Settlers of Burke County, North Carolina

The MCDOWELLs, BOWMANs, and GREENLEEs came from Virginia to Burke County previous to the Revolution [late 1750]. JOSEPH MCDOWELL's grant on Quaker Meadows was dated 1749. They were all related by marriage or consanguinity. JOSEPH MCDOWELL, SR., was of Scotch descent, and emigrated from North Ireland to America. He was born in 1715, and emigrated with his wife at an early age, having offended his wife's relatives, the proud O'NEALs [O'Neills], the descendants of the ancient Irish kings, by his marriage with their sister, MARGARET O'NEAL. Wheeler, in his History of North Carolina writes as if they (Joseph and his wife Mary) only had two sons, Generals CHARLES and JOSEPH MCDOWELL. On the contrary, there were four: HUGH, CHARLES, JOSEPH, and JOHN MCDOWELL. Charles died the owner of Quaker Meadows; Joseph died the owner of the fine plantation on John's River, where the widow of the late Dr. JOHN MCDOWELL now lives [1894]. Dr. MCDOWELL was grandson of Major JOSEPH MCDOWELL, of Pleasant Gardens, the son of HUNTING JOHN MCDOWELL*, the brother of JOSEPH MCDOWELL, SR.
HUGH MCDOWELL was the father of MARGARET, who married Capt. JAMES MURPHY, and the only child, JOHN HUGH (MURPHY) was the offspring of this marriage. He married MARGARET STRINGER AVERY, a niece of Col. WAIGHTSTILL AVERY, SR.

(from biographical sketches written by Col. Thomas George Walton, first published in the Morganton Herald in 1894)

*"Hunting John" McDowell (b. 1724) was actually the son of Charles McDowell (b. abt 1697), brother of Joseph McDowell (b. 1715), and therefore the nephew of Joseph, Sr.

John Lewis (1678-1782)

John Lewis was descended from Huguenots who emigrated from France to Ireland in 1685 (at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes.) He left Ireland in 1729, a fugitive, after his oppressive landlord Charles of Clonmithgairn launched a brutal attack to evict Lewis’ family from premises of which he held a freehold lease. During the attack, Lewis’ wife was wounded and his invalid brother Edward was killed. John Lewis defended his family, slaying the landlord and one of his henchmen in the process.
In Virginia, shortly after William Beverley received his grant of 118,000+ acres in 1736, a grant of 100,000 acres was made to John Lewis and his associates, under the name of the “Greenbrier Company.” (John Lewis had been occupying previously unsettled land, afterwards granted to Beverley, which in the interim made Lewis a "squatter" after Beverley took possession.) Much of this land was located on the Greenbrier River, a name given to the stream by Col. Lewis. John Lewis, along with his son Thomas, were of the first magistrates of Augusta County, Virginia at the formation of the county in 1738. In 1751, John Lewis and his son Andrew would survey the Greenbrier tract.
In 1900 Joseph L. Crowder, a Staunton, Virginia citizen, realised that the grave of John Lewis was in a dilapidated state, and the inscription on the monument was even then very hard to read. On 18 November 1900, Mr. Crowder, with great effort, copied this inscription:

Here Lie the Remains of
John Lewis
Who Slew the Irish Lord
Settled Augusta County,
Located the City of Staunton
And furnished five sons to
Fight the Battles of the
American Revolution.
He was the son of
Andrew Lewis and Mary Calhoun
Was born in Donegal County
Ireland 1678 and
Died February 1, 1762 aged
84 years.
He was a brave man
A true patriot and a Friend of
Liberty
Throughout the World.
“Morta litate Relicta Vivit”

The Great Wagon Road

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The Great Wagon Road was an early American thoroughfare and the heavily-travelled main route for settlement of the southern states, particularly the backcountry. Beginning in Philadelphia, the Great Wagon Road passed through the towns of Lancaster and York in southeastern Pennsylvania. Turning southwest, the road crossed the Potomac River and entered the Shenandoah Valley at Winchester, Virginia, continuing down the valley via the Great Warrior's Trail. The Shenandoah portion of the road is also known as the Valley Pike. South of the Shenandoah Valley, the road reached the Roanoke River at the town of Big Lick (today Roanoke, Virginia). From there, the road passed through the Roanoke River Gap to the east side of the Blue Ridge, and continued south through the Piedmont region and the present-day North Carolina towns of Winston-Salem, Salisbury, and Charlotte, ultimately reaching Augusta, Georgia on the Savannah River. South of Roanoke, the Great Wagon Road was also called the Carolina Road.

(Source: Wikipedia)

The Family vs Magdalen's 3rd Husband

Robert Harvey and Martha, his wife et als., vs. John Bowyer
--O. S. 140; N. S. 48--.
Orators Robert and Martha are children of Magdalen Bowyer of Rockbridge, wife of John.
Complainants are, viz: Robert Harvey and Martha; David McGavock and Elizabeth; James McDowell of Rockbridge; James McDowell, son of John, said John next friend to his infant children, Polly, Samuel, William, Sarah and John; George Moffett and Sarah, his wife, representatives of Magdalen Bowyer, deceased.
Samuel McDowell of Jessamine County, Ky., deposes 26th July, 1808: Was son of Magdalen; was Dr. McDowell; moved to Kentucky with his family in 1783. Andrew Reed was Samuel's son-in-law. Martha Harvey was only daughter of Benj. Borden, her sister Hanna having died infant and intestate. Elizabeth McDowell was widow of James McDowell (deceased intestate), son of Magdalen. Martha had been the wife of Benj. Hawkin's, deceased. Benj. Borden, Jr., died April, 1753. Magdalen Bowyer and Mary Greenlee were sisters-in-law. John McClung deposes 7th August, 1809, he was acquainted with Gen. John Bowyer on his arrival in this country, which was about fifty-five years ago. John came as a school teacher, which he followed only a few months, when he married Mrs. Magdalen Borden. Samuel McDowell's wife was sister of deponent. William Patton deposes (same time as above) that in fall coming it will be about 55 years since Genl. John Bowyer came first to this part of the country. Deponent was about 13 years old. Bowyer opened a school which William attended, and in a few weeks Bowyer and Magdalen were married. Bowyer had of property only a horse and saddle and the usual clothes which young men in his station had.

(Source: Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, Vol. 2, by Lyman Chalkley, originally pub. Mary S. Lockwood, 1912; "Circuit Court Records, Section 'I'; Circuit Court Judgments and Causes Ended. These notes are extracted from the records of the District Court, the Circuit Superior Court, the Circuit Court, and all papers belonging to the records of the present Circuit Court. The references are to the bundles of original papers and style of suit or to the number of the order or record book in which the original papers will be found.")

Benjamin Borden's Agents & Settlers

When Benjamin Borden came to Augusta he made different men his agents and lodged at their houses using the houses as places to see persons wanting land. Aside from John McDowell with whom he first met he had John Patterson, through whom he sold many tracts of land. McDowell first made entries of one hundred acres each for James Bell, Alexander Breckenridge, George, James, Robert and Adam Breckenridge, John Moore, Quentin Moore, John Walters, William McCanless, Robert Poage, Seth Poage, Daniel McAnaire and John Gwinn, the land to be given them if they would build and improve on it by the next April. This agreement was dated Feb. 21, 1738-39. The settlers got no deeds and brought suit against Borden's executor for titles. Benjamin Borden, Jr. charged in answer that James Bell caused a servant wench of his to be dressed in man's clothes and made an entry in her name as a man, and also caused another woman, the wife of William McCanless, to appear in her proper person on a different part of the land as the wife of another settler and thereby obtained another entry.
Among other purchasers were David Moore, Isaac Anderson, Andrew Moore, William Evans, John Downing, William Sawyers, John Paul, Robert Campbell, Samuel Wood, John Mathews, John Edmiston, Richard Woods, John Hays, Charles Hays, Samuel Walker, John McCraskey. Alexander Miller was the first Blacksmith and John Hays the first owner of a mill. James Greenlee came in 1737.

(Sourced verbatim from Kegley's Virginia Frontier: The Beginning of the Southwest : the Roanoke of Colonial Days, 1740-1783, by Frederick Bittle Kegley, The Stone Press. Roanoke, VA. 1938)

Andrew Jackson, Brave Boy of the Waxhaws

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Caption reads: Andrew Jackson, the Seventh President of the United States, in 1780 when a boy of 13 enlisted in the cause of his country, and was taken prisoner by the British. When ordered by an officer to clean his boots, he indignantly refused, and received a sword cut for his temerity.

Judge McCue to Lyman Draper,re: Daniel Boone & the McDowells

Staunton, July 23d/83

Hon. Lyman C. Draper,

My Dear Sir,

I was engaged in the midst of an important criminal case as counsel for the defense when yr letter of the 7th inst. came to hand which occupied me about twelve days. This will account for my not replying to your letter at an earlier date. I am descended from Henry Miller of the Iron Works– the first established west of the Blue Ridge--& second I suppose to that of G__ Spottswood in America. I know little of the Miller, Boone & Winter families. My mothers maiden name was Hannah Winters Moffett, daughter of James McDowell Moffett, who was the son of Col. Geo. Moffett of Indian warfare & revolutionary memory –and Sarah or Mary Marg McDowell daughter of Jno. & Magdalen McDowell– Jno. The son of Ephraim McDowell. Magdalene his John’s wife was a Woods. Jno McDowell my great great grandfather was killed by the Indians near Balcony Falls in Rockbridge Co.
I know that Col D. Boone was related to my maternal ancestor – the grandfather of my mother– Henry Miller –founder of Millers Iron Works on Mossy Creek in the southwestern part of Augusta Co. He accumulated a vast fortune in lands & left descendants innumerable. Henry Miller was the founder of many great families as I have been told--& know, that all or nearly all have held respectable positions in society. Henry of the Iron Works died at his residence, a splendid hewn stone mansion on his furnace property –when about 37 years of age. The late Jno Howe Peyton –that great lawyer father of J. Lewis Peyton said of him –he had brains enough to fill the Office of
President of the United States.
I know that Miller of the I Works & Dan’l Boon were related and visited this Co. trading with the Indians--& were fast friends. How related I know not. I have written to several persons in reference to the subjects of yr letter, who are believed to be better informed than any others, and so soon as I hear from them – you shall hear from me.
Have you seen Hale’s pamphlet on Boon? If not, will loan you the only copy I have –sent me by the authors. Mr. Hale is of Charleston Kanawha Co. Va. His given name I do not recall. ___by postal whether or not you have the pamphlet. Maj J.M. McCue, my first cousin, knows more of Dan’l Boon & Miller than any man living– also of the Winter family. Write to him my care Staunton Va. A letter from you will bring out his knowledge. To me he says “Oh– Mr. Draper knows all I
do.” He is very much engage in historic research just now in another line.
I trust yr History of King’s Mountain will do justice to my kindred, the North Carolina McDowells whose names do not appear on the monument. Are you not related to or connected with the McDowell’s in some way. Let me know & how.
Court day & no time to read over for correction.

Most truly,
Yr fnd & obt servt

Jno H McCue

[note in margin]
Thanks for Wisconsin Collection. JH McCue

(J.H. McCue to Lyman C. Draper, July 23, 1883; Draper Manuscripts, 20C63; transcribed from microfilm copy of the original document from the Draper Manuscripts Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, WI; spelling and punctuation are as they appear in the original text)

The McDowell & Lewis Families

From Peyton's History of Augusta County, Virginia (1882):

Though the founder of this family settled on Burden’s grant, the whole of which lies in the present county of Rockbridge, it is intimately connected with many of our people. The McDowells and Lewises were relatives and lived near each other, previous to 1732, in Ireland. They intermarried so extensively with the McCues, Prestons, Pattons, Cochrans, Moffetts, Bells, Alexanders, &c., of our county, that we take pleasure in inserting the following brief account prepared by our esteemed friend, Judge John H. McCue:

“Ephraim McDowell came to this country and settled in Pennsylvania previous to 1735, and between 1735 and 1740, with his son, John, who had married Magdalene Woods, in Pennsylvania, came to the home of his relative, John Lewis, the Founder. There they met with Burden,* and became settlers on his grant near Fairfield, in what is now Rockbridge. John McDowell was Burden’s Surveyor...."

*Benjamin Borden, Sr, owner of "Borden's Grant"

According to John Marshall...

"Those who explore and settle new countries are generally bold, hardy, and adventurous men, whose minds, as well as bodies, are fitted to encounter danger and fatigue; their object is the acquisition of property, and they generally succeed."

The eldest of 15 children, John Marshall was born in a log cabin on the Virginia frontier 24 September 1755. He would grow to become 4th Chief Justice of the United States. He died 6 July 1835 at the age of 79, having served as Chief Justice for over 34 years, and also as the last surviving member of John Adams' Cabinet.

Capt. John McDowell (1714-1742)

From Waddell’s Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, page 37:

“On the 28th of February 1739, John McDowell, who settled in Borden’s Grant, made oath at Orange Court that ‘he imported himself, Magdaline, his wife, and Samuel McDowell, his son, and John Rutter, his servant, at his own charge from Great Britain in the year 1737, to dwell in this colony, and that this is the first time of proving their rights in order to obtain land pursuant to the royal instructions’”.

Waddell further says, “Captain John McDowell, was a prominent Captain of a military force of Augusta County in 1742. Ephraim McDowell, then an old man, was a member of his son John’s company. All grown men were enrolled without respect to age.”

Augusta County, Virginia

The area that became Augusta County was settled primarily by the Scots-Irish in the early 1730s. Formed from Orange County, Augusta County was created in 1738 by an Act of the General Assembly which provided that its territory should remain a part of Orange County until there were sufficient inhabitants to support a local government. The first Court was held in 1745.

Borden's Grant, 1734

Benjamin Borden,* a native of New Jersey, and agent of Lord [Thomas] Fairfax in the lower Valley, obtained from Governor [William] Gooch a patent dated October 3, 1734, for a tract of land in Frederick county, which was called "Borden's Manor." At the same time he was promised 100,000 acres on the waters of James River, west of the Blue Ridge, as soon as he should locate a hundred settlers on the tract.

*His surname is sometimes found spelled "Burden" in early texts. Bordentown, New Jersey, was named for one of the extended family, James Borden.

(Source: Annals of Augusta County, Virginia, from 1726 to 1871, by Joseph Addison Waddell, pub. 1902, C.R. Caldwell)

Andrew Jackson & his vocabulary

Early biographer James Parton [Life of Andrew Jackson, pub. 1859-60, 3 vols.], had this to say of Andrew Jackson, 7th President of the United States, son of Scots-Irish immigrants:

"His ability in swearing amounted to a talent. Volleys of the most peculiar and original oaths, ejected with a violence that cannot be imagined, seared and overwhelmed the object of his wrath. Aware of his powers in this respect, he would feign a fury that he did not feel, and obtain his ends through the groundless terror of his opponents."

Frontier Forts

There were eight frontier forts in Scott County, Virginia territory built to provide protection against Indian raids and for use as stopping places for hunters and settlers:

Blackmore’s Fort, overlooking the Clinch River, was built by Capt. John Blackmore in 1772. It was attacked by Indians many times and several people were killed or captured near the fort. Daniel Boone was in command of Fort Blackmore and other forts on the Clinch in 1774 while the militia was engaged in the battle of Point Pleasant during Dunmore’s war.

Huston’s [Houston's] Fort was built in 1774 on the waters of Big Moccasin Creek by William Huston [Houston] on land assigned to him by Thomas McCulloch. McCulloch had established the first Scott County territory settlement there in 1769, but was forced out by Indians. In 1776 Fort Huston was attacked by an Indian force estimated to be near 300.

Porter’s Fort was built by Patrick Porter in 1775 on Falling Creek near present-day Dungannon. He built a grist mill there which was most likely the first mill in Scott County territory.

Other forts were Carter’s Fort located in Rye Cove, Duncan’s Fort on the Clinch River, Dorton’s Fort east of present Nickelsville, the Anderson Blockhouse located near the North Fork of the Holston River and Moccasin Gap, and Kilgore’s Fort built on the waters of Copper Creek west of Nickelsville.

(Source: Wilderness Road: Virginia's Heritage Migration Route)

A Koger Marries a Porter, GrandDaughter of the Western Waters

On November 26, 1818, in Floyd County, Kentucky, my great-great-great-grandfather James Koger married Sarah Walker Porter, aka "Sally". Tracing the Walker name in Sally's name led me to her paternal grandmother Susanna Walker (1739-1795), who married Sgt. Patrick Porter (1737-1805) around 1756 at Walker's Creek, Augusta County, Virginia.
Sgt. Patrick Porter and his father-in-law, John Walker, my 6x great-grandfather, relocated to southwest Virginia about 1770-1772, settling on the Clinch River in what became Russell County. Western lands in North Carolina had been closed to settlement by Colonial government policy until 1778. In Virginia, however, Indian Treaties of 1768 and 1770 opened the "western waters" for settlement. While there had been settlers in the area before these treaties, emigration into the area did not begin in earnest until 1769-70. The Walker and Porter families were likely part of this immigration.
In 1772, the Porters, along with others, moved from Castle's Woods, where they had first settled, to Patrick Porter's land survey at Falling Creek, near present day Dungannon, Virginia. They quickly set to building a fort, called Porter's Fort, nearby. In 1774 Porter added a mill, the first on the Clinch River, and gradually a settlement began to grow.
Daniel Boone lived in the Castle's Woods, Virginia area from 1773-1775. The Porters were friends with the pioneer. Patrick's son (my 5x great-uncle) Samuel Walker Porter travelled with Daniel Boone to Kentucky in 1773, and in 1778 answered Boone's request for assistance defending Boonesborough during the Shawnee siege.
At various times, Patrick Porter commanded part or all of the forts along the Clinch River and was in charge of monitoring and responding to hostile Indian activity over a wide area.

Counties of Virginia

1721: Spotsylvania County was established from Essex, King and Queen, and King William counties.

1734: Orange County was established from Spotsylvania.

1738: Formed from Orange County, Augusta County was created in 1738 by an Act of the General Assembly which provided that its territory should remain a part of Orange County until there were sufficient inhabitants to support a local government.

1744: The Virginia General Assembly created Albemarle County by taking the northern portion of Goochland County.

1761: Albemarle County was divided, forming Buckingham and Amherst counties, at which time the county seat was moved from the formerly-central Scottsville to a piece of newly-central land, christened Charlottesville.

1770: Botetourt County was formed from Augusta County.

1778: Rockbridge County was formed in 1778 from Augusta and Botetourt Counties. (The settlement within the bounds of present day Rockbridge, however, began in 1737 in Borden's Grant. The area was then a part of Orange County, Virginia. Augusta County began keeping records in 1745, and covered what is now many states.)

1786: Russell County was formed from Washington County.

1793: Lee County was formed from Russell County.

1799: Tazewell County was formed from parts of Wythe and Russell Counties.

1815: Scott County was formed from parts of of Russell and Lee Counties.

1855: Wise County was formed from parts of Lee, Scott, and Russell Counties.

1858: Buchanan County was formed from parts of Russell and Tazewell Counties.

1880: Dickenson County was formed from parts of Wise and Buchanan Counties.

John Walker III (1705-1778)

John Walker, the son of an immigrant of the same name came first to Augusta County [Virginia] and later to Rockbridge, where they settled and lived on a creek named for them and which still carries the name of Walker's Creek.
Leaving Rockbridge County, this John Walker arrived on the Clinch in the year 1773, and settled on a 300 acre tract of land at the "sink" of Sinking Creek between Castlewood [Castle's Woods] and Dungannon. This tract of land he named "Broad Meadows." He was born in 1705 in Ireland and had married, about 1734, Ann Houston, who may have been a sister of William who built Houston's Fort on Big Moccasin Creek in Scott County. Upon arrival on the Virginia frontier, John Walker was some 68 years old and had undoubtedly followed his children in their westward wanderings. Despite his advanced age, when he arrived on the Clinch he lived to see his son and daughter-in-law slain by the Indians, and his daughter and grandson carried into captivity and who had not returned at the time of his death. He died sometime between Sept 23rd and Nov. 17, 1778. His will bearing date of Sept 23rd, (no year given, but presumed) was probated Nov. 17, 1778.
The known children of John and Ann Houston Walker were: Susanna, Mary, Jane, Hetty, Ann, Martha, Margaret, John, and Samuel.

(Source: Pioneer Settlers of The Clinch, by Emory L. Hamilton, Clinch Valley Times, St. Paul, Virginia, Oct. 10, 1967)

John Snoddy, Daniel Boone & The Moores

The Filson Club Quarterly, July 1971, pg 256:

"John Snoddy, in a deposition, said 'I came to Kentucky with Daniel Boone in the year 1775 and came by the blue lick crost Silver Creek and went up Harts Fork and soon on to what is now Bonnesbourgh.'"

The Moore brothers assigned their land warrants to Captain John Snoddy when they left the Clinch, and since Captain Snoddy was a militia officer and at times was in command of Moore's Fort, as well as owning it, it was sometimes called Snoddy's Fort. Moore's Fort was the largest and most widely known of the Clinch chain of forts.

(Source: “Frontier Forts of Southwest Virginia”, by Emory L. Hamilton, Historical Sketches of Southwest Virginia, Number 4, 1968)

Chief Logan & The Porters

Patrick and Samuel Porter were intimately acquainted with Cayuga Indian Chief Logan. Patrick Porter, while serving under General Lewis on the Ohio River, was approached by Chief Logan who, with a smile, extended his hand to Porter, at the same time saying, "I know you. You are Patrick Porter. I want to be your friend. You don't know me. I am Capt. John Logan. Many times I could have killed you, but would not."

He then asked Patrick about his son, Samuel, but at that moment, he saw Samuel coming towards them. When Samuel walked up, Chief Logan said: "I am Logan; and was your friend. Many times I could have killed you, but would not. You were too good a man. You guarded the women and children, which made me love you and your father." On being assured of their perpetual love and friendship, he then mentioned several occurrences that had taken place in the vicinity of Porter's Fort. One of the incidents recalled was concerning a large, fine horse that was hitched to the fort gate. By some chance, the horse was left there a great while, night coming on in the meantime. Logan, who was skulking near the fort, had watched the horse with covetous eyes. Taking advantage of the darkness, he tried to steal him. Covering himself with a shock of fodder, he began gradually to approach the horse. But just at the moment when he was nearly ready to lay hold of the horse, a child inside the fort fell out of bed, and made such a noise that Logan, fearing discovery, dropped the fodder, and left. "Did you ever notice that sock of fodder?" asked Logan. "Yes," replied Samuel Porter. "The breaking of that child's arm saved your life, Logan; I was on guard at the fortgate that night, and observing the fodder moving toward me, cocked my gun and was in the very act of firing when you dropped the fodder and ran away. I was within twenty feet of you, with as good a gun as was ever fired." Logan replied that the Great Spirit did not let one friend kill another.

(Source: Draper Manuscripts; Collection of the State Historical Society of Wisconsin, Madison, WI)

Patrick Porter (1737-1805)

In 1769, Patrick Porter and his family, William and Edward Russell, and a party led by John Morgan (consisting of the Walker sisters and their husbands, William and Andrew Cowan, James Smith, William Trimble, James Wharton, Fredrick Fraley, Joseph Moore, James Anderson, three Dickenson brothers, and Col. John Snoddy) moved to the area called "Castle's Woods," which was settled earlier by Jacob Castle. The group soon built Snoddy's Fort, later called Moore's Fort, the largest on the Clinch River.
In 1772, Porter and his family, along with Raleigh Stallard, Capt. John Montgomery (Porter's son-in-law,) Samuel Porter, and Charles Kilgore moved to Porter's land survey at Falling Creek near present day Dungannon, Virginia. Shortly they set to building a fort, called Porter's Fort, nearby. In 1774 Patrick Porter added a mill, the first on the Clinch, where Falling Creek spills over a cliff near the river.

John Walker II (1677-1734)

John Walker and his wife, Katherine Rutherford, first lived at Wigton, Scotland, later moving to Newry, Ireland, from whence they sailed from Strangford Bay in May 1726, landing in Maryland in August of that year. Soon he was settled in Chester County, Pennsylvania, where he died in 1734. His wife, Katherine, died the same year. Most of the family of John Walker, the immigrant, moved from Pennsylvania and settled in Augusta and Rockbridge Counties in Virginia, and from there they scattered westward.

(Source: Indian Tragedies Against The Walker Family, by Emory L. Hamilton, unpublished manuscript)