It was named for Arthur Dobbs, colonial governor of North Carolina from 1754 until 1764.

In 1779, during the American Revolutionary War, the western part was designated as Wayne County.

The county seat was moved from its original location on Walnut Creek to the town of Kingston, which was renamed Kinston in 1784.

[2] Dobbs went unrepresented in the 1788 Hillsboro Convention to vote on the new constitution of the United States.

Federalists rioted, as they had done in the previous election after predicting Richard Caswell's loss, stealing the ballot box, and assaulting the sheriff.