Based on original records the first Richmond County school districts were probably surveyed in 1839. Because there were few established landmarks, the surveyor has meticulously documented his survey with approximate locations of the plantations and mansion houses of many of Richmond County's early settlers. Each school district is named along with the names of the first school committee members.
Wolf Pit District begins at Hedgecock Creek on the east bank of the PeeDee River and runs north — to a corner in or near Dawkin's field, thence south eleven degrees — four pine pointers west of Almond's Branch and south of Marks Creek, thence south seventy nine west nearly down said creek four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner in Marks Creek aforesaid, thence north eleven degrees west to the beginning. School Committee: William Strickland, John W. Covington, Miles Long, John Cole and Daniel D. Morrison
Marks Creek District begins at the second corner of the Wolfpit District and runs thence north seventy nine degrees west four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner, then south ... to a stake five pine pointers to northeast side of the Wallace old field, then south seventy nine degrees west crossing the Old Cheraw and Goose Pond roads a few yards north of the cross and down the Beaverdam Branch to a blackjack sapling ... twenty chains below the fork of the Goose Pond and Old Cheraw roads four hundred and forty chains to the beginning. School Committee: John Crowson Alexander McKinnon, Malcom L. Douglas, John Nicholson, and Ezekial L. Peavy.
Yates District begins at a pine near the top of a hill northwest of Widow Gilberry's plantation on east side of Gum Swamp six pine pointers and runs thence nearly as said Gum Swamp south seventy nine degrees west crossing the Beaver Dam above the McMillan old mill and Joes Creek above James Graham's plantation four hundred and forty eight chains to a stake five pine pointers northeast of the Wallace old field, thence eleven degrees west four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner thence crossing Gum Swamp below the Fulling Mill to the beginning.
Jordons Creek District begins at a pine near the top of a hill northwest of Widow Gilberry's plantation six pine pointers and runs thence north seventy nine degrees east four hundred and forty eight chains crossing a little below the fork of the Gilchrist and Turnpike [Old Stage] roads to a lightwood ... tree pointer then south eleven degrees east near John McLean's four hundred and forty eight chains to a pine on the edge of the Turnpike Road and north of the Rev. John Monroe's house five pine pointers, then south seventy nine west between John McNeill's and Alexander Millan's, north of Neill Lytch's and between Malcom Gillis and John Buchanan's crossing the Poley Bridge road at the five mile post from Laurel Hill, four hundred and forty eight chains to a stake six pine pointers near the head of a drain and below the Poley Bridge Road, thence north eleven degrees west nearly up Gum Swamp four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: William Buchanan, John McNeill, Archibald Monroe, Dugald McLaurin, and John A. Morrison.
Shoe Heel District begins at a lightwood pointer above the Turnpike Road and runs north ninety degrees east crossing Hills Creek below the old mill to Drowning Creek, or Lumber River, thence down said river to a corner, thence south seventy nine degrees west crossing the Rockingham road eighteen chains above Mrs. Gilchrist's house passing south of Dugald Lytch's, John McAlester's, Archibald McFarland's, and Hector McNeill's and north of Daniel Monroe and Col. Alexander Shaw's to a pine in the edge of the Turnpike Road and north of Parson John Monroe's house five pointers, thence north eleven degrees west four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: John White, Neill Lytch, Archibald McFarland and Hector McNeill
Goosepond District begins at a pine at the edge of the Turnpike Road north of Parson John Monroe's plantation five pine pointers and runs thence north seventy nine degrees east passing south of Hector McNeill's and of Archibald McFarland's and north of Col. Alexander Shaw's and the Widow Gilchrist's to Lumber River, then down the various courses of said river to a corner, then south seventy nine degrees west passing between Mrs. McAlester's on the south and Mrs. Graham's on the north, also Mrs. Blue's on the north to a pine in a flat between John C. Baker's and Daniel C. Stewart's four pines and a sweet gum pointers, then north eleven degrees west passing east of said Stewart's and west of Neill McLean's and of Angus Priest's and east of Parson Monroe's four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: John Fairly, Alexander Shaw, Alexander W. McLauchlin and Duncan Campbell, and Neill McLean
Laurel Hill District begins at a pine in the edge of the Turnpike Road and north of Parson John Monroe's house five pine pointers and runs thence south eleven degrees east passing east of said Monroe's house west of Angus Priest and Neill McLean's and east of Daniel C. Stewart's four hundred and forty eight chains to a pine in a flat four pines and a sweet gum pointer between said Stewart's and John C. Baker's, then south twenty nine degrees west passing north of John L. McCall's and James Middleton's and south of Arch Lytch's and Alexander McEachern's four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner in a bay below Neill McNair's house west side of Gum Swamp, thence north eleven degrees west passing a few yards west of Neill McNair's house and east of Godfrey Huccaby's and west of Mrs. Patterson's four hundred and forty eight chains to a stake six pine pointers near a drain and below the Poley Bridge Road, thence north seventy nine degrees east crossing the Poley Bridge Road at the five mile post from Laurel Hill between John Buchanan's and Malcom Gillis north of Neill Lytch's and between Alexander McMillan's and John McNeill's four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: Alexander Malloy, Hector McMillan, D. C. Stewart, James Lytch and Samuel Gibson
Joes Creek District begins at a stake near a drain west side of Gum Swamp and below Poley Bridge Road six pine pointers and runs thence south eleven degrees east passing west of Mrs. Patterson's east of Godfrey Huccaby's and a few yards west of Neill McNair's house four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner in a bay below said McNair's and west side of Gum Swamp thence south seventy nine degrees west passing north of John C. Smith's house south of William Gibson's and between George Bullard's and Nathaniel Gibson's and north of Noah Gibson's old place to a corner in the S. C. State line north forty five degrees west eighteen chains to a corner in said State line below Samuel Goodwin's plantation, thence north eleven degrees west passing a few yards west of— through the Green Pond a few yards west of Mrs. Smith's house and east of Samuel Pate's four hundred and twenty two chains to a stake five pine pointers northeast of the Wallace old field, thence north seventy nine degrees east passing north of James Graham's and Samuel Snead's and crossing the beaver dam above the McMillan's old mill four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: Matthew W. McNair, Duncan McNeill, Nathaniel P. Gibson, John Graham and Godfrey Huckabee.
Bridge Creek District begins at a pine in a flax between Daniel C. Stewart's and John C. Baker's plantation four pines and a sweet gum pointers and runs thence south eleven degrees east passing west of said Baker's, Daniel McNeill's and Mrs. Mc-Kenzie's and east of John L. McCall's, John McLaurin's and the Carmichael's four hundred and forty eight chains to a corner in Leith's Creek Swamp north seventy nine degrees east passing south of Nathaniel Gibson's plantation and north of George Bullard's south of William Gibson's by the place where the Old Field Meeting House stood and north of John C. Smith's house four hundred and twenty two chains to the beginning. School Committee: John McLaurin, John L. McColl, John Blue, John McD. Shaw, and Alexander B. McKinnon.
Rocky Ford District begins at a pine in a flat between Daniel C. Stewart's and John Baker's four pines and a sweetgum pointers and runs thence north seventy nine degrees east passing north of Edward McNair's and William McLean's and south of Mrs. Blue's and between Mrs. Graham's and McAlester's to Lumber River above Archibald Gilchrist's bridge, thence down the various courses of the said river to Campbell's Bridge, thence along the County line to a corner near Mrs. McLendon's, thence south seventy nine degrees west passing south of Charles Patterson's and between Mrs. Calhoun and Daniel A. McArn's to a corner in Leith's Creek Swamp west side, thence north eleven degrees passing west of Mrs. McKenzie's house, east of Col. John L. McLaurin's and John L. McCall's and west of John C. Baker's four hundred and forty eight chains to the beginning. School Committee: Daniel A. McArn, John Baker, Daniel McKinnon, and Archibald L. McKay
Rockdale District begins at a bay below Neill McNair's house west side of Gum Swamp and runs thence nearly as said swamp south eleven degrees east to a corner in the S. C. State line north forty five degrees west to a corner above Noah Gibson's plantation, thence north seventy nine degrees east passing south of Nathaniel Gibson's plantation and north of George Bullard's, south of William Gibson's and by the place where the Old Field Meetinghouse stood and north of John C. Smith's house four hundred and twenty two chains to the beginning. School Committee: Stafford Gibson, Duncan C. Wright, John H. Gibson, Samuel Wright and Silas Jones.
Leiths Creek (or Smyrna) District begins at a corner near Mrs. McLendon's in the County line and runs thence south thirty five degrees west to a corner in the State line north ... south of John Shaw's house, north of Peter and George Graham's houses by Caledonia Church, south of the Carmichael's between Mrs. Calhoun and Daniel McArn's and south of Charles Patterson to the beginning. School Com-mittee: Archibald Fairly, Norman McRae, Daniel McCormick, Samuel McArthur and David R. McCall.
Lightwood Knot District (or Morrisons) begins at a corner in the S. C. State line below Samuel Goodwin's and Noah Gibson's plantation and runs thence as said line north forty five degrees west to the corner stake west of Crooked Creek, thence as the State line west to Pee Dee River, thence up said river to the mouth of Hedgecock Creek, thence south eleven degrees east to a corner in Marks Creek, thence nearly up said creek and the Beaverdam Branch north seventy nine degrees east to a stake five pine pointers northeast of the Wallace old field, thence south eleven degrees east passing east of Samuel Pate's and a few chains west of Mrs. Smith's and through the Green Pond by a grog (?) shop to the beginning. School Committee: Nelson Stephens, Hugh Livingston Archibald McPherson and John Smith. Deeds Bk P/p437-444
© All records on this page are transcribed from files at NC Dept. of Archives and History, Raleigh, N. C. by Myrtle Bridges October 29, 2001
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