Any person who can be proven to have been in Buncombe County, NC at any time between the formation of the county in 1791 and December 3, 1800 is a “qualifying ancestor” for the First Families of Old Buncombe (FFOB) organization. There are several ways to determine if your ancestor will qualify as a “First Family” pioneer. First, check the page that lists the early settlers that have already been “proven or accepted” into the FFOB organization by clicking here.
Second, if your ancestor does not appear on the “proven list”, there are several records that contain a thorough list of pioneers who were living in the area at the time of the county formation. Parts of Rutherford County and Burke County were partitioned off to become Buncombe County in 1791. The following records are acceptable for determining if your ancestor qualifies for the FFOB organization because these people were enumerated in the 1790 and 1800 U.S. Census Records or their signatures appear on the court petitions that helped in the formation of Old Buncombe County, NC:
1790 U.S. Census Records for Burke County, NC and Rutherford County, NC
1800 U.S. Census Records for Buncombe County, NC PART 1
1800 U.S. Census Records for Buncombe County, NC PART 2
Petitions for the Formation of Buncombe County, NC
For more information on the FFOB organization including steps to qualify and apply for membership, please go to the FFOB page.