Charlotte's big landowner who never showed up
Plus: The news of the week — Bokhari leaves City Council for federal post; Panthers raise ticket prices; Earlier school start moves forward; New TSA checkpoint opens at airport; New teen talk!
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George Selwyn: He owned vast tracts of land in what is now Charlotte but never set foot here. He managed his holdings from London, more interested in high society than the frontier.
Editor’s note: You see their names on street signs or parks, but who were some of the big-name people from decades ago who shaped Charlotte? They have fascinating stories, and for the next few Saturdays, we’re sharing them with you.
by John Short
George Augustus Selwyn was the kind of man history remembers not for what he did, but for what he owned.
And as Selwyn was one of the first European landowners in North Carolina, his name remains a recognizable one throughout Charlotte.
As a British politician, aristocrat and full-time socialite, Selwyn was well known as a witty member of Parliament who was a fixture at London’s most exclusive social clubs. He also owned vast land holdings in the American colonies — yet he never set foot on the terrain that would become Mecklenburg County.
Selwyn was born into privilege in 1719 at his family’s country estate in England’s Cotswold Hills. He followed the expected path of the elite, passing through Eton and Oxford, until 1745, when his academic career met an undignified end. He was caught using a chalice as a drinking cup at a party, an act of irreverence so scandalous that Oxford forced him to withdraw rather than suffer outright expulsion.
For most, such a controversy might have been a devastating setback. But Selwyn was a wealthy young man with powerful connections, and in 1747 — degree or no degree — he landed a seat in Parliament. Over the next four decades, he held a variety of titles, including Surveyor General of the Crown Lands, though his political career was more ornamental than impactful.
This portrait of George Augustus Selwyn at age 51 was painted in 1770 by Irish artist Hugh Douglas Hamilton. The portrait is housed at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, England. (From the book ‘George Selwyn, his letters and his life.’)
In 1751, fate handed Selwyn a far larger portfolio than he had bargained for. His father and older brother died suddenly, leaving him as the sole heir to the family fortune. That fortune included enormous tracts of land in the Carolina Piedmont, granted by the Crown in 1737 — prime, untamed real estate in what was still the fringes of the British Empire. To the settlers toiling in the backcountry, Selwyn was just a name on a document. To Selwyn, Mecklenburg County was an asset to be managed from afar, another line item in an already comfortable life.
Rather than make the harrowing journey across the Atlantic, he did what any good absentee landlord would do: He outsourced. Selwyn appointed a group of trustees, including early local leaders like Abraham Alexander and Thomas Polk, who were among the first dozen settlers of what would become “Charlotte Town” to oversee what was then called “The Selwyn Grant.” Their job was to establish some basic infrastructure — a courthouse and a prison near what is today Trade and Tryon, as well as enough governance to keep things running smoothly. Selwyn himself had no direct involvement.
That arrangement worked well enough, with some notable friction. In 1761, when Selwyn’s agent, Henry Eustace McCulloh, arrived to conduct a tax survey, he was met not with cooperation, but hostility. The local settlers — led by none other than Thomas Polk, militia captain and future revolutionary — made it clear they had little interest in being assessed. McCulloh and his men were intimidated and driven off.
No blood was shed, but the “Sugar Creek War,” as it became known, was an early indication of how little the people of Mecklenburg County appreciated British oversight. They would prove it again just over a decade later when the real revolution began.
Selwyn, for his part, comfortably watched it all unfold from the safety of London. He corresponded with British officials about the war, but his investment in the matter was purely financial. When the revolutionaries ultimately won, his claim to Carolina land vanished, confiscated by the new American government. No matter — his wealth was built on more than just foreign real estate, and he lived out his remaining years in comfort, dying in 1791.
Today, Selwyn is little more than a footnote in North Carolina history. He never governed, never set foot in Mecklenburg County, and never shaped its character in any meaningful way. Yet, his name endures — immortalized on a major Charlotte road and a well-known pub. They’re a lingering tribute to a man who, in the end, accomplished nothing at all.
John Short is a freelance writer and co-host of The Charlotte Podcast who loves digging up Charlotte’s past and pondering its future. Say hey when you see him on the streetcar.
Teen Talk — Build your vocabulary: ‘glaze‘
Welcome to another installment of Charlotte’s favorite vocabulary lesson! Impress and delight the teens in your life by using the words they use. The Ledger shows you how in this occasional Saturday feature.
Today’s phrase: Glaze
Pronunciation: glāz (rhymes with daze)
Part of speech: verb
Definition: To overly hype or praise someone or something; to overly flatter
How to use the word:
Person 1: Jimmy, you’re the best waiter we’ve ever had in our entire lives.
Person 2: Mom, you’re glazing him!
Or:
Person 1: Rebecca, I’m so incredibly proud of you for getting an “A” on your math test!
Person 2: Dad, you’ve said that five times today. Stop the glaze!
Ledger analysis: We’re told that the term “glaze” comes from the visual image of glazed eyes, signifying a dreamy or distracted state that leads to excessive compliments. It also makes us think of the sugary glaze that coats baked goods like doughnuts and how some people (but not us) might find that to be sickeningly sweet.
— Julia Bolling, age 13
This week in Charlotte: Utility bills surge; LaMelo Ball out for rest of season; Immigration legal services grant revoked; Family Dollar to be independent again
On Saturdays, The Ledger sifts through the local news of the week and links to the top articles — even if they appeared somewhere else. We’ll help you get caught up. That’s what Saturdays are for.
Education
School start compromise: (Ledger 🔒) N.C. Senate leaders say they’ve reached a compromise allowing school districts to start classes as early as the Monday closest to Aug. 19, a week earlier than the current law permits.
Family of teen student speaks out: (Observer) The family of a 15-year-old student accused of assaulting a female Muslim classmate at Ardrey Kell High School is speaking out against accusations that the incident was a hate crime. The family stated that the female student initiated the altercation by engaging in “direct, incessant bullying” and that no racially derogatory terms were used during the encounter.
Politics
Bokhari to leave City Council for federal transit post: (Ledger) Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari plans to resign to become the nation’s No. 2 transit official, leaving the council to appoint a Republican replacement for his south Charlotte seat.
Dan Bishop confirmed: (Politico) Former Congressman Dan Bishop was confirmed by the U.S. Senate to serve as the No. 2 official at the White House Office of Budget and Management (OMB), where he will implement President Trump’s budget plans.
Immigration law grant revoked: (WFAE) The Charlotte Center for Legal Advocacy says it has lost federal funding for a program that represents minors who arrive in the U.S. without a parent or guardian and are facing immigration proceedings.
NCDHHS cuts: (WRAL) The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services plans to cut 80 jobs and lose over $100M in funding due to the federal government’s termination of several grants.
Local news
Carolina Theatre reopens: The historic Carolina Theatre in uptown officially reopened Monday on the corner of North Tryon and West 6th streets after a major renovation. The 950-seat theater first opened in 1927 and closed in 1978. 🎥 Check out our video of what it looks like.
Former Duke football player confesses to killing Charlotte realtor: (WBTV) Brandon David Braxton, a former Duke University football player, confessed to killing Charlotte realtor Whitney Hurd in July 2024. Braxton was arrested on March 20 and charged with first-degree murder and robbery after DNA and fingerprint evidence linked him to the crime.
New TSA checkpoint: Charlotte’s airport opened a new central TSA Checkpoint 2 this week in the center of the terminal lobby.
Business
Family Dollar sold for $1B: (CNN) Family Dollar will become an independent company once again, as parent Dollar Tree reached a deal to sell it to private equity companies for about $1B — a steep discount from the $9B Dollar Tree spent to acquire the Matthews-based discounter in 2015. Family Dollar was founded by Charlotte businessman Leon Levine.
Airline set to expand in Charlotte: (Transit Time) The CEO of PSA Airlines, the American Airlines subsidiary whose plane was involved in a deadly mid-air collision in Washington in January, says the company has big expansion plans in Charlotte, where it is moving its headquarters. It will be the first airline headquartered in Charlotte in more than 20 years.
Sports
LaMelo out for season: Charlotte Hornets star LaMelo Ball will miss the rest of the season because he is undergoing surgery on his right ankle and a procedure on his right wrist. (ESPN)
Carolina Panthers raise ticket prices: (Biz Journal) The Carolina Panthers are raising non-premium season ticket prices by an average of 6% for 2025, marking the third straight year of hikes despite another losing season. Fans must renew by May 1.
From the Ledger family of newsletters
Monday
Tales for tails at the animal shelter: The Humane Society of Charlotte is using creative programs like the Barkin’ Book Club — where volunteers read to shelter dogs — to socialize the pups and boost adoptions.
Plus: Home sales fall 14% in February
Wednesday (🔒)
Charlotte utility bills surge: Charlotte residents are facing some of the highest utility bill spikes in the nation due to a colder winter and rising gas rates, with costs up at least 10% from last year.
Plus: Residents urged to delete 23andMe data; Luxury South End apartments; Billboard campaign imagines Charlotte without art; School start compromise
Friday (🔒)
N.C. is exploring a new retirement savings plan: North Carolina lawmakers are proposing a state-run retirement savings program to help the 1.8 million private-sector workers without employer-sponsored plans save for retirement through payroll deductions.
Plus: Bokhari praised by colleagues after job announcement; Popular section of greenway reopens; Environmental group returns $10,000 to Duke Energy
Ways of Life (🔒)
Rev. Clifford Jones Sr. delivered a heartfelt eulogy for his wife of 58 years, C. Brenda Jones on March 7, honoring her life, faith and lasting impact on their church and community.
Fútbol Friday
Charlotte FC is doing more with less: Pep Biel is leading Charlotte FC in goal contributions with two goals and four assists, while young striker Idan Toklomati impressed in his first MLS start, setting up a goal and showcasing his potential.
Toppman on the Arts
‘Coined in the South’ at the Mint Museum Uptown: Ledger arts critic Lawrence Toppman reviews the Mint Museum’s “Coined in the South: 2024” exhibition, which features 49 artists from across the South, including Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi, who explore universal themes and planetary roots.
‘Parade’ at Belk Theater: Toppman reviews the national tour of “Parade,” which he says delivers a powerful but heavy-handed take on Leo Frank’s tragic story, featuring a rich score and strong performances but a script that leans into caricatured villains and blunt messaging.
Real Estate Whispers
In this edition: Portman Holding’s ultra-luxury Linea tower opens in South End; Charlotte’s apartment boom faces questions; Eastover residents critique Providence Road’s look; top commercial building permits filed in Mecklenburg and a 25-acre land deal in Derita.
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Enjoyed John Short's article on George Selwyn. Always interesting to learn about the early years of Charlotte and NC. As an alumnus, I would be remiss if I didn't mention another presumed namesake: Selwyn Elementary.