Asheville and Buncombe County

.1 (? Collection of American ILiteratur^ Ikqucatfjeb to Cfje ilibrarp of ttje Hnibersitp of i^ortf) Carolina "He gave back as rain that which he ^>^ receiveei as mist" D97/. !/-S7,9 00032761146 FOR USE ONLY IN THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION w^ r I . \ STATEMENT November of last year The Asheville Citizen moved into its new INand permanent home at No. 25 Haywood Street. In celebration of that event The Citizen published a special edition, in which appeared two most interesting and highly instructive articles on the history of Western North Carolina and of Buncombe County, one prepared by Dr. F. A. Sondley, and the other by General Theodore F. Davidson, These two articles attracted widespread attention as they both narrated incidents and facts, many of which had never before been printed, and many of The Citizen's readers urged tliat these two articles be reprinted in pamphlet form, so as to be more easily read and pre- served for the future. At our request Dr. Sondley and General Davidson have both revised those two articles and have brought them up to date, and, in response to this request. The Citizen has had them printed and bound in this little volume. The Citizen believes that the public will be deeply interested in the facts set forth in this little volume, and is glad to have the oppor- tunity^ of performing what it believes is a great public service in hand- ing them down for future generations. The expense of securing the illustrations and the printing of this volume is considerably more than the . management anticipated, and, in order to help defray the cost of the sam.e, we are making a nominal charge for each book to help defray this expense. The Citizen is under deep obligations to Dr. Sondley and General Davidson for their arduous labors in compiling the facts set forth herein. They have striven earnestly and faithfully to get together, in an interesting and succinct manner, without remuneration, the facts compiled, and are entitled to the thanks and appreciation of a grateful public. The Citizen Company. February 27, 1922. ASHEVILLE AND BUNCOMBE COUNTY By F. A. SONDLEY, LL.D. GENESIS OF BUNCOMBE COUNTY By Hon. Theodore F. Davidson ASHEVILLE THE CITIZEN COMPANY 1922 ASHEVILLE AND BUNCOMBE COUNTY Copyright. 1922, by F. A. Sondley, LL.D. THE INLAND PRESS ASHEVILLE. N. C. DEDICATION This little work is dedicated to Honorable Theodore F. Davidson who has ever exerted himself for the preservation of Bunco77ibe's history, and in so doing has made that county his lasting debtor. —Author. K PREFACE 'T^HIS is intended to be a sketch of the A history of Asheville and Buncombe County. It is difficult to tell in writing a local history where to stop. There is always more to be said. All facts are material; but all facts are not equally interesting and all facts are not equally well known. Public records have been followed where available. When they have failed, recourse has been had to tradition; but no tradition has been followed unless, after careful scrutiny, it seems to be true and even thqn is well attested. Too great generality renders whatever is written worthless. On the other hand, too much detail is tedious. All history is incomplete. This sketch makes no claim to even approxi- mate completeness. Its aim is to give the most important events in the story of Asheville and adjoining regions with enough explanation and illustration to enable a reader to under- stand, in some measure at least, the people who have made that story a reality. F. A. SONDLEY. Finis Viae, December 31, 1921. —— CONTENTS Chapter I Early Discoveries of America—Norwegians and Vinland—Irish and Land of the White ]Men or Great Ireland or Huitramannaland—Ari ]Marsson—North Caro- lina's first Lost Colony—North Carolina second Lost Colony—Welsh and Madoc—Tuscaroras—Morgan Jones—North Carolina's third Lost Colony Columbus—Hernando De Soto—Hickorynut Gap—Pedro Menendez de Aviles —Saint Helena and San Felipe—Juan Pardo—Xualla or Juada or Joara or Sara or Suala—Otapales and Olagatanos—Yupaha, Aixacan, Chiquola, Chisca, Apalatci, Onagatano—La Grand Copal, Florida—New France, Louisiane, Apalche, Apalache—Virginia, Western North Carolina—Huguenots—Rene G. Landonniere— French in Florida—"jMountaines of Apalatcy"—Silver and Gold and "Redde Copper"—Francis Yardly—Spaniards—Haynokes or Enos—John Lederer—Sir William Berkley—Ancient IMining in Western North Carolina- Lincoln County—Cherokee County—Reed :Mine—North Carolina Gold—John and Sebastian Cabot—Sir Walter Raleigh—Virginia—Amidas anr Barlow- Ralph Lane—Raleigh's Lost Colony—Old North State—Indian Corn, Sassa- fras, Irish Potatoes, Tobacco— First English Settlement in America, first Eng- lish Gold :Mine in America, Virginia Dare, first Battle for Independence at Alamance—Stamp Act in North Carolina—Tryon—John Ashe—W'addell Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence—Halifax Provincial Congress Secession in North Carolina—Henry Wyatt—Battle of Big Bethel—William Henry Foote's tribute to Scotch-Irish of North Carolina—George Bancroft's tribute to North Carolina—Battle of Kings Mountain—White Occupation old Battle- to Revolution—Cherokees— Indian Relics— Site of Asheville ground P^g^ 25 Chapter II French Broad River—Indian Names for French Broad-Tocheste, Pse-lico, Agiqua, Tocheesstee, Zillicoah, Un-takiyastiyi—"French"—Origin of Name Shaw- of French Broad—Swannanoa River—Origin of Name of Swannanoa— "Chouanou'' — anoes — Savannah, Swanee, Suanee — Cumberland River — Sewanee—Shawanoes on Swannanoa—Davidson's River—Mills River—Little River—Muddy Creek—Clear Creek—Cane Creek—Catawba Grape—William Camp—Hominy Creek—Newfound Creek—Turkey Creek—Sandymush Creek Smith's —Cripple Creek, Big Branch, Town Branch, Gash's Creek—Nathan Davis s Creek Glenn's Creek—Asheville Gold—Beaverdam Creek—John Branch—Reems Creek—Flat Creek—Ivy River—Laurel River—Spring Creek Chunn's Cove- —Warm Springs, Hot Springs, Discovery—Ross's Creek, Grassy Branch- Haw Creek, Whitson's Creek, "T. T. Patton's ^liU Creek"— Flat Creek— Bull Creek—Bee Tree Creek—South Fork of Swannanoa River, Mountains- Asheville Plateau—Blue Ridge—Appalachian or Alleghany Busby—Bearwajiow of Names Appalachian and Alleghany—Pisgah— Origins Mountain- —Bald Top—Sugar Loaf—Pilot—Point Lookout—Craggy—iBlack Creek and Reems Lane's Pinnacle-Mine Hole Gap-Forges on Hominy Carolina-Elk Creek-Beaucatcher-Judge Avery-Elks, last killed in North Lynxes—Gooctis Mountain—Last Panthers in North Carolina—Deer—Bears— Broad, Peak-Tryon's Line-Tryon ^lountain-City of Tryon-French Untakiyastiki, Zeehleeka, Pse-li-co, Tocheste, Agiqua, Tocheeosstee, Zillicoah, Sokassa—bugar- Esseewah—Pisgah, Warwasseeta, Elseetoss—Balk Mountain, 2 ——— 1 Contents loaf Mountain. Salola—Broad River, Esseedaw, Craggy Mountain, Sunnalee Black Mountain, Seencyahs—Cold Mountain, Osteenoah—Balsam Mountains, Judykullas — Smoky Mountains, Chesseetoahs — Newfound ^Mountains. Chewassee—Cisco page 37 Chapter III Lake—Mountain Island— Former course of French Broad River—Ushery Lederer—De Soto—De Soto in North Carolina—Cofachiqui—Xuala or Chouala—Suali, Suara, Suala, Cheraw, Sara—Guatule or Gauchule—Dis- coverj- of the ^Mississippi River—Rickohocans page 47 Chapter IV John Lederer—Sara or Suala—James Needham and Gabriel Arthur—Abraham Wood—Tomahitan Indians, Cherokees— Sitteree—Death of Needham— First Visit of English to Cherokees—John Stuart and Alexander Cameron—Georgia Expedition against Cherokees— Colonel William Christian Expediton against Cherokees—General Griffith Rutherford Expedition against Cherokees Rutherford's Route—Swannanoa Gap—War Ford of French Broad—Hominy Creek—Pigeon River—Richland Creek—Tuckaseigee River—Cowee ]Moun- tain—Skirmish with Indians—Tennessee River— Fight with Indians—Valley Towns—Middle Towns—Indian towns of Watauga, Estotoa and Ellojay Destroyed— U'illiamson's Expedition against Cherokees—Colonel William- son's Route—Catawbas—Colonel Williamson's fight with Indians—William- son joins Rutherford—Result of Rutherford Expedition—Rutherford's Return —"Rutherford's Trace" —James Hall— Captain Charles Polk's Diar>' Nuckessey Town—Nowee—Hall's Sermon—Rutherford's Life—General William Davidson—Captains WilHam Moore and Harden's Expedition against the Cherokees—^loore's Route—Moore and Harden destroy Indian town on Tuckaseigee—Tracking, killing and scalping Indians—Captures Earthquake—'"Vandue" of prisoners and plunder—Moore's Report—Balsam Mountains—Indian poisoned at Sulphur Spring on Hominy Creek—Colonel John Sevier's Expedition against Cherokees in 1781, up Cane Creek and across Ivy and Swannanoa to Tuckasejah and headwaters of Little Tennessee —Expedition of Tennesseeans against Cherokees to Coosawatee in 1789 Indians at Warm Springs in 1793—Blockhouses on French Broad at Hough's, Burnt Canebrake, Painted Rock and Warm Springs—Buncombe Scout to Big Laurel—Sevier's Expedition against Cherokees up French Broad River and up Newfound Creek and back down Hominy—Settlers before Revolution on Catawba River—Swannanoa valley—Samuel Davidson settles on Christian Creek and is killed by Cherokees—Escape of wife and child—Expedition from Old Fort to avenge his death— Fight with Cherokees from Cheesborough Place on Swannanoa River to mouth of that river in Canebrake—White camp Hunters on North Fork of Swannanoa—John S. Rice, John Rice, David Nelson, William Rhodes—"Swannanoa Settlement" on Swannanoa at mouth of Bee Tree Creek—Alexanders, Davidsons— First Field cleared in Bun- combe—Bull Mountain—Settlements on Reems and Flat Creeks, and on French Broad, and on Hominy Creek—Treaty of Long Island of

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