"These abstracts cover the entire period when Mecklenburg included such a large area, and going on to 1779, the first nine deed books."--Intr.

"These abstracts cover the entire period when Mecklenburg included such a large area, and going on to 1779, the first nine deed books."--Intr.

The will abstracts in this volume, 1749-1790, are based on the oldest Mecklenburg County wills of record, as well as upon the extant returns of wills and estates of the North Carolina Secretary of State. While the length and contents of these abstracts vary, most of them provide the name of the testator, date of the will, names and relationships of all heirs to the estate (sometimes with ages given or inferred), contents of the estate, names of executors, and, usually, the date of probate.

The MacDowalls traces the glories, tragedies, and amazing accomplishments of MacDowall kindred from their beginnings in Scotland and Ireland hundreds of years ago to their illus-trious present in such countries as the United States, Canada, Australia, the Netherlands, and Russia. The cast of characters ranges from kings and barons to artists and generals, farmers, homemakers, and teachers. Their stories unfold as a history in progress, as each has made a unique and significant impact on the world.

Robert Henry is a character more suited for fiction than nonfiction. While just a boy, he fought with the Overmountain Men at Kings Mountain and battled British troops along the Catawba River. As a surveyor, he helped mark the boundary line between Tennessee and North Carolina. He had a long career as a prominent attorney and owned the famous Sulphur Springs resort. Yet while Henry is one of western North Carolina's most accomplished ancestors, he is also one of the most eccentric. He preferred to dress in moccasins and traveled with a walking stick nearly as tall as he. Some said he had the gift of foresight and was able to predict his own death. Join author Richard Russell as he navigates the unusual, contradictory and fascinating life of Robert Henry.

Ten years before the start of the American Revolution, backcountry settlers in the North Carolina Piedmont launched their own defiant bid for economic independence and political liberty. The Regulator Rebellion of 1766-71 pitted thousands of farmers, many of them religious radicals inspired by the Great Awakening, against political and economic elites who opposed the Regulators' proposed reforms. The conflict culminated on May 16, 1771, when a colonial militia defeated more than 2,000 armed farmers in a pitched battle near Hillsborough. At least 6,000 Regulators and sympathizers were forced to swear their allegiance to the government as the victorious troops undertook a punitive march through Regulator settlements. Seven farmers were hanged. Using sources that include diaries, church minutes, legal papers, and the richly detailed accounts of the Regulators themselves, Marjoleine Kars delves deeply into the world and ideology of free rural colonists. She examines the rebellion's economic, religious, and political roots and explores its legacy in North Carolina and beyond. The compelling story of the Regulator Rebellion reveals just how sharply elite and popular notions of independence differed on the eve of the Revolution.