Popular legend has it that William Mahone (1826–1895), builder of the Norfolk and Petersburg (N&P) Railroad and native of Southampton County, and his cultured wife, Otelia Butler Mahone (1837–1911), who had been raised in Smithfield, traveled along the newly completed Norfolk and Petersburg Railroad naming stations. Otelia was reading Sir Walter Scott's Ivanhoe. From his historical Scottish novels, Otelia chose the place names of Windsor, Waverly, Wakefield and Ivor.
Otelia Mahone is said to have tapped the Scottish Clan "McIvor" for the name of Ivor. Later, when they could not agree, it is said that they became even more creative, and invented a new word in honor of their "dispute", which is how the tiny community of Disputanta was named.
The N&P RR (now Norfolk Southern) railroad was completed in 1858.