Greene County, North Carolina: Timeline

In 1663, King Charles II of England granted a charter for the territory called Carolina to eight Lords Proprietors. In 1729, all of the Lords Proprietors, except Lord Granville, sold their interests to the Crown and North Carolina became a royal colony.

• 1696 - Bath County created
• 1705 - Archdale Precinct created as a division of Bath County
• 1712 - Archdale Precinct renamed Craven Precinct
• 1739 - Bath County dissolved, Craven Precinct became Craven County
• 1746 - Johnston County created from Craven County
• 1758 - Dobbs County created from Johnston County
• 1791 - Dobbs County abolished, northern portion became Glasgow County
• 1799 - Glasgow County renamed Greene County
  

  John Lawson, famed English explorer, historian and surveyor, wrote that “I shall add this; that with prudent management, I can affirm, by experience, not by hearsay, that any person, with a small beginning, may live very comfortably, and not only provide for the necessities of life, but likewise for those that are to succeed him”. 

The county seat of Greene County is Snow Hill, laid off in 1811 and incorporated in 1828. It is located on the banks of Contentnea Creek. The town was named for a nearby plantation called the "Snow Hills" owned by John Becton that was willed to his son in 1753. There are only two other incorporated towns located in the county: Hookerton and Walstonburg. There are numerous communities formed throughout with quaint names like Arba, Maury, Shine, Jason, Scuffleton, Ormondsville, Castoria, Browntown, Lizzie and Appie. The strength of the county is its people, which live in these communities. James Creech who wrote the History of Greene County said, “one of the most valuable aspects of Greene County is its people; strong, ambitious people, independent but willing to work and accept each day as it comes.”

Historical Facts

• Final battle of the Tuscarora War was fought here in 1713, at Fort Nooherooka

• In May 1781, Lt. Col. Tarleton's British dragoons engaged Col. James Gorham's militia in a skirmish at Peacock's Bridge , located on the Greene and Wilson County line

• In July, 1863, Gen. Edward Potter's Union cavalry skirmished with Confederate forces in Greene County as they retreated to New Bern after a raid on Tarboro and Rocky Mount. This is known as Potter's Raid and there are three Civil War trail markers located here

• Second oldest Christian church in North Carolina is the Hookerton United Christian Church which has the unique detached belfry.

• The world's largest individual bright leaf tobacco farmer lived in Maury:

          Mr. C.L. Hardy; 1500 acres.

• Southern boundary of the Earl of Granville Land Grant ran through Snow Hill.

• Contentnea Creek was a major transportation route during much of Greene Countys history.

• Snow Hill Billies baseball team, a farm club of the New York Yankees, was a charter member of the Coastal Plain League (Class D). The team won the playoffs in 1937 by beating Tarboro 4 games to 1. Several players made it to the majors, including: Aaron Robinson, catcher; and Allen Gettel, pitcher. Also, Walter Rabb, a Billies shortstop, coached UNC baseball team.

Greene Demographics

Land Mass: 269 square miles: 169,600 acres.

Population: 20,219 (2004)

Highways: US 258, 264, 13; NC 58, 903: Interstate 95; 30 miles west.

Airport: Kinston International

Major Towns: Snow Hill 1,518

Hookerton 473

Walstonburg 211

Median Household Income: $32,074

Tax Rate: .87 cents per $100 valuation

Medical Facilities: Parkwood Medical Center

Snow Hill Medical Center

Kate B. Reynolds Center

Schools: 4 accredited public schools and 1 private

College: Lenoir Community College

Recreation: Hunting, Fishing , Tennis, Kayaking, Birding

Churches: 86 estimated

Water Sources: Contentnea Creek