Welcome to Cape Fear Clans—
Search collected histories of the region through the 'Special Records' link at left. Some authors are not given credit in my transcriptions; those histories were printed originally without recognizing authorship. Feel free to search the site:
Researching John McPherson of the Argyll Colony led to many discoveries. He was one of the Argyll colonists who left behind his Cumberland County improvements for the wilds of Bladen County. By 1767, John removed to Raft Swamp to lands two miles south of today's Shannon community on Highway 1001 in Robeson County.
Bladen County—the mother county of early Scottish settlement here—lost records to many fires. Afterward, local citizens would have had their documents recopied into new record books, so hundreds of early deeds have survived. Additionally, recently discovered Bladen County tax records from 1768-1789 were found at the Southern Historical Collection at UNC, and have been published by William L. Byrd III in two volumes.
Some eighteenth-century families—neighbors in the early Bladen tax lists—that I'm researching:
- John McPherson of Cumberland County who about 1765 left Cumberland County with his son, Daniel McPherson, to the north edge of Raft Swamp near today's Red Springs in Robeson County, just northwest of Godfrey McNeill and the old Patterson cemetery.
- Daniel Patterson, John McPherson's nephew, who lived in the far western corner of Cumberland County on Beaverdam near Toney's Creek. His family has been referred to as the "Beaverdam Pattersons". Deeds and wills prove he was not "Buffalo Daniel" Patterson, nor was he "Raft Swamp Daniel" Patterson.
- Turquill McNeill who, with his son Laughlin McNeill, lived near Beaverdam Presbyterian Church in 1768 near Buffalo Creek above the city of Raeford in today's Hoke County. Turquill may have been the brother or close relative of James McNeill of Rockfish Creek. His neighbors were "Buffalo Daniel" Patterson, James Dyer, Gilbert and Duncan McNair, and John and Archibald Graham family.
- James McNeill and wife Elizabeth McNeill of Rockfish Creek and Holton's Branch, aka Jimmie McNeill of McCaskills, in today's Hoke County. He immigrated from Scotland before 1752 and is likely buried in Philippi cemetery just east of Raeford, North Carolina. Elizabeth was the only child of Hector McNeill of Carver's Creek who was with the Argyll Colony.
- Godfrey McNeill and wife Catherine McDougald who lived at the intersection at Godfrey's Crossing, now known as McLeod's Crossing, near the Patterson cemetery in Robeson County. He and his wife immigrated from Scotland about 1760 and lived briefly with James McNeill of Rockfish.
- Neill McNeill, Sr. who in 1768 lived on Job's Branch in today's Hoke County. Generations of this McNeill family have claimed their ancestor Neill McNeill came to America in 1740 with two little sons "Sailor Hector" McNeill and "Shoemaker John" McNeill.
- Duncan Campbell and wife Christian Smith who in 1768 lived near or in the Philadelphus area in today's upper Robeson County. Duncan gave his Cape Fear River lands to his grandson, John Campbell of Campbells Bridge on Lumber River.
- John Johnson, Senior and his wife Catherine McNeill, and their son John Johnson, Junior, both of whom lived on Pugh's Marsh at today's Lumber Bridge community in Robeson County. John Johnson Senior actually resided on Pugh's Marsh in 1753 according to Bladen County land warrants.
©2008 S.C. Edgerton