Vance County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposes Chambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

located in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 42,578. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

Henderson Henderson may refer to: People * Henderson (surname), description of the surname, and a list of people with the surname *Clan Henderson, a Scottish clan Places Argentina *Henderson, Buenos Aires Australia *Henderson, Western Australia Canada * ...

. Vance County comprises the Henderson, NC Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the

Raleigh Raleigh (; ) is the capital city of the state of North Carolina and the seat of Wake County in the United States. It is the second-most populous city in North Carolina, after Charlotte. Raleigh is the tenth-most populous city in the Southeas ...

Durham Durham most commonly refers to: *Durham, England, a cathedral city and the county town of County Durham *County Durham, an English county * Durham County, North Carolina, a county in North Carolina, United States *Durham, North Carolina, a city in N ...

Chapel Hill Chapel Hill or Chapelhill may refer to: Places Antarctica * Chapel Hill (Antarctica) Australia *Chapel Hill, Queensland, a suburb of Brisbane *Chapel Hill, South Australia, in the Mount Barker council area Canada *Chapel Hill, Ottawa, a neighbou ...

, NC

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan statistical area, metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and ...

, which had a 2012 estimated population of 1,998,808.

History

The Occonacheans Native Americans were the first inhabitants of what became Vance County in 1881. The first white explorer of the region was John Lederer and his Native American guide in 1670. Originally part of colony of Virginia, King Charles of England redrew the colony lines in 1665, so what is now Vance County became part of the Province of Carolina and then the Province of North Carolina in 1725. In 1826, the first armed forces academy, the

Bingham School Bingham School is a historic school complex located at Oaks, Orange County, North Carolina. The complex includes a large, expansive, multi-stage headmaster's house, a contemporary smokehouse and well house. The oldest section of the house is ...

, was built by Captain D. H. Bingham in Williamsborough, North Carolina. It served for a short time as a training school for military officers. In 1871, a hotel called the "Glass House" was opened near the community of

Kittrell Kittrell is a town in Vance County, North Carolina, United States. History Kittrell was chartered in 1885, with its first mayor David Outlaw, a merchant and bachelor. In 1860, one census district in Granville County the primary of the three p ...

. It was so named because of the glass porches surrounding the hotel. It was a popular resort for hunters and later

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

patients until it burned down in 1895. As the area that is Vance County prospered in the mid to late 1880s, there were efforts to create a county named " Gilliam" and later as "Dortch". However, Vance County was formed by the white Democratic-dominated legislature in 1881 following the

Reconstruction Era The Reconstruction era was a period in American history following the American Civil War (1861–1865) and lasting until approximately the Compromise of 1877. During Reconstruction, attempts were made to rebuild the country after the bloo ...

from parts of Franklin, Granville, and Warren counties. The county is named after

Zebulon Baird Vance Zebulon Baird Vance (May 13, 1830 – April 14, 1894) was the 37th and 43rd governor of North Carolina, a U.S. Senator from North Carolina, and a Confederate officer during the American Civil War. A prolific writer and noted public speake ...

, a

Governor of North Carolina The governor of North Carolina is the head of government of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The governor directs the executive branch of the government and is the commander in chief of the military forces of the state. The current governor, ...

(1862–65 & 1877–79) and

United States Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and po ...

(1879–94). According to the 1955 book, ''Zeb's Black Baby'', by Samuel Thomas Peace, Sr., this was a political decision to concentrate blacks and Republicans in one county and keep Democratic majorities in the other counties, an example of

gerrymandering In representative democracies, gerrymandering (, originally ) is the political manipulation of electoral district boundaries with the intent to create undue advantage for a party, group, or socioeconomic class within the constituency. The m ...

"The formation of Vance County was accomplished largely as a political expediency. It was in 1881 when Blacks in large numbers were voting solidly
Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
. Granville and Franklin Counties were nip and tuck, Democratic or Republican. From the Democratic standpoint, Warren County was hopelessly Republican. But by taking from Granville, Franklin and Warren, those sections that were heavily Republican and out of these sections forming the new county of Vance, the Democratic party could lose Vance to the Republicans and save Granville and Franklin for the Democrats. .S.Senator Vance was a Democrat. He took kindly to this move and thanked the
orth Carolina Orth can refer to: Places * Orth, Minnesota, an unincorporated community in Nore Township, Minnesota, United States * Orth an der Donau, a town in Gänserndorf, Lower Austria, Austria * Orth House, a historic house in Winnetka, Illinois, United St ...
Legislature for honoring him with naming the new county after him. At the same time...Vance showed his humor by always referring to Vance County as 'Zeb's Black Baby.'"

In the 1890 Census, Vance County was more than 63 percent

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

. In 1894 a biracial coalition of

Populists Populism refers to a range of political stances that emphasize the idea of "the people" and often juxtapose this group against " the elite". It is frequently associated with anti-establishment and anti-political sentiment. The term developed ...

and Republicans elected African American

George Henry White George Henry White (December 18, 1852 – December 28, 1918) was an American attorney and politician, elected as a Republican U.S. Congressman from North Carolina's 2nd congressional district between 1897 and 1901. He later became a banke ...

to the US Congress and gained control of the state house. The Democrats were determined to forestall this happening again. White strongly opposed the new constitution, saying "I cannot live in North Carolina and be a man and be treated as a man." He left the state after his second term expired, setting up a business in Washington, DC."George Henry White"
, ''Black Americans in Congress'', US Congress The Democrats in the North Carolina legislature settled the political competition with the Republicans by following other southern states and passing a law in 1896 making voting more difficult, and a new constitution in 1899 that disfranchised most blacks by poll taxes,

literacy tests A literacy test assesses a person's literacy skills: their ability to read and write have been administered by various governments, particularly to immigrants. In the United States, between the 1850s and 1960s, literacy tests were administered t ...

and

grandfather clause A grandfather clause, also known as grandfather policy, grandfathering, or grandfathered in, is a provision in which an old rule continues to apply to some existing situations while a new rule will apply to all future cases. Those exempt from t ...

s. Contemporary accounts estimated that 75,000 black male citizens of the state lost the vote.Albert Shaw, ''The American Monthly Review of Reviews'', Vol.XXII, Jul-Dec 1900, p.274
/ref>Richard H. Pildes, "Democracy, Anti-Democracy, and the Canon"
''Constitutional Commentary,'' Vol. 17, 2000, pp. 12-13 In 1900 blacks numbered 630,207 citizens, about 33% of the state's total population. This situation held until past the mid-20th century and after passage of the federal

Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights m ...

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (6.0%) is water.

State and local protected areas

Kerr Lake State Recreation Area Kerr Lake State Recreation Area is a North Carolina state park in Vance and Warren counties, North Carolina, in the United States. Located north of Henderson near the North Carolina-Virginia border, it includes of woodlands along the shores of ...

(part) * Satterwhite Recreation Area

Major water bodies

* Buffalo Creek * Fishing Creek * Flat Creek * Island Creek Reservoir * John H. Kerr Reservoir * Martin Creek * Nubush Creek *

Roanoke River The Roanoke River ( ) runs long through southern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina in the United States. A major river of the southeastern United States, it drains a largely rural area of the coastal plain from the eastern edge of the Ap ...

* Ruin Creek * Sandy Creek * Tabbs Creek *

Tar River The Tar River is a river that is approximately long, in northeast North Carolina flowing generally southeast to an estuary of Pamlico Sound. The Tar River becomes the tidal Pamlico River once it underpasses the U.S. Highway 17 Bridge in Wash ...

Adjacent counties

Mecklenburg County, Virginia Mecklenburg County is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 30,319. Its county seat is Boydton. History Mecklenburg County was organized on March 1, 1765, having split from Lunenburg County in ...

- north * Warren County - east * Franklin County - south * Granville County - west

Major highways

* * * * * *

Demographics

When originally established in 1881, the population of Vance County was approximately 9,000. From 1930 through 1970, the rural county population declined and growth slowed markedly as many blacks migrated to the North for better jobs and other opportunities in the Great Migration. Combined with other economic changes, this resulted in the county losing what had been its large African-American majority by the late 20th century. In the early 21st century, the white and black populations are nearly equal.

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, there were 42,578 people, 16,875 households, and 11,163 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 42,954 people, 16,199 households, and 11,647 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 169 people per square mile (65/km²). There were 18,196 housing units at an average density of 72 per square mile (28/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 48.21%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 48.31%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ha ...

, 0.20% Native American, 0.39% Asian, 0.03%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 2.03% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.84% from two or more races. 4.56% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race. There were 16,199 households, out of which 33.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.00% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

living together, 20.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.10% were non-families. 24.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.06. The county had the highest teen pregnancy rate in the state for the year 2005 as researched by the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Coalition of North Carolina. The rate was 110.4 per 1000 teens, significantly above the state average of 61.7 per 1000 teens. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 28.80% from 25 to 44, 22.60% from 45 to 64, and 12.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 89.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.30 males. The median income for a household in the county was $31,301, and the median income for a family was $36,389. Males had a median income of $28,284 versus $21,433 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the county was $15,897. About 16.30% of families and 20.50% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 27.70% of those under age 18 and 19.30% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Vance County is governed by a seven-member board of Commissioners, who appoint a county manager Vance County is a member of the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments.

Education

* Vance County Schools * Henderson Collegiate (public charter school, opened in the Summer of 2010) * Vance Charter School * Kerr-Vance Academy (founded in 1968) * Crossroads Christian School * Victory Christian Academy * Vance-Granville Community College

Historical schools

* Henderson Male Academy (whites only) * Henderson Female Academy (whites only) *

Kittrell College Kittrell College was a two-year historically black college located in Kittrell, North Carolina from 1886 until 1975. It was associated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church. After the college closed, many of its facilities became the Kitt ...

, It was established as Kittrell Industrial Normal School for black males by the North Carolina General Assembly on March 7, 1787. It was renamed Kittrell Normal and Industrial Institute on January 30, 1889. It was renamed Kittrell College in 1901. It was closed in 1931 and then reopened from 1934 to 1948. It was operated as a high school from 1953 to 1965 and college from 1953 to 1975 when it was permanently closed. * Middleburg Male Academy (also called Middleburg School, whites only, founded by Albert Anderson in the late 1800s) * Townesville School (whites only)Biennial Report of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the scholastic years of 1889 and 1890 * West End School

Communities

City

(county seat, and largest city. Area was first settled in the early 1700s, founded in 1841 in Granville County, first post office September 28, 1838)

Towns

(founded in 1885, formerly Kittrell's Depot, Linbank, and Stauton in Granville County) * Middleburg (formerly Middleburgh, Warren County)

Census-designated place

* South Henderson

Unincorporated communities

The unincorporated communities in Vance County have included * Adcock Crossroads * Bearpond (post office discontinued in 1903) * Bobbitt (post office discontinued in 1907) * Brookston (post office discontinued in 1906, formerly Warren County) * Bullocksville * Carlton (post office discontinued in 1905) *

Cokesbury Cokesbury is the retail division of the United Methodist Publishing House. Based in Nashville, Tennessee, Cokesbury serves as an agency of the United Methodist Church but serves also as an ecumenical resource provider to other denominations. ...

(also Cokes, post office discontinued in 1905 * Dabney, post office from December 3, 1883, to March 15, 1935 * Drewry *

Epsom Epsom is the principal town of the Borough of Epsom and Ewell in Surrey, England, about south of central London. The town is first recorded as ''Ebesham'' in the 10th century and its name probably derives from that of a Saxon landowner. The ...

(Epsom Sandy Creek, portions in Franklin County, post office discontinued in 1908) * Faulkner Crossroads * Flint Hill * Floytan Crossroads *

Gill A gill () is a respiratory organ that many aquatic organisms use to extract dissolved oxygen from water and to excrete carbon dioxide. The gills of some species, such as hermit crabs, have adapted to allow respiration on land provided they ar ...

* Gillburg (post office discontinued in 1906) * Greenway * Greystone (formerly Strickland, post office discontinued in 1932) * Harris Crossroads * Hicks Crossroads * Knotts Crossroads * Mobile * Steedsville (post office discontinued in 1894) *

Townsville Townsville is a city on the north-eastern coast of Queensland, Australia. With a population of 180,820 as of June 2018, it is the largest settlement in North Queensland; it is unofficially considered its capital. Estimated resident population, 3 ...

(established about 1821, formerly Lynesville before 1851, formerly in Granville County) *

Tungsten Tungsten, or wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74. Tungsten is a rare metal found naturally on Earth almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. It was identified as a new element in 1781 and first isol ...

(post office discontinued in 1959) * Watkins (post office discontinued in 1906) * Weldons Mill * West End * Williamsboro (post office discontinued in 1905, Williamsboro since 1897, formerly Williamsborough in Granville County from about 1755, formerly Lick, formerly Nutbush)) * Woodworths (established about 1830, post office discontinued in 1914) * Vicksboro

Townships

By the requirements of the

North Carolina Constitution The Constitution of the State of North Carolina governs the structure and function of the state government of North Carolina, one of the United States; it is the highest legal document for the state and subjugates North Carolina law. All U.S. st ...

of 1868, counties were to be divided into townships, which were solely administrative divisions of the county. The following township make up Vance County: * Dabney *

* Middleburg * Sandy Creek *

* Watkins * Williamsboro

Notable people

* Rufus Sidney McCoin (1872 ?) (representative of Vance County), North Carolina Manual. 1919. Published by the North Carolina Historical Commission * Henry P. Cheatham (18571935), one of only five African Americans elected to Congress from the South in the Jim Crow era *

Ben E. King Benjamin Earl King (né Nelson; September 28, 1938 – April 30, 2015) was an American soul and R&B singer and record producer. He is best known as the singer and co-composer of " Stand by Me"—a US Top 10 hit, both in 1961 and later ...

(singer/musician)

References

External links

* * * * * *
Vance County History & Genealogy archive
* * {{authority control 1881 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1881 Majority-minority counties in North Carolina