In 1779 the court house of Surry County was established at Richmond on land of Colonel Martin Armstrong and William Shepherd. In 1789, Surry County was divided and Stokes County was formed from part of it. When this was done the old court house was inconvenient for either county. Therefore, the Act dividing the county specified that the court was to be held at the home of Richard Horn until a new court house, prison and stocks could be erected at a central place.

Another Act passed that year directed the old court house to be sold and the money be equally divided between Surry and Stokes. the proceeds to be used on their respective court houses. In 1790, Rockford was established on fifty-three acres of land deeded by Thomas and Moses Ayres for that purpose. Commissioners were named to erect public buildings. Apparently, Richmond soon faded away.

In October of 1780, while many Patriots were chasing and fighting Major Patrick Ferguson at the battle of Kings Mountain, Loyalists took advantage of the fewer number of Patriots in Surry County and they launched two raids upon the town of Richmond. The first was on October 3rd, and the second was on October 8th.