Carter County was formed in 1796 by the General Assembly of North Carolina. It was created out of the Eastern part of Washington County, an early county originally formed in 1777. The Watauga Settlement was located in present Carter County. At the time of the creation, its eastern boundary was the North Carolina line, its northwestern boundary was Sullivan County, TN., and its northern boundary was Washington County, VA. In these minutes of pleas & quarter sessions, you will find appointments of county officials, appointed administrators, marked public roads, granting of licenses to "ordinaries," taxes being levied, civil actions of a wide variety and persons being tried for offenses against the peace & dignity of the State.