Chronological Events Concerning the Granville County Court House
From April 13, 1937 OPL Article written by Francis B. Hays, Local Historian
1764--John Goodloe built a court house and "gaol" at Oxford, as well as a pillory and stocks. It was completed on July 1 of that year. The land was a part of the plantation of "Oxford", given by Samuel Benton as the site for this court house.
1784--John Walker, Solomon Walker, Reuben Searcy and Joseph Taylor were appointed by the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Granville a committee to repair the court house. (In the older days, the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, made up of justices of the peace, met once every quarter, and not only tried civil and criminal cases, but did the probating work tat is now done day by day by the Clerk of the Superior Court and also had charge of those affairs of the county now supervised by the Board of County Commissioners.)
1807--Thomas B. Littlejohn and two other magistrates were appointed a committee to put new weather boarding and shingles on the court house and to rearrange the bar and jury box to make them like those at Hillsboro. The committee was to obtain from Petersburg the necessary import articles, including glass, putty, paint and oil.
1811--There having been circulated a petition that the court house be moved on account of Mr. Littlejohn's monopoly of accommodations at Oxford, Mr. Littlejohn consented to sell 50 acres around the court house to the county. The county paid him $2,636 for the land which was cut up into streets and lots and the lots sold at a profit.
1836--A committee was appointed to consider the question of building either a fireproof office in the public square, or a new fireproof court house. Tis committee was composed of James Cooper, Abram W. Venable, George Kittrell, Robert Taylor, John Bullock and Thomas B. Littlejohn.
1837--A committee of five was appointed to consider either a plan for repairing the old court house or building a new one. On this committee, in addition to some of the magistrates already named were William Robards and Harris Williams. When it came to a vote on the proposal to build a new court house, 21 magistrates were for it and 13 opposed. The report having been accepted, the magistrate proceeded to levy a tax of 15 cents on the $100 and 40 cents as each poll to raise a building fund. The court house was to be not less than 44 by 50 feet. A building committee was appointed made up of William Robards, James Cooper, Thomas B. Littlejohn, Harris Williams and John Bullock. (Later Harris Williams resigned and Russell Kingsbury was appointed.)
1838--the original court house building was moved from its site, when county commissioners prepared to build the brick court house. This original building was finally placed on the corner of Gilliam and Spring Streets, enlarged by several additions through the years and became the residence known as The Ballou House.
1838--To build a belfry on the court house $600 was appropriated. The keystone over the main entrance to the court house bears the legend "4th of July, 1838'.
1840--An appropriation of $200 for a bell was made.
1840, August--The thanks of the court were given to the building committee and to contractor John A. Walthall for the 'faithful and tasty manner in which they have performed their duty'. Their work still stands.
1841--At the request of the Rev. Horace A. Burton, permission was given to all reputable ministers of the gospel to conduct services in the new court house.
1891, January--The grand jury reported that vaults in the court house were 'of vital importance and extreme need for the protection of the records in the various offices'.
1891, February--At a joint meeting of the Board of County Commissioners and the magistrates of the county, it was decided to enlarge the half-century-old court house. To attend tot he matter a committee was appointed consisting of Magistrates Elijah C. Montague, A. C. Parham, and Benjamin F. Hester, and Commissioners Thomas D. Waller and John F. Cannady. Hundley Brothers and Co. were engaged to do the work for $6,300. It consisted of adding two rooms to the rear of the building, taking out the old center room facing the main doorway and extending the hall through the building to the back door, as well as a corresponding enlargement of the court room upstairs. At first, there was a transverse hall, but this was later converted into vaults for the records of the Clerk of the Superior Court and the Register of Deeds. While the alterations were in progress, courts were held in the Opera House--the old building just below the present town hall. Before the alterations, the judge's bench was against the north wall of the court room, the grand jury room in the south corner and the petit jury room in the east corner of the building.
1891, May--C. E. Hartge, of Tarboro, was in town to draw plans for an addition to the court house.
1923--County Commissioner E. C. Harris wrote a letter to the Public Ledger advocating the building of a new court house.
1928--Henry Pannell passed through Oxford after a 40 year absence. "Daredevil Henry" ascended to the roof of the courthouse and fought a fire of the roof for more than an hour single handedly. He received $2000 from Matt Currin and Colonel Edwards, prominent citizens who had gathered at the Osborn House.
1935, February--The board of commissioners approved a plan to enlarge the court house.
1935, June--The commissioners appointed a committee to look into the matter of a loan and grant from the United States Public Works Administration to build an annex to the court house. This committee was composed of Commissioner C. A. Stovall, County Auditor W. J. Webb and County Attorney, A. A. Hicks.
1935, September--The commissioners voted to ask the Public Works Administration for a loan and grant.
1936, October--A grant was made by the Public Works Administration
1936, November--Rose & Rose of Durham were employed as architects. Sealed bids on the work were called for. The Goode Construction Company of Charlotte received the contract as builders of the annex, and W. M. Wiggins & Co. of Wilson, received the contract to install the plumbing and a heating plant. The new annex is immediately in the rear of the one built in 1891-92 and is of two stories and a basement.
1937, January--It was ordered by the Public Works Administration that work on the annex begin not later than the 11th of the month.
1937, February--Work on the annex was progressing rapidly despite the wet weather.
1937--New addition to the court house completed and the added space occupied.
1784--John Walker, Solomon Walker, Reuben Searcy and Joseph Taylor were appointed by the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Granville a committee to repair the court house. (In the older days, the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions, made up of justices of the peace, met once every quarter, and not only tried civil and criminal cases, but did the probating work tat is now done day by day by the Clerk of the Superior Court and also had charge of those affairs of the county now supervised by the Board of County Commissioners.)
1807--Thomas B. Littlejohn and two other magistrates were appointed a committee to put new weather boarding and shingles on the court house and to rearrange the bar and jury box to make them like those at Hillsboro. The committee was to obtain from Petersburg the necessary import articles, including glass, putty, paint and oil.
1811--There having been circulated a petition that the court house be moved on account of Mr. Littlejohn's monopoly of accommodations at Oxford, Mr. Littlejohn consented to sell 50 acres around the court house to the county. The county paid him $2,636 for the land which was cut up into streets and lots and the lots sold at a profit.
1836--A committee was appointed to consider the question of building either a fireproof office in the public square, or a new fireproof court house. Tis committee was composed of James Cooper, Abram W. Venable, George Kittrell, Robert Taylor, John Bullock and Thomas B. Littlejohn.
1837--A committee of five was appointed to consider either a plan for repairing the old court house or building a new one. On this committee, in addition to some of the magistrates already named were William Robards and Harris Williams. When it came to a vote on the proposal to build a new court house, 21 magistrates were for it and 13 opposed. The report having been accepted, the magistrate proceeded to levy a tax of 15 cents on the $100 and 40 cents as each poll to raise a building fund. The court house was to be not less than 44 by 50 feet. A building committee was appointed made up of William Robards, James Cooper, Thomas B. Littlejohn, Harris Williams and John Bullock. (Later Harris Williams resigned and Russell Kingsbury was appointed.)
1838--the original court house building was moved from its site, when county commissioners prepared to build the brick court house. This original building was finally placed on the corner of Gilliam and Spring Streets, enlarged by several additions through the years and became the residence known as The Ballou House.
1838--To build a belfry on the court house $600 was appropriated. The keystone over the main entrance to the court house bears the legend "4th of July, 1838'.
1840--An appropriation of $200 for a bell was made.
1840, August--The thanks of the court were given to the building committee and to contractor John A. Walthall for the 'faithful and tasty manner in which they have performed their duty'. Their work still stands.
1841--At the request of the Rev. Horace A. Burton, permission was given to all reputable ministers of the gospel to conduct services in the new court house.
1891, January--The grand jury reported that vaults in the court house were 'of vital importance and extreme need for the protection of the records in the various offices'.
1891, February--At a joint meeting of the Board of County Commissioners and the magistrates of the county, it was decided to enlarge the half-century-old court house. To attend tot he matter a committee was appointed consisting of Magistrates Elijah C. Montague, A. C. Parham, and Benjamin F. Hester, and Commissioners Thomas D. Waller and John F. Cannady. Hundley Brothers and Co. were engaged to do the work for $6,300. It consisted of adding two rooms to the rear of the building, taking out the old center room facing the main doorway and extending the hall through the building to the back door, as well as a corresponding enlargement of the court room upstairs. At first, there was a transverse hall, but this was later converted into vaults for the records of the Clerk of the Superior Court and the Register of Deeds. While the alterations were in progress, courts were held in the Opera House--the old building just below the present town hall. Before the alterations, the judge's bench was against the north wall of the court room, the grand jury room in the south corner and the petit jury room in the east corner of the building.
1891, May--C. E. Hartge, of Tarboro, was in town to draw plans for an addition to the court house.
1923--County Commissioner E. C. Harris wrote a letter to the Public Ledger advocating the building of a new court house.
1928--Henry Pannell passed through Oxford after a 40 year absence. "Daredevil Henry" ascended to the roof of the courthouse and fought a fire of the roof for more than an hour single handedly. He received $2000 from Matt Currin and Colonel Edwards, prominent citizens who had gathered at the Osborn House.
1935, February--The board of commissioners approved a plan to enlarge the court house.
1935, June--The commissioners appointed a committee to look into the matter of a loan and grant from the United States Public Works Administration to build an annex to the court house. This committee was composed of Commissioner C. A. Stovall, County Auditor W. J. Webb and County Attorney, A. A. Hicks.
1935, September--The commissioners voted to ask the Public Works Administration for a loan and grant.
1936, October--A grant was made by the Public Works Administration
1936, November--Rose & Rose of Durham were employed as architects. Sealed bids on the work were called for. The Goode Construction Company of Charlotte received the contract as builders of the annex, and W. M. Wiggins & Co. of Wilson, received the contract to install the plumbing and a heating plant. The new annex is immediately in the rear of the one built in 1891-92 and is of two stories and a basement.
1937, January--It was ordered by the Public Works Administration that work on the annex begin not later than the 11th of the month.
1937, February--Work on the annex was progressing rapidly despite the wet weather.
1937--New addition to the court house completed and the added space occupied.