISCAL RECORDS
Lists of Taxables, 1829-1856; 1 reel.
Tax Lists, 1881-1893, 1896, 1900, 1916-1917, 1925, 1935; 7 reels.
WILLS
Record of Wills, 1708-1716, 1784-1968; 14 reels.
Original Wills, 1746-1890; 3 reels.
Wills and Estates Papers, 1736-1857; 4 reels.
Cross Index to Wills, 1784-1970; 2 reels.
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