Settlement in present-day Catawba County began after 1740, during the period before and after the French & Indian Wars. The early pioneers made land claims to the Crown (under the current governor) in Bladen county until 1750, when the area of the Catawba Valley became Anson county. During the "Indian Wars," in 1753, Rowan became the new county seat. The early pioneers to the Catawba Valley were virtually isolated from the supply trains from Pennsylvania during the frequent raids from 1754-1762. Indeed, there was much depradation on the Carolina frontier before the end of the war. From then until the 1790's the Great Wagon Road carried an increasing volume of southern bound traffic.
The Catawba Valley became Burke county in 1777, right in the middle of the Revolutionary War. Two years later, in 1779, before the war really came to western North Carolina with a fury, the Catawba Valley became Lincoln county. The Battles at Ramsours Mill, Cowpens, and King's Mountain would pave the road to British collapse in the American Colonies.
Those settling in the Catawba Valley were originally of two distinct communities: Those speaking German and those speaking English. The Palatine Germans and Swiss generally found land to their liking in the northern portion of the county which resembled the ridges and rolling hills of their homeland. For the most part, the Scot-Irish and English settlers formed the communities in the south-east part of the county. Wilson and Robinson families were an exception, settling in today's Startown.
The descendants of those illustrious pioneers who arrived 250 years ago continue to live among us. In fact, THEY ARE US ! Indeed, the citizens of the Catawba Valley take great pride in their German, Scot-Irish and English ancestors.
It is my desire to share Catawba Valley Families information with anyone seeking historical and genealogical help. I invite any and all to share what they might have. I'll be happy to post text files, PDF's, trees, pedigree charts, links to any site with Catawba County affiliations.
I'll do my best to keep this page up to date. If you are changing providers or have had enough, please tell me. I want this to be the best, most up-to-date surname register of Catawba county families.
This page contains links to some of the prominent families that established the rich heritage we now enjoy. You are invited to contribute your data.
Regional, Ethnic and Thematic Sites
HESSIAN TARHEELS (Jerry Dagenhart)
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and Hans Georg Cline of Postorff, Alsace,Germany and Monroe County, Ohio
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