Onslow County - A Bit of History

Pelletier House, built circa 1850, as seen from New River
Photo circa 1905--Onslow Museum Collection

Attracted by the waterways and longleaf pine forests, the first European and English settlers arrived here in 1713 in what was originally part of the colonial precincts of Carteret and New Hanover. Onslow County was formed in 1734 and was named for the Honorable Arthur Onslow, Speaker of the British House of Commons.

Onslow County is situated on the extreme eastern part of the state. It is bounded on the north and east by Jones County; on the east by Carteret County; on the south by Core Sound and the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by New Hanover and Duplin Counties.

Interestingly, in 1850 the population of Onslow County was 5,005 whites, 170 free Negroes and 3,108 slaves. Products shipped in 1840 included 47,281 barrels of turpentine, 3,200 bushels of salt, 228,759 bushels of corn, 8,126 bushels of oats, 2,117 bushels of wheat, 218,104 pounds of cotton and 6,981 pounds of wool.