Abstracts from The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943 by
David Leroy Corbitt 3rd printing 1975

page 18 Bath

Bath was formed in 1696 from the territory south of Albermarle River.  It
was named in honor of John Granville, Earel of Bath.  The territory was
made into Archdale, Pamptecough and Wickham precincts in 1705.  Bath Town
was the county seat.
"Whereas several Persons are seated on Pampticoe River without the Bounds
of the County of Albermarle ..., it is now by the authority of this Court
erected into a County & by the special direction fo the Right Honble the
Governor is nominated the County of Bath"

page xxiii

Albermarle County was formed in 1664 consisting of "all that parte of the
province (of Carolina) which lyeth on the north east side or starboard side
entring of the river Chowan now named by us Albermarle river together with
the Islands and Isletts within tenn leagues there of"  The county was named
for George Mock, Duke of Albermarle, one of the Lords Proprietors.  By 1668
Albemarle County was divided into Chowan, Currituck, Pasquotank and
Perquimans precincts for the purposes of local administration.  

page 11

Archdale: Archdale precinct was formed in 1705 from Bath.  It was named in
honor of John Archdale, governor of Carolina, 1694-1696.  The name was
changed about 1712 to Craven.
"the Precinct of Archdale taking all the sount side of said (Pamptecough)
river and at present, including all the Inhabitants of Newse"

page 18

Beaufort:  Beaufort was first called Pamptecough, the name being changed
about 1712.  It was named for Henry Somerset, Duke of Beaufort, who in 1709
became one of the Lords Properietors.  It is in the eastern section of the
State and is bouded by Craven, Hyde, Martin, Pamlico, Pitt and Washington
counties. The present areas is 831 square miles. Bath, incorporated in
1705, was the first county seat.  Washington was made the county seat in
1785.  When the name was changed no description was given..  The
description of Pamptecough was as follows:
"lying on the north side of Pamtrecought Ruiver and beginning at Molines's
Creek, and westerly to the head of the river"


#2 Continue of The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943 
by David Leroy Corbitt
Beaufort Co p 18 - 19

The boundary line between Edgecombe and Beaufort and between Tyrrell and
Edgecombe was authorized to be established in 1741
"shall begin at the upper Corner Tree of Jenkin Henry's Line, on the South
Side of the Roanoke River and from thence, run a direct line to the Mouth
of Cheek's Mill Creek, on Tar River; and the said Commissioners, as soon as
the said Line is finished, shall, under their Hands return the Courses,
thereof into each of the Courts of the aforesaid Counties, which shall be
recoreded by the Clerks of these said several Courts; and the said Line so
run shall for ever after, be deemed the Boundary Line between Tyrrell and
Edgecomb Counties, and between Edgecomb and Beaufort Counties, from Tyrrell
county as far as Tar River.
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That the Flat Swamp
which, heretofore, was the Boundary of Albermarle and Bath Counties shall,
to the Head of the said Swamp and from the Head thereof by a direct Line
between Tyrrell and Edgecomb Counties, forever, be the Boundary Line
between Tyrrell and Beaufort Counties."The boundary line between Tyrrell
and Beaufort  and between Tyrrell and Edgecombe was authoized to be
continued in 1748 because taxes for surbeying the same had not been
collected.


#3 Beaufort Co

"...for finishing the said Line between Part of the Edgecomb, Beaufort and
Johnston Counties, already begun and Carried on to the
Mouth of Cheek's Mill Creek, in Beaufort County on Tar River and from
thence shall run, with a straight line to Contentnee, at the Mouth of
Tosneat Swamp and thence up the main Stream of the Contentnee, opposite the
Mouth of Cypress Swamp on Tar River; which said Line, when run by the
Commissioners aforsaid, shall be by them entered on Record, in the Court of
Edgecomb County, aforesaid, and shall hereafter be deemed and taken to be
the true Bounds of the said county....
And be it further Enacted, by the Authority aforesaid, That all and every
Clause and Clauses of the act, instituted, An Act for ascertaining the
boundary line between Tyrrell County and Beaufort County and between
Edgecomb County, Tyrrell County and Beaufort County so far as relates to
running the Boundary Line between Edgecomb County and Beauforft County is
and are hereby repealed and made void as if the same had never been made."

Part of Beaufort County was annexed to 
Craven in 1757 (p 19)
"That the part of the said County of Beaufort, lying between Bay River and
lower Broad Creek as aforesaid be from henceforth deemed, held, and taken
to be part of Craven County"


#4 "Formation of the North Caolina Counties1663-1943" by David
Leroy Corbitt
page 19

Pitt was formed in 1760 from Beaufort. The act was to become effective
January 1, 1761
"That from and after the First Day of January next, the upper Part of the
said County of Beaufort, beginning at the Line between the said County and
Tyrrell, running South Southwest to Cherry's Run, where the main Road
crosses the said Run; thenece down the said Run to Tranter's Creek; thence
down the said Creek to Pamlico River; thence down the said River to the
Fork Point on the South side of the said River; thence up the Chocowinity
Bay and Creek to the Head thereof; thence South, SouthWest to the dividing
Line of the said County and Craven; thence along the dividing Lines of
Craven, Dobbs. Edgecomb and Tyrrell; so that all that Part of Beaufort
County to the Westward of Cherry Run,Chocowintiy Bay and Creek, shall, and
is hereby declared to be a separate County and Parish and shall be called
and known by the name of Pitt County and St Michael's Parish."

#5 "The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943" by
David Leroy Corbitt
page 20
Part of Pitt was annexed to Beaufort in 1785
"all that part of the county of Pitt included in the folowing bounds
beginning at Craven county line where it crosses Creeping Swamp and running
with Creeping Swamp and Checod Swamp to the mouth of Round Island branch,
then a direct course to the mouth of Pitch Hole branch, then with the swamp
to Bear creek, then down Bear creek to Tar River, then down the river on
the north side to the mouth of Tranter's, then up said Creek to Martin
county line, then with Martin, Beaufort and Craven lines to the beginnning
be and the same is hereby annexed to and shall be and remain a prart of the
county of Beaufort."

An act was passed in 1801 locating the boundary line between Beaufort and
Martin, because disputes had arisen concerning titles to land and because
of the uncertainty of the location of the boundary line.  Reference was
made to the law establishing Martyin, but no desccription of the line was
given in the law.

Part of Beaufort was annexed to Craven in 1801
"all that part of Beaufort county that lies within the following bounds,
viz. Beginning at the head of Jones'Bay, and running a direct line to Bay
River Bridge, near Palmer's cabbins; thence cdown the meanders of said Bay
River to Jone's Bay, thence with said bay to the beginning."
In 1811 the boundary line between Beaufort and Washington was  authorized
to be established and a record made in each county.  No description is
given in the law.


#6 "The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943"
by David Leroy Corbitt

Part of Beaufort was annexed to Martin in 1816
"Beginning where the line that now divides the said counties intersects the
Bear Grass Swamp, running along the main drain of said swamp, to the main
drain of Tranter's Creek, thence up the main drain of said creek to mouth
of the Flat Swamp, the present dividing line between the counties of Martin
and Pitt"

Part of Hyde was annexed to Beaufort in 1819
"That all thet part of the county of Hyde, which lies upon the west side of
Pungo river, be, and it its hereby added to, and made a part of the county
of Beaufort"


July 21, 1998
The Formation of the North Carolina Counties 1663-1943
An act to establish the bountary line between the counties of Washington
and Beaufort was passed in 1832.

"to run the boundary line between said counties, leading from Long Acre to
the Pungo settlement, or such parties of boundary as is yet undetermined
between said counties."

In 1851 an act was passed which stated that as the dividing line between
Washington and Beaufort had not heretofore been sufficiently described,
either by actual survey or by known and fixed boundaries, it becomes
expedient, in order to prevent disputes between the inhabitants of said
counties in relation to county affairs, that the said dividing line should
be more accuratley ascertained.  No description was given in the act.


Date: Monday, July 27, 1998 
Formation of North Carolina Counties by David Leroy Corbitt
page 21

In 1851 an act was passed authorizing the running and marking of the
boundary line between Craven and Beaufort because of the uncertainty of the
location of the said line.  No description was given.

The dividing line between Beaufort and Craven was authorized to be
established in 1852
"the dividing line, between said counties of Beaufort and Craven shall
begin at the head of Joes's River at the bridge on the road leading from
Durham's Creek to Goose Creek in Craven county, thence from said Bay River
N. 47 deg. 48 min. W to Flat Swamp Bridge on the road leading from Core
Point to Gaskins' Ferry, thence from said Flat Swamp Bridge N. 57 deg. 29
min. W to the run of Creeping Swamp on the Pitt county line."

Pamlico County was formed in 1872 from Beaufort and Craven.

"That a county by the name of Pamlico shall be and the same in hereby laid
off and established out of portion of Craven and Beaufort counties within
the following bounds, to wit:  Beginning at the mouth of South Creek in the
county of Beaufort at Hickory Point, running thence up South Creek to the
mouth of Bailey Creek and up Bailey Creek to the head thereof, thence a
west course to Durham's Creek and up Durham's Creek to the head thereof,
thence a direct line to the head waters of Deep Run and with Deep Run to
Upper Broad Creek, in Craven county, and with Broad Creek to Neuse river,
thence with Neuse river and Pamlico Sound to the mouth of Pamlico river,
and thence up Pamlico river, so as to include Indian Island, to Hickory
point, at the mouth of South Creek, the beginning."


July 31,1998
Formation of the North Carolina Counties by David Leroy Corbitt
con't page 22

Part of Beaufort was annexed to Pamlico in 1874

"That on the first Thursday in March, one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-four, in Goose Creek Island township, in the county of Beaufort, an
election shall be under the rules and regulations for the election of
members of the General Assembly, for the purpose of allowing the qualified
voters of Goose Creek Island township to vote upon the annexation of said
township to the county of Pamlico.  That portion of Beaufort county known
as Goose Creek Island shall from and after that day, become a portion of
the county of Pamlico"

Parts of Beaufort and Craven were annexed to Pamlico in 1876

"Beginning at the mouth of Goose creek and runs up Pamlico river to Lee's
creek, then up said creek to the Washington road, then with said road
westerly to the township line, then with the township line southerly to the
Craven county line, then with the Craven and Pamlico county line to the
mouth of Goose Creek, be said the same is hereby annexed to and shall form
a part of Pamlico county.  This shall have no effect until a majority of
the qualified voters of the territory shall have declared themselves in
favor of the annexation"

Aug. 27,1998
Formation of the North Carolina Counties by David Leroy Corbitt
p 22

Part of Beaufort was annexed to Pamlico County in 1891
"beginning at the mouth of Durham's creek and runnig up the creek to its
head, thence south to the dividing line between Beaufort and Pamlico
counties, with said dividing line to Goose creek, thence down Goose creek
to Pamlico river, thence up said river to the mouth of Durham's creek the
beginning, be and is hereby annexed to the county of Pamlico.
This act shall not go into effect until it shall have been sumitted to and
ratified by the qualified voters residing in the territory annexed."

The election was to be held the first Thursday in May 1891

The dividing line between Beaufort and Washington was authorized to be
settled and fixed in 1911


"That the board of county commissioners of the counties of Washingto and
Beaufort shall appoint two commissioners, one on the part of that count of
Washington and one on the part of the county of Beaufort, who shall settle,
determine, run and mark the dividing line between said counties, from the
western to the eastern terminus thereof.'

to be con't

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