History of Surry County, NC

Thank you for visiting Surry County Register of Deeds online!

The recording of important documents is one of the oldest functions performed by government.  Centuries before the birth of Christ, the practice of stamping an official seal on documents was common. Shortly after 1587, the first English settlers mysteriously disappeared from what is now North Carolina. They left the word "CROATAN" carved in a tree. This may be one of the first recordings in the New World.

Surry County
Surry County was formed in 1771. It was named in honor of the county of Surrey in England, birthplace of then Governor of William Tryon. We are located in the north central section of the state and bounded by the state of Virginia and Stokes, Yadkin, Wilkes and Alleghany counties. The present land area is 535.42 square miles. The act erecting the county provided for the court to be held “constantly” at Gideon Wright’s house until the courthouse could be constructed. Commissioners were named to select the place and have the courthouse, prison and stocks erected. By 1774, some of the commissioners were named to finish the building. In 1779 the courthouse was established at Richmond on land of Colonel Martin Armstrong and William Sheppard. In 1789, Surry County was divided and Stokes County was formed. When this was done, the old courthouse was inconvenient for either county. Therefore, the act dividing the county specified that the court was to be held at the home of Richard Horn until a courthouse, prison and stocks could be erected at a central place. Another act passed that year directed the old courthouse to be sold and the money be equally divided between Surry and Stokes Counties…the proceeds to be used on the respective courthouses. In 1790, Rockford was established on fifty three acres of land deeded by Thomas and Moses Ayres for that purpose. Commissioners were named to erect the public building. In 1851, when Yadkin County was formed from Surry, the act named and directed commissioners to locate the courthouse in the center of the County. So then fifty acres of land was purchased by way of donations to erect the new courthouse. The law stipulated that the town was to be named Dobson, the county seat. The name “Dobson” was derived from a family who was prominent in Rockford and Surry County since the pre-Revolutionary days. The men of that family had followed the legal profession, being lawyers of exceptional ability.

History of Tobacco Barns in NC