In 1752 a hurricane destroyed the courthouse containing the Onslow County records; nonetheless, all records that could be found were restored, and to them were added authorized copies of lost records. The records contained in these volumes, therefore, are abstracts of all existing records of the county from its beginning in 1734 and continuing through 1850. The abstracts consist of wills, deeds, guardian accounts, the 1790 census, marriage records, land entries and grants, and the 1850 census.