Gates County, North Carolina Court Minutes, 1779-1793. (Volume #1)

By: Marilyn Poe, Vivian Poe Jackson & Judith Krauese Reid, Pub. 1977, Reprinted 2019, 226 pages, Index, ISBN #0-89308-151-5.



Gates County was created in 1778 from Hertford, Chowan and Perquimans counties, N.C. It is located in the Northeastern corner of the state bordering Virginia. It is surrounded by the counties of Camden, Chowan, Hertford, Pasquotank, Perquimans counties N.C. and by Nansemond County, VA. Many inhabitants of the "BURNED" counties of Hertford, N.C. and Nansemond, VA. which adjoin Gates county are mentioned in these early court minutes. In the minutes, one will find local office holders being appointed and/or qualified, including clerks of courts, registers of deeds, sheriffs, coroners, etc. The court controlled the levying and expenditure of local taxes, matters dealing with public buildings, roads, bridges, etc. were handled by this court and it also selected and summoned juries. Among the other responsibilities of the court found in its minutes were licenses granted to operaters of taverns, as well as deeds and bills of sale being acknowledged by the grantors. The court oversaw a wide range of matters involving estates, including probate of wills, settlements of estates, and appraisements as well as matters dealing with bastardy, and many other valuable bits of information.