This book is for those who are curious about the lively history of our patch of Carolina Sandhills. It is the result of a desire to share the flavor of Richmond County people, their times and their conflicts, all of which stir our imaginations.

Ours is a county with a remarkable past. Settled early by restless souls, Richmond became one of North Carolina’s economic leaders after the American Revolution. Dozens of families grew wealthy growing cotton -- though the slaves who toiled in their fields twice plotted revolts.

Though wrecked by the Civil War and General Sherman’s brief visit, Richmond County again grew wealthy in the late 1800s. Under the supervision of local leaders and entrepreneurs, textile mills rose along the creek banks. They supported thousands of struggling individuals and lined owners’ pockets with money.

Politics have been as vigorous. After the Revolution, rivalries moved from battle fields to ballot boxes. Loyalists and Patriots continued to fight the Revolution through general elections for a generation more. Leaders plotted one another’s downfalls and -- possibly -- one another’s murders.

In the Civil War years, the strong Unionist element made for constant controversy over North Carolina’s role in the Confederacy. By 1866, Republicans -- the party of recently-assassinated President Abraham Lincoln -- controlled Richmond County. Both times Union General Ulysses S. Grant ran for president, he received the majority of Richmond County’s vote. So it would continue until 1898 when the Red Shirts, under the leadership of local boy and future Governor Cameron Morrison, took control for Democrats.

Dozens of other events and challenges have affected our tiny corner of North Carolina: the rise of Hamlet and Hoffman; the founding of Ellerbe and Norman (which, although beyond the time scope of this book are nevertheless included); the creation of Scotland County; the challenges faced by African Americans following the Civil War.

I have made an attempt to capture the personalities and conflicts of the first century and a half of our history. I have tried to present our forbearers as the colorful characters they were, hoping to show that, while the background changes, human nature is as consistent as it is unpredictable. I have also tried to show that in our past we have been a leader in North Carolina economics and politics. Within ourselves we have the ability to do it again.

My thanks to my wife, Michele, who has encouraged me through our courtship, our engagement, and our first year of marriage. Thanks, certainly to my parents for their time, advice, and assistance. They have patiently listened to dozens of tales of people and events long passed, and worried with me about how possibly to put it all to paper. Thanks to the Cole Foundation and the Historical Society for making this project possible.

My thanks to everyone who shared information on the history of their families and of Richmond County. Thanks to Joe E. McLaurin, who first introduced me to our county’s history. His lifetime of tireless, first-quality research is a great asset to us all. Thanks also to J.E. and Ida Huneycutt for their pioneering book on our past. Thanks to the Richmond County Historical Society, Neal Cadieu, John Stevenson, R.C. McLean, Bill Thompson, Ed Vuncannon, Luther McRae, Norva Jernigan, Elizabeth Covington, Bill Matheson, and Clark Cox. Thanks to the Leath Memorial Library Staff (particularly for sending me on home when I had done enough research for one day), to our Register of Deeds Office and to our Clerk of Court’s Office. A special thanks to Rebecca Howell, for her help in proofreading after I knew the text too well to read the words.

Long as it is, this history is incomplete. There are dozens of people and events who are not included, though they could be. Our history is often found in the old letters, photographs, diaries, papers, and newspapers spread out among genealogists and collectors of local information. As a Historical Society, we invite everyone to share their information with us so that we might all learn a little more about our rich past.

  - John Hutchinson
   Rockingham, October 30, 1997