Since beginning my quest for “who were my people?”, I have been absorbing bits and pieces of the early history of early Virginia, South & North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. Also, every now and then, I dip into some early European history regarding the Stewart sovereigns, English royalty and such, as I try to see how my ancestry fit into the big picture. Some of my ancestors arrived in Pennsylvania or Delaware and relocated in the 1600’s to Virginia or the Carolinas. William Penn had set aside land in the Pennsylvania/Delaware area for colonists. It was Penn's father who owned a lot of the ships that brought people to the colonies, and the father also had land holdings in Barbados. Penn’s father was a large slave trader. Chester Co, PA to Frederick Co, VA, was a distance of at least 200 miles south and west. I have learned that most of our ancestors, both Rick’s and mine, arrived in the colonies in the 1600’s and were involved in the settling of the colonies. They survived hostile Indians in a hostile land. They joined in the fight for freedom of the tyranny of Europe and won. My ancestors migrated further westerly to settle a rough and untamed Kentucky to be faced with brother against brother in a Civil War. President Lincoln ordered that his armies “bring me Kentucky” because of her valuable waterways. Control of them gave access to the southwestern southern states, from the Ohio, the Kentucky, the Cumberland, the Big Sandy and the Mississippi Rivers. Many believe that the Unions early success in Kentucky determined the eventual outcome of the war. Some of my ancestors went to Tennessee and helped form and served in the rebel “Orphan Brigade”.

Again and again I have researched the formation of the states and counties and have wondered what it was like where they lived and how they lived. Many times I wished I could find just one little document that would help with my research of the migratory patterns of my ancestors in their westward travels from Virginia and the Carolinas to Kentucky. Something that would give me a clue to how they lived.

While the Willey’s settled in New England, all of my ancestors followed these Western migratory patterns, though not all traveled the same paths. These brave, hearty pioneers faced many hardships beginning with their travels to the colonies. They came from the British Isles. They were English, Welch and Irish but mostly Scotsmen. Some by way of Barbados. Barbados was part of the historical "middle passage" for the trek from the British Isles to Africa then to the colonies. Slaves were picked up in Africa, most dropped off in Barbados, and some brought to the colonies. Some 80% of Africans were put off at Barbados, the rest coming to So. America and Virginia. Some of my ancestors were descendants of Royalty and noblemen, descendants of The Bruce, the Lyon Kings and the Stewart sovereigns of Scotland. They left their homelands in pursuit of freedom; from religious or political tyranny. Many were illiterate. Literacy in those days was probably rare. Only the first born legitimate sons were allowed an education or to inherit. Another good reason for relocating to the colonies. Why else would anyone pickup and leave the comfort of an a alliterate England, to come to America as a farmer; facing hardships of gigantic proportion in an untamed environment and Indian hostility!

It is my opinion that these ancestors of mine were not indigent. History states that the wealthier immigrants disembarked in the Southernmost colonies since they had more funds to remain on board longer. I find no records indicating that any were bound out after arrival. Passengers who could not afford their fares or only a portion of their fare must remain on board when arriving at port until they could find a wealthy landowner who would pay the tariffs, for whom they would trade work on their plantations or businesses until they had repaid the debt. This practice appeared to be more prevalent in the northern colonies. Sometimes a “bound” debtor would have to sue for release from his “employer”. Regardless of their status when they arrived, their descendants became wealthy plantation owners in Virginia and the Carolinas and their descendants became the fearless pioneers who migrated West to the wilderness of Kentucky where two descendants of all these ancestors, George William Paul Green and Edith Ophelia Jones, united to afford me their legacy. As the times dictated, many were slave owners however they had freed their slaves before the Civil War. They felt slavery was necessary when running large plantations. They were known as fair and compassionate slave owners whose freed slaves remained on the plantation and took the same surname. They migrated to the west with their owners. I like to say they had both black and white slaves, raising families of 10 to 12 children who worked the lands side by side with the slaves.

The following excerpts from “The Migration of the Peoples” gives a good view of early life in North Carolina: “Inhabitants flock in here daily, mostly from Pensilvania and other parts of America, who are over-stocked with people and some directly from Europe, they commonly seat themselves towards the West, and have got near the mountains.” -- Gabriel Johnston, Governor of North Carolina, to the Secretary of the Board of Trade, February 15, 1751

At the opening of the eighteenth century the tide of population had swept inland to the "fall line," the westward boundary of the established settlements. The actual frontier had been advanced by the more aggressive pioneers to within fifty miles of the Blue Ridge. So rapid was the settlement in North Carolina that in the interval 1717-32 the population quadrupled in numbers. A map of the colonial settlements in 1725 reveals a narrow strip of populated land along the Atlantic coast, of irregular indentation, with occasional isolated nuclei of settlements further in the interior. The civilization thus established continued to maintain a close and unbroken communication with England and the Continent."......................."In the year 1746 I was up in the country that is now Anson, Orange and Rowan Counties, there was not then above one hundred fighting men there is now at least three thousand for the most part Irish Protestants and Germans and dailey increasing. " -- Matthew Rowan, President of the North Carolina Council, to the Board of Trade, June 28, 1753. "The conquest of the West is usually attributed to the ready initiative, the stern self-reliance, and the libertarian instinct of the expert backwoodsmen. These bold, nomadic spirits were animated by an unquenchable desire to plunge into the wilderness in search of an El Dorado at the outer verge of civilization, free of taxation, quit-rents, and the law's restraint. They longed to build homes for themselves and their descendants in a limitless, free domain; or else to fare deeper and deeper into the trackless forests in search of adventure.”

The Jones and Thomas families had settled in Yancey Co, later Mitchell Co, NC. Soloman W. Jones in NC in 1777 and purchased 240 acres in Wilkes Co 1796. The Joneses were still in the same area, then Mitchell Co, in 1894 when my grandfather, David H. Jones was born. Mitchell Co, NC was formed at the start of the Civil War, and until 1911 encompassed most of present-day Avery Co, NC. The county seat is Bakersville, in the northern section, with a population of about 500. Dave’s father, Dockery Lenoid Jones, was born in 1866 in Yancey Co. Dock relocated his family to Tennessee, where he died in Kingsport, Sullivan Co, TN in 1940. His father, James J. Jones was born in Yancey Co in 1844, he remained there his entire life and was a active blacksmith until he died at age 99 in 1943. He can be found on US Federal Census Reports for first Yancey Co, NC in 1870 & 1880, later after Mitchell Co was formed using that section of Yancey Co, he can found in Mitchell Co in 1900, 1910, 1920, & 1930. The father of James, Austin P. Jones was born in Wilkes Co and can be found on the US Federal Census for that county for 1830 & 1840. With the constant formation of counties, he appears in Yancey Co from 1850 through 1880. He died there in 1881. His wife, Nancy Thomas, was the daughter of Aaron Obediah Thomas. The date of Aaron's arrival in NC from Florida has not been preserved, but as well as can now be determined we know he got here around 1810. The region was then new and unexplored and for some years his closest neighbors were the Silvers, a few miles up the river; the Wilson's, on Bear Creek; and the Deytons, in the Deyton Bend section. An account of his journey in, however, has been kept in the family traditions. Coming by way of Bear Creek, he rested with his family at the Wilsons for awhile; then taking his leave, he crossed over the gap to Mine Creek, and following an old Indian trail, came from there to Roses Branch, where he killed a deer and encamped for the night. The next morning while scouting out a place to locate, he came down to the river and saw on the other side a sizable bottom clothed in reeds. Crossing over, he found it to his liking, but with some Indians domiciled on it. Frightened by his seeming numbers, the Indians ran off and Aaron moved in and took possession. In a few weeks he had the bottom plowed and planted, a house built, and his family permanently settled. Descendants who lived until the 1960's on the original land settled by Aaron have documented his family line. The Thomas Family Cemetery is on a hill overlooking the farm and river. Several of the family are buried there but the graves of Aaron & Elizabeth are not marked. In 1834, Aaron bought two parcels of land on Roses Branch of the Toe River. He can be found on the US Federal Census Reports from 1830 through 1880. He died in 1881. Aaron, Sr’s father, Joe, tradition says, lived to 114; the first Aaron, to 107, and his grandson, "Water Aaron", to 104.

The two streams of Ulstermen, the greater through Philadelphia, the lesser through Charleston, which poured into the Carolinas toward the middle of the century, quickly flooded the back country. The former occupied the Yadkin Valley and the region to the westward, the latter the Waxhaws and the Anson County region to the northwest.

Far from the bustle of the world, they live in the most delightful climate, and richest soil imaginable; they are everywhere surrounded with beautiful prospects and sylvan scenes; lofty mountains, transparent streams, falls of water, rich valleys, and majestic woods; the whole interspersed with an infinite variety of flowering shrubs, constitute the landscape surrounding them; they are subject to few diseases; are generally robust; and live in perfect liberty; they are ignorant of want and acquainted with but few vices. Their inexperience of the elegancies of life precludes any regret that they possess not the means of enjoying them, but they possess what many princes would give half their dominion for, health, content, and tranquillity of mind. -- Andrew Burnaby

The first two English colonies established in North America were Roanoke 1585 and Jamestown 1607. The latter colony on the James River of Virginia survived and became Virginia's capitol until 1699. Throughout much of the 17th century, settlements expanding from Jamestown remained limited to waterways such as the James, York, Rappahannock, Potomac Rivers and the Chesapeake Bay.

In “Kegley’s Virginia Frontier”, by F. B. Kegley: Kegley cites that everyone (coming to Virginia) was to have his own hearth stone and own private tract, 3 acres of cleared ground which he was to cultivate himself. Later each colonist who would clear and settle 50 acres and pay annual rent to the King might have that much more in fee simple. Anyone paying into the treasury the sum of 12 Pounds and 10 Shillings should be entitled to 100 acres, to be located where he pleased. Anyone who performed a public service to the Company or Colony was to be rewarded with a grant not to exceed 2,000 acres. In 1634 all settlements were included in 8 Shires: James City, Henrico, Charles City, Elizabeth City, Warwick Rivers, Warrosquyoakes, Charles River, Accawmock.

James City County was established in 1634. Parts of New Kent and York Counties were added later. The County Seat is Williamsburgh and the County is part of the York County Peninsula. A patent could indicate that an immigrant could earn land by serving time in service, or add to his holdings by paying passage for others. The time of receiving a patent does not indicate time of transportation to a colony. It could be demanded years later.

In 1699 the French Huguenots a Seat of the Monacon Indians known as “Monacon Town” on south side of the James River about 20 miles above the falls. Indian plantations extended for 3 miles along the James River, between 2 small streams known as Monacon and Powick Creeks. In 1699 the area became the seat of the colony. The French Huguenots required naturalization. Every person, male and female, coming into colony for purpose of making a settlement was entitled to 50 acres of land, families to have 50 acres per member, no person possessing less than 5 tithables, servants or slaves permitted to take more than 500 acres, no persons permitted more than 4,000 acres in 1 patent.

William Renfro was born in James City Co, VA in 1702. He married Elizabeth Cheney and together they had twelve children. The Renfro plantation bordered the Washington plantation and the young George Washington played with the Renfro brothers. It has been rumored that Washington fathered a illegitimate child by a Renfro woman. In a biography of Washington, it is mentioned that George was taught to survey by a neighbor, that neighbor was James Renfro, brother of our ancestor, Peter Rentfro and son of William and Elizabeth. Both William and Elizabeth died in Botecourt Co, VA. Elizabeth before 1857 and William in 1789. Many of their children traveled with the Donelson party on their trip via waterways from Virginia to Tennessee. The documentary of Donelson’s trip is very interesting and gives an excellent view of their life and times. (There is a documentary of the journal kept by Donelson’s trip on my WebSite) Moses Renfro traveled with Col. Donelson on their over-water flotilla. Donelson's route took them from Fort Patrick Henry on the Holston River to the Tennessee River to the Ohio River and then to the Cumberland River on which Nashboro was founded. Moses broke off at the mouth of the Red River and went on with his small party of family to establish a fort, Renfro/Red River Station, near Clarksville, TN about 1780. His younger brother, my ancestor, Peter Renfro, was a part of Richard Henderson’s survey group. Biographical data of persons mentioned in Ledger A of Richard Henderson & Co. "Peter Renfro a/c opd January 10, 1776” (Source: "Calendar of The Kentuck Papers of the Draper Collection of Manuscripts, 1925, 17CC, Page 199, via Mrs. Charles Durrett, CGRS)

In 1772 Richard Henderson purchased from the Native Americans all land lying between the Ohio, Kentucky, and Cumberland rivers for his Transylvania Company. John Finley's stories of KY land precipitated Daniel Boone's subsequent exploration. Henderson wanted to establish a settlement at French Lick. Peter was working for Col. Richard Henderson, of the Transylvania Co. at the time the other Rentfro's and their related families left for the Donelson's Voyage. "I happened to fall in company, and have a great deal of conversation with one of the most singular and extraordinary persons and excentric geniuses in America, and perhaps in the world. His name is Richard Henderson." J. F. D. Smyth: "A Tour in the United States of America"

On 31 March 1780 the Donelson Party encountered Col. Richard Henderson's surveying party who where trying to establish the boundry line between Virginia and North Carolina. On 12 April 1780 the Rentfro's left the Donelson Party at Red River/Rentfro's Station.

Henderson’s party, of which Peter was a member, left first, They went through Cumberland Gap, followed the Warrior's path for some distance and then blazed a trail of their own. As they progressed slowly in deep snow and bitter cold, they fell in with some families intending to go to Kentucky. They joined. At length, they reached the frozen Cumberland which they crossed on foot with their stock. On the banks they started a settlement which the named Nashboro.

On December 22, 1779, Donelson launched his expedition from Fort Patrick Henry on the Holston. It was one of the coldest winters on record. Despite Indian attacks, miserable weather, small pox, hunger, deaths (out of 167, 23 had lost their lives and 9 bore bullet wounds), they arrived on April 24th at French Lick where Robertson and Company had erected a cluster of cabins and had planted corn and cotton. (French Lick was Nashboro, and later named Nashville.)

They two groups met up in March 1780 as witnessed by this note in John Donelson‘s notes: "March 31, 1780. Set out this day, and after running some distance, met with Col. Richard Henderson, who was running the line between Virginia and North Carolina. At this meeting we were much rejoiced. He gave us every information we wished, and further informed us that he had purchased a quantity of corn in Kentucky, to be shipped at the Falls of Ohio, for the use of the Cumberland settlement. We are now without bread, and are compelled to hunt the buffalo to preserve life." John Donelson "Journal of a Voyage, intended by God's permission, in the good boat Adventure, from Fort Patrick Henry, on Holston River, to the French Salt Springs on Cumberland River".

Peter Renfro joined his brother Moses and went on the help establish Renfro Station. However, he had continued his own journey to Nashboro before Indians attached the fort, scrambling the residents and killing many.

Henderson requested that delegates be selected from each of eight stations and a Compact be formed. On May 1, 1780 the "Cumberland Compact" was agreed upon. The Compact guaranteed, among other things, one another their rights of land, their personal security vs wrongdoers and their faith in the integrity of the community. Peter Renfro signed this Compact.

Lewis Green, Sr. was born in 1710 in Prince George Co, VA, believed to be the son of Robert and Eleanor (Dunn) Green. Robert came to America when he was 17 years old with his uncle, Sir William Duff of Scotland. They settled on the James River. In 1732 Robert received a patent for 120,000 acres along with his uncle and Joist Hite and Robert McKay. His uncle returned to Scotland, leaving Robert Green in charge of their joint venture. The uncle died without children and Robert inherited his uncles interest in Virginia. His possessions were among the largest of early Virginia grants. They were primarily in Prince William, Augusta, Orange, Westmoreland and King George counties. His children lived in Culpeper Co. and later KY. Robert married Eleanor Dunn, a Scot lady. They were the parents of seven sons, six of whom were over 6 feet tall having red hair and beards. The family was know as the "Red Greens" to distinguish them from other families of the same name with different characteristics. Lewis was shorter with a darker completion like his mother. The following from the Gate Hearld, Gate City, Virginia (article written regarding James Green) “Robert Green landed in 1712, directly from England. He and his wife Eleanor had 7 children. He landed in Culpepper County, VA. in 1712. On authority of Prof. A. J. Wolfe, Big Stone Gap, James Green, Sr. ,Robert Green's grandson, was a close relative of Nathaniel Green, the son of John Green, Sr., Robert and John were brothers, who gave Cornwallis his greatest lesson of the Revolutionary War. Nathaniel was a General. His Descendants settled in New Hampshire.” Although I have no verified proof on Lewis being the son of Robert and Eleanor Green, it is accepted by many Green Family researchers.

Lewis was a Revolutionary War Colonial Soldier. He was a Private who served under Captain Robert McKenzie in Tennessee and Kentucky. He was stationed at Fort Nashboro in Nashville, Tennessee. Lewis Green was in the French and Indian War. He served in Captain Robert McKenzie's Co. and was listed as "age 30, five feet, ten inches tall, and a carpenter by trade. (Va. Magazine of History and Biography, Vol I, p.378)

In about 1772, he moved to Porter's Fort, present day Scott County, VA. He left Porters Fort in October about 1784 for what is now Nashville, TN (Nashboro) with his daughter Sarah Green Payne, her husband, Joseph Payne and Matthew Payne, father of Josiah, and with son Frederick Green. Lewis took sick and called his daughter, Sarah Payne, and others to witness his last will. This will named only Sarah and Zacariah. He stated his children were married and gone from him, and they had already received their portion which he allotted them. He died soon after on Blue Spring Road en route to Nashboro and the Cumberland Settlement and his widow married Andrew Payne.

There have been many newspaper articles and books written about Lewis Green and his descendants. One article in the "Tristate Trader", Knightstown, Ind. dated January 30, 1971, p. 20 was written by Helen Price Stacy of West Liberty, KY. She wrote of Lewis being mauled by the bear, his relationship with Daniel Boone and of James Green, Sr. and his scalping by Chief Benge. Also about James, Jr. and Robin K. Green. She further writes: "The Greens were a persevering people, and James Green, Jr. used to sit by the fire in his Virginia home and tell his young son Robin (Robert Kilgore Green) about the courage of his ancestors in the great wilderness. Robin, who was born June 10, 1811, listened eagerly, not knowing that he would some day be a preacher of a different kind in Elliott Co, KY & and would be called on to display his own brand of courage and faith."

Many stories have been told of Lewis and the bear. Dr. Lyman C. Draper places the date of this occurrence about 1774 and states the story was known and told by Daniel Boone. Boone lived on the Clinch from 1773 until the spring of 1775, so it is likely that if he knew the story, it must have occurred between these dates. The following seems to be the most common story and the one told by Daniel Boone, passed down through many generations in many families: "Lewis Green and a brother-in-law (unnamed), who resided near Blackmore Fort on Clinch River about 15 miles below Captain Gass' place, where Boone was so journeying, went out some considerable distance amount the mountains, to hunt. They selected a good hunting range, erected a cabin for protection from the elements and wild animals and laid in a store of jerked bear meat. One day when Green was alone, his companion being absent on the chase, a large bear made his appearance near camp. Green shot and wounded the animal, which at the moment seemed to be in a sort of sink hole at the base of a hill. Taking a circuit to get above and ahead of the bear, there being a light snow upon the ground which was covered with sleet, Green's feet slipped from under him and , in spite of all his efforts to stop himself, he partly slid and partly rolled down the hill where he found himself in the sink hole. The wounded bear, enraged by pain, flew at poor Green, tore and mangled his body in a shocking manner; totally destroying one of his eyes. When the bear had sufficiently gratified his revenge by gnawing his victim as long as he wished, he sullenly departed, leaving the unfortunate hunter in a deplorable condition - - all exposed, with his clothing in tatters, to the severities of the season.

At length his comrade returned, found Lewis and took him to camp. After awhile, thinking it impossible for Green to recover, his companion went out on a pretense of hunting for fresh meat, and, unfeelingly poor Green to his fate; reporting in the settlements that Lewis had been killed by a bear.

His little fire soon died away from his inability to provide fuel. Digging with his knife he made a hole or nest beside himself in the ground floor of his cabin. He managed to reach some wild turkey feathers which had been saved and lined the excavation and made himself quite a comfortable bed. With his knife fastened to the end of a stick, from time to time, he cut down bits of dried bear meat hanging overhead. Upon this he sparingly subsisted. Recovering slowly, he could at length manage to get about. When spring opened, a party of whom Boone is believe to have been a part of, went from Blackmore's settlement to bury Green's remains; with the brute of a brother-in-law for a guide. To their utter astonishment, they met Green plodding his way toward home and learned from him the sad story of sufferings and desertion. The party of men were so indignant that they could scarcely refrain from laying violent hands on the wretch guilty of so much inhumanity to a helpless companion, Green, though disfigured, looking like a Cyclops according to one story, lived many years."

Spotsylvania and Brunswick Counties were formed in 1720. Goochland Co formed 1727.

Stephen Holston was the son of Henry Holston Sr., a Swedish settler of Craig Creek on the branches of the James and Roanoke River in Virginia. Stephen was married to Judith Renfro, daughter of “old” Peter Renfro. Stephen put his family in a boat and floated down several rivers to Natchez, Mississippi. The Holston River in Tennessee was named for him for that feat. Because of an Indian uprising in the Natchez area, Stephen and his family fled to South Carolina where they had relatives. (Hughes Family)_..Stephen, himself returned to Virginia and fought in the Revolution (Source: East Tennessee Hisorical Society Quarterly 1936, Volume 8 via Andrea's Holston Report, p.1)

From "Finding Your Peoples in The Shenandoah Valley", by Rebecca H. Good and Rebecca A. Ebert, the Sherando River is the Shenandoah River. According to the Baird Book, this land lies near Font (Front) Royal in present Warren Co, VA. Orange Co, VA was a vast area stretching to the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. The County was established in 1728 following a treaty with the Indians. This permitted colonization beyond the Blue Ridge in exchange for a promise that the expansion would not extend past the Alleghenies. Promises were broken, precipitating the French and Indian War. In 1738, two new counties were created out of Orange Co: Augusta Co and Frederick Counties, but jurisdiction would remain with Orange Co as Augusta and Frederick were sparsely settled. Finally, 9 December 1745, the first court met in Augusta Co. They met at Staunton, originally called "Beverley's Mill-Place".

In 1730 Alex Rars and Morgan Bryan of Pennsylvania petitioned for 100,000 acres on the west side of the mountains on the north and west of Opeguon and settled a colony of Friends (Quakers) who built Hopewell Meeting House in 1734, the oldest congregation in the valley. In 1731 Jack Hite and Robert McKay began acquiring land in Shenandoah Valley . In 1734, William Beverly was granted 60,000 acres on west side of mountains on both sides of the River of Shenandoah. Allowing one family per 1000 acres land beginning the Scot-Irish Settlement of Massaneetton Town, the first permanent white settlement in the valley, which was later to become Augusta Co. On Sept. 6, 1736, William Beverly and John Roberson were granted 118,491 acres beyond the Great Montains on the River Sheranda (Shenandoah River) in Virginia called Manor Beverly. A patent was awarded to William Beverly, John Roberson and Sir John Randolph. Patenters were required to seat, build a 12 foot square wooden house, and plant within 3 years. Clearing and tending one acre or forfeit. Titheables were imposed on all males 16 years and over. Surveyors fees were paid in tobacco:1000 acres, 500 Lbs; 100 acres, 50 Lbs.; Town Lot, 20 Lbs. Very strict rules imposed. Surveyors were approved by William Beverly.

Richard Randolph built quarters at the mouth of Little Roanoke, South side of James River below mountains and James Patton became a partner in the James River and Roanoke Grant. My ancestor Peter Rentfro was a surveyor for Patton. On the Roanoke, adventurers were home seekers rather than explorers or land grabbers. Only a few names appear on land records as early as 1742. Residences of men enrolled in Capt. George Robinson’s Company of militia. In 1742 all of them lived south of James River, a part of them on branches of the James and rest on the “Roan Oak”. These are the vanguard of the western migration at that period: George Robinson, Captain; James Rentfroe, Sergeant; Daniel Maughnahan, Mark Cool, Cuff, Acres, Meason, Peter Renfroe, Acres, Tosh, Brown, Burl, Evins, Bean, Martin, Kinder, Evins, Stephen Rentfroe, Bradshaw, Coal, Craven, Horseford. Early grants: main river of Roanoke was called Goose Creek, it’s north branch, now called Tinker Creek, was called Buffalo Creek with the lower part called Smith’s Creek.

Brunswick County divided in 1746 to form Lunenburg County. Halifax County taken from Lunenburg in 1752. 1754 the northern part of Lunenburg was cut off and organized as Bedford Co. with the county seat at New London. Peter Rentfro from the James River Settlement was now field man for the new project. James Patton promoter of the project across the dividing ridge to valleys of western waters, New River and Holston River. James Rentfro was a land surveyor was member of new company.

Peter Rentfro (this would be William’s brother) settled on the western side of the mountains but James and Joseph crossed over and established their homes on Blackwater where they operated a mill. Rentfroe’s path along Blackwater was frequently mentioned by the surveyors. A road probably “the Warwick” led from James Rentfroe’s across the Blue Ridge to Little River as is shown by the following patent “1754 Benjamin Pyborn, 400 acres beginning at a Sugar Tree marked T. D. (near the spring of an old cabin formerly used) above James Rentfroes under the mountain on the road way to Little River.”

Wm. Bean was probably from Augusta Co. for his name is listed in 1742 in the Militia Co. of Captain George Robinson of Augusta along with those of Stephen, Peter and James Rentfro who were the first settlers of Lunemburg’s western lands.

Capt. Wades Co. of Halifax Militia marched from Mayo Fort, a settlement made of Pennsylvania settlers, with 35 men in order to take a range to the New River in search of our enemy Indians. “We marcht about three miles that day to a plantation where Peter Rentfro formerly lived and took up camp.”

James Green, Sr., son of Lewis Green, Sr. and Elizabeth Sarah (Lauderdale) Green was born in 1745 in Culpepper, Washington Co, VA. James married Jane Porter daughter of Patrick, I and Susannah Ann (Walker) Porter, of Orange County, VA. Patrick Porter served in Lord Dunmore's War in the Fincastle Co., VA Militia in Capt. William Russell's company. He was in the Battle of Pt. Pleasant, VA ( later WV). He was on the payroll of Captain Joseph Martin's Company under the command of Col. Evan Shelby at Moore's Fort in 1777. He was sergeant at Moore's Fort in 1777 at Castlewood, VA and was in charge of the fort for at least part of 1777. He served as a juror on Aug. 18, 1799, and a land tax commissioner Nov.19, 1782. He furnished supplies during the Revolutionary War (Virginia State Library Reel 78; History of Virginia ; Draper Manuscript; Summers Annals of SW Virginia, p.1125, page 1120. DAR Application for membership computer code number 4-059WV, national number #704716, supplement A698, submitted by Avis Cox Marcum, June 28, 1988).

Patrick Porter came to Dungannon, Virginia in the savage years of 1770-72. At that time known as Falling Creek , Fincastle County, Virginia. He built the first mill on the waters of the Clinch River about 1772. He also built a fort there on Falling Creek, just outside Dungannon, VA. It was a two-story log building with a huge fireplace, later used as a Masonic Lodge. He had the first Masonic Lodge west of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

By tradition, James Green, Sr. was a great hunter, a dead rifle shot and greatly feared by the Indians. James and Jane lived on Stoney Creek in Scott Co, VA. He was one of the very first settlers in the area. The Porters lived in the counties of Botetourt, Fincastle, Washington, Russell and Scott, without ever moving from their original home. Patrick and Susannah are buried in a pine thicket on the backside of a large pond on the farm of a Mr. Banner, Falling Creek, VA, above the waterfall of his mill. Patrick and his son, Samuel, were friends of Chief Logan, the fearless leader of the Mingo Indians.

It appears that Patrick lived in Massachusetts Bay Colonies, then Chester County, Pennsylvania, for awhile, then moved to Rockbridge County, VA., where John Walker also lived for awhile, then to Orange (Guilford) County, North Carolina, with John Walker, then to the present day Scott County, VA. John Walker followed him to Scott County about 4 years later.

Another story about the Porters had to deal with an Indian called Chief Logan. Chief Logan's family had been brutally murdered by a Colonel Cresap while Logan was at peace (I have found out from Draper's Manuals that a Jacob Greathouse was the actual perpetrator).. From that time he claimed that he had two souls, one good and one bad, and to avenge the deaths of his kin fell to his bad soul.

His revenge fell fiercely upon the settlers in East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. Peace came later after the defeat of the French and Indians at Point Pleasant, but Chief Logan was not among those at the peace conference. When Governor Dunmore noticed his absence, he sent for him. Chief Logan replied that he was a warrior, not a peacemaker, and sent his famous reply: "I appeal to any white man to say if ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry and he gave him not meat; if ever he came cold and naked and he clothed him not? During the course of the last long and bloody war, Logan remained idle in his camp, an advocate for peace. Such was my love for the whites that my countrymen pointed as I passed and said, ‘Logan is the friend of the white man.’ I had even thought to have lived with you, but for the injuries of one man. Colonel Cresap, the last spring, in cold blood and unprovoked, murdered all the relations of Logan not even sparing my women and children. There runs not a drop of my blood in the veins of any living creature. This called on me for revenge. I have sought it. For my country, I rejoice at the beams of peace; but do not harbor a thought that mine is the joy of fear. Logan never felt fear. He will not turn on his heel to save his life. Who is there to mourn for Logan? Not one."

Patrick and Samuel Porter were intimately acquainted with the 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 to 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 shock 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 fort gate 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.(Draper's Manuscripts)

In September, 1782, James Green, Sr., Charles Kilgore and a man named McKinney were to hunt in the Pound County area, well known for it's abundance of game, for venison and bear meat for the coming winter. The hunting party was to be away for a period of ten days to two weeks. Robert Kilgore, 18 year old son of Charles Kilgore, was to remain to help care of Jane Porter Green, expecting the couples first child.

Shortly before time to leave, while awaiting the arrival of the other hunters, James asked Jean, "Jean, are you afraid for me to leave you?" To this unusual question, Jane replied, "No, James, I am not afraid and I want you to go." After a time, James said: "I feel queer this morning, I had a dream last night, but then, you know I don't believe in dreams....I dreamed a green fly "blowed" me in the right eye. It hurt and work me up. I fell asleep again and had the same dream, and again the third time; which so excited me that I called to you. I was happy it was only a dream."

The three hunters started off northward up the pathless windings of Stony Creek five miles to Hunter's Valley and then began the long wearisome climb up the southern slope of Stone Mountain. As late as noon, they reached the spring in the notch of the foot of the High Knob. Her the party halted for rest, a drink of cooling water, a bit of refreshing food. On the way they had seen a few deer tracks, had heard the characteristic "put-put" of the wild turkey hen and the "gobble-gobble" of the proudly strutting mate, on a far away ridge the chatter of countless wild pigeons, the muffled "bleating" of the pheasant, and in the high tops of numerous chestnut trees call of the gray squirrel. But no trace of Indians, or "Injuns" as they were want to call them, came to their notice. They did not risk firing a gun all day for they knew that this month was also the season for hunting for the Indians. As they rested, they made their plans.......two guns would be kept loaded and "primed", they would walk in Indian file (that is one behind another, stepping as nearly as possible in each others tracks), do no talking while on the move, carefully avoid breaking twigs or doing anything to indicate probable numbers or directions. They would only build campfires at night in a secluded hollow; previously noting possible ways of escape. Only two would sleep or hunt at any one time and have weapons ready and in reach. "For we must be always ready", said Green. The third would keep guard at camp and prepare the food. After procedures had all been worked out, there were a few moments of silence. Normally a man of action and little words, James Green was the first to break the silence. He wanted to talk. He told of his reluctance to leave Jean and his need to be available for her soon as time for the baby drew nearer. He also related his dream and said that Jean has told him "dreams mean nothing", but every moment the recollection of the fly blow in my eye comes back to haunt me, for it stung and hurt. "I want us to hurry on to the pound, get our meat and hasten back home. I know Robin will take good care of Jean 'till I come, for I have asked him to and he always does what he says, but let's be going" James said.

The three hunters arose and walked rapidly and silently down the step mountain side northward past the modern town of Norton, past Wise courthouse, arriving at night fall in the edge of Pound Co., on Indian Creek. The whole day they had not seen a human being or the abode of one. Jim Green went always in front and was ever on the alert. The pitched camp in a quiet cove and Jim took first watch. His thoughts surely back in his cabin home and to his brave cherry Jean, whose voice, tradition says, was liquid clear as the bobwhite and whose pleasing presence was a beam of sunshine after a storm. He recalled that this was the first time in their married life, almost two years, that they has spent a nights separation and vowed it should be the last. He related to his companions the next morning his thoughts that he had heard a whip-poor-will chanting to his mate his nightly dirge. and Green said, with a glint in his eye, "The whip-poor-will seemed to say -- Injuns-Jim, Injuns-Jim", but later said "whip-her-well, whip-her-well". The friends merely laughed and dismissed every unlucky foreboding, just as Jim.

The plans for the hunt were quickly made, one of the party was to stay back and make temporary shelter that would serve as an invisible hiding place from intruding Indians and as a protection against meddlesome wild varmints. The others would look around, reconnoiter for game and "Injun" signs. The first day passed uneventfully and satisfactorily, for no trace of a "Redskin" was observed, but the feeding places of numerous deer and the well known bear marks were noted.

The second day, Green and Kilgore started out early together. An hour later, two gun shots rang down from the crest of a ridge several hundred yards away; succeeded a moment later by the unearthly yells of the terrible and dreaded Indian war-hoop. Before McKinney could grab his gun and collect himself, he looked out and saw Kilgore running toward the encampment. As he ran for dear life, he shrieked out, "Run, McKinney, leave all! Save yourself!" Not having to be told a second time, McKinney ran and as he reached the crest of a near ridge which would afford momentary protection, he looked around in time to see Green fall, closely pursued by yelling Mingoes. Green sprang up, grabbing out his hunting but before the Indian got to him, collapsed. Know defense was in vain and delay fatal, the young man dashed down the eastern slope, hoping now to out-distance the numerous foe and get word to the fort on the Cinch. As the sun was sinking behind the western hills he arrived at Fort Blackmore.

A posse was formed and by daylight it was far up Stony Creek, reaching the encampment long before sundown. No Indian foe could be found, but the camp had been pillaged. Net morning a reconnoitering party found the scalped remains of Kilgore and a few hundred yards away the boy of James Green with an arrowhead in his right eye. There were marks of a hand-to-struggle. The body lay prone on the ground, his face turned away from camp as if toward the point of danger. Thus, all knew Jim Green had looked death in the face just as every morning he met the rising sun. The bodies were placed in the hollow of a fallen giant chestnut and the opening closed.

James Green, Jr. was born on February 12, 1783, in Porter's Fort, Washington Co, VA, after the death of his father, James, Sr. He was the only child of Jane and James Green, Sr.

James married Dalcena Stallard, daughter of Samuel and Jael Duncan Stallard of St. Marks Parish, Culpeper Co, VA. Sena and James Green, Jr.’s children were among the first school teachers of Scott Co., Virginia.

The Stallards immigrated from Tarrington, Hereforshire, England, to Essex Co, VA before 1671 when Walter Stallard is known to have witnessed a deed “Appahannock, VA, Made mark next to name spelled STALLION to deed of gift for transfer of 2 cows from Martin Johnson to John Evans” . The Duncans immigrated in 1719 Scotland to colony of Virginia. William Duncan settled in the colony of Virginia in the year 1719. He was 70 years old at the beginning of the Revolution but furnished provisions for the troops. He died at the home of his son James. Both the Stallards and Duncans were cited for providing provisions for the troops of the militia.

From: “James Green, Jr. at an Old Muster“ , by: Lee Dingus: The Muster days in the early Virginia history were always great and sometimes eventful, and alas, sometimes tragic occasions. A century age, memory of bitter struggle with the resourceful vengeful Mingoes and Shawnees that every rear made hunting, and sometimes war, trips into these distant, sparse settlements of the back-woods of Virginia, were yet very much alive. Lee Dingus's grandmother, born in 1805, recalled and on occasions, used to regale some to the grandchildren with the stories.

James Green grew up in the home of his mother and her second husband, Robert Kilgore, whose old black house of big hewn logs yet stands a few miles from Nickelsville, on the banks of Copper Creek. There came along several half-brothers and sisters, whose descendents are yet numerous in that farming community. The boy grew up to manhood, strong and healthy, not tall, but square shouldered and muscular. He had a reputation for honesty and loyalty, to his friends, and general helpfulness to all in the community. He was a man who had little to say, but what he said had meaning and influence. For a neighbor to say, "Jim Green said so", in matters of opinion, had weight, for all knew he thought before speaking. In matters of fact, "Jim Green said so" stopped all discussions, for somehow Green's quiet dignified bearing, his uniform self-possession put a kind of unequivocal guaranty on his utterances. Only very rarely did he laugh, but often his friends noted a relaxing smile and cheery glint in his big deep blue eyes. It seemed to be the sparkle of his eyes that captivated, for at any neighborhood gathering, and always at Musters, there was a group of people about him; talking and laughing. Often they would turn to him to observe his twinkle, while others laughed boisterously; or, to ask his approval, which was a "yes" or a "no" with a quiet nod of the head. However, he was rarely drawn into the actual discussion.

Neighbors said that they had seen angry persons, ready for a rough and tumble fight, calmed just because he stepped up at the critical moment and in his quiet way said, "Boys, this is not the way!" On one occasion a "bantam-rooster" type of braggart was loudly boasting what he would do to a big brawny fellow who was looking down on him with condescension, but saying little; enough however to attract a large crowd. Green came up, listened a moment, pushed his way into the ring on onlookers, and as he arrived near the quarrelers, some onlooker yelled, "Here's Jim Green, what does he have to say?" Jim looked calmly at each one for a moment, apparently decided that the big fellow was about to the end of his patience, then turned to the little braggart and said, "If you keep on talking that way, I'll put you in my hip pocket and take you home to bring in kindling for Cina." (Cina was Jim's name for Delcena) This was followed by a brief moment of absolute, but tense, silence, followed by a brief uproarious outburst of laughter. The crowd immediately broke away, followed by the big giant of a man, leaving the little "rooster" the master of the field.

As might be expected, Green was always sought after at all the house raising, corn huskings, log rollings, and etc. Here his strong muscles and broad shoulders came in good stead. He was never heard to brag of his physical powers, but somehow it was always equal to every need and he, himself, seemed not to know his own strength. Once at a log-rolling, six men were carrying a log, with difficulty, when one of them stumbled and the log fell on his feet. When help was called for, Green stepped up, took in the situation, and said to one of the excited men standing nearby, helplessly wringing his hands, "You pull him out when I lift this log."..........and it was done.

At the Musters, Jim Green was always present and, in his younger years, used to take part in all the stunts of physical prowess; jumping, running, wrestling, etc. Once the big fellows were all successively trying to lift a new grist-mill-burr, but no one had been able to raise it entirely off the ground. Green was only mildly interested, for he never seemed eager to display himself or any accomplishment. Finally, however, he was induced "to try". He took off his shot-pouch and hunting jacket and handed them to a friend, calling to another, "Will you stand aside just a little.", stepped down, picked up the burr and tossed it six or seven feet away. Of course such a feat of physical strength created a sensation, but Jim called for his pouch and hunting jacket, walked off. A few moments later was seen in the midst of another crowd which was discussing the best way to rid the county of a marauding wolf. Jim was listening, the others were talking.

It sometimes happened in these early days. It was, in fact, generally true that the man of physical prowess was, or became, a kind of community champion; engaged in frequent fisticuffs and sometimes became a terror or a bully, present and self-consciously prominent in all the "affairs" of the community. Jim Green belonged to no clique, never boasted of any accomplishment; however, he rarely, or never, declined an invitation to a community "bee". He was never in a fight in his life, tradition says. This itself was a rare accomplishment for a physically strong man in these fighting times. It was said he never even had a quarrel. Only once did any one ever see him really angry, and perhaps this was a kind of righteous indignation against a persistent community bully. It all occurred and climaxed at one of the old Nickelsville Musters, now farther back than a century, when his anger found full expression in one brief sentence.

"For several months, William B. had been a kind of terror for many miles around Nickelsville. He and a few followers had engaged in several brawls. William had badly beaten up two or three citizens for no good reason, had threatened others, had gone to church where there was public worship and created a scene. He had gone to the home of Old John Murphy and threatened violence to him and his wife if they didn't get out of the community within a limited space of time.

Such high-handed procedures often brings it just rewards, but William had strong family connections, was over six feet tall and with well developed muscles and a company of loyal henchmen with him. Too, he had acquired a terror inspiring nick-name of "Kentucky Bill". dark and bloody. True, his enemies said the name was self-chosen and hinted vaguely at trickery.

The insult on Murphy had stirred up a great deal of sharp criticism, for he was already along in years, a cripple, a half-witted old fellow, who had never done anybody harm and now was guilty of no wrong doing that he should be driven out of the community. Some of the neighbors has sent work to William to let Murphy alone and advised him, for his own skin, not to come back again into that neighborhood on any business whatsoever! To this the bully sent back word that he would return to see if Murphy had obeyed his orders, that some friends would accompany him to see a fair deal and that he would be prepared and ready for any kind of "skin-treatment" offered; but, in the meanwhile, he and his friends would first attend the Muster at Nickelsville, where all could confer with him, who so desired.

The next Muster was not long off, but long enough to gossip to spread reports of the mutual threats and to raise eyebrows, expectations and perhaps fears. As usual, Old John Murphy and his wife were there, offering their ginger cakes for sale. The first day Bill was contented with stepping up to Murphy and handing out to his friends all the cakes they wanted as he announced, "Come along boys, Murphy cakes. My the treat, help yourselves." When Uncle Johnny asked for the pay, the bully simply said, "My good will. I'll see you again tomorrow."

The following day, the bully came over gain but Murphy covered up his basket of cakes and protested loudly, causing a crowd to gather. Bill deemed it unwise to press farther; went away, found his pals and, when the crowd had scattered, came back in force demanding his gingerbread treat again and added, "They tell me you are still in the old cabin, not another night there!" Seeing no one near, he grabbed the old man by the ear with one hand and with the other snatched off the lid of the basket and began to hand out ginger cakes to his pals, who eagerly took them and began to hungrily crunch them, not heading the old man's pleas.

Poor old crippled John Murphy, angry, humiliated but helpless, shrieked out so as to be heard by the whole crowd, "Bring my basket back here and I'll give you all you want." Kentucky Bill, rather pleased with the commotion, turned around, glared a moment at the helpless old man, stepped up to him, grabbed him by the ear and again started toward the group, pulling Murphy along. Although there were muttered protests, no one stirred......no one dared to.

Jim Green, who had been sitting with his back against an old stump, leisurely whittling on a stick, heard John Murphy's anguishing call. He arose from his seat, looked in the direction whence the cry came, closed his knife, put it in his right trouser pocket and started over as if to meet Kentucky Bill coming toward the crowd dragging poor Murphy by the ear. As he started, one or two bystanders distinctly heard the casually spoken words, "I'll settle now and here with that blow-hard." Instantly there was a breathless excitement. As already stated, Kentucky Bill was the most dreaded man of all the community and as for Jim Green, someone was heard to remark, "Silent dogs are the ones that bite."

Jim walked with longer stride than usual to meet the oncoming Kentucky Bill dragging old Murphy. A rapidly growing crowd of spectators was near. The two men met near a big peach tree. As Green halted and barred the path, the other yelled out in loud commanding tones, "Jim Green, get out of my road or I'll .................!" which could be heard a hundred steps. Immediately all else stopped and every one thought danger, mutilation, and perhaps death. Jim glared and so did Bill, but the latter halted. In clear definite, positive, crisp words, Jim Green said, "Let loose of old John Murphy." Bill only quailed and looked around at the rapidly gathering spectators. A second time and in the same measured tone, "I command you and for the last time, Blow-hard Bill, let loose of the old cripple." One moment more and Kentucky Bill relaxed his hold on the old man's ear. "Now set down the basket of ginger bread at Murphy's feet." Again obedience.

Jim stepped up to old Murphy, stooped over the weeping cripple, picked him up in his arms and lifted him into the fork of the peach tree and walked off ten feet. Not a whisper or a breath from the throng; now increased to many, many men. There stood Kentucky Bill and his gang, the crowd awed, silent and motionless as death. Finally Green broke this tense silence and raised a clinched a hand. "Poor old cripple helpless man". then turning on the already undone bluffer he uttered these withering words, "Braggart Bill you are a cowardly cur and all your men with you here today. I dare you to touch old man Murphy or a single piece of his ginger cake." With that he turned to the old man, bade him climb down out of the tree and sell his cakes.

Putting a coin in Murphy's hand as he took a cake, Green said to the amazed but sympathetic crowd, "Men, come along and buy of the old fellow's cakes. They are good and he needs the money." Munching his cake, Green made a path through the crowd with uttering a further word. Without delay, Kentucky Bill and his pals were seen to mount their horses and ride silently out of the village. A few Weeks later, Bill was heard of as having passed through Cumberland Gap to make his home in the state that, some years earlier, had given him his nick-name of "Kentucky Bill". Tradition says that he never returned to his native county."

As for James Green, Jr, memory of him and his modest steadying influence to his generation are all but forgotten. At his death, his body was placed by the side of the public highway that goes along the beautiful Clinch Valley, about four miles east of Fort Blackmore, the home of his Father.”

With commendable energy and expedition Dinwiddie and Dobbs, acting in concert, initiated steps for keeping the engagements conjointly made by the two colonies with the Cherokees and the Catawbas in the spring and summer of 1756. Enlisting sixty men, "most of them Artificers, with Tools and Provisions," Major Andrew Lewis proceeded in the late spring to Echota in the Cherokee country. Here during the hot summer months they erected the Virginia Fort on the path from Virginia, upon the northern bank of the Little Tennessee, nearly opposite the Indian town of Echota and about twenty-five miles southwest of Knoxville. While the fort was in process of construction, the Cherokees were incessantly tampered with by emissaries from the Nuntewees and the Savannahs in the French interest, and from the French themselves. First settlers were known as the " Pennsylvania Irish," because they had first settled in Pennsylvania after migrating from the north of Ireland; while those who came by way of Charleston were known as the "Scotch-Irish." The former, who had resided in Pennsylvania long enough to be good judges of land, shrewdly made their settlements along the rivers and creeks."

In frontier times, the Wilderness Road was a southern loop for connecting pioneer roads reaching from the Potomac River in Virginia to the falls of the Ohio River in western KY. The portion of the road from Kingsport, TN to the bluegrass regions of KY that gave the road its name was no more than a narrow, difficult, hazardous trail winding over mountains. From 1775 to 1796 this segment of the road was nothing more than a horse path. No wagon passed over it during that period of time when more than 200,000 people made their way into KY and beyond. It continued as an important feeder thoroughfare for the western settlements until the Civil War (Kincaid).

Governor Lyttelton's treaty of "peace", negotiated with the Cherokees at the close of 1759, was worse than a crime: it was a crass and hideous blunder. His domineering attitude and tyrannical treatment of these Indians had aroused the bitterest animosity. Yet he did not realize that it was no longer safe to trust their word. No sooner did the governor withdraw his army from the borders than the cunning Cherokees, whose passions had been inflamed by what may fairly be called the treacherous conduct of Lyttelton, rushed down with merciless ferocity upon the innocent and defenseless families on the frontier. On February 1, 1760, while a large party, numbering in all about one hundred and fifty persons, were removing from the Long Cane settlement to Augusta, they were suddenly attacked by a hundred mounted Cherokees, who slaughtered about fifty of them.

The southern Wilderness Road route was taken by a majority of pioneers who came to Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap along the famous Wilderness Road from Virginia through the Appalachian Mountains. The Gap was critical in the settlement of the West because it was the only natural route through the Appalachian Mountains. As a result, the Wilderness Trail continued to be an important route for settlers moving west until the Civil War. Of the approximately 400,000 pioneers who traveled west before 1800, it is estimated that three quarters of them used the Cumberland Gap route (Kincaid). And while those settlers originated from as far north as Pennsylvania, the majority came from Virginia and North Carolina.

Early in 1774, chastened by his own disastrous failure the preceding autumn, Boone advised Judge Henderson that the time was auspicious for opening negotiations with the Cherokees for purchasing the trans-Alleghany region. In organizing a company for this purpose, Henderson chose men of action and resource, leaders in the colony, ready for any hazard of life and fortune in this gigantic scheme of colonization and promotion. The new men included, in addition to the partners in the organization known as Richard Henderson and Company, were Colonel John Luttrell, destined to win laurels in the Revolution, and William Johnston, a native of Scotland, the leading merchant of Hillsborough. Meeting in Hillsborough on August 27, 1774, these men organized the new company under the name of the Louisa Company. (1776; Memo of information obtained from Capt. Nathaniel Hart, Jr. of Woodford Co, KY. Biographical data of persons mentioned in Ledger A of Richard Henderson & Co. "Peter Renfro a/c opd January 10, 1776. Went into the ford of Cumberland about 1800 and lived and died there. Took accounts of stock coming to the west. Bought of old Ev. Shelby." Monday, October 10, 1774 The Indians were making noise, great noise. Lord Dunmore was determined to put down the Indian Insurrection once and for all. What was done undoubted was a "Kick-Off" of the Revolutionary War. Lord Dunmore prepared a plan to meet Colonial Col. Andrew Lewis at the mouth of the Great Kanawha River, to secure that area and move across the River into present day Ohio and wipe out the Indian villages. Col. Lewis moved toward the Kanawha according to plan, picking up more support as he went. Lord Dunmore deliberately lagged behind. The Indians started shooting in early morning, and the fighting lasted until eight in the evening. Col. Lewis' force rejoiced in the victory as they called it. But it was a bitter victory, because the whites had lost half their commissioned officers and 52 militiamen, and 140 injured. (Source: THE FRONTIERSMEN by Allan W. Eckert, p. 105-7)

To the settlements in TN and KY, which they had seized and occupied, the pioneers held on with a tenacious grip which never relaxed. From these strongholds, won through sullen and desperate strokes, they pushed deeper into the and met with undimmed courage the bitter onslaughts of their resentful foes.

At the time of Tennessee's first exploration by Europeans, Cherokee inhabited the area of present-day Tennessee, residing in the region east of the Tennessee River after eradicating the Uchee. The area of today's state was used by neighboring Native American tribes as a hunting ground. Cherokee claimed east Tennessee, while Choctaw asserted rights to middle Tennessee and the upper Cumberland River area. Shawnee claimed the lower Cumberland area, and Chickasaw used and claimed the territory between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, in west Tennessee.

The British organized Ft. Loudon in east Tennessee in 1756, and the 1763 Treaty of Hard Labour opened the region for settlement by North Carolinians and Virginians. The Watauga Association, formed about 1771, organized the first government for what is now Tennessee. North Carolina claimed the region, along with portions of what became middle and western Tennessee, based on its colonial charter granting land from sea to sea. A settlement, made by former Wataugans at French Lick in 1779 in present-day central Tennessee, was organized as the Cumberland Compact. (Research Sources:

1.) Guild, Jo C, "Old Times in Tennessee", With historical, personal, and political scraps and sketches. 2.) Nashville, TN: "Travel, Eastman & Howell, 1878" (Reprinted 1971 by Tenase Company).

3.) Harper, Josephine L. "Guide to the Draper Manuscripts". Madison, WI: The State Historical Press of Wisconsin, 1983.

4.) Haywood, John, "The Civil and Political History of the State of Tennessee From the Earliest Settlement Up To the Year 1796)

In 1777 the North Carolina Legislature transferred Watagua into Washington Co. Peter Rentfro was listed as a taxpayer in 1778 in Washington Co. Washington Co was then divided into Green Co and Sullivan Co. Samuel Rentfro was a taxpayer in Green Co. And then part of the original territory was removed from Green Co to form Davidson Co. (Source: "Early East Tennessee Taxpayers", compiled by Polly Creekmore, Pages 195 and 276) The Article of Agreement by Col. Henderson , or Watauga Settlement or 1775 Nashborough was signed on the 13^th May, 1780. Some of the signers were: Richard Henderson, Nathaniel Hart, Solomon Turpin, John Donelson, Isaac Rentfro, Francis Armstrong, Thomas Hendricks, Nathaniel Henderson, James Cain, Mark Robertson, John Callaway, Isaac Bledsoe, William Logan

In 1781 William Hood, a brother of the hard-headed old fellow, “the said” David Hood, was killed just on the outside of Freeland’s Station. This was soon followed by the death of Peter Renfroe (This Peter Renfroe was the brother of William Renfro), who was killed between that station and the Sulphur Spring, or French Lick, as it was then called. From appearances of the cane and path where Renfroe was killed, it was evident that he contended long and stoutly with three Indians, who finally overcame him, scalped and disfigured his dead body in a most horrible manner. The fight seems to have been conducted with knives and hatchets, and Renfroe must have cut some gashes in his assailants before they cut him down, “and almost cut him up.” His body was interred at the grave-yard south-east of the spring.

In the fall of 1783 the local government created Davidson Co, still under jurisdiction of NC. Each veteran claimant was given his preference of land. A private was given 640 acres of land. (Source: "The Appalacian Frontier: Settlement of The Cumberland, Pages 13, 67, 104-5, 254-5, 256-269) 1780's: North Carolina (Tennessee); Bill for relief of Sundry Inhabitants of Davidson Co, NC "names of men who had been there 1780 (who had held the Cumberland)" - Each of those who living and heirs of the dead were to get 640 acres of land "without being required any price to the State for the same, provided that each person receiving such grant should pay office and surveyor's fee for the same." (Source: "Seedbed of The Cumberland", by Harriette Simpson Arnow, Page 333) Tennessee became a state in 1796. Until that time, NC claimed the territory which was to become TN. After the defeat of the Regulators at Almanace, 100s of North Carolinians moved into the Watagua River Valley of East Tennessee. Each person who helped to establish the Nashboro Settlement (Nashville) and fought to hold the settlement was entitled to 640 acres. All they had to do was pay the surveying fees.

The Renfros, Turpins, Jonses and others came down the Tennessee River and settled at Red River with the intention of settling there. In June or July Indians came and broke them up, killing Nathan Turpin and another man. The residue ran off to the Bluff (Nashboro). The Renfros intended to return for their property. They went to the Station on Red River with some others from the Bluff, got their possessions and property, left there and returned to the Bluff. They encamped at night about 2 miles north of Sycamore at Creek (Battle Creek). In the morning, Joseph Renfro, going to the spring for a drink, was fired on and killed by Indians who lay concealed in the bushes. He died instantly. Indians broke in on the camp and killed old Mr. Jones and his wife and all the family. Only one woman by the name of Jones escaped. (This would be Mary "Polly" Rentfrow Jones, daughter of Joseph Rentfrow (Renfro),Sr, who died at the spring and wife of Abraham Jones, son of "old Mr. Jones and his wife", all of whom died and her children captured by the Indians.) There were 11 or 12 others who were there at the time of the attack. All were killed.

In 1781 John Dyal traveled down the Ohio River to guard the new Kentucky settlements against British and Indian attack. Years later Dyal recounted his early impressions, describing a countryside chiefly notable for its lack of human habitation. "There was then not a stick cut at Maysville," he recalled; "from Wheeling down to the falls, no settlement at all." Louisville was "a fort, and a few cabins around it." Several miles east of the falls, a number of small fortified settlements called stations stood on various branches of Beargrass Creek: Floyd's Station, Hoagland's, the Dutch Station, Sturgus's, Sullivan's, and Spring Station. Dyal's western landscape suddenly bloomed with detail as he named and precisely situated each frontier station that he had helped to guard, and eventually had joined to settle. Only three years after John Dyal's dragoons floated down the Ohio River, the French essayist Crèvecoeur made a similar voyage. Securing passage on a flatboat loaded with cattle, tools, and supplies, Crèvecoeur's thoughts, like Dyal's, turned to the land passing before him. Yet the scene he described was strikingly different: where Dyal had passed over areas uninhabited by Euroamericans, Crèvecoeur filled them in with visionary. (“Border Life” by: Elizabeth A., Perkins, The University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill and London) Ohio Archaeological and Historical Quarterly, Vol. XVI, July 1907, 348-401. Smith in the journal of his trip in 1783 described Cumberland Gap: "This is a very noted place on account of the great number of people who have here unfortunately fallen a prey to savage cruelty or barbarity. The mountain in the gap is neither very steep nor high, but the almost inaccessible cliffs on either side the road render it a place peculiar for doing mischief..

Kentucky was the first State to be organized west of the Appalachian Mountains. At the mountain barrier the westward movement of American immigrants had come to its first halt, but there was a lively curiosity about the land beyond to the west.

In 1642 a company of English adventurers, Walter Austin, Rice Hoe, Joseph Johnson, and Walter Chiles, petitioned for "leave and encouragement to explore westward." Whatever their intentions may have been, they failed to use their grant. Twenty-seven years passed before the subject of western exploration was again discussed in the Virginia Assembly. A permit was granted in 1669 to John Lederer, a German adventurer and personal friend of Governor Berkeley, to explore westward. He made three trips into the Blue Ridge, passing through the neighborhood of what is now Lynchburg, but accomplished little.

In 1671, Colonel Abram Wood, commandant of Fort Henry at Petersburg, Virginia, sent Thomas Batts and Robert Fallam into the western ranges to find the "ebbing and flowing of the rivers on the other side of the mountains in order to reach the South Seas." This expedition reached the Ohio Valley, but the English were not much impressed with the findings. Two or three years later, however, they discovered that the French were active in the western country beyond the mountains. The English became intensely interested when the French, by virtue of the Mississippi voyages of Jolliet and Marquette in 1673 and of La Salle in 1682, claimed all the region drained by the Mississippi River and its tributaries. James Needham and Gabriel Arthur were sent into the West in 1673. Needham was killed, but Arthur made his way into northeastern Kentucky with the Indians and may have been the first Englishman on Kentucky soil.

In 1742 John Peter Salley (or Salling) led a party from Virginia to the banks of the Ohio River. One or two of the men were killed, and Salley was captured by French adventurers and sent to prison, first at Natchez, and later in Cuba and France. He finally returned to Charleston, South Carolina. Salley's adventure stimulated a fresh interest on the part of the English in the Ohio Valley. Seven years later Pierre Joseph Celoron, Sieur de Blainville, set out from Quebec to lay claim for the French to all the land between Quebec and New Orleans.

“Temperance to Prohibition in Antebellum Kentucky” by, Thomas H. Appleton Jr.: “Intoxicating liquors entered Kentucky with the earliest frontiersmen and soon became an imperative of pioneer life. From the older settlements of the Atlantic seaboard the early pioneers brought to the wilderness the custom of drinking ardent spirits as beverages. Because money was often scarce and difficult to obtain, liquor served not only as a drink but also as a medium of exchange with the Indians. Pioneer families relied on alcoholic liquors as medicine and used them as preventives and remedies. In the view of one historian, "the jug of 'bitters' was deemed as essential in the family as bread and meat, and far more so than coffee and milk." In the pioneer household the distillation of liquor or brandy and the brewing of beer were chores as routine as making soap. By the time it entered the Union in 1792, Kentucky was the home of some five hundred stills. During the same decade at least one commercial brewery operated in the state.

In this story, “Census Taker” by an Unknown Author, we get a glimpse of the life or our early pioneering women. “It was the first day of census, and all through the land; The pollster was ready ... a black book in hand. He mounted his horse for a long dusty ride; His book and some quills were tucked close by his side. A long winding ride down a road barely there; Toward the smell of fresh bread wafting up through the air. The woman was tired, with lines on her face; And wisps of brown hair she tucked back into place. She gave him some water ... as they sat at the table; And she answered his questions ... the best she was able. He asked of her children ... Yes, she had quite a few; The oldest was twenty, the youngest not quite two. She held up a toddler with cheeks round and red; his sister, she whispered, was napping in bed. She noted each person who lived there with pride; And she felt the faint stirrings of the wee one inside. He noted the sex, the color, the age. The marks from the quill soon filled up the page. At the number of children, she nodded her head; And saw her lips quiver for the three that were dead. The places of birth she "never forgot"; Was it Kansas? or Utah? or Oregon ... or not?

They came from Scotland, of that she was clear; But she wasn't quite sure just how long they'd been here. They spoke of employment, of schooling and such; They could read some and write some ... though really not much. When the questions were answered, his job there was done; So he mounted his horse and he rode toward the sun. We can imagine his voice loud and clear; "May God Bless you all for another ten years." Now picture a time warp ... it's now you and me; As we search for the people on our family tree. We squint at the census and scroll down so slow; As we search for that entry from long, long ago. Could they only imagine on that long ago day; That the entries they made would effect us this way? If they knew, would they wonder at the yearning we feel; And the searching that makes them so increasingly real. We can hear if we listen the words they impart; Through their blood in our veins and their voice in our heart.”

Kentucky is far from being a unified region. Though known as the Bluegrass State, it divides into three sections which differ as sharply in geography, culture, economic activity, and social habit as if they were widely separated areas. These are the Bluegrass, the Eastern Mountains, and Western Kentucky. Each is populated by people who have adjusted themselves to their environment, and who in the process have developed habits and attitudes differing markedly from those of their fellows in the other divisions. Literature concerning Kentucky often fails clearly to identify the section which forms its locale, and readers unacquainted with local conditions are apt to mistake a single section for the State as a whole.

Except for Louisville, Kentucky has no large industrial centers. Most of its 2,900,000 people dwell in small rural communities. Like other agrarian folk they bear the mark of their association with the soil. The rural Kentuckian, whether clad in faded overalls or imported woolens, is an individualist. The rustic lolling at the street corners of towns and villages may give every evidence of being lost or out of place; but try to get the better of him in a trade and often he will prove master of the situation. He may be ragged, dirty, and ignorant, but he is still endowed with something of the unawed self-reliance and resourceful wit of the pioneer.

Built long ago of green timber, the average cabin has shrunk and sagged until there is hardly a square joint, a perpendicular face, or a level place in the structure. Puncheons have warped, leaving wide cracks in the floor, and the rived shingles have curled and been patched repeatedly. The limited amount of clothing not in use hangs from nails and pegs on the walls between bunches of dried beans, strings of peppers, dried apples, and gourds. There is usually an almanac in the cabin, but no clock, for "What does a man want with a clock when he has a good crowin' rooster?" A kerosene lamp, frequently without chimney, or a twisted rag stuck into a bottle of hog grease, furnishes illumination. Tables and chairs are homemade, and beds are few -- regardless of the number of people in the family. In the yard stands an ash hopper for running lye to make soap, and a large iron kettle for boiling clothes and soap, for scalding hogs, as well as for a variety of other uses.

The woman of the mountains leads a difficult life, while the man is lord of the household. Whether he works, visits, or roams through the woods with dog and gun, is nobody's business but his own. If he converts the corn that his family laboriously cultivated on the steep mountain side into whisky, his wife never thinks of asking "the law" to force him to keep it for family support. A spirit of personal independence and belief in his rights as an individual are distinctive traits of the mountaineer. He is entirely unable to understand any interference in his affairs by society; if he turns his corn into "likker," he is dealing with what is his. In spite of extreme poverty and an environment beset with trying, often hazardous conditions, the mountaineer maintains a code of hospitality characteristic of those living in isolated regions

Wherever a Kentuckian may be, he is more than willing to boast of the beauties and virtues of his native State. He believes without reservation that Kentucky is the garden spot of the world, and is ready to dispute with anyone who questions the claim. In his enthusiasm for his State he compares with the Methodist preacher whom Timothy Flint heard tell a congregation that "Heaven is a Kentucky of a place." After describing the material and cultural well-being of the State, the Kentuckian is likely to begin on its brilliant history. But, unless he is engaged in historical research, the native son's history of Kentucky does not chiefly refer to the part played by the State in the westward expansion of the Nation, to the frontier democracy established by pioneers.

The convenient and pithy term for the mountain people of Kentucky, "our contemporary ancestors," does not indicate the origin of the customs, beliefs, and peculiarities which persist among them. For they too had ancestors. These were, for the most part, British, and of the soil. Just as today many a mountaineer has never been ten miles from his birthplace, so also his forebears remained at home. They were sturdy men and women, steeped in traditional ways, independent and as little humble as possible. The mountaineer is that way too. He cares neither for ease nor for soft living. He is hospitable. "Welcome, stranger, light and hitch," is the salutation, and the stranger is bidden to take "d -- n near, all" of whatever the table offers. A hunter by race, he is first of all a poacher, in arms against such as would deny him the right to take game where he may find it, a trait dating back to the time of Robin Hood in England. His speech is reminiscent of this older land and people. Labeled as "a survival," the mountaineer in reality is on the defensive, protecting himself against later comers and strange ideas. "I wouldn't choose to crave this newfangled teachin' and preachin'," he says. "All I ask is to be let alone. I was doin' middlin' well. The hull kit and bilin' can go to the devil."

The customs, speech, folk songs, child rhymes, and superstitions of the mountaineer recall eighteenth-century England. Mountain dialect reflects the Anglo-Saxon origin of the mountain people; obsolete forms found in Shakespeare and the King James version of the Bible are in common use. "Clumb," "writ," and "et" for climbed, wrote, and ate are sound enough if you go back a few centuries. "Buss" for kiss, "pack" for carry, and "poke" for pocketbag and the like are pure Elizabethan. Shakespeare said "a-feared," as does the mountaineer today, and "beholden" is common to both. "His schoolin' holp him mighty," says the proud mountain father; King Richard of England said, "Let him thank me that holp to send him thither.""Hit's right pied," shouts the mountain boy when the snake he has stoned puffs up and mottles.

But he probably never read of "meadows trim with daisies pied," or heard of the Pied Piper of Hamelin. When he sings, the mountaineer "rolls a song," and his expression, "he looks like the hind wheels of bad luck," is so expressive that only the carping student would seek to trace its heritage.

Kentucky, lying on the western slope of the Alleghenies, is bounded on the north by the northern bank of the Ohio River, on the northeast and southeast by West Virginia and Virginia, on the south by Tennessee, and on the west by the Mississippi River. Its greatest length, east to west, is 425 miles; its greatest breadth 182 miles. The total area is 40,598 square miles, including 417 miles of water surface.

"A peculiar situation exists at the extreme southwest corner," the U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 817 states, "where, owing to a double bend in the Mississippi River, there is an area of about 10 square miles belonging to Kentucky that cannot be reached from the rest of the State without passing through a part of Missouri or Tennessee."

The mountains in the sandstone region, the occasional deep gorges or underground drainage systems in the limestone area, and the swamp flats and oxbow lagoons in the far western part of the State, indicate the force, extent, and direction of erosive processes. Reelfoot Lake, in the far southwest, resulted from the earthquake of 1811-12. It is the only lake of importance in Kentucky, although the edge of the Highland Rim Plateau in the southwest is pocked with numerous small bodies of still water. These are sinkholes which have choked with vegetable matter and retained the water that drained into them.

In the early 1840s, a vigorous controversy broke out in Kentucky newspapers as to the date and location of the state's first settlement. Captain Nathaniel Hart Jr., writing in the Louisville News-Letter, claimed this honor for Boonesborough, citing letters and papers he had inherited from his father, "an active member" of Richard Henderson's Transylvania Company. After laying out his evidence for Boonesborough's precedence, Hart concluded that "from the most thorough investigation of all the sources of information to which I have had access, as well as from the tradition of the country with which I have been familiar for the last sixty years, the conviction upon my mind is irresistible, that Boonesborough was the first place in Kentucky occupied by the white man, in 1775, with the view of permanent settlement." If Harrodsburg or any other place claimed priority, e would "be pleased to see the evidence to support such claims."

General Robert B. McAfee rose to the defense of Harrodsburg. After "a laborious investigation" of published histories, family journals, and interview notes "taken in personal conversation" with early residents, McAfee revealed in the Louisville Journal that "it has been my settled opinion for more than thirty years, that Harrodstown (now Harrodsburg) was permanently occupied in March, 1775, and Boonesborough in the month following (April)."

Jacob Hunter, Sr. was one of the first white settlers in Jessamine Co, KY. The home, built in 1792, is still standing and is quite lovely. “A History of Jessamine County, Kentucky from its Earliest Settlement to 1898”, by Bennett H. Young, S. H. Duncan, Associate Aurthor lists the first settlers: "John Hunter, Jacob Hunter, and Samuel Hunter came to Jessamine County in the spring of 1770. Jacob was the oldest and was born in 1753. They first stopped in Boonesboro in 1778 and were employed by Elias Hite, son of Abraham Hite, who was at that time engaged in the surveying of lands in Kentucky. The father of these young men (Charles Hunter) died at Boonesboro. They had two sisters. They had been employed by Mr. Hite as chain carriers, and they all settled close to each other on Hickman Creek. In his book "Jessamine County, Kentucky from its Earliest Settlement to 1898" Bennett Young states that Joseph Hunter born in 1780 was the first white child born in the present boundary of Jessamine County.

In the 1780's Jacob Hunter and Edward Jennings, veterans of the Revolutionary War, and later residents of Owen County, served as spies against the Indians in the area bounded by the Kentucky, Ohio, and Licking rivers. These and possibly other men were exploring and hunting in the area about this time since the first entries for land in what is now Owen County were filed in the Virginia Land Office in 1780. On August 19, 1782, the Kentucky settlers suffered a severe defeat at the hands of the British and Indians at Blue Licks, a salt lick near Maysville. The engagement is frequently referred to as the last battle in the Revolutionary War. Edward Jennings was a member of the defeated army, and Jacob Hunter was a member of the force that came to the relief of the defeated army.

John Rupert was interviewed by Lyman Draper and his interview is in the Draper Manuscripts originals found at Historical Society of Wisconsin. John Rupert states he was a nephew of Jacob Hunter and he lived with his family for many years. The Hunter's Station is the home of Jacob Hunter, Sr. that was started in Fayette Co. KY This area is now know as Jessamine Co., KY. The Hunter family moved from Boones Station and built the Hunters Station which was not that far away. What the first Hunter's Station looked like no one knows for sure, but most of these stations were made of logs and resemble a small fort. Built in a large square shape with a second level and this level went out further over the first level. They built small lookout points on each of the corners. The Forts were more rectangular in shape and open in the center with small cabins built all around the outer edges. The Forts were built to hold a lot of people. The Stations are bigger than the cabins and have two levels and a solid roof on top. There is a book written by Nancy O'Malley, a University of Kentucky professor, about the early forts and stations of KY in the central part of KY. She has been doing some digs to prove where these stations were located. The book does show the location of Hunter's Station and states Jacob Hunter started this station and it is where the old 1792 home is now still standing. Remember they came to KY in 1779 near winter time. So somewhere between 1779 and 1792 the Hunter Station was used.

The Ohio and Mississippi Rivers flow west and south, and form the State's main drainage channel. The Cumberland River, except for a small portion in the south-central region, the Big Sandy, the Licking, the Kentucky, the Green, the Tradewater, and the Tennessee Rivers follow the general northwest slope of the Allegheny Plateau. About 3,000 miles of river course are navigable.

Kentucky has six natural physio-graphic regions: (1) Mountain, (2) Knobs, (3) Bluegrass, (4) Pennyrile, (5) Western Coal Field, and (6) Purchase.

The Mountain region, The Cumberland and Pine Mountain ranges, containing 10,450 square miles, is the remains of a great westerly sloping plateau which has been cut by streams into a region of narrow valleys lying between sharp ridges.

In Kentucky all my ancestors merged. George William Paul Green married Edith Ophelia Jones, daughter of David H. Jones who married Verlie Stewart in Harlan Co, KY. James Green, Jr.’s son, Martin Wood Green arrived in Lawrence Co, KY from Scott Co, VA where he had met and married Elizabeth “Betty” Gillenwater. Their son, William Martin, born in Elliott Co, KY, married Amanda Susan White. After Susan’s death, Billy remarried to a widow, Nannie Flannery, and later still they relocated to Boyd Co, KY. Billy and Susan’s son, Thomas Martin “Mart” Green met and married Sarah Alice “Allie” Renfroe, joining together the Green’s and Renfroe’s mention in the above history. Allie was the daughter of George Washington Renfroe and Nancy Ellen Holbrook, who met and married in Elliott Co. and later relocated to Boyd Co, KY. George Washington was the son of William Thomas Renfro, who was the son of Samuel Rentfro and Eleanor “Nelly” Hunter, daughter of Jacob Hunter, Jr, early settler of Kentucky with Daniel Boone. Samuel Rentfro was the son on Peter Rentfro who relocated from VA with Col. Richard Henderson’s Survey party.

These 25 pages have been meant to add some history to the migration of my ancestors into Kentucky. It was my intent to add some facts and stories to help understand how my ancestors ended up in KY, how they lived and hardships of the times. I have used several sources from the Internet for this document and though I used facts from many of those, it is not my intent to plagiarize any other persons work. Not is it my intent to act as an authority of history. As with all my documents, please feel free to use this for your own personal knowledge and as a tool for your own research.