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Please add profiles of those who were born, lived or died in Clay County, North Carolina.
Official Website
This area was occupied by the Cherokee Nation at the time of European settlement. Migrants into the area were primarily of Scots-Irish descent, who had moved into the backcountry of the Appalachians from eastern areas. They moved south from Pennsylvania and Virginia after the American Revolution. Most became yeomen farmers and few owned slaves in the antebellum years.
In the fall of 1860, George Hayes, who was running for state representative from Cherokee County, promised his constituents to introduce legislation to organize a new county in the region. That would bring business associated with a new county seat, and make government accessible to more people. In February 1861 the legislation was introduced and passed by the North Carolina General Assembly. Clay County was formed primarily from Cherokee County, North Carolina, however a small area was taken from Macon County; it was named for statesman Henry Clay, former Secretary of State and member of the United States Senate from Kentucky. In honor of Mr. Hayes, the legislature designated the new county seat as Hayesville.
Given the interruption of the American Civil War, Clay County lacked an organized, formal government until 1868. Later that year, during the Reconstruction era, the first United States post office in the county opened in Hayesville. The first county courthouse was built in 1888.
Adjacent Counties
Towns & Communities
- Brasstown
- Elf
- Hayesville (County Seat)
- Hiawassee
- Shooting Creek
- Sweetwater
- Tusquittee
- Warne
Cemeteries
Links
Nantahala National Forest (part)
NC Estate Files - Clay County (In 1870 Fire destroyed the courthouse and all records.)
