Chatham County, North Carolina in 1771 from Orange County. It had been named in 1758 for William Pitt, 1st Earl of Chatham, who served as British Prime Minister from 1766 to 1768 and opposed harsh colonial policies. In 1907, parts of Chatham County and Moore County were combined to form Lee County. While not devoted to large plantations, the county was developed for small farms, where slave labor was integral to the owners' productivity and success. By 1860 one-third of the county population were African Americans, chiefly enslaved. George Moses Horton, Historic Poet Laureate of Chatham County, (1797?-1883) lived most of his life enslaved
1985 Chatham Cup for Napier in the dying minutes of the match. Napier became the second team (after Western Suburbs FC in 1971) to be relegated and win the Chatham Cup in the same season. The Jack Batty Memorial Cup, presented to the player of the final, was presented for the first time in 1985. The trophy honours Jack Batty, who was both a member of the crew of HMS "Chatham" and also a three-time medallist in the early days of the tournament with Harbour Board, Tramways, and Tramurewa. The cup was donated by his son, John Batty, who was himself a medallist