Craven County Local Government. Craven County was named in honor of William, Earl of Craven, who lived from 1606-1697. His death preceded the establishment of Craven County, and he never had the pleasure of visiting the county which carries his name. The official Craven County seal was designed and adopted in 1981, using the coat-of-arms of the Earl, which is also the coat-of-arms of his nephew, William, Lord Craven, who succeeded him as Lord Proprietor of Carolina. The motto on the seal, "Virtus in Actione Consistit" translates to "Virtue Consists in Action".