Settlement The British colonists who established themselves on the western edge of North Carolina almost all originated in Pennsylvania. Many began moving south in the mid-1730’s, some settling in western Maryland and Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for several years before following the Great Wagon Road to western NC as early as 1749. The settlers were drawn by inexpensive, fertile land. North Carolina was also far removed from the threat of French-allied Native American attacks until the start of the French and Indian War in 1754. By 1755, 35 families had established themselves in what was called the Fourth Creek Settlement (present day Statesville.) These families lived along Third, Fourth, and Fifth Creeks. The descendants of many of these early settlers are still in the area today. Settlers continued to trickle in during the French and Indian War and Anglo-Cherokee War. After the Anglo-Cherokee War was concluded in 1761, settlers began to find their way to the Fourth Creek Settlement in large numbers. By 1765, the Fourth Creek Settlement had 119 landholders living within approximately ten miles of the Fourth Creek Meeting House (established in 1756). In addition to the white settlers, there were at least eleven enslaved people of African descent in the Fourth Creek Settlement by 1765. While most of the settlers were farmers, some skilled tradesmen can be documented. By 1765, there were three blacksmiths, a bricklayer, two carpenters, a clothier, a cooper, two cordwainers, four millers, nine planters, a reverend, a schoolmaster, a shoemaker, a silversmith, two surveyors, four tailors, and five weavers. Click here to explore a Google Map of the settlement of western North Carolina. This map, and the following information are based on land patents which can be found in the North Carolina Land Grant Image and Data website. Fourth Creek Settlement Property Owners 1749-1765 by Date of Land Grant ________________________________________1749 James MacIlwaine - Surveyor William Morrison – Miller and Planter 1750 James Hannah Henry Hendry - Schoolmaster Henry Huey - Weaver William Watt - Clothier 1751 Joseph Davidson – Daughter Rachel was born at Ft Dobbs on March 23, 1756. 1752 Andrew Allison - Tailor Robert Allison Thomas Allison Sr. - Planter James Hall Sr James Hemphill - Planter Richard Lewis James Miller - Tailor Andrew Morrison James Morrison - Tailor John Oliphant - Miller Moses Potts Alexander Reid Samuel Reid – Cordwainer. Richard Robinson Fergus Sloan James Stewart - Weaver 1753 James Brandon – Miller George Davidson John McElwrath - Planter Robert Simonton 1754 Henry Chambers John McKee Thomas Porter – Cooper 1755 Thomas Allison Sr. - Planter William Archibald Sr. William Eslavin – Weaver John Dobbins - Blacksmith Henry Potts – Planter Michael Robinson 1756 William Grant Patrick Campbell 1757 Mary Armstrong Patrick Duffey Thomas Hall - Weaver William Simonton - Planter Samuel Thornton John Wilson James Woods Robert Woods – Carpenter 1758 James King John Knox - Blacksmith William Ireland – Cordwainer Samuel Snoddy 1760 Allen Alexander George Elliot - Blacksmith Christopher Erwin Thomas Gillespie George Hall Walter Lindsay James Potts William White 1761 John Archibald Thomas Archibald William Archibald Jr David Black Hugh Bowman William Carson Robert Cavin Samuel Cavin Peter Flemming James Hall Jr – Reverend Hugh Hall James Mordoch John Potts Andrew Reid - Silversmith Edward Roberts William Stevenson – Tailor and Planter Jacob Thomas - Surveyor James Watt Francis Wilson 1762 David Andrew William Bowman Jacob Crawford George Erwin Samuel Harris John Leech John Ireland James McCullough - Bricklayer George McDonald James McKnight William McKnight Jacob Nichols Robert Steele James Stewart 1763 John Bickerstaff – Weaver John Jacks – Planter James Rosenborough 1764 William Bailey Christopher Houston – Miller Samuel Houston Andrew Ferguson – Carpenter John Nisbet II 1765 Gabriel Alexander Adam Allison William Beard John Bone Sr. William Bone David Caldwell Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Robert Hill James Houston William McClelland – Planter James Milligan – Planter Patrick Morrison James Purviance Hugh Reed John Rosenborough Samuel Rosenborough Adam Simonton Ninian Steele Joseph Wasson – Shoemaker
Settlement The British colonists who established themselves on the western edge of North Carolina almost all originated in Pennsylvania. Many began moving south in the mid-1730’s, some settling in western Maryland and Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley for several years before following the Great Wagon Road to western NC as early as 1749. The settlers were drawn by inexpensive, fertile land. North Carolina was also far removed from the threat of French-allied Native American attacks until the start of the French and Indian War in 1754. By 1755, 35 families had established themselves in what was called the Fourth Creek Settlement (present day Statesville.) These families lived along Third, Fourth, and Fifth Creeks. The descendants of many of these early settlers are still in the area today. Settlers continued to trickle in during the French and Indian War and Anglo-Cherokee War. After the Anglo-Cherokee War was concluded in 1761, settlers began to find their way to the Fourth Creek Settlement in large numbers. By 1765, the Fourth Creek Settlement had 119 landholders living within approximately ten miles of the Fourth Creek Meeting House (established in 1756). In addition to the white settlers, there were at least eleven enslaved people of African descent in the Fourth Creek Settlement by 1765. While most of the settlers were farmers, some skilled tradesmen can be documented. By 1765, there were three blacksmiths, a bricklayer, two carpenters, a clothier, a cooper, two cordwainers, four millers, nine planters, a reverend, a schoolmaster, a shoemaker, a silversmith, two surveyors, four tailors, and five weavers. Click here to explore a Google Map of the settlement of western North Carolina. This map, and the following information are based on land patents which can be found in the North Carolina Land Grant Image and Data website. Fourth Creek Settlement Property Owners 1749-1765 by Date of Land Grant ________________________________________1749 James MacIlwaine - Surveyor William Morrison – Miller and Planter 1750 James Hannah Henry Hendry - Schoolmaster Henry Huey - Weaver William Watt - Clothier 1751 Joseph Davidson – Daughter Rachel was born at Ft Dobbs on March 23, 1756. 1752 Andrew Allison - Tailor Robert Allison Thomas Allison Sr. - Planter James Hall Sr James Hemphill - Planter Richard Lewis James Miller - Tailor Andrew Morrison James Morrison - Tailor John Oliphant - Miller Moses Potts Alexander Reid Samuel Reid – Cordwainer. Richard Robinson Fergus Sloan James Stewart - Weaver 1753 James Brandon – Miller George Davidson John McElwrath - Planter Robert Simonton 1754 Henry Chambers John McKee Thomas Porter – Cooper 1755 Thomas Allison Sr. - Planter William Archibald Sr. William Eslavin – Weaver John Dobbins - Blacksmith Henry Potts – Planter Michael Robinson 1756 William Grant Patrick Campbell 1757 Mary Armstrong Patrick Duffey Thomas Hall - Weaver William Simonton - Planter Samuel Thornton John Wilson James Woods Robert Woods – Carpenter 1758 James King John Knox - Blacksmith William Ireland – Cordwainer Samuel Snoddy 1760 Allen Alexander George Elliot - Blacksmith Christopher Erwin Thomas Gillespie George Hall Walter Lindsay James Potts William White 1761 John Archibald Thomas Archibald William Archibald Jr David Black Hugh Bowman William Carson Robert Cavin Samuel Cavin Peter Flemming James Hall Jr – Reverend Hugh Hall James Mordoch John Potts Andrew Reid - Silversmith Edward Roberts William Stevenson – Tailor and Planter Jacob Thomas - Surveyor James Watt Francis Wilson 1762 David Andrew William Bowman Jacob Crawford George Erwin Samuel Harris John Leech John Ireland James McCullough - Bricklayer George McDonald James McKnight William McKnight Jacob Nichols Robert Steele James Stewart 1763 John Bickerstaff – Weaver John Jacks – Planter James Rosenborough 1764 William Bailey Christopher Houston – Miller Samuel Houston Andrew Ferguson – Carpenter John Nisbet II 1765 Gabriel Alexander Adam Allison William Beard John Bone Sr. William Bone David Caldwell Daniel Boyd Robert Boyd Robert Hill James Houston William McClelland – Planter James Milligan – Planter Patrick Morrison James Purviance Hugh Reed John Rosenborough Samuel Rosenborough Adam Simonton Ninian Steele Joseph Wasson – Shoemaker
