Initial settlement of Onslow County and the New River region began in the second decade of the eighteenth century and focused on sounds, rivers, and other waterways that provided the most efficient means of transportation. Numerous land grants were issued, but nearly half were to individuals who did not live in the area. Because of this, and because of the navigational difficulties presented by the New River, growth was slow and the area remained largely unsettled throughout the century. The first courthouse in the county was located on Jarret’s Point at Court House Bay (present-day Camp Lejeune) although it later moved to several private residences (Watson 1995:9). In 1737, a new courthouse, along with a prison, stocks, and a whipping post, was constructed at what is now Paradise Point (also in present-day Camp Lejeune).