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The act establishing the Chatham County provided for the courts to be held at the home of Stephen Poe. It also named commissioners to have a courthouse, prison and stocks erected. In 1778 a town was established on the land formerly belonging to Ambrose Edwards where the courthouse was. This town was named Chatham. Chatham Court House is mentioned in correspondence, 1776-1782.1
In 1785 a law establishing Pittsboro on Miles Scurlock 's land on which the courthouse stood was enacted. In 1787 an act was passed stating that the heirs of Scurlock would not allow a town to be established on their land. Therefore, the trustees of the town were advised to purchase land from William Petty adjoining the Scurlock tract and lay out a town. In 1787 Pittsboro was made the county seat.1
Chatham County was named in honor of William Pitt, Earl of Chatham who was a most
eloquent defender of the American cause in the English Parliament during
the Revolution. Pittsboro was named in honor of William Pitt,
the younger.1
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