Martinique House Revealed: Getting History Right Through Archival Evidence

Much has been written in the past about an early house in the Rocky Hock area of northern Chowan County, NC, called Martinique, including its description as "northern Chowan's oldest surviving house." There are also claims Martinique was built ca. 1752 on a Granville land grant and that it is "unique in being the only grant in Chowan County still held by the descendants of the original owners." These claims are incorrect. This article uses archival evidence to correct the record and get the history of the house and property right. This evidence suggests the house was built in the 1790s or early 1800s.

Martinique House rev1-1.pdf

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