Rowan County was formed in 1753 from Anson County, and was named for Matthew Rowan (d. 1760), acting governor at the time the county was formed. The county seat is Salisbury. Initially Rowan included the entire northwestern sector of North Carolina, with no clear western boundary, but its size was reduced as a number of counties were split off. The first big excision was to create Surry County in 1771. Burke and Wilkes Counties were formed from the western parts of Rowan and Surry in 1777 and 1778, respectively, leaving a smaller Rowan County that comprised present-day Rowan, Iredell (formed 1788), Davidson (1822), and Davie (1836). Surry, Burke and Wilkes subsequently fragmented further as well. Depending on where your ancestors lived, you may want to look at records for some of these later counties also. Records of very early land grants in the Rowan County area will be found with Anson County

More information:

A Texas Family: The Barclays from Rowan Co NC in 1756 to Tyler Co Tx

Story of Anderson Barclay, son of Walter Barkley of Rowan Co.

Doug Melzer's site contains photographs of Organ Lutheran Church and links to more information.

Grace Lowerstone Reformed Church photos.

Thyatira Presbyterian Church has a couple of photos plus some info about a book containing tombstone inscriptions.

Info on North Carolina's Gold Rush