The small rural town was site of the Enfield Riots, which helped spark American independence.

The Crown governed the area, and Robert Earl Granville, heir of John Lord Carteret, possessed land rights in the district.

The riots were set off by a controversy over corrupt agents, land grants, titles, and the collection of quitrents (which often ended up in Granville’s pocket).

A group of Colonists — many of them land owners and office holders from Halifax, Edgecombe, and Granville counties — went to Edenton on the night of January 25, 1759, and kidnapped Francis Corbin and a co-agent, Joshua Bodley.

Corbin and Bodley were brought to Enfield, where they were thrown in jail for four days and forced to open all land records for public inspection.

A group of citizens in Enfield expressed outrage against British tyranny and on May 14, 1759, broke into jail and freed the men.