Tryon County, North Carolina facts for kids

Tryon County was a former county in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was created in 1768 from a part of Mecklenburg County. This new county included land west of the Catawba River. Because of maps that weren't quite right, Tryon County also covered a large area of what is now northwestern South Carolina. The county was named after William Tryon. He was the governor of the North Carolina Colony from 1765 to 1771.

The main town for the county, called the county seat, was chosen in 1774. It was located about eight miles southwest of today's town of Lincolnton. This area is now in Lincoln County.

History of Tryon County

When Tryon County was created, leaders were chosen to find a good spot for a courthouse, jail, and public stocks. The first county records began in April 1769. They were kept by Ezekiel Polk, who was the grandfather of James K. Polk. James K. Polk later became the 11th president of the United States.

In 1771, Governor Tryon asked five soldiers from Tryon County to help stop the Regulator Movement. This was a protest against unfair county officials and high taxes. It mainly happened in counties to the northeast of Tryon. Even though the colony was officially at peace with Native American tribes from 1763 to 1776, the border areas of Tryon County sometimes faced attacks. These attacks were usually by the Cherokee tribe, but sometimes by Shawnee and other tribes from far away. Settlers built several small forts to protect themselves and their neighbors. These included Fort McGaughey, Fort McFadden, and Potts' Fort.

County buildings were not planned or built until 1774. Before that, county activities took place in people's homes. In July 1774, a group of appointed residents chose a place called "the crossroads" for the new county buildings. This spot was on Christopher Mauney's land. It was between the beginnings of Long Creek, Muddy Creek, and Beaver Dam Creek. The county court then moved to Mauney's home. The old Tryon courthouse site is eight miles southwest of Lincolnton, in Lincoln County. In October 1774, court sessions were still held at Mauney's house. A room in his home was even used as the county jail.

Tryon County in the American Revolution

When the Cherokee tribe, who were allied with the British, attacked several settlements in Tryon County in 1776, most Loyalists (people loyal to Britain) joined their Patriot (people wanting independence) neighbors. They worked together to fight off the attackers. General Griffith Rutherford then led a military trip. His goal was to destroy the Overhill Cherokee towns across the Blue Ridge Mountains.

After the Battle of Lexington in Massachusetts, 49 residents of Tryon County met at the courthouse. They wrote and signed the Tryon Resolves. This document was a statement of resistance against the harsh actions of the British Empire toward its North American colonies. The Tryon Resolves were not a full declaration of independence. However, they were one of the first local statements from the colonies. They called for changes to the wrongs they felt were done by the British Parliament and the King. This document was signed on August 14, 1775. This was almost 11 months before the United States Declaration of Independence.

Earlier in the 1770s, Tryon residents had formed a Committee of Safety. This group worked to keep settlers in the area safe. As tensions grew between the colonies and the British government, the committee members met again. All of them had signed "The Resolves." In September 1775, they formed the Tryon County, North Carolina militia. This was to get ready for any British response to American resistance.

In 1779, Tryon County was divided into two new counties: Lincoln County and Rutherford County in North Carolina. After this, Tryon County no longer existed.

Where was Tryon County?

In December 1768, Governor Tryon described the area of the county in a letter. He said it was "forty-five miles in breadth due north and south and eighty miles due east and west." He also noted it was that distance from the Catawba River to the western border. This border had been set the year before between the Cherokee hunting grounds and the Province.

The original area of Tryon County covered many modern-day places. It included all of these areas:

...and parts of these areas:

Notable People from Tryon County

• William Graham: A military and political leader during the American War for Independence.
• Frederick Hambright: A signer of the "Resolves" and a military leader who was injured during the War for Independence.
• Joseph Hardin: A signer of the "Resolves" and a military leader during the War for Independence. He later served as a representative for the State of Franklin and the Southwest Territory.