Grayson County is famous in southwestern Virginia as the cradle of the New River settlements--perhaps the first settlements beyond the Alleghanies. The Nuckolls book is equally famous for its genealogies of the pioneer settlers of the county, which, typically, provide the names of the progenitors of the Grayson County line and their dates and places of migration and settlement, and then, in fluid progression, the names of all offspring in the direct and sometimes collateral lines of descent. Altogether somewhere in the neighborhood of 4,000 persons are named in the genealogies and indexed for ready reference.

Charles Davies (b.ca. 1706) emigrated from England to Philadelphia, and married Hannah Matson in 1732/1733. Descendants (chiefly spelling the surname Davis) and relatives lived in Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Ohio, Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, California and elsewhere.

James Mattinearly moved from Pennsylvania to Augusta County, Virginia before 1778 during the American Revolution, and shortened his surname to "Early." He was neither related to nor connected with the Early family that settled along the eastern shore of Virginia. Descendants and relatives lived in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Vir- ginia, Tennessee, Florida, New York, Illinois and elsewhere.

The turbulent years of 1861-1865 were especially rough for the people of Randolph County, North Carolina. Sentiment to stay in the Union was high, and remained so throughout the war, yet hundreds of Randolph County boys marched off to fight, many never to return. "The Randolph Hornets," Company M, 22nd Regiment North Carolina Troops, earned a reputation for their grit and determination in battle. This history of the Randolph Hornets includes articles written by Sergeant John T. Turner in 1914 recalling his experiences, and information on the company battle flag, its capture and its eventual return. A complete roster of the company includes genealogical information and short biographies for several of the men. The final chapter covers the local reenactment group based on the company.

Brothers James Goff, John Turton Goff (d. 1803), Thomas Goff (1747-1824) and Salathiel Goff (d. 1791), were probably born in England or Wales. They emigrated and settled in Virginia and Maryland. Descendants and relatives lived mainly in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Missouri, Kansas and Texas.

Abraham Ockerman (d.1810) married Jane and they raised their family of eleven children in North Brunswick Twp., Middlesex Co., New Jersey. Their son Garline (d.1817) married Jane Combs in 1786 in Middlesex Co. and they were the parents of ten children.