Granville County, North Carolina

Beginnings [1,2,3]

Settlement in Granville County began about 1711, soon after the Tuscarora War. Early settlers came mostly from Virginia, drawn to the area by its abundance of game, woodlands and rich farmland.

Although Granville County was formed in 1746 (from Edgecomb County), it was reduced in size with the formation of Orange County in 1752 and again in 1881 when Vance County was created. The first county seat was called Granville Court House, but was moved to Oxford when it was incorporated in 1811.

The county was named for John Carteret, Earl of Granville who was the proprietor of the Granville District which at the time comprised most of the land in the northern half of North Carolina.

1. Oxford, North Carolina: Population and Economy, City of Oxford, 1965, www.archive.org, accessed March, 2011.
2. Granville Historical Society, www.granvillemuseumnc.org, accessed March, 2011.
3. County of Granville North Carolina, granvillenc.govoffice2.com, accessed March, 2011.