Church History

The area of Statesville was once known as Fourth Creek Congregation, named after the first Presbyterian church in the county. The Old Fourth Creek Burying Ground is the oldest cemetery in the city of Statesville and holds the graves of the first settlers of the region. The Internet Archive has a fully digitized version of the book which documents the history of the church, its congregation, and their descendants. Ancestry has a database which provides information on many Lutheran church records. The Lutheran domination was very prominent in this area having been brought by German and Dutch settlers from Pennsylvania. Max Tharpe also documented the churches of the county through photography and his collection is available for viewing on Flickr. Iredell County is also home to the second oldest Jewish congregation in the state, Congregation Emanuel.

• Local History Church Files- This index contains a list of all the churches represented in the library. For specific files, you can either visit the library or fill out a request form and a staff member can assist you.

• Genealogical Society of Iredell County Church Files- This index documents the collection of information that the Society has accumulated over the years in regard to local churches.

  • Iredell County Churches

  • Non-Iredell Churches

• History of Broad Street United Methodist Church 1828-1978

• Tracing Your Ancestors' Parish Records: A Guide for Family and Local Historians

• Older Church Cemeteries of Iredell County, N.C.: Centre Presbyterian Church and Snow Creek Methodist Church with Early Membership Rolls

• Early Lutheran Churches: Old St. Michael's Lutheran Church, St. Martin's Lutheran Church & Sharon Lutheran Church, Including Early Membership Rolls and Baptism Lists

• St. Michael's Lutheran Church, Troutman Church Record

• A Study on the Old Fourth Creek Burying Ground: Statesville, Iredell County, North Carolina

• Iredell County, Members of Fourth Creek Presbyterian Church, 1773