Rockingham County, NC
History
Rockingham County is in the north central
section of the State and is bounded by Caswell,
Guilford
and
Stokes
counties and the State of Virginia. The present land area is 564.94 square
miles and the 1990 population was 86,064.
Rockingham was formed in 1785 from
Guilford. It was named in honor of Charles Watson-Wentworth, Second Marquis
of Rockingham, who was a leader of a party in the British Parliament which
advocated American independence. He was Prime Minister when the Stamp Act
was repealed.
The first court was held at the home
of Adam Tate, at which time the justices were to decide on the place for
holding future courts until the courthouse could be erected. In 1787 an
act was passed which directed the courthouse to be erected on the land
of Charles Mitchell on the east side of Big Rock House Creek. In 1796 an
act was passed authorizing the purchase of land from Robert Galloway &
Company, where public buildings were situated, and the community of Wentworth
was established. In 1797 an act was passed suspending operations on the
Wentworth courthouse. In 1798 commissioners were named to establish Wentworth
on land given by Robert Galloway for that purpose. The first court was
held at Wentworth in May, 1799. Wentworth is the county seat.
Neighboring and nearby Counties
