Bute Co., NCGenWeb

PERSON'S ORDINARY
LITTLETON, NORTH CAROLINA

COLONIAL INN
AND RELAY STATION

BUILT CIRCA 1750 - 1760

Restored by

LITTLETON WOMAN'S CLUB

The following is taken from a longer story about Person's Ordinary which originally appeared in the Sunday Herald, Roanoke Rapids, N.C. and was graciously sent by Becky Dozier, the author of 2 books on her beloved hometown of Littleton. It was Becky who came to our aid when we asked for a picture of this historical building located in Bute County as it existed at the time.

PERSON'S ORDINARY IS LANDMARK

LITTLETON - Folks around Littleton look upon "Person's Ordinary" as a landmark. They're mighty proud of it - and rightly so.

Deeded by the Warren County Schools to the Littleton Woman's Club for $1 per year for 100 years. or as long as the Woman's Club lasts, Person's Ordinary is said by authorities to be the only structure of its kind left in the State.

The building is located on the grounds of Littleton High School and was built in 1770 on the Thomas Person land grant, thence the name "Person's Ordinary." Person was at one time Quarter Master General of North Carolina.

It was used as a popular inn during the time of Cornwallis, who, legend has it, slept there on a number of occasions, as well as did many other notables.

The inn was then used as a stage coach stop between Halifax and Petersburg, Va. and was a relay station for Hillsboro, Halifax and Edenton.

The next stop was the old Butte County stop, which is said to have been located some where between Vaughan and Warrenton, exactly where, no one is sure. General belief has it that it was in the sharp curve just as one enters Vaughan from Littleton. It is said that the old tally-ho horn was blown at Vaughan and heard at Person's Ordinary, so that fresh horses would be waiting when the stage coach arrived.

Person's Ordinary was the last stop until Halifax, for that particular road was downhill all the way, and the horses could make it without tiring too much.

The building was surrounded with oak and elm trees, and said to have had a wing on the right hand side towards the back, supposedly a kitchen.

In the grove, Nathaniel Green's troops were bivouaced for a time, gathering supplies preparatory to their march to Valley Forge.

Gen. Parson's nephew, William Person Little, built his beautiful home, "Little Manor," now more familiarly known as Mosby Hall. nearby in 1780.

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