Sampson County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2000, the population was 60,161. Its county seat is Clinton. History The county was formed in 1784 from Duplin County. It was named after John Sampson, who was the first register of deeds of Duplin County and the first mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina. Sampson County is the birthplace of William R. King, who after spending time in local government continued on to become the 13th US vice-president. Geography According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 947 square miles (2,454 km˛), of which, 945 square miles (2,449 km˛) of it is land and 2 square miles (5 km˛) of it (0.21%) is water. Sampson County is the second largest county, in land area, in North Carolina. The county is drained by the Black and South Rivers, as well as Six Run Creek. Townships The county is divided into nineteen townships: Belvoir, Dismal, Franklin, Halls, Herring, Honeycutt, Lisbon, Little Coharie, McDaniels, Mingo, Newton Grove, North Clinton, Piney Grove, Plain View, South Clinton, South River, Taylors Bridge, Turkey, and Westbrook. Adjacent counties Johnston County, North Carolina - north Wayne County, North Carolina - northeast Duplin County, North Carolina - east Pender County, North Carolina - southeast Bladen County, North Carolina - southwest Cumberland County, North Carolina - west Harnett County, North Carolina - northwest Sampson County was established in April of 1784 by the North Carolina General Assembly from an area taken from neighboring Duplin County. Land from Wayne and New Hanover counties would be annexed later. Our early settlers were Scots-Irish immigrants from North Ireland, many of who came to the colony of North Carolina under the protection and inducements of Henry McCulloch, a wealthy London merchant. In 1745, McCullough had obtained grants from the British Crown covering some 71,160 acres of land "lying and situated on the branches of the North East and Black River." The Scots-Irish immigrants were soon joined by descendants of the Swiss colony in New Bern, and sometime later, pioneers from the northern states of New Jersey, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. One of the many Scots-Irish drawn to the county in search of rich farmland and flowing rivers was John Sampson. Sampson was Duplin County’s first Register of Deeds. He served as a Lt. Colonel, and then a Lt. General in the county’s militia and was later the first mayor of Wilmington, North Carolina. Emigrating with John Sampson was his fifteen-year-old stepson, Richard Clinton. Like his stepfather, Richard Clinton soon distinguished himself in governmental and military service, serving as Duplin County’s Register of Deeds for ten years, and then in the Provincial Congress held at Hillsboro. In 1776, Richard Clinton organized a company of militia minutemen from upper Duplin County and led them as captain in the defense of Wilmington against the British. He was later appointed Colonel of Calvary and Brigadier General of the Fayetteville District. Upon the establishment of the state government of North Carolina by the Halifax Constitution of 1776, Richard Clinton served as one of the first members of the House of Commons, representing Duplin County. Clinton continued as a representative of Duplin County until the creation of Sampson County in 1784. Clinton secured the passage of the act creating the new county, and proposed the name "Sampson" in honor of John Sampson, his stepfather and benefactor. Other Sampson County historical figures include: William Rufus King, Ambassador to England and France and Vice President of the United States; Micajah Autry, who battled and died with Davy Crockett at the Alamo; Theophilus Homes, Lieutenant General in the Confederate Army and the highest ranking North Carolinian officer during the Civil War; James Kenan, planter, soldier and legislator; Robert Herring Wright, first President of East Carolina Teachers College; and James Franklin Highsmith, organizer of the Hospital Association of North Carolina and founder of Highsmith-Raney Hospital in Fayetteville. Not far from the banks of the Black River at Ivanhoe is the Black River Presbyterian Church, whose first pastor arrived from Scotland, via Wilmington, in a boat up the river. Tradition has it that a part of the lumber from the boat was used to build the first church there. Services were held in Gaelic for many years and the population of the area contained many Scots-Irish. Clinton, near the geographical center of the county, was incorporated in 1852. 9,005 people live within the city limits. Clinton is governed by a mayor, city council, and city manager. Garland was incorporated on February 8, 1907. The government of Garland is composed of a mayor, commissioners, a town clerk, and a deputy clerk. The population of Garland is 745 with approximately 350 residential dwellings and 45 small enterprises. The July 1990 census estimate for Newton Grove was 543. Newton Grove is located at the northern end of the county and was incorporated in 1879 and again in 1935. A mayor and fire commissioners comprise the government of Newton Grove. Bentonville Battleground is located approximately five miles outside the city limits. A mayor and board of commissioners govern the 1,441 Roseboro residents. Incorporated in 1891, the town of Roseboro was named after John M. Rose, the Secretary of the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railway. Roseboro has several diversified industries. The outdoor drama, Micajah, recognized by the Institute of Outdoor Drama, salutes the memory of Micajah Autry, who was born in the town of Autryville. The town of Autry was founded by Captain James L. Autry, in 1890. Autry was instrumental in the location of the Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad through town. A mayor and five commissioners comprise the town government for the 220 residents and the 17 businesses located throughout the town. Information courtesy of Wikipedia and other sources.
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