Culpepper Archives
Anson County, NC

County History and Geography

In the Piedmont Region and the south central section of North Carolina, Anson County was formed in 1750 from Bladen County. Wadesboro, originally called Anson Court House, is the county seat and is on US-74, about 60 miles ESE of Charlotte and 100 miles southwest of Raleigh. Anson is bounded by the North Carolina counties of Union, Stanly and Richmond, and the South Carolina county of Chesterfield.

Any names below in red have not been matched with a person in the Culpepper family tree. If you can identify any of them, please let us know.

Census Records

1790 US Census

1800 US Census

1810 US Census

1820 US Census

1830 - 1930 US Censuses

Birth Records

North Carolina Birth Index, 1800-2000

Source: North Carolina Birth Index, 1800-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: Register of Deeds. North Carolina Birth Indexes. Raleigh, North Carolina: North Carolina State Archives. Microfilm.

Military Records

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918

Source: National Archives and Records Administration. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-18 [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2002. National Archives and Records Administration. World War I Selective Service System Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918. M1509, 4,277 rolls. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration

U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946

Source: National Archives and Records Administration. U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Original data: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, 1938-1946 [Archival Database]; World War II Army Enlistment Records; Records of the National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 64; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD.

Marriages

North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868

Source: Ancestry.com. North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2000. Original data: State of North Carolina. An Index to Marriage Bonds Filed in the North Carolina State Archives. Raleigh, NC, USA: North Carolina Division of Archives and History, 1977.

North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2000

Source: Ancestry.com. North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2000 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: (1) Dodd, Jordan, Liahona Research, comp. (P.O. Box 740, Orem, Utah 84059) from county marriage records on microfilm located at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah, in published books cataloged by the Library of Congress, or county records in possession of the individual county clerks or courthouses. (2) North Carolina State Archives. North Carolina County Marriage Indexes. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Deeds and Other Significant Documents

Anson Co. Land Patents

Anson Co. Deeds

Sorted by date filed

Regulators Petition
Anson County, North Carolina, 9 Oct 1769

"Mr. Speaker and Gen't of the Assembly.

Humbly Showeth:
That the Province in General labour under general grievances, and the western part thereof under particular ones; which we not only see, but very sensibly feel, being crouch'd beneath our sufferings and not withstanding our sacred privileges, have too long yielded ourselves slaves to remorseless oppression. - Permit us to conceive it to be our inviolable right to make known our grievances, and to petition for redress as appears in the Bill of Rights pass'd in the reign of King Charles the first, as well as the Act of Settlement of the Crown of the Revolution. We therefore beg leave at the Act of the Settlement of the Crown of the Revolution. We therefore beg leave to lay before you a specimen thereof that your compassionate endeavors may tend to the relief of your injured Constituents, whose distressed condition call aloud for aid. The alarming cries of the oppressed possibly may reach your ears; but without your zeal how they shall ascend the throne - how relentless is the breast without sympathy, the heart that cannot bleed on a view of our calamity; to see tenderness removed, cruelty stepping in; and all our liberties and privileges invaded and abridg'd (by as it were) domestickes; who are conscious of their guilt and void of remorse. - O how darling! how relentless whilst impending Judgements loudly threaten and gaze upon them, with every emblem of merited destruction. A few of the many grievances are as follows, (viz't)

1. That the poor inhabitants in general are much oppress'd by reason of the disproportionate Taxes, and those of the western Counties in particular; as they are geneally in mean circumstances.

2. That no method is prescribed by law for the payment of the taxes of the Western Counties in produce (in lieu of a currency) as in other Counties within this Province to the Peoples great oppression.

3. That Lawyers, Clerks, and other petitioners; in place of being obsequious Servants for the Country's use, are become a nuisance, as the business of the people is often transacted without the least degree of fairness, the intention of the law evaded, exorbitant fees extorted, and the sufferers left to mourn under their oppressions.

4. That an Attorney should have it in his power, either for the sake of ease or interest, or to gratify their malevolence and spite, or commence suits to what courts he pleases, however inconvenient it may be to the Defendants; is a very great oppression.

5. That all unlawful fees taken in Indictment, where the Defendant is acquited by his Country (however customary it may be) is an oppression.

6. That Lawyers, Clerks, and others, extorting more fees than is intended by law; is also an oppression.

7. That the violation of the King's Instructions to his Delegates, their artfulness in concealing the same from him; and the great injury the People thereby sustains: is a manifest oppression.

And for remedy whereof, we take the freedom to recommend the following mode of redress, not doubting audience and acceptance which will not only tend to our relief, but command prayers at a duty from your humble Petitioners.

1. That at all elections each suffrage be given by Ticket & Ballot.

2. That the mode of Taxation be altered, and each person pay in proportion to the proffits arising from his Estate.

3. That no future tax be laid in Money, until a currency is made.

4. That there may be established a Western as well as a Northern and Southern District, and a Treasurer for the same.

5. That when a currency is made it may be let out by a loan office (on land security) and a Treasurer for the same.

6. That all debts above 60s (shillings) and under 10 pounds be tried and determined without lawyers, by a jury of six freeholders, impaneled by a Justice, and that their verdict be enter'd by the said Justice, and be a final judgement.

7. That the Chief Justice have no perquisites, but a Salary only.

8. That Clerks be restricted in respect to fees, costs, and other things within the course of their office.

9. That Lawyers be effectively Barr'd from exacting and extorting fees.

10. That all doubts may be removed in respect to the payment of fees and costs on Indictments whereas the Defendant is not found guilty by the jury, and therefore acquited.

11. That the Assembly make known the Remonstrance to the King, the conduct of the cruel and oppressive Receiver of the Quit Rents, for omitting the customary easie and effectual method of collecting by distress, and pursuing the expensive mode of commencing suits in the most distant Courts.

12. That the Assembly in like manner make known that the Governor and Council fo frequently grant lands to as many as they think proper without regard to Head Rights, notwithstanding the contrariety of his Majesties instructions, by which means immence sums has been collected, and numerous Patents granted, for much of the most fertile lands in this Province, that is yet uninhabited and cultivated, environed by great numbers of poor people who are necessitated to toil in the cultivation of bad Lands whereon they hardly can subsist, who are thereby deprived of His Majesties liberality and Bounty nor is there the least regard paid to the cultivation clause in said Patent mentioned, as many of the said Council as well as their friends and favorites enjoy large quanitities of Lands under the above-mentioned circumstances.

13. That the Assembly communicates in like manner the Violation of His Majesties Instructions respecting the Land Office by the Governor and Council, and of their own rules, customs and orders. If it be sufficiently proved, that after they had granted Warrants for some Tracts of Land, and that the same was in due time suvey'd and returned and the Patent fees timely paid into the said office; and that if a private Council was called to avoid spectators, and peremptory orders made that Patents should not be granted; and Warrants by their orders arbitrarily to have been issued in the names of other Persons for the same Lands, and if when intreated by a solicitor they refus'd to render so much as a reason for their so doing, or to refund any part of the money paid by them extorted.

14. That some method may be pointed out that every Improvement on Lands in any of the Proprietors part be proved when begun, by whom, and every sale made, that the eldest may have the preference of at least 300 acres.

15. That all taxes in the following Counties be paid as in other Counties in the Province (i.e.) in the produce of the County and that warehouses be erected as follows (viz), In Anson County at Isom Haleys Ferry Landing on PeeDee River, Rowan and Orange at Cambleton in Cumberland County, Mecklenburg at __?___ on the Catawba River, and in Tryon County at __?__ on __?__ River.

16. That every denomination of People may marry according to their respective mode Ceremony and customs after due publication or License.

17. That Doc't Benjamin Franklin or some other known patriot be appointed agent, to represent the unhappy state of this Province to his Majesty, and to solicit the several Boards in England.

Over 250 petitioners signed the document, including:

Source: "Colonial Records", Vol. VIII, 1769-1771, pp. 81-82 and pp. 241-244, by Saunders; also: North Carolina History Told By Contemporaries," pp.87-93, by Lefler; also: "The War of The Regulators and The Battle of Alamance, May 16, 1771, by William S. Powell.
 

List of Major James Cotton's Accounts, 1776

The claim of the Loyalist, Major James Cotton, a former Justice of Anson County, against the British Government, for his losses, contains the following¹:

A List of outstanding debts In the Province of North Carolina due James Cotton, Esq. by bonds, notes and book accounts February 1776 when the obligations and books fell into the hands of the enemy, which list was made out to the best of his Knowledge, together with the help of Capt. Walter Cunningham, his assistant surveyor of land In that province, who for some time lived in his family, was well acquainted with his affairs and also the several debtors here Inserted²:

John Culpepper (#3217)√
+ 150 other names

¹ The Loyalists of N. C. during the Revolution, by Robert 0. Demond, page 207. Major James Cotton’s claim £11,241. He received £2,032.

² Transcripts of English Records of N. C. the James Cotton Papers, Dept. of Archives and History,
Raleigh, N. C.
 

History of Rocky River Baptist Church

Source: Rev. E.M. Brooks, History of Rocky River Baptist Church in Anson County, N.C. Published 1928.

File contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Barbara P. Parsons

There were four church sites: Two of the sites were on the Lee Farm. Lee's farm was approximately eighteen hundred acres. The original owner was "Rocky River" Bill Lee, the oldest of that name so far as known). The first site stood on a slight elevation some three hundred yards from the river. Here the Culpepers built a home not more than one hundred yards from the meeting house. They very likely lived here before Samson Culpeper (#3948) moved to Georgia, as John Sr. (#3954), and John Jr. (#3955), son and grandson of Samson, were both born in Anson County. The founding of the church has been credited traditionally to Hon. and Rev. John Culpeper, Sr. But Mr. Culpeper being born in the year 1764 and his father, Samson Culpeper, moving to Georgia when Young John was only twelve years of age, and not returning till he was twenty. He was an early pastor and the church was often designated locally as "Culpeper's Meeting House." His return from Georgia was in 1784 and not till then could he have been pastor. Older people of the church say that he was the pastor for more than fifty years.

Later, the church building was moved one half mile further from the river southward. It had remained at the first site long enough for a burial ground to be laid off and a number of graves made for both white and colored. The graveyard was placed midway between the church site and the Culpeper home.

The third site was attached to the Lee farm by purchase, but at the time of its location thought to be from the lands of Wyatt Nance, a Clerk of the Church. The third site is a mile and one-half from the river. The fourth site was a large frame structure erected to care for both white and colored. It was on the same campus but on a higher elevation and was from the Darling Allen lands."

BP's notes: It may be noteworthy here to mention that one of the early ministers of this church was black. His name was Ralf Freeman. He gave himself the last name of Freeman when he became free from slavery. In further postings of rolls, and member's names, you will here more of this very famous minister, and the great contributions he made both to the community and to the Baptist Church. There are many historians writing the biography of Ralf Freeman.

It would appear that Ralf, may have been born in the 1700's. He stood in for John Culpeper, Jr., who was born in N.C., December 9, 1800 and Died: March 26, 1873, when he had to be away to serve for the North Carolina Legislature. It is not stated, but it would appear that they were about the same age.

Wills

Wills and Estates, 1749-1795

Deaths

North Carolina Death Collection, 1908-1996

Source: Ancestry.com. North Carolina Death Collection, 1908-1996 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005. Original data: (1) North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. North Carolina Death Records, 1968-1996. North Carolina Vital Records, Raleigh, North Carolina. (2) North Carolina Archives and Records Section. North Carolina County Records, 1908-1967. North Carolina State Archives, Raleigh, North Carolina.

Social Security Death Index

Source: Social Security Administration. Social Security Death Index [database on-line]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2006. All records of deaths on or before 31 Dec 2006 in which the final benefit was paid or final residence was in this county.

Burials

U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006

Source: National Cemetery Administration. U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006. Original data: National Cemetery Administration. Nationwide Gravesite Locator.

The Lee - Culpepper connections in Anson County, NC

Of the children of Robert and Sarah Lee, Millie married Jonathan Yarbrough, Mary married Humphrey Yarbrough, and Robert, Jr., may have married Argent Culpepper.