Buncombe County,
North Carolina was formed in 1791 from parts of Burke and Rutherford Counties.
The 1800 Census is Buncombe's first census, and covered the entire western
end of North Carolina -- eleven present day counties: all of the
present day counties of Buncombe, Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson,
Jackson, Swain and Transylvania, and parts of Madison (south- western two-thirds),
and Polk (western third). The people on the 1800
Buncombe County Census are the basis for First Families
of Old Buncombe.
(Note: this is a large file and loads slowly.)
The following chart shows the dates of formation of the counties of Western
North Carolina and the parent county. As you can see, the people on the
1800 Buncombe County, North Carolina Census included all of these areas.
Eleven
Most Western Counties of North Carolina
| COUNTY |
DATE OF FORMATION |
PARENT
COUNTY |
| Buncombe |
1791 |
Burke & Rutherford |
| Haywood |
1808 |
Buncombe |
| Macon |
1828 |
Haywood |
| Henderson |
1838 |
Buncombe |
| Cherokee |
1839 |
Macon |
| Jackson |
1851 |
Haywood &
Macon |
| Madison |
1851 |
Buncombe &
Yancey |
| Clay |
1861 |
Cherokee |
| Transylvania |
1861 |
Henderson &
Jackson |
| Swain |
1871 |
Jackson &
Macon |
| Graham |
1872 |
Cherokee |
There is also
a mistaken belief that the area that in 1828 became Macon County
was a part of Buncombe County. The area that became Macon were lands held
by the Cherokee until 1819 when they were ceded to the state by treaty
and added to Haywood County. Nevertheless, Macon County is considered part
of the area covered by Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society, by extension.
In addition to the 1800 Census, the people who signed the Petitions for
the Formation of Buncombe County are considered. "First Families of Old
Buncombe", along with residents prior to, or "missing" on the 1800 Census.
Many of the petitioners had died, moved on, didn't leave descendants, or
otherwise disappeared by the time of the 1800 census.
See
also HOW THE COUNTIES GOT THEIR NAMES
PETITIONS
FOR THE FORMATION OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY
[The following
two petitions were submitted to the North Carolina General Assembly meeting
in November 1790. The resulting bill to form Buncombe County was
not passed in that session. The bill was re-submitted the following
year and was passed. Some of the signatures are faded and quite difficult
to interpret.}
| State of North
Carolina |
|
25th Sept. 1790 |
| Burke County |
|
|
The Honourable
the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina now Sitting at Fayette
Ville.
he Petition of the Inhabitants of that part of Burke County lying west
of the Appalachian Mountain Most Humbly Sheweth
That the local Situation of your Petitioners renders it exceedingly difficult
and (in the winter season of the year) almost impossible to attend at the
Court House of said County as Jurors, witnesses, &c., a number of the
inhabitants on the west side of said mountain living seventy or eighty
miles distance from said Court House and several very bad mountains to
cross.
And by annexing or adding that part of Rutherford County lying west of
the Apalachian Mountain to that part of Burke County west of the Mountain,
your Petitioners conceive that there would be a sufficient number of inhabitants
to form a respectable County -- Therefore Hope your Honours will take their
case under your most prudent consideration and in your Wisdom grant them
a Separate County if you should consider expedient, as your Petitioners
Humbly conceive it would conduce to the ease & Convenience of Inhabitants,
and your Petitioners will every pray.
| Nathan Deaver |
Joshua Bartlett |
| Matthew Patton |
Samuel Rentfro |
| James Cunningham |
Mark Rentfro |
| Jno. Gibart |
Henry Heatly |
| Jas. Davidson |
James Heatly |
|
(Second sheet
of names follows)
| [torn] Brittain |
Tho Bounds |
Nathan Smith |
| James Love |
Joshaway Chanler |
Henry Robbers |
| Wm. Gudger |
John Roberts |
Baxaller Barnet |
| John Chambers |
Adam Biffle |
James Givin |
| Gabriel Elkins |
James Same |
Baxter Davis |
| Benja. Gregory |
James Stanphil |
Jacob Beyler |
| Wm. Bailey |
John Street |
Peter Deveas |
| John Gregory |
John Gillahan |
John Dillard |
| James Cravans |
William Dever |
Wm. Grigory |
| John Weve |
Jacob Caler |
Samuel Randolph |
| Wm. Tinker |
Wm. Gillahan |
Richard Dever |
| Tho Dillard |
Jacob Beefell |
Nathaniel Armstrong |
(Third sheet of
names as follows in first two columns and fourth sheet of names as follows
in the third column.)
| Adam Dunsmoor |
William Jones |
Richard Dever |
| James Dunsmoor |
William Young |
John Bounds |
| William Dunsmoor |
John Patton |
Henry Roberts |
| David Dunsmoor |
Janes Gouge |
Aston Chote |
| Aaron Patton |
Joseph Rise |
Edward James |
| William Graham |
Zemeh Gudger |
Gilberd Barnet |
| Alexd. Graham |
James Battle |
William Reader |
| John Graham |
John Whitson |
John Sames |
| Benjamin McWhorter |
Thomas Whitson |
Wm. Whitson |
| John Wiles |
John Davidson |
D. Vance |
| Robert Patton |
Ephraim Davidson |
Philip Hoodenpyl |
| Wm. Long |
Arch:d Neill |
Jno. Baker |
| -no Lekey |
John Neill |
Jno. Langford |
| --- Ba---an |
Gabriel Ragsdale |
David Hinton |
| Humphry Cuningham |
Richard Highwer |
Wm. Henton |
| John Alexander |
John Philips |
Hickman Hensley |
| Wm. Alexander |
Daniel Smith |
John Hensley |
| Thomas P. Alexander |
Jacob Caseegh |
Obediah Hammon |
| James Alexander |
John Philips |
Charles Calleway |
| Jno. Davidson
Juner |
Wm. Ingram |
William Morris |
| Nathan Bartlet |
John Beefel |
Thomas Ray |
| Jno. Bartlet |
Goldman Ingroman |
John Hughes |
| William Davidson |
Jacob Beyler
senior |
Hickman Hensly |
| John Davidson |
Abraham Beyler |
John Edwards |
| George Davidson |
David Beyler |
|
| Hugh Davidson |
John Gillem |
|
| David Hill |
Robt. Logan |
|
| Thomas Davidson |
Joseph Smith |
|
| John Patton |
Samuel Smith |
|
| William Alexander |
Nathaniel Smith |
|
| Benjamin Gudger |
|
|
| Joseph Forsythe |
|
|
| George Cunningham |
|
|
| Aaron Graham |
|
|
State of North
Carolina
Rutherford County
The Honourable
the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina now sitting at Fayetteville.
The Petition of The Inhabitants of that part of Rutherford County lying
west of the Apalachian mountains most humbly Sheweth
That whereas your Petitioners from their local situation living at a great
distance from the Court House of said County the most western part of our
Settlements being sixty or eighty miles distance and the mountains (especially
in the winter season) being almost impassible, renders it exceeding
difficult and inconvenient for your Petitioners to attend Court as Jurors
Witnesses &c.
Your Petitioners considering themselves intitled to the same ease Convenience
and privileges of your other Citizens Hope that your Honours will take
their distressed case under your prudent Consideration and in your Wisdom
grant us a new County by adding that part of Rutherford & Burke Counties
lying West of said Apalachain mountain into a separate County, which will
conduce much to the ease of the Inhabitants and your Petitioners will ever
pray.
| Wm. Davidson |
James Chambers |
| Adam Cooper |
John Claypool |
| Benjamin Yardley |
Jonathan Horn |
| Wm. Boylston |
William Forster |
| Samuel Davidson |
Thomas Forster |
| William Wynne |
Jesse Henson |
(Second sheet
of names follows)
| Edward Jonson |
John Murrey |
| John Banks Sener |
Thoas Abbel |
| John Banks |
Wm. Chambers |
| Wesley Banks |
Joseph Gash |
| Harmon Reed |
Samuel Wallace |
| Elegey Lee |
Moseas Jones
Davidson |
| John Gibson |
Bengeman Haukins |
| Richar Hill |
Richard Hightower |
| John Cesea |
John Hightower |
| James Metcalfe |
Oldem Hightower |
| Thomas Addaton |
Auston Hightower |
| Nicholas
Woodfin |
Randal Fugot |
| William Fletcher |
Joseph Sorrels |
| Richard Yardley |
William Stringfield |
| Samuel Yardley |
Sandaford Cozzia |
| Mathias Telar |
James Wood Sener |
| John Wood |
James Wood Juner |
| John Stringfield |
Joseph Wood |
| George Ramsey |
Isac Nany |
| Jacob Capehart |
James Inglash |
| James Stringfield |
Andrew Miller |
| Tho. Arnold |
Andrew Lyda |
| John Box |
Benjamin Odel
Senr |
| John Hinson |
Ben Odel Junr. |
| James Stringfield
Senr. |
John Odel |
| William Inglash |
John Lam |
| Jaash Inglash |
Spencer Graham |
| James Bridget |
John (?) Thomas |
| John Ashworth |
|
|
*******************************
The 1790 Census of Burke and Rutherford Counties
|
Enumeration in the 1790 Census was
done by Militia Companies. In Burke and Rutherford Counties, four of
these companies fell in the area which became Buncombe County in 1792.
These were the
Eleventh and
Twelfth Companies in Burke County and the
Thirteenth and
Fourteenth Companies in Rutherford
County. Persons living in the area covered by these Companies in
1790 are considered qualifying ancestors for the First Families of Old
Buncombe. |
"Morristown"
tells about the beginnings of Asheville, and
"Men
of Those Days" provides information on some of the early
settlers.
|
