Edgecombe 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 of

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia a ...

. As of the 2020 census, the population was 48,900. 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 ...

is Tarboro. Edgecombe County is part of the Rocky Mount, North Carolina,

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

History

The county was formed in 1741 from Bertie County. It was named for Richard Edgcumbe, a

Member of Parliament A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house ...

(MP) from 1701 to 1742 and a

lord of the treasury In the United Kingdom there are at least six Lords Commissioners of His Majesty's Treasury, serving as a commission for the ancient office of Treasurer of the Exchequer. The board consists of the First Lord of the Treasury, the Second Lord of th ...

, who became 1st Baron Richard Edgecombe in 1742. In 1746 part of Edgecombe County became Granville County; in 1758 another portion became Halifax County; and in 1777 yet another part became Nash County. In 1855 the formation of Wilson County from parts of Edgecombe County, Johnston County, Nash County, and Wayne County reduced Edgecombe to its present size, with a minor boundary adjustments. Edgecombe County was historically home to the

Tuscarora Indians The Tuscarora (in Tuscarora ''Skarù:ręˀ'', "hemp gatherers" or "Shirt-Wearing People") are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government of the Iroquoian family, with members today in New York, USA, and Ontario, Canada. They co ...

. Although most migrated north to New York in the 18th century, descendants of the Tuscarora still live in some parts of the county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.3%) is water.

Major water bodies

* Cokey Swamp * Deep Creek * Dickson Branch * Fishing Creek * Swift Creek * Tar River * Town Creek

Adjacent counties

* Halifax County - north * Martin County - east *

Pitt County Pitt County is a county located in the inner banks (northeastern part) of the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of the 2020 census, the population was 170,243, making it the fourteenth-most populous county in North Carolina. Its county seat is ...

- south-southeast * Wilson County - southwest * Nash County - west

Major highways

* (Concurrency with US 64) * * * (Princeville) * (Rocky Mount) * * * * * * * * * * * *

Major Infrastructure

* CSX Intermodal Terminal, Shared between Nash County * Rocky Mount Station

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 48,900 people, 21,151 households, and 14,408 families residing in the county.

2010 census

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 56,552 people living in the county. 57.4% were Black or African American, 38.8%

White White is the lightness, 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 diffuse reflection, reflect and scattering, scatter all the ...

, 0.3% Native American, 0.2% Asian, 2.3% of some other race and 1.0% of two or more races. 3.7% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

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 in ...

of 2000, there were 55,606 people, 20,392 households, and 14,804 families living in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: Stock (disambiguation), 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 ...

was 110 people per square mile (43/km²). There were 24,002 housing units at an average density of 48 per square mile (18/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 57.46%

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 ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

, 40.06%

, 0.20% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.56% from other races, and 0.58% from two or more races. 2.79% 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 20,392 households, out of which 32.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.20% were married couples living together, 21.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.40% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.16. In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.10% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.40% from 25 to 44, 23.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 86.80 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 80.80 males. The median income for a household in the county was $30,983, and the median income for a family was $35,902. Males had a median income of $27,300 versus $21,649 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 $14,435. About 16.00% of families and 19.60% 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 27.50% of those under age 18 and 18.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Edgecombe County is a member of the regional

Upper Coastal Plain Council of Governments Upper may refer to: * Shoe#Shoe construction, Shoe upper or ''vamp'', the part of a shoe on the top of the foot * Stimulant, drugs which induce temporary improvements in either mental or physical function or both * ''Upper'', the original film titl ...

. The North Carolina Department of Corrections previously operated the Fountain Correctional Center for Women in an

unincorporated area An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

in the county, near Rocky Mount. It closed in December 2014.

Education

Edgecombe County Public Schools has 14 schools ranging from pre-kindergarten to

thirteenth grade Thirteenth grade, grade thirteen, or super senior year is the final year of secondary school in some jurisdictions. In some locales, receiving a high school diploma or equivalent is compulsory. In others, receiving a high school diploma is not req ...

. These are separated into four high schools, four middle schools, five elementary schools, and 1 K-8 school. It was formed in 1993 from the merger of the old Edgecombe County Schools and Tarboro City Schools systems. The county is home to Edgecombe Community College with campuses in Tarboro and Rocky Mount.

Communities

City

* Rocky Mount (largest city, partially located also in Nash County)

Towns

* Conetoe * Leggett * Macclesfield * Pinetops * Princeville * Sharpsburg *

Speed In everyday use and in kinematics, the speed (commonly referred to as ''v'') of an object is the magnitude of the change of its position over time or the magnitude of the change of its position per unit of time; it is thus a scalar quantity ...

* Tarboro (county seat) * Whitakers

Townships

The county is divided into fourteen townships, which are both numbered and named: * 1 (Tarboro) * 2 (Lower Conetoe) * 3 (Upper Conetoe) * 4 (Deep Creek) * 5 (Lower Fishing Creek) * 6 (Upper Fishing Creek) * 7 (Swift Creek) * 8 (Sparta) * 9 (Otter Creek) * 10 (Lower Town Creek) * 11 (Walnut Creek) * 12 (Rocky Mount) * 13 (Cokey) * 14 (Upper Town Creek)

Unincorporated communities

Crisp CRISP may refer to: * Center for Research in Security and Privacy, largest research center for IT security in Europe * C-language Reduced Instruction Set Processor, an AT&T microprocessor design * Chesapeake Regional Information System for our Pat ...

* Mercer

Notable people

* Duncan Lamont Clinch (1787–1849) – born at Ard-Lamont in Edgecombe County, American Army officer in the First and Second Seminole Wars * Dorsey Pender (1834–1863) – born at Pender's Crossroads in Edgecombe County,

Major General Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a ...

in the Confederate Army. *

Josiah Pender Josiah Solomon Pender (March 11, 1819 – October 25, 1864) was an American soldier in the Confederate Army. He is best known for leading the capture of Fort Macon in April 1861. Life Pender was born in the Tarboro area of Edgecombe County to Solo ...

(1819-1864) – cousin to Dorsey Pender, who captured Fort Macon from Union soldiers in 1861. * Hugh Shelton (born 1942) – four-star General and former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, appointed by President Clinton.

References

External links

* *
NCGenWeb Edgecombe County
- free genealogy resources for the county {{authority control Rocky Mount metropolitan area 1741 establishments in North Carolina Populated places established in 1741 Black Belt (U.S. region) Majority-minority counties in North Carolina