Sussex County, Delaware
History, Records, Facts and Genealogy

Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records | Church & Cemetery |
Maps & Atlases | Genealogy Addresses | Genealogy Related Sites |

Sussex County was created on 1670 and was formed from Sussex County. The County was named for the English county of Sussex, which was his home county.. The County Seat is Georgetown.

Delaware's southernmost county. This was originally part of the Hoornkill district court, set up by the Dutch Governor Colve in 1673. Hoornkill was divided into Saint Jones and Deal Counties in 1680, and in 1682, Deal County was changed to Sussex County for William Penn’s own county in England. Sussex County Delaware was claimed for a number of years by both Maryland and Pennsylvania. Delaware was initially settled by the Dutch and Swedes, but when the Duke of York took New York from the Dutch, his agent captured Delaware in 1664. In 1682, Delaware was granted to William Penn along with Pennsylvania. Lord Baltimore disputed Penn's ownership of the three Delaware counties, and the southern and western areas of Sussex County were claimed by both Maryland and Pennsylvania, but were governed by Maryland until the Mason-Dixon Line was approved by George III in 1769; when all of Delaware was awarded to Pennsylvania. In 1769, Kent, Sussex , and Sussex counties met in Constitutional Convention and the State of Delaware was formed.

The Sussex County Courthouse hours are: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Sussex County Court House's holdings include original deeds and wills from 1680 on, which can be viewed on their premises only. Copies cannot be obtained by writing to the county offices, only from the Delaware Public Archives. See also County History for more historical details.

Counties adjacent to Sussex County are Kent County (north), Cape May County, New Jersey (northeast), Worcester County, Maryland (south), Dorchester County, Maryland (southwest), Wicomico County, Maryland (southwest), Caroline County, Maryland (northwest).

Sussex County Cities and Towns include Lewes, Milford, Rehoboth Beach, Seaford, Bethany Beach, Bethel, Blades, Bridgeville, Dagsboro, Delmar, Dewey Beach, Ellendale, Fenwick Island, Frankford, Georgetown, Greenwood, Henlopen Acres, Laurel, Millsboro, Millville, Milton, Ocean View, Selbyville, Slaughter Beach, South Bethany.

Communities and CDPs include Angola, Argo's Corner, Atlanta, Bayard, Belltown, Broad Creek, Broadkill Beach, Cannon, Cedar Creek, Clarksville, Concord, Cool Spring, Coverdale, Fairmount, Fowler Beach, Gumboro, Harbeson, Hardscrabble, Hollymount, Hollyville, Jimtown, Johnson, Lincoln City, Long Neck, Marshtown, Middleford, Middlesex Beach, Midway, Nassau, Oakley, Oak Orchard, Old Furnace, Pepperbox, Pinetown, Redden, Reliance, Roxana, St. Johnstown, Whitesville, Williamsville.

Hundreds include Baltimore, Broad Creek, Broadkill, Cedar Creek, Dagsboro, Georgetown, Gumboro, Indian River, Lewes & Rehoboth, Little Creek, Nanticoke, Northwest Fork, Seaford.

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Records at the Sussex County Courthouse

See Also Delaware Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

All Departments below are in the Sussex County Administrative Office Building, 2 The Circle, Georgetown, DE 19947, unless otherwise noted below. The Official County website is located at http://www.sussexcountyde.gov.

NOTE: The record dates below are from the earliest date to present time. Most earlier records and many into the twentieth century have been transferred to the Delaware State Archives, although some counties have microfilms of transferred material.

Sussex County Clerk of Chancery Court has Court Records from 1683and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number:

Sussex County Clerk of the Peace has Marriage Records from ? and is located at the courthouse, Room 249. Phone Number: (302) 853-1717.

Functions include Witnessing County documents; attends all formal Levy Court Meetings; records all acts as custodian for the Minutes of the Levy Court Meetings; advertises and posts County ordinances; countersigns warrants drawn on County funds. Issues marriage licenses and performs marriages (civil ceremonies) in the County

Sussex County Register of Wills has Probate Records from 1728 and is located at Sussex County Courthouse Annex, 5 E. Pine St., P.O. Box 743, Georgetown, DE 19947; Phone: (302) 855-7875.

The primary purpose of the Register of Wills office is to record wills and documents pertaining to estate matters in Kent County, Delaware. The office is responsible for overseeing the appointments of personal representatives and for administering estate proceedings. This office is also held accountable for making sure that the estates are in compliance with the Delaware Law. All estate matters are maintained as permanent records.

Sussex County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1693 and is located at the courthouse. Phone Number: (302) 855-7785.

Responsible for indexing and maintaining copies of legal documents pertaining to land, mortgages, appointments, etc. Only the most recent deeds are in the office, however. Most have been transferred to the archives.

There are a few online databases for Court, Land and Probate Records which include: Delaware Marriages, 1645-1899, Kent County, Delaware Probate Records, 1680-1800, New Castle County, Delaware Wills, 1682-1800 and Sussex County, Delaware Probate Records, 1680-1800.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Court Records by clicking the link below:

  • Order County Court, Civil or Criminal Records Online
  • Probates Records Database
  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • Sussex County, Delaware Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Delaware Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
  • Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
  • Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.
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Sussex County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Delaware

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

The Delaware Public Archives holds Delaware Birth Certificates older than 72 years (certificates from 1934 and before) and Death and Marriage Certificates older than 40 (certificates from 1966 and before). The Office of Vital Statistics holds Delaware Birth Certificates from 1935 to the present and Death and Marriage Certificates from 1967 to the present. This means that the Delaware Public Archives only have birth certificates up through and including 1934, and marriage and death certificates up through and including 1966. To obtain vital records issued after the dates above please contact: Office of Vital Statistics, Jesse S. Cooper Building, 417 Federal St., Dover, DE  19901

Office of Vital Statistics, Jesse S. Cooper Building, 417 Federal St., Dover, DE  19901, Please allow up to approximately 3 weeks to 6 weeks for processing of all type of certificates when ordered through the mail. They have the following records:

  • Birth, Marriage & Death Certificates: The state of Delaware began issuing certificates for births on December 20, 1908. The Ohio Department of Health holds birth certificates for the state of Ohio from December 20, 1908 to the present. The Vital Statistics Office maintains statewide Death Certificates from 1954 to the present. Individual health departments in the county or city where the death took place keep certificates for their local area (not statewide).
    • Cost: $10.00 per certificate, payment is payable to the "Office of Vital Statistics”. If no record is found or no copy is made, state law requires that we keep $10.00 for a searching fee. Please do not send cash in the mail.
    • Processing Time: 3-6 weeks when ordered by MAIL or 2-5 Days when you order ELECTRONICALLY
    • By Mail Applications: Marriage Certificate, Birth Certificate, Adoptee's Birth Certificate, Death Certificate
    • For Divorce Records the Prothonotary in the county where divorce was granted up to 1975. For divorces granted after 1975 the parties concerned should contact Family Court in county where divorce was granted.
  • Order In Person:  Same day service is available to walk-in customers. This is the fastest way to obtain a birth certificate. When you arrive, you will complete an application and pay the $10.00 required fee. Walk-in address is
    • New Castle County: Limestone Building - (302) 995-8588 - Office Hours 8:00 AM - 4:15 PM Monday through Friday except Holidays
    • Kent County: Jesse S. Cooper Building - (302) 744-4549 - Office Hours 8:00 AM - 4:15 PM Monday through Friday except Holidays
    • Sussex County: Georgetown State Service Center - (302) 856-5495 - Office Hours 8:00 AM - 4:15 PM Monday through Friday except Holidays
  • Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

  • VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
  • Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREEicon - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
  • Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical Delaware newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
  • Sussex County, Delaware Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
  • Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.
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Sussex County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & See also What census documents are available in Delaware? and How to use Assessment Records?

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Countywide Records: Federal Population Schedules that exist for Sussex County, Delaware are 1800, 1810, 1820, 1830, 1840, 1850 ,1860 ,1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930.Other Federal Schedules to look at when researching your Family Tree in Sussex County, Delaware are Industry and Agriculture Schedules availible for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. The Mortality Schedules for the years 1850, 1860, 1870 and 1880. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms.

From the second federal census of 1800, the records are complete for Delaware and are widely available. Published indexes through 1870 are also available, with two each for 1850 and 1870 and three for 1860.

The first census for 1790 was lost or destroyed. The claim that it was found in the Cornell University Library is unfounded, but a reconstruction from tax and assessment records was published by the National Genealogical Society as Reconstructed 1790 census of Delaware, NGS Special Publication No. 10, 2d printing (Washington, D.C.: NGS, 1962).

The original mortality schedules, which are at the Delaware State Archives, have been published, as have the 1850 and 1860 slave schedules. Other non-population schedules for 1850–80 are at the state archives, as are the original state copies of the federal population censuses for these years.

Colonial: Some earlier Delaware “censuses” have been published from tax records. These include The Reconstructed Delaware State Census of 1782 (Wilmington, Del.: Delaware Genealogical Society, 1983), and Early Delaware Census Records 1665–1697 (Bountiful, Utah: Accelerated Indexing Systems, 1977), compiled from tax and other lists. A 1688 census for Kent County was published in volume 37 of The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine in 1991, which corrects the incomplete “Kent County Census” in Delaware Genealogical Journal 3 (1986): 49–51.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Census Records by clicking the link below:

  • Delaware Census, 1790-1890: This collection contains the following indexes: 1790 Federal Census Index; 1800 Federal Census; 1810 Federal Census Index; 1820 Federal Census Index; 1830 Federal Census Index; 1840 Federal Census Index; 1840 Pensioners List; 1850 Federal Census Index; 1860 Federal Census Index; 1860 Slave Schedules; 1870 Federal Census Index; 1890 Veterans Schedule
  • 1889 City Residential and Business Directory - Wilmington
  • The USGenWeb Archives Census Project
  • Sussex County, Delaware Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.
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Sussex County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Maps are an excellent source for beginning your research, because they provide much useful information at a glance. Many historic maps show individual buildings and are especially useful because they also record owners' names and features in the surrounding community. More detailed maps reveal property acreage and estate names. By examining a series of maps, you will be able to date changes in your property over time.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Maps. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Maps by clicking the link below:

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Sussex County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Delaware

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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Sussex County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Early tax or assessment lists for the three Delaware counties are found at the Delaware State Archives and start in 1726 for Kent, 1738 for New Castle, and 1769 for Sussex. Some earlier records are at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia: 1693 for all three counties and an incomplete list for 1696 for New Castle County. For the former, see “Provincial Tax List of the Three Lower Counties 1693” in The Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 37 (1991): 1–32. It has sometimes been stated that the 1798 U.S. direct tax records for Delaware are at the Historical Society of Delaware. They are not extant, however, and were perhaps destroyed in a fire in Philadelphia.

Some tax records have been published as “censuses” (see Census Records). An 1861 national tax and its corresponding refund records of 1901 are at the state archives. Internal Revenue assessments for Delaware, 1862–66, are on microfilm at the National Archives-Mid Atlantic Region. Modern tax information should be sought in the county courthouses.

Books of Interest: Kent County Assessments, 1727-1850. Dover, DE: State of Delaware Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Bureau of Archives and Records Management, 1984. Internal Revenue Assessment Lists for Delaware, 1862-1866. 8 reels. Washington, DC: National Archives, 1968.Delaware 1782 Tax Assessment and Census Lists. Ralph D. Nelson, ed. Wilmington, DE: Delaware Genealogical Society, 1994.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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Sussex County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Delaware Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • Sussex County Genealogical Society, c/o Rehoboth Beach Public Library, 226 Rehoboth Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
  • Delaware State Archives, 121 Duke of York Street, Dover, DE 19901;(302) 744-5000
  • The Historical Society of Delaware, 505 Market Street, Wilmington, DE 19801
    The Historical Society of Delaware has an extensive collection of early northern Delaware newspapers, but papers in the adjoining states of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey should also be consulted. Southern Delaware newspapers are at the Delaware State Archives
  • Delaware Genealogical Society, 505 Market Street Mall, Wilmington, DE 19801
  • Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
  • Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.
  • Delaware Genealogical Society Books at Amazon.com
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Sussex County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Delaware

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Sussex County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Sussex County Tombstone Transcription Project.

Some Delaware church records have been printed in the Delaware Genealogical Society Journal, Delaware History, and in other publications. Original and WPA-transcribed records of many Delaware churches are at the state archives and some are at the Historical Society of Delaware. At the historical society, the Kelso Collection contains a large amount of nineteenth- and twentieth-century Methodist records, mostly from rural circuits and charges, for Delaware and Maryland's eastern shore. An index to this valuable collection is in progress. Some Quaker records are at the state archives and the Historical Society of Delaware; others are at the Friends Historical Library in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania.

The largest central file of grave marker transcriptions and abstracts is in the Tatnell Tombstone Collection at the Delaware State Archives, compiled by the Historical Records Survey. Also at the state archives is the Hudson Collection of Sussex County tombstones, which is more thorough than the Tatnell. Some cemetery records are at the Historical Society of Delaware, and some have been printed in the Delaware Genealogical Society Journal and in other publications.

Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Sussex County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information. Email us with websites containing Sussex County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

  • Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
  • Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
  • Sites on USGenweb: [ Sussex County ] [ Delaware ] [ Main Page ]
  • [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
  • Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
  • Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
  • Delaware Family Group Sheets
  • Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
  • Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
  • Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.
  • Sussex County, Delaware Family Books at Amazon.com
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Extended History

 

Early Colonists
No one knows who the first colonists of Sussex County were. In the early years of exploration, from 1593 to 1630, many men of many nations passed through. The Spanish or Portuguese were probably the first to see the Delaware River and Sussex.

Henry Hudson, on his expedition for the Dutch West India Company, is credited with discovering the Delaware River in 1609. Following him, Samuel Argall, an English explorer, was blown off course in 1610 and landed in a strange bay that he named after the Governor of Virginia, Thomas West, Lord De La Warr.

Over the Spring and the Summer of 1613, Cornielus May, a Dutch navigator, discovered and named both Cape May, New Jersey and Cape Henlopen, (originally Hindlopen) in the Delaware River. In later years, when it turned out that what May had named Henlopen, was actually Fenwick Island protruding into the Atlantic, the name was moved to it's present location just east of Lewes.

English Rule
In those early years ownership of land meant everything. After three wars, and over the course of 25 years the English officially took final control of Delaware in 1674. The possession of Sussex County was disputed from these very early days. It was claimed variously by the Duke of York as Deale County, the Lords Baltimore as Durham County, and finally by William Penn as Sussex . William Penn and his descendants disputed with the descendents of the Cecil Calvert for over one hundred years before the situation was resolved. In 1760 two English geographers, James Mason and Jeremiah Dixon were hired to settle the land dispute. The result of their survey was to become one of the most famous dividing lines in United States History. In 1775, a year before the revolution, the final legal decrees were granted to the heirs of William Penn, and Pennsylvania formally took possession of Sussex.

War of 1812
Some historians have called the War of 1812 a continuation of the American Revolution. If the Treaty of Paris in 1738 had Great Britain formally recognize the independence of the United States, the War of 1812 settled the matter for good. On April 14, 1813 the city of Lewes was bombarded with cannon fire for twenty-two hours before the British removed their blockade from the mouth of the Delaware River.

History Of Sussex County (1800s - 1899)
During the nineteenth century, Delaware continued to prosper. The agricultural leanings of Sussex County were off-set by the industrial areas in New Castle. Throughout the nineteenth century Sussex County and all of Delaware built the foundations of the modern infrastructure.

The Chesapeake and Delaware Canal was opened, allowing transportation from the markets of Maryland to the shops of Philadelphia. Equally impressive, the Delaware Breakwater at Lewes was constructed to harbor ships. The breakwater was the first national harbor and it indicated both the importance and the danger of the Delaware Bay.

Toward the middle of the nineteenth century, the railroads arrived.

When the Junction and Breakwater Railroad arrived in 1869, the economy of the Sussex was on the decline. The vast majority of Sussex Courtians were farm owners and many were slaveholders. The agriculturally based economy that provided slave labor had few Northern Supporters during the Civil War. The Quakers of New Castle County vehemently preached against the excesses of their southern neighbors.

Long after the Civil War ended, and after slavery was abolished in the south, it persisted in Delaware. The Emancipation Proclamation had no effect on Delaware as a "northern state". Delaware was the last state in the Union to ratify the thirteenth amendment to the constitution, and formally end slavery early in the twentieth century.

By the middle of the nineteenth century, the railroads began to change the Sussex County landscape. The community of Ellendale was built around the railroad, and communities from Bridgeville to Delmar started to have more regular contact with the rest of Delaware.

Farmers could load their crops, and themselves on a train that would leave Milford and arrive in Wilmington two hours later. Transportation, as it had always done, created new opportunities for business.

The County Seat

Whorekill / Lewes was the location of the next courthouse south of New Castle and hence named the county seat from the beginnings of the settlement. In 1860, the lower county of Delaware was divided into St. Jones County in the north and Deal County in the south. In 1720, there were approximately sixty families and three hundred people living there. In 1769 a movement was started to name what was then called Cross Roads (now the historic town of Milton) the county seat for the convenience of farmers traveling from western Sussex.

Western Sussex Countians were successful in petitioning the General Assembly to move the County Seat. After a law was passed on January 29, 1791, the County seat was moved from Lewes to the “Center of the county”. The legislators selected 10 commissioners including Rhodes Shankland, President of the State Senate George Mitchell, to purchase land, build a courthouse and jail and sell lots. The area of choice was "James Pettyjohn's old field or about a mile from where Ebenezer Pettyjohn now lives." This site was later renamed Georgetown after George Mitchell and is sometimes referred to as being "Sixteen Miles from anywhere" because of its central location.

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