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
John Butler, 15th Earl of Ormonde not assume the honours. He married Bridget Stacey in 1763 but had no children; she remarried Allen Walter. Butler dynasty John Butler, 15th Earl of Ormonde John Butler, 15th Earl of Ormonde and 8th Earl of Ossory ("de jure") was born before 1744 and died on 24 June 1766. He was the son of Thomas Butler of Garryricken and Lady Margaret Burke who was the daughter of William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde. Upon the death of Charles Butler (14th Earl of Ormonde), his only surviving sister, Lady Elizabeth Butler inherited her brother's estate in 1760. Lady Elizabeth was the