Jackson was formed in 1851 from Haywood and Macon. It was named in honor of Andrew Jackson, who won an overwhelming victory from the British at New Orleans in 1815 and who was twice President of the United States. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the states of South Carolina and Georgia and Macon, Swain, Haywood and Transylvania counties. The present land area is 490.71 square miles and the 2000 population was 33,121. The first court was ordered to be held at the home of Daniel Bryson, Sr., and after that session the courts were held at Allen Fisher's store until the courthouse was erected. In 1852 an act was passed authorizing an election to be held to decide on moving the county seat from Webster to Sylva. The election was held May 8,1913, and was carried by a majority of 675. Sylva furnished the site and $10,000 in cash for the new courthouse. Sylva is the county seat.

Johnston was formed in 1746 from Craven. It was named in honor of Gabriel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, 1734-1752. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Wilson, Wayne, Sampson, Cumberland, Harnett, Wake and Nash counties. The present land area is 791.85 square miles and the 2000 population was 121,900. The first court was held at the home of Francis Stringer at the Ferry of Neuse River. Court was held at Hinton's Quarter on the south side of Neuse River, 1759-1760, and probably before that date. In August, 1771, it was held at John Smith's. From 1771 to 1776 the county seat was called Johnston Court House. In 1771 Smithfield was established "where the Court House, prison and stocks now stand." Smithfield is the county seat.

Jones was formed in 1779 from Craven. It was named in honor of Willie Jones of Halifax who was one of the leaders of the Revolution, president of the Council of Safety and an opponent of the adoption of the Constitution of the United States. It was due chiefly to his influence that the Convention of 1788 refused to ratify the Federal Constitution. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Craven, Carteret, Onslow, Duplin and Lenoir counties. The present land area is 471.88 square miles and the population in 2000 was 10,381. The first court was directed to be held at the home of Thomas Webber at Trent Bridge, and to continue there until the courthouse was built unless some other place was selected. In 1784 an act was passed authorizing a town by the name of Trenton to be laid out where the courthouse stood. Trenton is the county seat.

Lee was formed in 1907 from Moore and Chatham. The act was to become effective April 1, 1908. It was named in honor of Robert E. Lee. It is in the central section of the State and is bounded by Harnett, Moore and Chatham counties. The present land area is 257.26 square miles and the 2000 population was 49,208. Sanford is the county seat.

Lenoir was formed in 1791 from Dobbs. It was named in honor of William Lenoir, one of the heroes of Kings Mountain. It is in the eastern section of the State and is bounded by Craven, Jones, Duplin, Wayne, Green and Pitt counties. The present land area is 399.85 square miles and the 2000 population was 59,636. When Kinston was established in 1762 it was in Dobbs County. It was made the county seat of Dobbs in 1764, and when Dobbs was established in 1791, Kinston became the county seat of Lenoir.

Lincoln was formed in 1779 from Tryon. It was named in honor of General Benjamin Lincoln, a distinguished general of the Revolution whom George Washington appointed to receive the sword of Cornwallis when he surrendered at Yorktown. It is in the southwestern section of the State and is bounded by Mecklenburg, Gaston, Cleveland, Catawba and Iredell counties. The present land area is 298.79 square miles and the 2000 population was 63,780. The act establishing the county appointed commissioners to select a convenient and central place and to erect a courthouse and prison. In 1782 and in 1784 new commissioners were appointed, as the previously appointed commissioners had failed to act. In 1785 Lincolnton was established on land selected for the county seat. It is the present county seat.

Macon was formed in 1828 from Haywood. It was named in honor of Nathaniel Macon, speaker of the House of Representatives, United States Senator, and president of the Constitutional Convention of 1835. It is in the western section of the State and is. bounded by the state of Georgia and Clay, Cherokee, Swain and Jackson counties. The present land area is 516.47 square miles and the 2000 population was 29,808. The first court was ordered to be held in the town of Franklin. Franklin is the county seat.

Madison was formed in 1851 from Buncombe and Yancey. It was named in honor of James Madison, the fourth President of the United States. It is in the western section of the State, and is bounded by Yancey, Buncombe and Haywood counties and the state of Tennessee. The present land area is 449.42 square miles and the 2000 population was 19,635. The first court was ordered to be held at the tavern house of Adolphus Baird at which time the majority of the justices could adjourn to any other place they determined until a courthouse could be erected. Seven commissioners were named to select a site for the county seat. When the place was finally decided on, the commissioners were to acquire a tract of land, lay out a town by the name of Marshall, and erect a courthouse. Marshall, named in honor of John Marshall, is the county seat.

Martin was formed in 1774 from Halifax and Tyrrell. It was named in honor of Josiah Martin, the last Royal Governor of North Carolina. It is probable that this county's name would have been changed like those of Dobbs and Tryon but for the popularity of Alexander Martin, who was governor, 1782-1785 and l789-1792. It is in the eastern section of the State, and is bounded by Washington, Beaufort, Pitt, Edgecombe, Halifax and Bertie counties. The present land area is 461.17 square miles and the 2000 population was 25,546. The act establishing the county made no provision for the courthouse, prison and stocks. However, a law was passed making provision for levying special taxes for the county seat. There is nothing to indicate the location. In 1779 Williamston, first called Squhawky, was laid out on the land of Thomas Hunter. Williamston is the county seat.

McDowell was formed in 1842 from Rutherford and Burke. It was named in honor of Colonel Joseph McDowell, an officer of the Revolution. It is in the west central section of the State and is bounded by Burke, Rutherford, Henderson, Buncombe, Yancey, Mitchell and Avery counties. The present land area is 441.68 square miles and the 2000 population was 42,151. The court was ordered to be held at the home of Jonathan L. Carson until the county seat could be established. The act also named commissioners to select a site as near the center of the county as possible, acquire land, lay out a town by the name of Marion, and erect a courthouse. Marion is the county seat.

Mecklenburg was formed in 1762 from Anson. The act was to become effective February 1, 1763. It was named in honor of Princess Charlotte Sophia of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the Queen of George III who was King of England. It is in the south central section of the State and is bounded by the state of South Carolina and Gaston, Lincoln, Iredell, Cabarrus and Union counties. The present land area is 526.28 square miles and the 2000 population was 695,370. Charlotte, named for Princess Charlotte and established in 1766. is the county seat.

Mitchell was formed in 1861 from Yancey, Watauga, Caldwell, Burke and McDowell counties. It was named in honor of Dr. Elisha Mitchell, a professor at the University of North Carolina. While on an exploring expedition of Mt. Mitchell, the highest peak east of the Mississippi River, Dr. Mitchell fell and was killed. He was buried on the top of this lofty mountain. It is in the western section of the State and is bounded by the state of Tennessee and Avery, McDowell and Yancey counties. The present land area is 221.43 square miles and the 2000 population was 15,687. The first court was ordered to be held at Eben Child's. Commissioners were named to acquire the land, establish a town by the name of Calhoun, and erect a courthouse in Calhoun. They maintained it was inconvenient to three-fourths of the citizens. They said the matter should, therefore, be referred to the Assembly. In 1862 an act was passed authorizing the people to decide by ballot for Calhoun, or for Davis as the county seat. In 1863 an act was passed which stipulated that the county seat should be located at the geographical center of the county by actual survey and measurements. In 1863 the justices met and unanimously agreed that Norman's Hill should be selected as the county seat. From 1861-1866 commissioners were appointed to acquire the land and lay out a town. At the regular September term, 1866, held at Davis, the commissioners reported that they had acquired 29 acres of land and sold the lots. In 1868 the county seat was changed from Davis to Bakersville. Bakersville was incorporated in 1870 and is the county seat.

Montgomery was formed in 1779 from Anson. It was named in honor of Richard Montgomery who, in 1775, lost his life at the battle of Quebec in the attempt to conquer Canada. It is in the south section of the State and is bounded by Moore, Richmond, Stanly, Davidson and Randolph counties. The present land area is 491.60 square miles and the 2000 population was 26,822. The act establishing the county specified that the first court should be held at the home of Henry Munger, and all subsequent courts were to be held where the justices of the peace decided until a courthouse could be erected. Another act was passed that same year naming commissioners to select fifty acres of land centrally located and erect a courthouse, prison and stocks. By 1783 there had developed dissatisfaction among many of the inhabitants as to the location the commissioners had selected. However, the Assembly that year authorized the courthouse to be constructed on the land purchased. The act provided for adequate ferries across the Yadkin and Uwharrie Rivers on the court, public and election days. In 1785 the General Assembly was petitioned to authorize the removal of the courthouse. In 1791 an act was passed directing that the center of the county be located by actual survey, at which place Stokes was to be established. The commissioners, however, failed to act, and in 1792 new commissioners were named. The courts were to be held at the home of Mark Kennet unless the justices decided on some other place more convenient. In that year, Henderson was established at the confluence of the Yadkin and Uwharrie Rivers. In 1795 the courthouse, on the land formerly belonging to James Tindall, was authorized to be sold. Tindallsville had been established in that year. In 1815 commissioners were named to locate the center of the county, purchase land, and erect a courthouse. They were authorized to sell the old courthouse and lot in the town of Henderson and apply the proceeds to the erection of the new buildings. In 1816 Laurenceville was named under the authority of a law enacted in 1815 establishing a town at the courthouse. In 1843 the courthouse was ordered to be moved from Laurenceville to the geographical center. Commissioners were named to locate the center, to acquire land, to lay out a town and erect the public buildings. In 1844 Troy was established as the county seat.

Moore was formed in 1784 from Cumberland. It was named in honor of Captain Alfred Moore of Brunswick. a soldier of the Revolution and afterwards a Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. It is in the south central section of the State and is bounded by Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Scotland, Richmond, Montgomery, Randolph, Chatham and Lee counties. The present land area is 697.74 square miles and the 2000 population was 74,762. The act establishing the county provided for the erection of the public buildings. In 1795 an act was passed which stated that the location of the courthouse was inconvenient; it named commissioners to purchase land near the center of the county and erect a new courthouse. In 1796 an act was passed establishing Carthage on land where the courthouse was to stand. In 1803 an act was passed naming commissioners to lay out a town and build a courthouse as directed in the 1796 act. In 1806 Carthage was changed to Fagansville. In 1818, Fagansville was changed back to Carthage. Carthage is the county seat.