In December 2000 Robert H Reed, along with several other citizens and business owners from Pfafftown attempted to incorporate the community into the Village of Pfafftown. There were many challenges that Pfafftown faced and ultimately the Pfafftown Steering Committee met every single one of them. A petition requiring signatures from at least 10% of the registered voters was required. Reed led the charge in getting this accomplished, parking his van beside the Post Office (which also offered much support), posting banners and asking for signatures. Ultimately, 675 signatures (19.27%) were obtained. That petition can be viewed online here.
Their proposal became senate bill S676 which was presented in 2001. Unfortunately, despite having a charter, a workable budget, an interim government, a painstakingly detailed map, and a statement on population density and the degree of development the bill withered on the vine when referred to the state senate finance committee.
One thing that could have prevented all of this, serving as the foundation for an automatic incorporation, was the property deed detailing the land granted to Peter Pfaff. Robert spent a day in the Danbury and Winston-Salem libraries, having learned that Forsyth County came from Stokes. He was unsuccessful in his search and the idea was abandoned.
Unfortunately, what he didn’t know is that Stokes County was formed out of Surry County in 1789. Accessible from the Surry County Register of Deeds is a copy of the property deed from Andrew Fulk to Peter Pfaff in 1784. This is the document that would have virtually ensured the incorporation of Pfafftown.
If you would like to obtain a copy of the deed, you may do so by mailing $1 to the following address below. In your request, include the location of the deed in the index which is book C pages 71 & 72.
Register of Deeds
201 E. Kapp Street
PO Box 303
Dobson, NC 27017
You can view it online here.
