Piedmont Trails continues sharing family surnames dating before 1782 in present-day Kentucky with segment two of the land series. A link to the first installment, which contains surnames from A thru C, can be found here, just in case you missed it. Today’s article will include surnames beginning with D, E, F, and G. The dates mentioned reference the survey dates only. The acreage attached to the descriptions pertains to 1,000 acres or more. Otherwise, the amount is less than 1,000 acres. Names with more than one tract contain notes or other reference points. The series will continue with additional segments arriving soon. Keep in mind the dates reflect the surveys only.

Surnames Beginning with D

• Dandridge, Alexander Spotswood-Beargrass & Elkhorn Creeks-6/6/1774- 2 tracts totaling 3,000 acres
• Dandridge, Barthlomew-Elkhorn Creek-6/27/1774-2 tracts totaling 2,200 acres
• Davice, William-Dicks River-4/5/1781
• Davis, Asel-Clear Creek-10/21/1780-2 tracts totaling 1,400 acres
• Davis, Azariah-Salt River-10/31/1780-2 tracts totaling 1,400 acres
• Davis, Cornelius-Beech Fork-10/3/1780
• Davis, Jesse-Beech Fork & Simpson Creek-10/2/1780
• Davis, Samuel-Gilmore Lick Branch & Dicks River-10/30/1781
• Denton, Deanna-Shawnee Run-10/23/1780-2 tracts containing 1,400 acres
• Denton, Thomas-Salt River-12/3/1779
• Dewitt, Walter-Boone’s Mill Seat Branch & Dicks River-5/8/1781-this individual received military grants after 1782
• Dickinson, John-Turkey Creek-7/1/1775-1 tract totaling 3,000 acres
• Dickson, George-Dicks River-2/15/1781
• Dodds, Andrew-Givens Creek-3/9/1781
• Doran, Patrick-Chaplin, Dry & Doctors Fork-6/18/1781-6 tracts containing 3,200 acres
• Dougherty, Henry-Dicks River-5/11/1781
• Dougherty, John-Dicks River & Knob Lick Creek-2/15/1781-3 tracts containing 1,400 acres
• Dove, Francis-Drake Camp Creek-2/24/1781
• Downey, James-Clear Creek-5/8/1781
• Downy, John-Middle Fork & Sugar Creek-5/10/1781

Surnames Beginning with E

• Earley, Joseph-Salt River-5/29/1780-2 tracts containing 1,400 acres
• Eastwood, John-Guess Creek-3/8/1781
• Edger, Thomas-Gilmore Lick Branch-11/16/1781
• Edmiston, Samuel-Middle Fork & Holston River-3/14/1774
• Edwards, John-Crab Orchard Run-4/5/1781
• Egleston, Edmond-Hardin Creek & Rolling Fork-7/20/1781-1 tract containing 1,600 acres
• Estill, James-Otter & Muddy Creeks-5/6/1781-2 tracts containing 1,762 acres
• Estill, Samuel-Muddy & Silver Creeks-5/7/1781
• Eustace, Hancock-Ohio River-6/1/1774-1 tract containing 1,000 acres
• Evans, Nathaniel-Hanging Fork & Dicks River-4/27/1781-4 tracts containing 1,936 acres

Surnames Beginning with F

• Ferguson, Charles-Doctor’s Fork-4/28/1781
• Fields, William-Wilson Run & Dicks River-10/20/1780-2 tracts containing 1,387 acres
• Finley, David-Dicks River-4/5/1781-1 tract containing 1,000 acres
• Finley, Isaac-Pleasant Run-8/28/1781
• Fishback, Jacob-Dicks River-7/25/1781-3 tracts all totaling less than 1,000 acres
• Fisher, Adam-Dicks River-3/24/1781
• Fisher, Stephen-Dicks River-2/12/1781-2 tracts containing 1,400 acres
• Fitch, John-Simpson Creek-10/30/1780-3 tracts containing 1,600 acres
• Floyd, John-Ohio River, Elkhorn & Beargrass Creeks-6/6/1774-4 tracts containing 3,600 acres
• Frazier, Mary-Elkhorn Creek-7/7/1774-1 tract containing 2,000 acres
• Froman, Jacob-Kentucky & Salt Rivers-1/28/1781-2 tracts containing 1,000 acres
• Froman, Paul-Polker Run & Simpson Creek-10/1/1780-2 tracts containing 2,000 acres
• Fry, Abraham-Beech Fork-7/20/1781
• Fry, John-Carpenter Creek-6/21/1781
• Funk, Jacob-Green River-6/11/1781

Surnames Beginning with G

• Gains, William-Dicks River-11/15/1781
• Gant, Thomas-Town Fork & Salt River-2/2/1781
• Gillispie, William-Boggs Fork & Boone Creek-9/29/1780-2 tracts containing 1,307 acres
• Gilmour, James-Town Fork & Salt River-3/23/1781
• Gimblin, Andrew-Dicks River-4/6/1781-2 tracts containing 1,000 acres
• Gist, Thomas-Gist Creek-6/1/1775-3 tracts containing 8,000 acres
• Givens, George-Hanging Fork & Dicks River-3/28/1781
• Givens, Samuel-Clark Run-3/22/1781
• Goldman, Thomas-Gilbert & Sugar Creeks-3/28/1781-1 tract containing 1,600 acres-military grant
• Goodnight, Michael-Chaplin Fork-4/28/1781
• Gordon, John-Shawnee Run-2/19/1781-2 tracts containing 1,400 acres
• Grant, John-Licking Creek-8/25/1780-3 tracts containing 1,300 acres-1 grant issued for military service
• Grant, William-Sugar Creek-12/6/1781
• Gratton, John-Hardin Creek-8/31/1781-2 tracts containing 1,000 acres
• Greenlee, John-Green River-5/5/1781
• Greenlee, Mary-Carpenter Creek-6/21/1781
• Grigsby, Nathaniel-Simpson Creek-9/21/1780
• Grubbs, Higgarson-Tates Creek-6/23/1781

Our concentration lies before 1782 due to the number of roads available to travelers beginning in the summer months of 1782. A significant number of new colonial routes appear on the landscape as more and more families migrate west. These new roads, created by Kentucky residents, offered abundant travel routes into the District of Kentucky. Virginia consented to Kentucky becoming a state twice before Congress finally agreed in 1791. The growth within the Kentucky boundaries proves the number of families arriving during the 1780 decade. The three counties of Lincoln, Jefferson, and Fayette add additional proof. The establishment of all three counties existed twelve years before statehood in 1792. This westward wave was the second-largest national migration in our nation’s history. Unlike the southern migration with the Great Wagon Road as the main highway, the second migration would consist of four main roads by land and one main water route. Piedmont Trails will have much more on this topic in the coming months. Be sure to look for segment 3 of this series, arriving soon. Until then, Enjoy Your Journey to the Past.

Sources:

• Certificate Book of the Virginia Land Commission, 1779-1780 by Virginia Land Commission. Southern Historical Press Easley, South Carolina 1981
• Deed Books 1780-1909 Kentucky Historical Society published 1966 13 microfilm reels courtesy of Family Search
• Early Kentucky Land Records by Neal O Hammon. Filson Club Louisville, Kentucky 1992
• Fincastle & Kentucky County, VA-Ky by Michael L Cook and Bettie A Cook. Cook Publications Evansville, Indiana 1987
• Index for old Kentucky Surveys & Grants by Joan Brookes-Smith. Kentucky Historical Society published 1975. 1 microfilm reel courtesy of Family Search
• Photo of Kentucky log cabin taken 1909 near Stinking Creek on Pine Mountain courtesy of Library of Congress