Focus on North Carolina: Pathways to the Past – Exploring Road and Toll Records for Genealogical Research

Roads were built and maintained by the local community; thus, the members of the road crews were appointed by the county court. The records of these crews and their work include details about your ancestors and their FAN Club (Friends, Associates, Neighbors) working with them. The records provide incredible insight into the nitty gritty of how our road infrastructure was created and maintained at a time when few other records were being created. They also offer geographic details that might help us “place” where our ancestors lived on a map.  Often, the start and end points and designated paths are identified.  Since these road juries were reviewed/renewed annually, we can see how the neighborhood has changed. Women are also mentioned via their hands being called to work, a geographic marker for a road crew, and more.

The concept of tolls is not new. Depending on where your Tar Heel ancestor lived, especially if a body of water needed to be crossed or a new turnpike was recently put into operation, tolls/fees were paid. How many of you have cars with E-Z pass/NC QuickPass or similar toll transponders? This is the modern way of collecting tolls from those traveling by car. Eighteenth-century records clearly document requests for and approval of tolls for roads, bridges, ferries, and canals. If you were willing to “pay,” you could take the shorter/quicker/easier route from Point A to Point B. If not, then your journey was typically longer and harder.

From the perspective of state and local government, what better way to pay for infrastructure projects than to allow private citizens to construct certain amenities like roads and bridges and run ferries and be permitted to charge tolls to recoup construction costs and produce a profit to provide maintenance? Did your ancestor pay tolls? Let’s explore legislation, surviving records, and other documentation that might answer that question. As always, don’t overlook your female ancestors.  They, too, took advantage of tolled roads, bridges, and ferries to get about.