BRUNSWICK COUNTY, NC HISTORY AND LOOKUP

County History Books

*None Listed

Brunswick County, North Carolina: A Genealogical Overview

Located in the southernmost corner of North Carolina, Brunswick County is a unique coastal region defined by the Cape Fear River, the Atlantic Ocean, and a history stretching back to the earliest days of the Carolina colony. From the rise and fall of the colonial port of Brunswick Town to its critical strategic importance during the Civil War, the county’s past is rich with maritime commerce, plantation agriculture, and military conflict. For genealogists, research in Brunswick County involves tracing families through shifting county seats and exploring records that reflect its deep colonial roots and its modern transformation into a thriving coastal community.

I. County Formation and Evolution

Brunswick County was formed from two parent counties, and its county seat has moved multiple times, facts which are essential for locating the correct historical records.

  • 1764: County Formed: Brunswick County was officially established on March 9, 1764.
  • Parent Counties: It was created from the territory of New Hanover County and Bladen County. Research for individuals living in the area prior to 1764 must be conducted in the records of these parent counties. Generally, lands east of the Cape Fear River were in New Hanover, while lands to the west were in Bladen.
  • Subsequent Formations: In 1808, a portion of Brunswick County was combined with a portion of Bladen County to form Columbus County.
  • Name Origin: The county was named for the colonial port of Brunswick Town, which had been founded in 1726. The town itself was named in honor of the Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg, the ancestral home of Great Britain’s Hanoverian kings.
  • County Seat History: The county seat has had four different locations:
    1. Brunswick Town (1764–1779): The seat was moved after the town was burned by the British during the American Revolution.
    2. Lockwood Folly (1779–1808): Served as the seat until a more central location was sought.
    3. Smithville (1808–1977): The town was renamed Southport in 1887, but remained the county seat for over 150 years.
    4. Bolivia (1977–Present): The government was moved to Bolivia to provide a more geographically central administrative hub for the rapidly growing county.

II. Settlement and Early History

  • Early Inhabitants: The region was originally inhabited by the Cape Fear Native Americans.
  • Colonial Settlement: English settlement began in the 1720s along the Cape Fear River. Maurice Moore founded Brunswick Town in 1726, which quickly became the colony’s busiest port. The colonial economy was driven by large rice and indigo plantations reliant on the labor of enslaved Africans, and the export of naval stores (tar, pitch, turpentine) from the vast longleaf pine forests.
  • Key Historical Events:
    • Stamp Act Resistance (1766): At Brunswick Town, armed colonists confronted the royal governor and forced the resignation of the crown’s stamp tax collector, an early act of open rebellion in the American colonies.
    • American Revolution: Brunswick Town was attacked and burned by British troops in 1776 and was largely abandoned thereafter.
    • The Civil War: The county’s coastline and the Cape Fear River were vital to the Confederacy. Fort Anderson, a massive earthwork fortification, was built to protect Wilmington from naval attack and to safeguard blockade runners. The fort fell to Union forces in February 1865, sealing the fate of Wilmington, the Confederacy’s last major open port.
    • Modern Growth: After remaining a quiet, rural area for much of its history, the county experienced explosive population growth in the late 20th century, driven by tourism to its barrier island beaches and its popularity as a retirement destination.

III. Genealogical Records and Resources

Research in Brunswick County requires consulting records in the current county seat, Bolivia, as well as in its parent counties for the colonial period.

  • County Courthouse: The Brunswick County Courthouse complex is located at 310 Government Center Drive, Bolivia, NC 28422.
    • Register of Deeds: This office is the repository for all land records (deeds, mortgages) from 1764, as well as marriage licenses, birth records, and death records.
    • Clerk of Superior Court: This office holds court dockets and records, and importantly for genealogists, all probate records, including wills and estate administration files from 1764.
  • Vital Records:
    • Birth and Death Records: Statewide registration in North Carolina began in 1913. The Brunswick County Register of Deeds holds local records from that date forward.
    • Marriage Records: Marriage records from 1764 to the present are available. For marriages prior to 1764, researchers must consult the records of New Hanover County or Bladen County.
  • Libraries and Societies:
    • Brunswick County Library System: Has five branches, with the Margaret and James Harper, Jr. Library in Southport having significant local history resources.
    • Brunswick County Historical Society: A key organization for preserving the county’s history and assisting researchers.
    • Brunswick Town / Fort Anderson State Historic Site: This premier historic site offers a museum and archaeological remains that provide invaluable context for the county’s colonial and Civil War history.
  • Bordering Jurisdictions:
    • Columbus County (west)
    • Pender County (northeast)
    • New Hanover County (east, across the Cape Fear River)
    • Horry County, South Carolina (southwest)
    • Atlantic Ocean (south and east)

Please share any resources you have and will do lookups or links to resources you are aware of. Thanks