Bute County, North Carolina facts for kids

Bute County, North Carolina, was a county that used to exist in the eastern part of North Carolina. It was created in 1764 but later divided into two new counties, Franklin County and Warren County, in 1779. After that, Bute County no longer existed.

History of Bute County

How Bute County Was Formed

Bute County was officially created on June 10, 1764. It was formed from the eastern part of Granville County. The North Carolina General Assembly, which was like the state's government, made this decision.

The county was named after John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute. He was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1762 to 1763. The main reason for creating Bute County was to give people living in that area better access to their local government. This was especially helpful for those in a place called St. John's Parish. In 1766, Bute County grew even larger. It added a part of Northampton County to its northwest side.

Bute County and British Rule

The people living in Bute County were not happy with British rule. For example, in 1768, Governor William Tryon asked for soldiers to stop the Regulator Movement. This movement was a group of people who were protesting against unfair taxes and corrupt officials. However, the local militia in Bute County did not follow the governor's orders.

During the 1770s, it was even said that there were no "Tories" in Bute County. Tories were people who supported the British government during the American Revolution. This shows how strongly the residents of Bute County felt about being independent.

Dividing Bute County

After the Provincial Congress meetings in 1775 and 1776, a plan was suggested to divide Bute County. After more than two years of discussions, Bute County was finally divided on January 20, 1779. The new counties were generally split along a creek called Shocco Creek. Warren County was formed to the north, and Franklin County was created to the south.

The main courthouse for Bute County was located on land owned by Jethro Sumner. This spot was about six miles southeast of a town called Warrenton, North Carolina. There was also another small town in Bute County called Littleton, but it did not have a post office. Most of the old records from Bute County are now kept in Warren County.

Notable People from Bute County

Some important people who lived in Bute County include:

• Thomas Eaton
• William Person

Images for kids

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  A portion of John Collet's 1770 map of North Carolina showing the area of Bute County.