Lincoln County, North Carolina was formed in 1779 from the eastern portion of the now defunct county of Tryon. Lincoln was itself the parent county of the present-day counties of Catawba and Gaston, as well as much of Cleveland. The western part of Tryon County was incorporated into Rutherford County. This collection of marriage bonds for the period from 1769 to 1867 thus holds potential importance for persons hunting for ancestors in six North Carolina counties.