Western North Carolina – Bibliography
In Library
A History of Buncombe County, North Carolina, F. A. Sondley (1930).
A Spire in the Mountains: The Story of 176 Years of a Church and a Town Growing Together, 1794-1969, Ora Blackmun (1970).
A Pictorial History of Buncombe County, Asheville Citizen Times (1993).
Abstracted Wills of Buncombe County, North Carolina 1831-1872, Frances Terry Ingmire, Compiler (1984).
Around Biltmore Village, Bill Alexander (2008).
Asheville: A History, Nan K. Chase (2007).
Asheville: A Postcard History, Volume I, Sue Greenberg and Jan Kahn (1997) (Arcadia Images of America Series).
Asheville: A Postcard History, Volume II, Sue Greenberg and Jan Kahn (1997).
Asheville: Land of the Sky, Milton Ready (1986).
Asheville and Buncombe County, F. A. Sondley (1922).
Biographical History of North Carolina: From Colonial times to the Present, Samuel A. Ashe, Stephen B. Weeks, Charles L. Van Noppen, Editors, Volume VII (1908).
Black Mountain and the Swannanoa Valley, Swannanoa Valley Museum (2004).
Buncombe Bob: The Life and Times of Robert Rice Reynolds, Julian M. Pleasants (2000).
Cabins & Castles: The History & Architecture of Buncombe County, North Carolina, Douglas Swaim (1981).
Chronology of North Carolina, D. K. Bennett (1858) [containing sketches of Buncombe County men].
Cyclopedia of Eminent and Representative Men of the Carolinas of the Nineteenth Century, Volume II, Edward McCrady, Samuel A’Court Ashe (1892).
Early Tourism in Western North Carolina, Stephen C. Compton (2004).
Family and Descendents of William Wallace McDowell & Sarah Lucinda Smith McDowell, Frances Arthur McDowell, Compiler and Editor (undated but after 1997).
Family History of Western North Carolina, Joyce Justus Parris (1998, Second Edition).
Fashionable Asheville, Volumes I and II, David Coleman Bailey (2004).
Historic Asheville, Bob Terrell (1997).
In Buncombe County, Maria Louise Pool (1986).
Look Homeward Asheville, Peter Olevnik (2008).
Marriage and Death Notices from Extant Asheville, N.C. Newspapers 1840-1870, An Index, Robert M. Topkins, Compiler and Editor (1977) (1983 Reprint Edition).
“Reminiscences of Western North Carolina,” Colonel Allen T. Davidson. Published in The Lycemu, a monthly Asheville newspaper that had a short life (May 1890 until some time in 1892).
Sketches of North Carolina, Reverend William Henry Foote (1846).
The French Broad, Wilma Dykeman (1955). Two copies: paperback is the 1974 edition signed by the author; hardback is1966 fifth printing.
The Heart of Confederate Appalachia: Western North Carolina in the Civil War, John C. Inscoe and Gordon B. McKinney (2000).
The History of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, North Carolina, Joyce Justus Parris (1996).
The Smith-McDowell House: A History, Dr. Richard W. Iobst (undated, but after 1998).
The Standard Guide to Asheville and Western North Carolina, Published by Fred L. Jacobs, Asheville, N.C. (1887).
Thomas Wolfe of North Carolina, H. G. Jones, Editor (1982).
Western North Carolina: A History from 1730-1913, John Preston Arthur (1914).
Western North Carolina: A Visual Journey Through Stereo Views and Photographs, Stephen E. Massengill (1999).
Western North Carolina: Its Mountains and Its People to 1880, Ora Blackmun (1977).
Not in Library
A History of Fernihurst, Frances McDowell (1989).
Asheville, A Pictorial History, Mitzi Schaden Tessier (1982).
Asheville and Thomas Wolfe, George W. McCoy (1996).
Asheville – In Land of Sky, Martha Norburn Mead (1942).
Asheville: Places of Discovery, Lou Harshaw (1981).
Family Connections Along the Blue Ridge-The Ancestry and Close Descendants of Margaret Erwin McDowell and James Thomas Walton, Margaret Bickel Adams (1995). This book apparently discusses the Davidson and Smith families.
Hometown Memories, Asheville Tales: A Treasury of 20th Century Memories, Bob Lasley and Sallie Holt, Compilers and Editors (2002).
"Mountain Living Magazine: Historic Smith-McDowell House to Preserve WNC Heritage," Mildred Beedle Fossett (Spring 1976).
Reminiscences and Traditions of Western North Carolina, Theodore F. Davidson (1928). [Paper read before the Pen and Plate Club of Asheville, N.C. at its November, 1928, meeting and reprinted from the Asheville Citizen.]
Remembering Asheville: An Illustrated History, Milton Ready (2005).
Robert W. Ramsey, Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the Northwest Carolina Frontier, 1747-1762 (1964)
Those members of the Davison/Davidson family who descended from William and Elizabeth Davison of County Armagh, Ireland, and settled in North Carolina and Tennessee, and later in Mississippi, Texas, and elsewhere, Robert Stephens Hand (1990).
We Will Move Mountains: The Story of Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College, Kimberly Fox DeMeza (2007).
With Pen and Camera Thro’ the “Land of the Sky”: Western North Carolina and the Asheville Plateau, Holman Waldron (1900).
Yesterday’s Asheville, Joan and Wright Langley (1975).
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Oil painting of Asheville by F. S. Duncanson taken from Beaucatcher: “The painting itself, now owned by Mrs. Martha B. Patton, . . . The other buildings were white wooden structures, and included the central portion of the old Eagle hotel and the old Buck hotel. Mr. Ernest Israel has a similar picture.”
Source: Western North Carolina: A History from 1730-1913, John Preston Arthur (1914) at 146.
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Saturday, February 6, 2010
Settlement of Buncombe County, North Carolina
Settlements
Shortly after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, in 1784, or 1785, settlers from the headwaters of the Catawba and the adjacent country, whose frontier establishment was the blockhouse at Old Fort, began to cross the mountains into the Swannanoa valley. Among the first of these was Samuel Davidson, who came in with his wife and infant child and one female negro slave and settled upon Christian Creek of the Swannanoa, a short distance east of Gudger's Ford near the present railroad station called Azalea. He had been here but a short while when one morning he went out to find his horse. Soon his wife heard the report of guns, and, knowing too well what had happened, she took her child and the servant and made her way along the mountains to the Old Fort. An expedition from there at once set out to avenge the death of Davidson. Th~y found him on the mountain near his cabin, killed and scalped, and buried his body on the spot where it was found and where his grave may still be seen. It is further said that they met and conquered the Indians in a battle fought near the Swannanoa River in that neighborhood or about Biltmore.
Probably it is to this pursuing party that the tradition handed down by John S. Rice as received by him from John Rice, David Nelson and William Rhodes, three hunters and Revolutionary soldiers, relates. It is that, at a time prior to white settlement of the lower Swannanoa Valley, some Cherokees were returning from depredations on the whites and being pursued by the latter, were overtaken at about the Cheesborough Place, a mile above Biltmore, where a fight occurred between.the two parties which continued at the canebrakes there at intervals for eleven days, in which many Indians were killed, principally near the ford of Swannanoa River in the neighborhood of the old John Patton House, later known as the Haunted House, where the old Buncombe Turnpike crossed that stream, until the Indians retreated across the French Broad and the fight ended. They crossed the last-named river at a shoal just below the mouth of Swannanoa. During most of this fight the whites encamped at a noted spring just north of Swannanoa River about one hundred yards above the Biltmore Concrete Bridge where there is now a garage. It was an old Indian camping place. The early white hunters in this region went chiefly to the North Fork of Swannanoa.
Shortly after the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, in 1784, or 1785, settlers from the headwaters of the Catawba and the adjacent country, whose frontier establishment was the blockhouse at Old Fort, began to cross the mountains into the Swannanoa valley. Among the first of these was Samuel Davidson, who came in with his wife and infant child and one female negro slave and settled upon Christian Creek of the Swannanoa, a short distance east of Gudger's Ford near the present railroad station called Azalea. He had been here but a short while when one morning he went out to find his horse. Soon his wife heard the report of guns, and, knowing too well what had happened, she took her child and the servant and made her way along the mountains to the Old Fort. An expedition from there at once set out to avenge the death of Davidson. Th~y found him on the mountain near his cabin, killed and scalped, and buried his body on the spot where it was found and where his grave may still be seen. It is further said that they met and conquered the Indians in a battle fought near the Swannanoa River in that neighborhood or about Biltmore.
Probably it is to this pursuing party that the tradition handed down by John S. Rice as received by him from John Rice, David Nelson and William Rhodes, three hunters and Revolutionary soldiers, relates. It is that, at a time prior to white settlement of the lower Swannanoa Valley, some Cherokees were returning from depredations on the whites and being pursued by the latter, were overtaken at about the Cheesborough Place, a mile above Biltmore, where a fight occurred between.the two parties which continued at the canebrakes there at intervals for eleven days, in which many Indians were killed, principally near the ford of Swannanoa River in the neighborhood of the old John Patton House, later known as the Haunted House, where the old Buncombe Turnpike crossed that stream, until the Indians retreated across the French Broad and the fight ended. They crossed the last-named river at a shoal just below the mouth of Swannanoa. During most of this fight the whites encamped at a noted spring just north of Swannanoa River about one hundred yards above the Biltmore Concrete Bridge where there is now a garage. It was an old Indian camping place. The early white hunters in this region went chiefly to the North Fork of Swannanoa.
Fort Davidson
01/01/1776 Josiah BRANDON entered service/ Capt. Samuel DAVIDSON at Davidson's Fort aka Upper Fort or Fort Royal
04/12/1776 North Carolina assembly empowers delegates to vote for independence
06/01/1776 Robert Burchfield served at Davidson's Fort as a ranger under Maj William Davidson, Cpt Samuel Davidson
06/01/1776 Belfield Wood pention statement #W44992 Marched to Davidson's Fort and were driven out by Indians to Cathey
06/01/1776 Cpt Reuben White commanded a company of rangers at Davidson's Fort. Fort commanded by Cpt Samuel Davidson
06/20/1776 Cherokee attack across the divide into McDowell County area killing Whigs, Tories were safe
07/04/1776 Declaration of Independence
08/01/1776 General Rutherford leads a band of 2,700 militiamen against Cherokee, bivouacking at Davidson's Fort
10/12/1776 Rutherford returns to Old Fort and marks his trail as Rutherford's Trace
01/01/1777 Josiah Brandonhelped build Fort Royal. Served under Cpt Davidson for three months.
01/01/1777 Burke county formed from Rowan County, Old Fort is now in Burke County
06/14/1777 Flag of the US consiting of 13 stars and 13 white and red stripes is mandated by Congress
01/01/1778 Josiah Brandon volunteered again under Cpt Sam Davidson at Old Fort
04/01/1779 Richard Ballew (Ballou) Service was at Davidson's Fort guarding against the incursions of the Cherokee
10/01/1779 Capt George Cunningham replaced Davidson at fort led scouting parties against the Cherokee
12/01/1779 Brandon joined Cpt Boykin in pursuit of Cp William Cunningham (British)
01/01/1780 Served in frontier forts, Morrison's, Cathey's, Moor's, Sam Davidson's, William Davidson's
03/01/1780 Brandon joins Major McDowell to move against the Cherokees
06/01/1780 Joseph Ballew served under Cpt James McFarland at Davidson's Fort.
06/20/1780
Battle of Ramsour's Mill, NC 500 militiamen under Maj Joseph McDowell defeat 1,000 Tories
Battle of Colson'sMillNCToriesdefeatedbypatriotsunderColWilliamLeeDavidsonBae of Colson's, Tories defeated by patriots under Co am Lee Davidson
08/01/1780 English Col Patrick attacks settlers around Davidson's Fort. Susana Lytle confronts him and gets her hat stolen.
09/09/1780 Cornwallis invaded North Carolina
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04/12/1776 North Carolina assembly empowers delegates to vote for independence
06/01/1776 Robert Burchfield served at Davidson's Fort as a ranger under Maj William Davidson, Cpt Samuel Davidson
06/01/1776 Belfield Wood pention statement #W44992 Marched to Davidson's Fort and were driven out by Indians to Cathey
06/01/1776 Cpt Reuben White commanded a company of rangers at Davidson's Fort. Fort commanded by Cpt Samuel Davidson
06/20/1776 Cherokee attack across the divide into McDowell County area killing Whigs, Tories were safe
07/04/1776 Declaration of Independence
08/01/1776 General Rutherford leads a band of 2,700 militiamen against Cherokee, bivouacking at Davidson's Fort
10/12/1776 Rutherford returns to Old Fort and marks his trail as Rutherford's Trace
01/01/1777 Josiah Brandonhelped build Fort Royal. Served under Cpt Davidson for three months.
01/01/1777 Burke county formed from Rowan County, Old Fort is now in Burke County
06/14/1777 Flag of the US consiting of 13 stars and 13 white and red stripes is mandated by Congress
01/01/1778 Josiah Brandon volunteered again under Cpt Sam Davidson at Old Fort
04/01/1779 Richard Ballew (Ballou) Service was at Davidson's Fort guarding against the incursions of the Cherokee
10/01/1779 Capt George Cunningham replaced Davidson at fort led scouting parties against the Cherokee
12/01/1779 Brandon joined Cpt Boykin in pursuit of Cp William Cunningham (British)
01/01/1780 Served in frontier forts, Morrison's, Cathey's, Moor's, Sam Davidson's, William Davidson's
03/01/1780 Brandon joins Major McDowell to move against the Cherokees
06/01/1780 Joseph Ballew served under Cpt James McFarland at Davidson's Fort.
06/20/1780
Battle of Ramsour's Mill, NC 500 militiamen under Maj Joseph McDowell defeat 1,000 Tories
Battle of Colson'sMillNCToriesdefeatedbypatriotsunderColWilliamLeeDavidsonBae of Colson's, Tories defeated by patriots under Co am Lee Davidson
08/01/1780 English Col Patrick attacks settlers around Davidson's Fort. Susana Lytle confronts him and gets her hat stolen.
09/09/1780 Cornwallis invaded North Carolina
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Western North Carolina Transportation
"Until 1880, the visitor to Asheville was compelled to travel the last leg of his journey by stage-coach, private horse-drawn vehicle or horseback. Travelers from considerable distances proceeded as far as they could on existing railroads and then moved from these railroads by horse-drawn transportation to Asheville.
The North Carolina Railroad, running from Goldsboro through Raleigh, Greensboro and Salisbury to Charlotte, was chartered in 1849, started in 1851 and completed in January,1856. At Goldsboro, the N. C. Railroad connected with the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. 1858, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, connecting Goldsboro with Newbern and Morehead City was completed.
These connecting railroads made it possible for the visitor from the eastern part of the state to travel by train as far as Charlotte. The register reveals the effect which this railroad service had in increasing travel to Asheville from the Piedmont and coastal regions.
The Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford Railroad was started in 18[?] and had been completed as far as Lincolnton by the time of the outbreak of the Civil War.
The Western North Carolina Railroad was incorporated in 1845. The construction of this railroad which was to connect Asheville with Salisbury was attended with many delays. The progress was so slow that the railroad tracks had reached only the vicinity of Morganton at the outbreak of the Civil War.
Construction was resumed after the War but the railroad had only reached Old Fort by 1869. For a long time Old Fort represented the rail terminus from which visitors from the East proceeded to Asheville by stage coach or private horse-drawn vehicle. Most of this travel was through Swannanoa Gap and not through Hickory Nut Gap. The road was completed to Ashevil1e in 1881.
The attached map pictures the various railroad lines as they existed at the time of the conclusion of the Civil War and not at the time of the outbreak. For military reasons there was much railroad construction during the conflict. For instance, the railroad, connecting Greensboro with Danville was built during the War. This link was constructed to provide rail transportation from North Carolina to the capital of the Confederacy. It was needed to provide movement of troops and supplies to the battle areas of Virginia."*
*Notes by D.H. Ramsey
Source: Manuscript Register for Sherrill's Inn Collection, D. Hiden Ramsey (Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville (M94.1.1, M94.1.2)).
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The North Carolina Railroad, running from Goldsboro through Raleigh, Greensboro and Salisbury to Charlotte, was chartered in 1849, started in 1851 and completed in January,1856. At Goldsboro, the N. C. Railroad connected with the Wilmington and Weldon Railroad. 1858, the Atlantic and North Carolina Railroad, connecting Goldsboro with Newbern and Morehead City was completed.
These connecting railroads made it possible for the visitor from the eastern part of the state to travel by train as far as Charlotte. The register reveals the effect which this railroad service had in increasing travel to Asheville from the Piedmont and coastal regions.
The Wilmington, Charlotte and Rutherford Railroad was started in 18[?] and had been completed as far as Lincolnton by the time of the outbreak of the Civil War.
The Western North Carolina Railroad was incorporated in 1845. The construction of this railroad which was to connect Asheville with Salisbury was attended with many delays. The progress was so slow that the railroad tracks had reached only the vicinity of Morganton at the outbreak of the Civil War.
Construction was resumed after the War but the railroad had only reached Old Fort by 1869. For a long time Old Fort represented the rail terminus from which visitors from the East proceeded to Asheville by stage coach or private horse-drawn vehicle. Most of this travel was through Swannanoa Gap and not through Hickory Nut Gap. The road was completed to Ashevil1e in 1881.
The attached map pictures the various railroad lines as they existed at the time of the conclusion of the Civil War and not at the time of the outbreak. For military reasons there was much railroad construction during the conflict. For instance, the railroad, connecting Greensboro with Danville was built during the War. This link was constructed to provide rail transportation from North Carolina to the capital of the Confederacy. It was needed to provide movement of troops and supplies to the battle areas of Virginia."*
*Notes by D.H. Ramsey
Source: Manuscript Register for Sherrill's Inn Collection, D. Hiden Ramsey (Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville (M94.1.1, M94.1.2)).
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