Bladen County, North Carolina

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James Sprunt has described the Native Americans in the"Chronicles of the Cape Fear River(1660-1916" He reports the Waco were Siouan Indians, the Saxapahaw and Cape Fear Indians were possibly Siouan. The Early colonists identified the Cape Fear Indians and that term may have referred to any American Indians found in the area. S.A. Ash mentions within James Sprunt's book that the lower Cape Fear Indians are "Congarees", a branch of the Old Cheraws and Waccamaw Indians were also listed,^[1] After settlement the Indians were driven away or died of European diseases.^[2]

Wilmington harbor and the coast of North Carolina was not a nice wide open harbor or river. In the beginning, there was no harbor, and the river had to be cleared to make any navigation possible."North Carolina Through Four Centuries" by William S. Powell states that “North Carolina was a frontier region open to settlement by migrants from other colonies, such as Virginia, South Carolina, Maryland, Pennsylvania and New Jersey as well as England, Ireland." ^[2][3]

Map of Bladen Co. townships

Bladen County is geographically described as a Coastal Plain county and the third largest in North Carolina, Bladen County is rightfully named the “Mother County.” Of the state’s 100 counties, 55 of them were originally part of Bladen County. ^[1][2][3]

1895 atlas

Winter, 1724-25 General Burrington described the Lower Caper Fear region settlement as being uninhabited.. ^[2]

April 30, 1726 - Settlement began by spring with Maurice Moore was the earliest known settler. ^[2]

June, 1726 Moore sold the first town lot in Brunswick Town after laying out the town. He would have had others there also.There were Maurice, Roger, and Nathaniel Moore alone with others nearby who were referred to as family (or friends), such as E. Allen, J Porter, E Moseley, J Ashe, S Swann, J Swann, J Davis, J Grange, E. Hyrne, T Jones, E Smith, and M Vail. The earliest land grants were recorded under the Lords Proprietors such as David Donahoe and John Baptista Ashe received grants in 1727. Richard Singletary received a grant in 1728. ^[2]

Oct 31, 1732 Bladen Precinct and Onslow Precince was formed from New Hanover Precinct, but the constitutional authority over erecting new precincts was in controversy. Other attempts in 1733 were unsuccessful. The Edenton Council said Bladen did not have over (3) freeholders, Nathaniel Moore, Thomas Jones and Richard Singletary and not over 30 families including these freeholders.^[2][3][4][2]

Seal

1734 -North Carolina government created Bladen County from New Hanover Precinct. Bladen County was named for the Lord Commissioner of Trade and Plantation, Martin Bladen, Lord Commissioner of Trade and Plantation. ^[4][1]

1734-39 - Highland Scottish Settlement - Gabriel Johnston, was the Royal Governor who brought Highlanders from his native Scotland to come settle in North Carolina. The Scots claimed the area as an English Settlement. These Highlanders immigrated, seeking a place of freedom and a place to live without religious persecution. Dougald McNeill and Colonel McAllister brought 350 Scotsmen in 1739, such as Patrick Stewart of Ledcreich, Perthshire, Scotland with his highlanders and younger brother William Stewart. ^[2]

^[3]

Highland Scots claimed the area as an English settlement. They emigrated from Scotland during the Jacobite Revolt looking for an area where they would not be persecuted for their religion. Some stayed in the Bladen region and others moved through the Cape Fear River Valley. ^{[1] [3]}

1739 - Bath County was abolished, and its sub-precincts became known or labeled "Counties".

Bladen’s first courthouse was built on the west bank of the North West Branch of the Cape Fear River about 50 miles above the forks and about 3.5 miles from present day Elizabethtown. The location is known today as Courthouse Landing. ^[2]

Bladen County

The reason Bladen territory was called the "Mother County" is the large territory had indefinite northern and western boundaries.Bladen County is considered the "mother county" of North Carolina because of the 100 counties in North Carolina, 55 counties at one point belonged to Bladen County. ^[4][3]

1743 Quaker Settlement was the first community according to Stephen B Weeks in "Southern Quakers and Slavery". 1746 was another Monthly Meeting for the Eastern Quarter. By 1749 meetings were at Carver's Creek, named for James Carver of Pennsylvania and continued until 1797 when members moved away. meet^[2][3]

Abandoned Church

1750 Reduction began this year when the western part of the county was split to become Anson County.^[4]

1752 - The North part of Bladen was combined with part off Granville County and Johnston County to be Orange County.^[4]

Bladen Steamship, H.G. Wright

Transportation was the factor affecting settlement, grown and later development of Bladen County. All travel was by way of either creeks or rivers. Thus The Cape Fear River and South River were the methods by which settlers arrived in the county. All goods, in addition to settlers were brought in by the rivers. Homes, whether modest or plantations were built close to the rivers. The settler who settled a distance from these rivers were called "backwards"^[2]

1700's-late 1800's the rivers of the County were the only means of transportation (sort of like modern highways of long ago. By 1776 Cape Fear River was a cash paying enterprise with dividends. Flour, pork, beef, rice, butter, indigo, tar, pitch, turpentine and lumber were floated down the river. The settlers lashed the turpentine and tar barrels together to make huge rafts which were also floated down the Cape Fear River to Wilmington to be put upon the ships bound for England. (England had a great use of tar and Turpentine). ^[3]

Bladen County

1754 -North part of remainder of Bladen became Cumberland County.^[4]

1763 - Tax list shows the early citizens of Bladen County, which still included Brunswick, Columbus, Hoke, And Robeson Counties. it shows 490 entries with 1,255 taxable ( 577 white Taxables and 667 African American taxables. ^[2]

1764- Southern part of Bladen was combined with part of New Hanover County to create Brunswick County.^[4]

1773 Elizabethtown, the county seat, was formed. It was incorporated in 1895. Some historians say the name was in honor of Queen Elizabeth I of England or Isaac Jones’ wife, Elizabeth. (Jones gave the land for the original town to be built). Other important communities in Bladen County include White Lake, Bladenboro, Dublin, Clarkton, East Arcadia, and Tar Heel.^[1]

Battle of Elizabethtown

Aug, 1781 Revolutionary War a battle occurred on the outskirts of Elizabeth Town. When news came off the 400 Tory soldiers camping near the city, Colonel Thomas Robeson gathered his 70 American troops to fight the 400 Tory soldiers.. The patriots were able to push the British Tories back into a ditch near the Cape Fear River.. This Battle of Elizabeth Town was an American victory. That ditch near the Cape Fear River is known to all as the "Tory Hole". ^{[1] [3]}

1787 - The western part of the smaller Bladen county became Robeson County.^[4]

1808 - More of the southern part of Bladen County was combined with Brunswick County, forming Columbus County.^[4]

Bladen County has several notable geographic features, bodies of water. The Cape Fear, South, and Black Rivers all pass through the county while the Bladen Lakes State Forest is an important woodland in the region. The White and Jones Lakes are mostly Carolina Bay phenomena. Bladen County has more of these bays than any other county in the state. Carolina Bays are oval-shaped depressions that can be hundreds of feet or miles wide and between 15 to 50 feet deep. Cause of these vary, but most feel meteorite showers caused the indentations as the reason for these Carolina Bays.^{[1] [3]}

See:Harmony Hall, the Elwell Cable Ferry Crossing, the Oakland Plantation, as well as the historic churches of the area.^[1]

Walnut Grove

1790 Sampson and New Hanover County residents from the Coharie Section moved across South River into Bladen County, with the State of North Carolina issuing many land grants to Revolutionary War veterans and families. The federal census showed the population in the county as 5,206. Note Cumberland and Robeson Counties had been split from Bladen county. (Bladen was half the size as that in 1763.. ^[2]

Bladen County economy began as agricultural. Farmers grow tobacco, peanuts, blueberries, and cotton. Processing of peanuts, and textile manufacturing are also industries.The East Coast Delta Kite and Glider Competition is just one of the several, annual festivals is held in Bladen County.^[1]

1775-82 American Revolution - Even though the county was sparsely settled, records show 300 men of the Bladen County Regiment of Militia were in service when Fort Johnston, at the mouth of the Cape Fear River in Brunswick County, was captured by the Patriots in 1775. They saw the last Royal Governor, Josiah Martin, leave the county on the British man-of-war HMS Cruiser. ^[3]

1786 Robeson County was created out of Bladen County, and in 1788 the Great Swamp area was added to Robeson County. Since Robeson County consumed such a large portion of Bladen it is known as the "State of Robeson." ^[3]

1800's Post Revolutionary War order had to be restored, and citizens focused on making their living either on farms, or in new industries. New industries began producing turpentine, pitch, tar, staves, headings, and later shingles and lumber. All products were shipped down the Cape Fear River to Wilmington. These products were the mainstay up to the Civil War.^[3]

1861-65 Civil War Bladen County sent many men to the Civil War for the Confederacy. ^[3]

April, 1861 Bladen county formed companies of more than 100 men before North Carolina secession from the Union. These Bladen County Companies served in all theatres of the war, from start to finish.^[3]

1863 Railroads arrived in Bladen County with the major stop being at Abbottsburg. Abbottsburg was settled by Joseph C Abbots who had built a large lumber business. With the Railway stopping in Abbotsburg, the town grew into the largest in Bladen County. Other towns sprang up along the railway at crossroads such as Clarkton, Bladenboro and Council.^[3]

Bladen County is the third largest county in North Carolina, with 879 square miles. Its location in southeastern North Carolina ensures Bladen of a good climate, with an average annual temperature of 63 degrees, precipitation of 49.1", and an annual snowfall of less than 4". The county lies within twenty-five miles of the Atlantic Ocean. Of the 100 counties in North Carolina, 55 were once a part of Bladen County which accounts for the name "Bladen, The Mother County."

Bladen is a county rich in history and tradition. It was first settled by the Highland Scots in 1734, who came to this Cape Fear River Valley seeking religious freedom. These Scots scattered throughout Bladen, but since most of the desirable land had been taken up, the overflow went on up the river to found Fayetteville and to populate the Scot counties of Harnett, Richmond, Moore, Robeson, Scotland, and Montgomery. Many of the descendents of these first settlers still live in the county and, like their ancestors, they too are God-fearing, hard-working, and freedom-loving people.^[3]

1908 -Roads were built in Brown Marsh Township.^[3]

1919- All townships had issued bonds to begin the major county road building campaign. This created jobs for many Bladen citizens.^[3]

Bladen county has had more than 1,000 lakes. Many are oval in shape and thought to have been formed from meteor showers. These lakes are recreational areas as well as tourist attractions.

Seven (7) of the lakes remain plus the Cape Fear River, South and Black Rivers.. Bladen county has adequate water for both commercial, industrial, farming. and home usage.^[3]

Settlements sprang up all over the county. Landings on the river grew into communities. When the railroad came, it spawned still another set of communities..^[3]

Bladen Steamship, H.G. Wright

Bladen's big rivers provided the settlers and planters access and transportation to cash markets. After the steamboats were built, the steamboats found their way up the river. Not only did regular passenger and freight steamers run up the river, but others provided special service for the many plantation landings and Bladen boasted some of the finest plantation homes in the Southeast.^[3]

Government Offices

• Bladen County is a member of the regional Lumber River Council of Governments.

• Bladen’s first courthouse was built on the west bank of the NW Branch of the Cape Fear River about 50 miles above the forks and about 3.5 miles from present day Elizabethtown. The location is known today as Courthouse Landing.

1893 Courthouse

1893 Bladen Co. Courthouse

Current Courthouse

Current Courthouse.

Geography

Size - total area of 887 square miles (2,300 km2), of which 874 square miles (2,260 km2) is land and 13 square miles (34 km2) (1.4%) is water.

Size Comparison- 3rd -largest county in North Carolina by land area.

Coastal Plain county

879 square miles

Location- in southeastern North Carolina

Location 25 miles from the Atlantic ocean

Climate - good climate

Temperature - average annual temperature of 63 degrees

Precipitation of 49.1",

Snowfall annual - less than 4".

Classed as Bladen County is rightfully named the “Mother County.”

Rivers - The Cape Fear, South, and Black Rivers all pass through the county

Lakes -White and Jones Lakes

Bays - Derived from Carolina Bay phenomena

Bays -Bladen County has more of these bays than any other county in the state.

Carolina Bays are oval-shaped depressions that can be 100's of feet or miles wide and between 15 to 50 feet deep.

creation of the bays, many Scientists feel that meteorite showers caused these indentations

Bladen county has had more than 1,000 lakes. Many are oval in shape and thought to have been formed from meteor showers. These lakes are recreational areas as well as tourist attractions.

Seven (7) of the lakes remain plus the Cape Fear River, South and Black Rivers.. Bladen county has adequate water for both commercial, industrial, farming. and home usage.

Adjacent counties

• Robeson County West
• Cumberland County -North; formed in 1754 from Bladen County, North Carolina.
• Columbus County - South; formed in 1808 from parts of Bladen County and Brunswick County. It was named for Christopher Columbus.
• Sampson County Northeast
• Pender County Southeast

Protected areas

• Bladen County is also the home of the oldest documented Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) at 1622 years old.
• Bladen Lakes State Forest is an important woodland in the region.

Demographics

In 2000, there were 32,278 people in the county with a population density of 37 people/sq. mi. The racial makeup of the county was 57.22% White, 37.91% Black or African American, 2.04% Native American, 0.10% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 1.97% from other races, and 0.73% from two or more races. 3.71% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2005 55.8% of the population of Bladen County were non-Hispanic whites, 36.8% of the population was African-American. 5.0% of the population of was Latino. 2.3% of the population was Native American. About 16.60% of families and 21.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.70% of those under age 18 and 24.20% of those age 65 or over. In 2010 Census, the population was 35,190. ^[5]

Bladen county map

Highways

• Bladen county has had more than 1,000 lakes. Many are oval in shape and thought to have been formed from meteor showers. These lakes are recreational areas as well as tourist attractions.

Seven (7) of the lakes remain plus the Cape Fear River, South and Black Rivers.. Bladen county has adequate water for both commercial, industrial, farming. and home usage.

Cities/Communities

• Bladenboro
• Clarkton
• Dublin
• East Arcadia
• Elizabethtown(population 3,583, largest city)

Elizabethtown vicinity

• Tar Heel
• White Lake
• White Oak Township

County Resources

• White and Jones Lakes and the many Carolina Bays in the county
• Bladen County has several notable geographic features, bodies of water. The Cape Fear, South, and Black Rivers all pass through the county while the Bladen Lakes State Forest is an important woodland in the region. The White and Jones Lakes are mostly Carolina Bay phenomena. Bladen County has more of these bays than any other county in the state. Carolina Bays are oval-shaped depressions that can be hundreds of feet or miles wide and between 15 to 50 feet deep. The lakes are used for recreation, and provide sufficient water for the early industries, farming, homes, agriculture, and with no danger of running out of water.
• The East Coast Delta Kite and Glider Competition is just one of the several, annual festivals is held in Bladen County.

Census

1790 --- 5,100 —

1800 --- 7,028 37.8%

1810 --- 5,671 −19.3%

1820 --- 7,276 28.3%

1830 --- 7,811 7.4%

1840 --- 8,022 2.7%

1850 --- 9,767 21.8%

1860 --- 11,995 22.8%

1870 --- 12,831 7.0%

1880 --- 16,158 25.9%

1890 --- 16,763 3.7%

1900 --- 17,677 5.5%

1910 --- 18,006 1.9%

1920 --- 19,761 9.7%

1930 --- 22,389 13.3%

1940 --- 27,156 21.3%

1950 --- 29,703 9.4%

1960 --- 28,881 −2.8%

1970 --- 26,477 −8.3%

1980 --- 30,491 15.2%

1990 --- 28,663 −6.0%

2000 --- 32,278 12.6%

2010 --- 35,190 9.0%

Est. 2016 --- 33,741

Cemeteries

• Thomas Robeson Cemetery
• Rising Cemetery

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8} carolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/bladen-county-1734/
2. ↑ ^{2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13} http://www.ncgenweb.us/bladen/bladen-county-ncgenweb
3. ↑ ^{3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21} http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/bladen_county_nc.html
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bladen_County,_North_Carolina
5. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bladen_County,_North_Carolina#Demographics

• http://www.carolana.com/NC/Counties/bladen_county_nc.html
• http://elizabethtownwhitelake.com/bladen-county/
• http://www.ncgenweb.us/bladen/bladen-county-ncgenweb
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bladen_County,_North_Carolina

See Also:

1. Bladen County Heritage North Carolina Volume 1, copyright 1999. Material extracted with permission from Bladen County Historical Society.

2. Years of History, A Limited History of Bladen County NC, by C.E. Crawford. Material extracted with permission from Bladen County Historical Society.

3. Columbus County NC Recollections and Records by Columbus Bicentennial Commission, copyright 1980.

4. Bladen County NC Tax Lists, 1768 through 1774, Volume 1, by William L. Byrd III, copyright 1998.

5. North Carolina Through Four Centuries by William S. Powell, copyright 1989.

6. 1763 Tax List of Bladen County, North Carolina by Bladen County Historical Society.

7. Over Colly, The Smiths of South River in Southeastern NC by William Carter Smith.

8. Chronicles of the Cape Fear River 1660-1916 by James Sprunt. Second edition; Edwards & Broughton Printing Co.; copyright 1916.