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Early NC Families Living Along The Banks of The Yadkin River

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This is a partial listing of early inhabitants settling along the Yadkin River. These families are documented as living in the area due to land ownership records. The timeline period of this listing pertains to the years of 1748 through 1770. This was a very active time period as families began migrating to the area in vast numbers. Land along the Yadkin River was fertile, filled with rich soil. Families seized this opportunity to own property and claim their rightful place among colonial social status. Soon after their arrival, new settlements and roads were quickly developed. The population grew at an alarming rate with nothing slowing the increase except for the Cherokee raids of 1759 to 1761. This thirty year span of migration forever changed the landscape along the Yadkin River and many other areas throughout the Carolinas. More details about these early families are stored in numerous files and databases of Piedmont Trails. If you would like more information about any of the names mentioned below, simply comment below or Contact Piedmont Trails.

A

  • Allison, Andrew 1758

B

  • Bagby, George 1769
  • Bagby, George Jr 1769
  • Bailie, David 1761
  • Barnet, John 1768
  • Beaty, Francis 1762
  • Best, John 1756
  • Boone, Jonathon 1755
  • Brandon, John 1751
  • Brunner, George 1761
  • Bryan, Samuel 1761
  • Bryant, Morgan 1752

C

  • Carter, George 1756
  • Carter, James 1753
  • Carson, James 1753
  • Chambers, Henry 1761
  • Churton, William 1755
  • Colpart, Henry 1754
  • Cowan, John 1753
  • Creson, Abraham 1759

D

  • Davis, James 1762
  • Davis, Samuel 1748
  • Dills, John 1762
  • Dobbins, James 1762
  • Dobbins, John 1761
  • Dowthen, John 1761
  • Dunn, John 1758

E

  • Ellis, Evan 1761
  • Ellis, John 1759
  • Elrod, Robert 1755

F

  • Forbes, Robert 1761
  • Forbush, George 1753
  • Forbush, George Jr 1762
  • Fry, Joseph 1770

G

  • Gamble, Robert 1756
  • Garrett, Daniel 1752
  • Garrett, John 1752
  • Giles, William 1757
  • Gillaspie, Thomas 1758

H

  • Hamilton, Malcom 1761
  • Hendley, William 1770
  • Hinds, Jacob 1755
  • Holdman, Isaac 1761
  • Holmes, John 1758
  • Hopkins, Lambeth 1769
  • Houser, George 1761
  • Houser, Michael 1753
  • Hughes, Edward 1752
  • Hutton, James 1753

J

  • Johnston, Robert 1759
  • Jones, David 1755
  • Jones, James 1755

L

  • Lasewell, William 1762
  • Lash, Jacob 1762
  • Linville, William 1753
  • Lock, John 1756
  • Long, John 1759
  • Lovewater, Joseph 1762

M

  • Martin, Samuel 1761
  • McCullock, James 1761
  • McKnight, George 1762
  • McManus, James 1751
  • Mears, Thomas 1760
  • Miers, Michael 1752
  • Morrison, William 1762

P

  • Parker, John 1761
  • Parsons, Samuel 1769
  • Pennington, Benjamin 1759
  • Pincher, Mary 1753
  • Potter, John 1761
  • Potts, James 1761
  • Presley, Andrew 1754

R

  • Rutherford, Griffith 1761
  • Ryle, James 1770

S

  • Shore, Frederick 1762
  • Smith, George 1755
  • Smith, Peter 1759
  • Sparks, Martha 1761
  • Sparks, Solomon 1761
  • Stuart, Samuel 1762

T

  • Tate, Robert 1753
  • Thomas, John 1753
  • Turner, Edward 1761
  • Turner, Roger 1755
  • Turner, Thomas 1760

V

  • Vigers, Richard 1761

W

  • Wallock, Martin 1752
  • Williams, James 1757
  • Wilson, James 1762
  • Woods, David 1761

Sources

  • Colonial Land Grant Records of North Carolina State Library Raleigh, NC

Categories: Featured Articles, North Carolina

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45 replies »

  1. I’d like to know more (if there is more) about Samuel Parsons. Chasing Pearson’s but the spelling is all over the place and this could well be one of ours. TY

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    • I show a Peter Parsons living in Somerset County, Maryland and died there in 1686. He shows sons as Peter and John in accordance to the probate records of Somerset. Peter, Joshua, John and George Parsons were already in North Carolina when Peter, son of Peter, arrived in 1762. This Peter Parsons is not known to be buried in any of the Presbyterian cemeteries that were present at that time and I believe Samuel to be this Peter’s son. Thank You for the question !!

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    • Hello,

      Just found this wonderful site as I am researching the families of my Boone ancestors and a William and Edward Roberts who are also my descendants through William who was born abt. 1715 in Anne Aundrel, Md.

      I believe these are the 2 Roberts brother that are shown on the Dutchman’s Creek Plat Map along with the Bryan, Wilcox, etc. William was my 6th Great Grandfather through his son Shadrach who married Sarah Katherine Turner, niece of Roger, Edward & Thomas Turner. I can find no record of my William and Edward Roberts after 1749 in Frederick Co., Md. and know the Boones were there for about a year before they headed to VA where they also stayed with relatives.

      Due to the information I have found on your site regarding the Regulator and tax problems i think they did not own land until 1761 as it is then I found records for the Bear Creek and Dutchman’s Creek properties. Since you have information on the Turners do you have any information that might help my search for the 22 Roberts brother from Maryland to Anson/Rowan?

      Thanks you,

      Bonnie Karlyle bkarlyle@yahoo.com

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      • My Jones ancestor was also related to the Boones, later on. He was living in this area and moved with the Bryans and Boones to Kentucky. My ancestor ended up in Putnam County, Indiana, after leaving Casey County, Kentucky. One of the early settlers with him was a William Roberts, this could have been your ancestor. He could have been part of the group

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    • David Jones was the first sheriff of Rowan County, NC. David sold 545 acres of his property along the Yadkin River to Robert Gamble in 1759. David is buried at Eaton’s Baptist Church. A suit against David was held in the Rowan County court for unpaid taxes for years of 1753, 1754,1755, 1756 and 1757. The amount due was £1355.8.7. David paid £150 of this and a judgement in the amount of £1205.8.7 was ending result. David was relieved of his duties in 1758 as sheriff and replaced by Edward Hughes. James Jones sold 440 acres in the forks of the Yadkin River to John McGuire in 1762. James is buried at the Boone Burying Ground located at Eaton’s Baptist Church. James was fined five shillings for contempt of court and five shillings for swearing in accordance to Rowan County Court Minutes. Peter sold his property to John Mitchell in 1758. Book 4 pp 919 and then sold the remaining of his property to Oliver Wallace in 1764 Book pp 299. Thanks for the questions.

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  4. I assume that Michael Miers listed here is the Michael Miers (Moyers/Meyers) who came with his family to Virginia with the 2nd Germanna Colony? Any more information on him?

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    • The actual surname was spelled in accordance to the record; land grants of NC. I also have Michael Miers purchasing land from H McCullock in Rowan County Book 4 pp 888 during 1762. I believe this particular family arrived from Maryland. Thanks for the question.

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    • I too am interested in the 2nd Germanna Colony members who came to the Yadkin River Valley around 1750. Significant numbers of German immigrants came to the area, but as I review the names listed, they all appear to be English surnames and not German. My ancestor, Henry Sluder Sr. is found in Rowan Co court records within a few months of its formation in 1753. These German immigrants came from VA and is not to be confused with the much larger German migrations from PA after 1755. What was the criteria for the selection of the names on the list?

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      • Your comment prompted me to look at the list again and I found 3 more ancestors or affiliates from Second Germanna. (And yes, all German. Keep in mind that it was the English who were recording these names and they spelled them as they heard them. And in the case of some of these, they were already Anglicizing the names themselves.) I found John Garrett (Johannes Gerhardt) and his son, Daniel Garrett/Gerhardt (these were the father-in-law and brother-in-law of Michael Moyer/Moyers. Meyers, Miers, etc.) and Martin Wallock (Walk, Walck, Valck?). Martin was the son-in-law of John Garrett, (mentioned in his will, along with Michael). The Moyers are listed as officially arriving with the original “hijacked” group on the ship Scott in 1717, and the Gerhardts and Walks were in the records by 1725. Note that all four of these men are documented as having been in Rowan by 1752. Also in the original group were the Blankenbuhlers (Blankenbaker/Blanketpickler/Pickler).
        Michael’s wife, Mary Gerhardt, was the widow of George Blankenbaker. Her son John Blanketpickler is found as a ”taxable” for Michael as well as in his will, as step-son, so there is no doubt that a Michael Miers or Myers in Rowan County of that period is of the 2nd Germanna colony. He also bought a good deal of land in then Mecklenburg. (later Cabarrus) in 1756, which he mentions in his Rowan County will, along with his Rowan “plantations”. The Meyer/Miers/ Meyers, etc, resided in the area where Cabarrus, Rowan and Stanly converge, (near St. John’s and Organ Lutheran churches) and I believe the others did as well. It’s possible that there was another Miers family that came from Maryland (how sure of that are you, Carol?) but there is lots of proof that “my” Michael and Mary were from Germanna (and emigrated from present-day Madison County, VA, unless they had a brief sojourn in MD.)
        Which names are you thinking of, Steven? These are some names found in the Rowan/Cabarrus/Stanly area that I believe may have Germanna connections: Karcher (Carriker), (pretty sure about this one, as they are one of the original families, also), Zimmerman (Carpenter), also original family), Weber/Weaver, Benegar/Penninger, Isehour (Eisenhaur, Isenhouer, etc.). I would be interested to know if this corresponds to your ideas, or if you have others in mind?

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      • The name spellings were transcribed exactly from the document or documents I was viewing when writing the article. Of course, the spelling variations changed from one area to another, from one time period to another and from one handwriting style to another. Many scenarios come into play with surname spellings. You inquired about the Miers family and my statement regarding Maryland. There were many “Myers” who settled in the Piedmont area of NC and I was referring to the present day Davie County family whose origins stem from the Maryland area before 1740 and up to the American Revolutionary War. Many of these served with the Maryland Continental Line prior to joining family members already in North Carolina. The earliest German settler in the piedmont area of NC would be Schnepp and Ardnt in accordance to my research. The years, 1747-1748. Following the year of 1752, other German surnames seem to appear such as Salz, Bonacher, Butner, Pfeiffer, Lorentz, Behringer, Birrer or Berger. For the most part, the land deeds for these settlers date during the years of 1760, 1761 and 1762. An estimated 45 families were living in the area with German origins, but proof is very slim for a great many of these. My numbers reflect a more modest 25 prior to 1759

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      • Oh, I know exactly what you mean about the varied spellings! The bane of my existence – trying to trace German ancestors! I’ve seen more than one spelling in the same document for a single individual! I think that’s one reason it’s been so hard to “find” German settlers early on in the Piedmont. Either the clerks, etc. were transcribing the names as they sounded, or the Germans themselves, some of whom had been in the colonies a little longer, were Anglicizing the names themselves. I saw elsewhere that you had referenced “Carolina Cradle” by Robert Ramsey, so you know what he had to say about the difficulty of finding Germans early on. I believe he himself missed my “Germanna” ancestors, because they are clearly there by 1752, and yet he doesn’t even mention Germanna, but attributes almost all the immigration as coming from Pennsylvania, with only a couple from Maryland or Virginia. No doubt the majority DID come from Pennsylvania, but these are not the only ones of my ancestors to come via Virginia. HOWEVER, he does reference John Garret in a footnote on p. 104: “It is possible that Johannes Gerhardt (the records invariably have this as John Garrett), a German, may have lived west of the Yadkin, though his home was apparently on the east bank. He was one of the earliest German settlers; he was granted land on the river in 1752 and made his will 5 years later. Rowan will, A59” And he has 2 references to Martin Wallock (Walck, Walk), but doesn’t recognize him as German. But no mention of poor Michael, that I can find, although he was granted land that was recorded the same day as the Garretts and Martin Wallock.

        The post by Steven Sluder, to which I was replying, was the impetus for my looking at the record again. Finding the Garrets and Martin Wallock confirmed my belief that it was indeed my ancestor Michael Meyers, Moyers, Miers, etc, (and all versions without the “s”!) of the 2nd Germanna colony who is listed here. (And thanks for the information on the Davie County Meyers, who definitely were not my line.) My faith in my conclusion is bolstered by the fact that all 4 of the men were issued land grants on 3-25-1752, all bordering the Yadkin River. The younger Garret (Daniel) had a second grant, (as did his father) but his first sounds as if it is either adjacent or very near Michael’s , which was:…”North side of the Yadkin River, about a half mile above the mouth of Reedy Creek,” while Daniel’s was: “North bank of the Yadkin River…including the mouth of Reedy Branch.” Reedy Creek is in the southern part of present-day Rowan, and not far from the Cabarrus and Stanly lines. And Johannes Garrett’s will of 1757, (which is recorded as “John Garrett”, but signed “Johannes Gerhardt” and is found in North Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1665-1998, Rowan Original Wills, Cowna, Isaac – Hill, John L), provides as much “proof” as one is likely to find. He refers to his “sons-in-law”, “Michil Myers” and “Martan Wallox” twice and “Michal” a 3rd time, as executor. In this transcription, “Michael’s” name is spelled “Michil Myers”, “Mychal Myers” and “Michal Mires”!

        Yes, the “flood” did begin in 1752. But, there WERE Germans in the Piedmont before then. St. John’s Lutheran Church in Cabarrus County is celebrating its 275th Anniversary this year (what luck, huh?). They record the beginning of the church as 1745, and “records indicate” there was probably a German presence in the area by the late 1730’s. This community (near Mount Pleasant) is very close to both the Stanly and Rowan lines, and many families were found in all three areas over the years. And almost all my ancestors are from that tri-county area! Several of them (and their neighbors) are found in the records of the “Williams Township Congregation” which was located near Bethlehem, PA (then Bucks, now Northampton). Almost all of them disappeared from the records by the mid-1750’s, and most re-appeared in the Adams Creek/St. John’s area. My direct paternal ancestor, Jacob Rütschi, (imagine the variations of THAT name!) purchased land from Lord Granville in 1764, but a subsequent petition to Governor Tryon, who was trying to assess back taxes, suggests he and others in the area were renting their land from Granville prior to purchasing, and had an agreement at the time of purchase that taxes prior to that were declared by Granville to have been paid as part of the rent. With so many now researching their ancestors, maybe we can someday get a better “head count”!
        By the way, Carol, I really appreciate your blog. I watched your YouTube video on the census and it cleared up some questions I’ve had.

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  5. My ancestor George Forbush or Forbes arrived in 1748 with Morgan Bryan (not Bryant} first settler and my ancestors who came later James Jones and John Parker.

    Both the Forbes and Bryant names are often misspelled in the old records. John Parker owned land in present day Yadkin Co, Surry Co. and Grayson Co. Va.
    George Forbis owned 748 acres on the Yadkin River just above the New HWY 421.
    Morgan Bryan owned land in present day Yadkin, Davie, Surry and Wilkes Co NC.
    All the Bryans and Forbis went west with Daniel Boone, except for Elizabeth Forbis
    who married James Jones.

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    • There was one extended family who made up a large portion of the 1717 Germanna colony. The patriarch of this family was man named Cyriacus Fleischmann. Cyriacus was a community leader. His wife was the former Anna Barbara Schone. They came from the Baden-Württemberg area of Germany. Anna Barbara had eight children from three marriages total, including sons from each. She was first married to Hans Thomas Blanckenbuhler who died, then to Johann Jacob Schluchter who also died and finally to Cyriacus Fleischmann. A few of the older Blanckenbuhler children were already married when they came to America. Some have estimated that 40 to 50% of the 1717 group may have been related in some way, either by blood or by marriage and that some young children were never officially recorded. The male children of these three marriages carried on their respective surnames in subsequent generations in various forms. Blanckenbuhler generally became Blankenbaker, Schluchter became Sluder and Fleischmann became Fleshman. It is well established by Germanna researchers that a large portion of the 1717 group migrated south into NC and into the Yadkin River valley(s). As you have noted, Blankenbakers are among these settlers. Obviously, my primary interest is with the Sluder line. Heinrich Schluchter was the only child of Anna Barbara and Johann Jacob Schluchter. He was just 20 years old and unmarried when he arrived in Virginia. He is recorded in a 1739 Orange Co, VA tithe (tax) list as Henry Sluter. As previously mentioned, a Henry Sluder Sr. is later found in a very early 1753 Rowan Co Court record. By the mid 1700’s, all three of these families would have been in their second generation as Americans and had intermarried with other early German settlers to Virginia. The Zimmerman’s were one of these families. Because of a lack of vital records at the time, we will likely never know the full extent of the births, deaths and marriages of these individuals and families. However, DNA testing has provided some evidence that ties all of these families together with their distant common ancestor, Anna Barbara Schone.

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      • I had a high school friend (I attended Mount Pleasant, near the Cabarrus, Rowan, Stanly lines) whose last name was Carpenter. I remember her telling me that the name had originally been Zimmerman (which is “carpenter” in German). I’m pretty sure now she was a descendant of those Germanna Zimmermans. Very cool to know we share that heritage.

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  6. There were two James Jones early settlers, the other James Jones married Elizabeth Forbis Ferree and moved to just south west of Boonville NC, James Jones and
    Elizabeth are buried in the Old Speer Graveyard off of Speer Road along with Elizabeth’s mother Olif Ferree Forbis 1715-1785, George Forbis D. 11/2/1768 is buried overlooking Forbush Creek and the Yadkin River at Dinkins Bottoms Road

    More on James Jones who married Elizabeth Forbis after her first husband Isaac Ferree was killed by the Indians in 1758.

    James Jones Family:

    Lewis Jones b abt 1602 in Wales d.4/11/1684 Watertown, Mass, Josiah Jones 10/2/1643, Capt James Jones b. 9/4/1679, James Sr Jones b. 1705, James Jr Jones b. 6/9/1731 in Watertown, Mass. d. 1791 Surry Co. NC, James Jones Sr and James Jr moved from MA to NC in the 1740’s.
    James Jones was born in MA. In 1748 moved to Guilford county, and then to Rowan/Surry/Yadkin county in 1757. Purchased 360 acres on Forbush Creek in present day Yadkin Co. NC. Will dated Feb., 1792 lists wife Elizabeth, sons James Jones, Jr., Lemuel Jones and daughters Eunice Hadley, Elizabeth Speer, Sarah Burch, Ruth Jones.

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    • My ancestors were named Charles Vandeveer (father-in-law) and William Jones ( 5th ggrandfather), along with Speers and Pettijohn in-laws. They had property on Forbushes and Dutchman’s Creek. They left for Kentucky around 1798 and settled in Casey County, KY on the Greene River. Eventually ended up in Indiana. They had Morgans, Bryans, Boones, and Forbushes with them in the area. William’s father was supposed to be Thomas Jones, and he had at least 2 uncles also living here. David and Joseph. I know that there were Jones’ by that name living here, but I’m not positive they are the right ones.

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  7. George Forbis and Olif Ferree, Yadkin County’s earliest settlers.

    George Forbis bef. 1690 D. C11/2/1768 Rowan Co. NC M. Olive Ferree b C1715 in Pa.

    D. C1785 Surry Co. NC

    Children of George Forbis and Olif Ferree:

    Elizabeth Forbis b. 1736 D. 1807 M.1st 1756 Isaac Ferree b. 1725 D. 1758/1759 M.

    2nd 1761 James Jones b. 1731 D. 12/23/1791

    James Forbis b. est 1740 D.. 11/1831 in Kentucky m. Hannah Turner abt 1760 dtr Roger

    and Elizabeth Evans Turner.

    George Forbis Jr. b. est 1738 D. unk. Married a Bryan is all we know.

    John William Forbis b. est 1732 married Martha Bryan b. 1740 D. 6/10/1780

    Mary Forbis b. 1731 D. aft 1794 (Layette Co. Ky.) M. 1747 Morgan Bryan II b.

    5/29/1729 D. 1804

    Robert Forbis b. est 1734 D. 1813 Henry co. Kentucky M. Mary Curtis in 1761 (Morgan

    Bryans Grand Daughter) parents Mary Bryan b. 1724 who married Thomas Curtis

    In 1742 in Augusta Co. Va. Mary Curtis Forbus died in 1826, Henry co. Kentucky

    Moved to Rowan/Surry/Yadkin County in 1748 from Augusta Co. Va with the Morgan

    Bryan Family. Purchased 587 acres on the north bank of the Yadkin River just to the

    north of the present day new Hwy 421 bridge bordering Abraham Creson running north

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    • Evidence seems to point that the George Forbush family along with the Carter, Bryan, Linville, Davis and Hughes families traveled together to the piedmont area of NC during 1748.. Before the summer of 1743, George Forbush is found in the Shenandoah Valley of VA with the marriage of his daughter, Mary to one of the sons of Morgan Bryan. (Records of Augusta County, VA Volume I, p. 33) Prior to VA, Forbush is mentioned in St. Mary’s County, Maryland in accordance to Maryland Calendar of Wills, Volume 8 p.49 and prior to Maryland is found in Lancaster County, PA during the year of 1735 in accordance to Lancaster Common Pleas pamphlet 8 dated in the year of 1735.

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      • George poses a stumbling block in my genealogy research. Many websites report a William Forbis as being his father, however, I cannot find this substantiated with any proof… Any help you could provide would be appreciated.

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    • Will of George Forbis below

      In the name of God amen, I George Forbis of Rowan County in the Province of North Carolina, Planter being in perfect mind and memory, thanks be to god. Doth will & bequeath and dispose of all my worldly estate as followeth; I give & bequeath unto my well beloved wife Olif Forbis all my household goods, all her wearing apparel, & her choice of the horses & two cows & three yews & three lambs. All these I give & bequeath unto my beloved wife Olif Forbis besides the third of all my personal estate. I also give and bequeath unto my beloved Granddaughter Olif Free ten pounds of proclamation money to be paid when she comes of age out of my estate. I give and dispose of all the remainder of my estate as follows; My land & stock margin & all my ysaken-chels (unable to translate the previous two words) belonging to my farm to be equally divided to these as follows: Robert Forbis, James Forbis, George Forbis, John Forbis, Elizabeth Jones and Mary Bryan. I do hereby nominate & appoint my beloved sons Robert Forbis and James Forbis Executors of this my last will and testament. In witness where of I have unto set my hand & seal this second day of November, 1768.

      Signed dated, published George E. Forbis
      In the presence of us. His mark
      Test: Thomas Evans X

      Transcribed from a copy of the original will by Ray Parker. The will copy was made from the Forbis Family File at the Rowan County Library during Ray Parker and Pat Forbis June 2002 research visit.
      Proved in August. 1769 Rowan County Court.

      Olive Ferree b. C1715 wife if George Forbis was a descendant of the Ferree family of French Huguenots, headed by Marie Ferree (born ~1660, France, died 1716, Lancaster County, PA), who came to America in 1708 and settled in the Lancaster, PA area. Source Joe Hubbard (note I can not verify this Ray Parker 10/25/2003) April 16, 2011 per Pat Forbis Olive Ferree’s father was John Ferree and her birth record is in Philadelphia.

      By the way Ray Parker lives on Forbush Creek, Yadkin Co.NC named after his grandfather George Forbis Descended from Elizabeth Forbis Ferree Jones and James
      Jones.

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    • More on your grandmother Olif Ferree Forbis:

      George Forbis bef. 1690 in Pennsylvania D. C11/2/1768 M. Olive Ferree b C1715 D. C1785
      Olif or Olive Forbis is buried in the Old Speer Graveyard
      off of Speer Road, Boonville, NC.
      Stone has “O F” on it behind and to the left of granddaughter Elizabeth Forbis Jones Speer
      A new marker was purchased and installed for Olif Forbis in
      Jan. of 2004, this marker reads: Olif Forbis 1715-1785
      wife of George Forbis by E. Ray Parker the 9th Generation.

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      Reply

    • More on George Forbis:

      “Carolina Cradle,” page 33 and 34, said he moved from Maryland to Pennsylvania 1n 1735 and back to Maryland in 1739, on to Virginia in 1743 and then to North Carolina in 1748.
      Original Bryan Station Settlement included George Forbush, Samuel Davis(or Davies), and Edward Huges. Forbush seems to have moved northward from Somerset or St. Mary’s County, Maryland, Maryland Calendar of wills, VIII.
      He was in Lancaster County Pennsylvania in 1735. (Lancaster Common Pleas, VIII) (1735). He was in the “back parts” of Prince George County, Maryland four years later.
      The Black Books: Calendar of State Papers(Annapolis, MD: Hall of Records Commission, 1943) No.1, pages 60-61, George E. Forbush was one of a group of settlers on the Prince George County frontier who drew up a petition to Governor Samuel Ogle some time after May 1739, to the effect that “the court of judicature…(being)… from 120 to 200 miles away…the petitioners…. pray that the county may be divided and that the courthouse may be erected at Salsbury Plain.” Others joining in the petition included John Heller, Adam Sherrill, George Parker, William and Elesiah Alexander, and John, Thomas and David Jones. Montgomery (1776) and Frederick

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    • cantasogni

      I believe that this William Forbis was George Forbis our ancestors brother, their
      relationship with the Bryan Family points to this.

      Ray

      George Forbis (Forbush) Family

      William Forbis b. abt 1679 D. 1763 in Orange County, NC. M. Margaret Bryan b.7/22/1693 D. 1787
      George Forbis b. C1731
      William Forbis Jr. b. C1733
      Hugh Forbis b. C1736
      John Forbis b. 9/8/1738 Christened First Presbyterian Church, Phildelphia, PA d. 1806 in Guilford Co.
      NC. M. 1st Mary unk 2nd Elizabeth Wiley Forbis in 1786
      His Brother’s Widow. Held the rank of Captain and Major in the Revolution
      Anne Forbis b. C1741
      Rachel Forbis b. C1744
      Arthur Forbis b. 1746 d. April 1781 m. Elizabeth Wiley b. 1748 (Colonel Forbis was wounded
      3/15/1781 At the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and died in April of 1781)

      Note: William Forbis’ will dated 11/28/1763 in Orange County, NC. lists Wife, Margaret oldest sons George, William and Hugh. Will was approved by Margaret, John, Rachel and Arthur Forbis and John Morgan. We suspect that George Forbis below was the brother of William Forbis b. abt 1690 above. William Forbis married Margaret Bryan and George Forbis below traveled with Morgan Bryan. Research at the Rowan County Library in the early Rowan County Records in 2002 supports this assumption.

      From Joe Hubbard: confirms my assumption on William Forbis; wife above from several years back.

      I believe I have some information on Margaret Bryan, wife of William Forbis (~1690-~1763). She was born on July 22, 1693 in Richmond, VA and died in 1787. She was the daughter of Thomas Bryan, Morgan’s uncle, and Eleanor Winnifred. This was part of the Bryan family that stayed in Virginia rather than returning to Ireland. Her birth date and parents are known from Anglican Church baptismal records. I haven’t found the marriage record yet to cement this. A possible source of clarification is an article in #3, Summer, 2000, Volume 27, of the Guilford Genealogist, William Forbis Family, VA-NC. It is available at the Dallas, TX Public Library, the Fort Wayne, IN Public Library and a few other libraries which specialize in genealogical publications.

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      Reply

      • Thanks for this, research I have conducted so far also point to William (Sr.) being George (Sr.) brother.
        I am, however, stuck as to who George Sr. father was. Before him, the trail grows dark.

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      • Cantasogni,

        It is not at all unusual to not be able to trace someone born

        in the 1600’s back to their father and mother, it has happened

        more often than not in my lines, Particularly if an ancestor

        of mine likel Richard Jester who was kidnapped on the

        streets of London and brought to Virginia as a bound

        boy, the English did this before they started bring slaves

        from Africa to the New World.

        Liked by 1 person

  9. Carol,

    I am also related to the Morgan Bryan Family through his wife Martha Strode, and to
    Daniel Boone’s descendants through his wife Rebecca Bryan. I have done lots of research with my Bryan/Forbus/Boone Cousins here on the Yadkin, Morgan Bryan and Martha
    Strode are buried underneath a Tennis Court in a development west of HWY 801 in
    Yadkin Co. A Poindexter man moved their monuments and desecrated their grave causing the problem.

    We have personally together walked over the old Forbus, Boone and Bryan homesites in present day Yadkin and Davie Counties.

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    • Ernest, as a relative of the Boones and Bryans, you may be interested in something I did in the early 1990’s as part of a post-grad course requirement. For nearly 35 years I lived in Indianapolis, Indiana, a few hundred yards from a historical marker at the site of the grave of one of the first “American” women (should have said “White” or “European”, I suppose!) to cross the Cumberland River. Her name was Mary Hunt Bryan and she was the wife of Samuel Bryan, son of William Bryan and Mary Boone, hence a grandson of Squire Boone. Samuel and Mary came with Bryans and Boones to establish Bryan’s Station in Kentucky and in their later years came with son Luke to Marion County, Indiana. I decided to write and illustrate a children’s book (fictionalized, but based on fact) about Mary for my requirement and in researching it was interested to learn that her “roots” were in then-Rowan County. ( I now know I’m not a descendant of those lines, but I believe some of my ancestors were affiliates or neighbors.) I donated my completed project to my children’s’ elementary school, which is appropriately named “Mary Bryan”! I used to love imagining that Mary had walked in my back yard!

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  10. More on Forbis and Bryans move to the Yadkin River:

    Augusta County, Virginia; “Chronicles of Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virgin 1745-1800,” Volume 3, page 33, “Nov. 21, 1747 (335) McCuty vs. George Forbush and Olive his wife April 20, 1746. Wm. Walden, John State, George Forbush and Doby Chas. Approved”
    Augusta County, Virginia; “Chronicles of Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia 1745-1800,” Volume 1, page 5:6 “Th Aug. 1748 George Forbush, Farmer and his wife Olive, Farmer to Jno. Miller, weaver, Beaver Run, Barn and McHenry line. Delivered to Jno. Miller Jan. 3rd 1755.”
    He moved from Winchester, Winchester County, Virginia, to Rowan/Surry/Yadkin County in 1748, with Morgan Bryan’s family. George and sons Robert, James, John and George Jr., along with Morgan Bryan, blazed the way to the Carolinas. They came from Backwater Creek Run South into the Potomac. The trail was from Blue Ridge at Rockfish Gap, across Dan River to the Moravians settlement then to Yadkin at Shadow Ford into what is now Rowan County, North Carolina. The trail was named “Morgan Bryan Road.” Ref: Lexington Harold, J. R. Copper, 1927.
    George owned land in the Bethel Church section near other members of the Forbis family. In Rowan Co. NC.

       Augusta County,Va. Chronicles of Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virgina 1745-1800
       Vol 1:page 5:6 Th Aug.1748 George Forbush, Farmer and his wife Olive ,Farmer to Jno. Miller, weaver, Beaver Run, Barn and McHenry line. Delivered to Jno. Miller Jan.3rd 1755
     
      Vol.3 page 33 Nov. 21,1747 (335) McCuty vs. George Forbush and Olive his wife April 20,1746. Wm. Walden, John State, George Forbush and  Doby Chas. Approved.
     

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  11. More on the Bryan Family in NC.

    William Forbis b. abt 1679 D. 1763 in Orange County, NC. M. Margaret Bryan b.7/22/1693 D. 1787
    George Forbis b. C1731
    William Forbis Jr. b. C1733
    Hugh Forbis b. C1736
    John Forbis b. 9/8/1738 Christened First Presbyterian Church, Phildelphia, PA d. 1806 in Guilford Co.
    NC. M. 1st Mary unk 2nd Elizabeth Wiley Forbis in 1786
    His Brother’s Widow. Held the rank of Captain and Major in the Revolution
    Anne Forbis b. C1741
    Rachel Forbis b. C1744
    Arthur Forbis b. 1746 d. April 1781 m. Elizabeth Wiley b. 1748 (Colonel Forbis was wounded
    3/15/1781 At the Battle of Guilford Courthouse and died in April of 1781)

    Note: William Forbis’ will dated 11/28/1763 in Orange County, NC. lists Wife, Margaret oldest sons George, William and Hugh. Will was approved by Margaret, John, Rachel and Arthur Forbis and John Morgan. We suspect that George Forbis below was the brother of William Forbis b. abt 1690 above. William Forbis married Margaret Bryan and George Forbis below traveled with Morgan Bryan. Research at the Rowan County Library in the early Rowan County Records in 2002 supports this assumption.

    George Forbis bef. 1690 in Pennsylvania D. C11/2/1768 in Rowan County, now present
    day Yadkin Co.. NC.

    The Forbis and Bryan families intermarried multiple times in PA and here in Rowan Co.
    NC.

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  12. My Forbis, Bryan and Boone cousins visited this cemetery, the earliest recorded
    burials in present day Yadkin Co. It sits on Bryan Mill Creek, now called Hauser
    Mill creek on the north side of the creek in Yadkin Co. Our research indicates that
    Morgan Bryan’s homeplace was on the south side of this creek in Davie Co., 200 yards before the creek flows into the Yadkin River in Davie Co. NC..

    Ellis-Forbis Cemetery earliest recorded burial in Yadkin County near Shallowford and Huntsville.
    Reference Carl Hoots Cemetery Index Book for Yadkin Co. NC.

    Thomas Forbes b. 1/2/1760 d. 5/13/1779
    John Ellis b. 4/1/1723 d. 1/26/1753
    Eliza H. Johnson b. 1736 d. 12/28/1754 age 18 years.
    There are 25 unmarked graves in this cemetery.

    Note: Morgan Bryan and Martha Strode are buried on their son Samuel Bryans property south of Hwy 40 just off of HWY 801, under a tennis court in a housing development. Martha Strode tombstone was saved and moved to:

    Martha’s Tombstone Preserved In Rowan Museum At Salisbury, NC. Morgan’s
    has been lost.

    My Bryan Cousins have installed a new marker for Morgan and Martha at the tennis court.

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    • My ancestor, Charles Vanderford or veere, also lived in this area and was part of the group who moved to Kentucky with William Bryan and the Boone ancestors. His daughter, Mary, married my ancestor William Jones. He also had a brother or son, who was Allen. They settled in Casey County, Kentucky for a while and then went to Putnam County, Indiana. Boone relatives, Moses, Samuel and Daniel were also there with him. What I need to know..family info has it that 4 Jones brothers from Wales came here. I haven’t been able to fit any other of the Jones to the two that I know.

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  14. I have read with great interest all your wonderful information and was so SURPRISED to see my ancestor John Cowan 1753 listed under early NC families living along the banks of the Yadkin River. I would be so very grateful for any information you could provide.
    John (born abt 1720-1775) owned Cowan’s Ford on the Catawba river. Up or down from Beatty’s place. Wife was Margaret (maiden name unknown) and they had the following children, John Jr. Joseph, William, Mary and Hannah.
    John has truly been a brick wall for not only myself but for many other family researchers that got me started so long ago. Not much of a paper trail on our John. I do have his Will and very thankful for that as I would not of known who his wife or children were without it.
    My brother submitted his DNA for the Cowan DNA project as he is a direct male descendant from John. It has narrowed it down to a specific Cowan group (and I am thankful) but with the same naming patterns this family used throughout time, it has been very grueling.
    I can hardly type as I am so excited to see his name on your list!!
    This has to be him!
    Appreciate anything you might have.
    Thank you!!
    Becky~

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