The following is a selection of the first claims for land in today’s Henderson County up to 1799.
The first officially recorded claim for land that appears likely to be in today’s Henderson County was in 1778 in Rutherford County. It is possible that earlier land deeds were through Old Tryon County, even possibly Burke County, for land east of the Continental Divide prior to 1783.
They were chosen as different names appeared; some establishing that early pioneers settled on the land long before they made official claims to the land. It appears likely some settled in the area while land was still under the control of the Cherokee.
In addition to names of the early pioneers, selections were made because of landmarks, regions of the county, mountains, rivers, etc.

Within a short period of time after the land in today’s Henderson County was officially opened for settlement, there was disagreement about legal claims for land. After the line was officially surveyed separating Burke from Rutherford counties in 1788, it was determined that the majority of land in today’s Henderson County was in Rutherford County. Close reading of the land grants proves that land claimed in Burke County was never officially recorded. The following land claims list only those claims officially recorded or “proven.”

1779
James Miller, David Miller, Andrew Miller, Waightsville Avery begin filing land claims for thousands of acres in Rutherford County, including areas of today’s Henderson County. They were land speculators. The Miller family, including Revolutionary War veteran Andrew Miller, settled in today’s Henderson County.

As early as 1778, David Miller had land entry for area along North Pacolet River at the headwaters. (Mountain Page community of Henderson County)

1783
(August) James Davidson, William Davidson, Benjamin Davidson and Charles McDowell begin claiming large areas of land in today’s Buncombe, Henderson and Transylvania counties along French Broad River. John Miller files for land along Hoopers Creek.
(August) John Earle enters land along Green River, includes mouth of Cabin Creek. First of hundreds of acres of land for which he files claims.
(Aug. 10) James McDowell granted land along French Broad River in area known as “the Great Bend (Horse Shoe) and on the path of the east side of the river where there is an oak tree marked by John McDowell, first owned by Gen. McDowell.” James Miller enters land along the “western waters at the mouth of a branch on the east side of the French Broad River, below the Big Bend at a birch marked WR.”
(Aug. 12) Joseph Henry, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on the “north branch of Hungry Creek, north of Bald Ridge and 1.5 miles south of Point Lookout.“ This is the first of hundreds of acres of land in today’s Henderson County for which Henry files claims. As early as 1779 he had land entries for area of North Pacolet River.

1784
(March 1) Andrew Miller enters land on Camp Creek of Green River
(Aug. 23) John Earle enters land on south fork of Green River where “Dellingham’s path crosses to Sauldy (Saluda path, along old U.S. 25)
(Aug. 25) Matthew Maybin, Revolutionary War veteran, enters the first of hundreds of acres of land that he will claim, this one is on both sides of Green River near Earle’s upper line
(Aug. 26) William R. Davie and David Miller, land entry along upper cove of Green River, “includes the big shoals” (pot shoals)

1785
(Feb. 23) James Greenlee enters land on both sides of French Broad River, including “the Great Bend in the river and mouth of a creek that empties into the river on the southeast side about 8 miles more or less above the mouth of Big Mud Creek.”
(March 3) Wilby Williams enters land on Camp Creek along the waters of the Green River
(July 4) John and Andrew Miller enter land on both sides of Clear Creek
(Aug. 22) William Mills and James Miller enter land at the “end of a little mountain between ‘Ready” Patch and Clear Creeks, includes a spring.”

1786
(March 2) Felix Walker and Thomas Hall enter land on Little Hungry Creek, on waters of Green River at the mouth of a small branch and runs up the creek. This land was transferred to William Hix (Hicks).

1787
(April 24) William Grimes enters land on the waters of the Little Broad River (Rocky Broad) “borders land I purchased from James Bradley.”
A land entry that was not granted refers to the cabin bought by William Russell along a branch of “Muddy” Creek
(Aug. 8) Andrew Miller and David Miller enter grant for land along the main fork of “Muddy Creek” includes “a small mountain above the ‘Seloudy’ Path (old Indian path approximate location of old U.S. 25)
(Nov. 2) Thomas Justice enters land on the south side of Green River and a mountain on Green River near the waters of Hungry Creek. This is the first of several land claims entered by Justice.
(Nov. 3) John Miller enters land at the mouth of Clear Creek on both sides of Mud Creek

1788
(Jan. 10) Harmon Reed enters land on the south side of Mud Creek including the “improvements whereon he lives.”
(Jan. 18) Andrew Miller and David Miller enter land on “Milles” River above John Case’s improvement on Clear Creek
(Jan. 20) Millers sell land to James Madcalf (Metcalf) on “Milles” River and Clear Creek
(March 3) Elijah Williamson, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on both sides of Mud Creek that empties into the French Broad River, includes “improvements where he lives.”
(March 4) Elijah Williamson enters more land on the west side of the French Broad River “above Boilston’s entry.”
(April 8) Samuel King, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on the west side of the French Broad River on both sides of the creek that empties into the French Broad, borders Plumery’s line from Davidson’s.
(June 10) Allen Twitty enters land on Mud Creek, “above an Indian camp and runs down both sides of the creek.” Transferred to Abraham Kuykendall, Revolutionary War veteran.
(Aug. 1) William Medilin (Medlin) enters land on the north side of Mud Creek, bordering Elijah Williamson

1789
(Feb. 6) Matthew Maybin and Andrew Miller enter land on the “North Pacolet River above Mine Mountain, including the head branches of the Pacolet River near the dividing ridge between the Pacolet River and Green River.”
(Feb. 10) Andrew Miller and John McKinney enter land on the “Blue Ridge and includes the waters of Hominy and Bright’s Creek at a marked chestnut and includes the spring of Hungry Creek.”
(March 15) David Duncan enters land on “Boilston’s Creek, includes a crab orchard about two miles from Boilston’s line.” Another land entry by Duncan was transferred to James Springfield.
(Sept. 3) James Stepp, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on a small branch of Clear Creek “includes his own improvement where he lives.”
As early as 1778 Stepp claimed land on the north side of Green River.

1790
(March 21) Wilby Williams and David Miller enter land on Little River and Crabtree Creek.
(May 22) Michael Hall enters land on Hungry Creek above John Earle.
(June 1) Thomas Hall Sr. and Andrew Miller enter land on the north sides of Green River, “includes some branches of Hungry Creek, near a marked white oak.” Transferred to David Jackson by order.  Another entry on same date by Hall and Miller “on the branches of Mud Creek near the head of same on the south side of the creek to a red oak.” Transferred by order to Gabriel Jackson.
(June 13) William Mills enters land on “three forks of Hungry Creek of Green River, includes my ‘negher’ Tom’s cabin and improvements.”
Also entered on this date by William Mills and James Miller was land on “branches of Clear Creek includes William Mills and James Pott’s old camp places and includes the path of Hoopers Creek Mountain to Loyd’s old place and runs down.” Mills later enters hundreds of acres of land along Clear Creek, Kyles Creek, Hoopers Creek, Bearwallow Mountain, Reedy fork of Little Broad (Rocky Broad)
(June 14) Samuel Chancery enters land on the head branches of Green River “includes the path from Muddy Creek” to Green River.
(Aug. 10) Richard Lewis enters land “claimed by Robert Young” on Clear Creek “on fork of said creek, includes Chickasaw Nob on the spring branch and includes ‘foandes’ (foundation) of an old cabin”

1791
(Jan. 1) Andrew Miller enters land on branches of Clear Creek “near Andrew Lydais (Lyda’s) and Wallace’s old place and includes the path from Wallace’s old place to Hoopers Creek.”
(Jan. 9) William Mills and James Miller enter land on the western waters “between Mr. McCay, Andrew Lyday and James Green, includes spring at head of a small mountain on the east side of Little Mountain.”
(Jan. 16) William Fletcher enters land on the north side of “’Mudy’ Creek on the Seloudy (Saluda) Path (old U.S. 25), borders Elijah Williamson and ‘my own line.’”
(Jan. 16) John Thomas enters land on both sides of “McDowell’s Creek, includes my improvement on both sides of the French Broad River and said creek.”
(Feb. 5) Abraham Kuykendall enters 900 acres on the main fork of and both sides of Mud Creek. Hundreds more acres entered in next few years, including land on Little Mud Creek and “Batwoods Creek.”
(March 10) George Sanders enters land on Clear Creek “near the lands of John Miller that John Case lived on.”
(May 28) Jacob Shipman, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on the main fork of Mud Creek.
(June 15) Lemuel Moore enters first of hundreds of acres of land on “the north side of Mills River and on a branch that empties into Mills River at the old Indian camp.”
(July 20) Elijah Williamson enters more land on the “western waters of Mud Creek above Hermon Rides (Reed’s).”
(July 20) Matthew Maybin and Andrew Miller enter land on the “north side of Green River, bordering Col. Day and Miller’s land.”
(July 21) Simon Street enters land on the “crooked fork of the Little Broad River (Rocky Broad), includes the mouth and runs up both sides and includes part of Hickory Nut Cove.”
(July 25) James Madcalf (Metcalf) enters land on a “small branch of ‘Milles’ River and includes Morries Medcalf’s improvements.” Anthony Metcalf owned large amounts of land in North Pacolet River area as early as 1770s, unclear if any of this land was in today’s Henderson County.
(July 26) William Conn enters land at the head of Hickory Creek of the Little Broad River (Rocky Broad) above Carlock.”
(July 26) Jeremiah Osborne enters first of hundreds of acres of land. This entry is for land on the French Broad River, “the Nob.”
(Nov. 12) David and Andrew Miller enter land on a “branch of Hoopers Creek up towards the gap of the mountain that goes to Lydas, borders Hughes and Wallace, and includes a cabin.”
(Nov. 15) Lambert Clayton enters first of hundreds of acres of land. This entry is for land on “both sides of a small creek that runs into the French Broad River on the east side, being the first creek above Benjamin Davidson’s creek on the east side.”
(Nov. 29) Joseph Vaughn enters land on the “west fork of Mud Creek.”
(Dec. 12) Andrew Miller and David Miller enter land on the “head branches of Little Mud Creek above John Earle’s shoals and David Miller’s line, borders ‘Glesey’ Mountain.”
(Dec. 15) Andrew Miller and David Miller enter land on “both sides of Little River of the French Broad River above and joins Owen’s line and below the ‘Great Falls.”

1792
(July 1) Spill Brown enters land on “both sides of ‘Ridey’ (Reedy) Pach (Patch) Creek, borders Lewis Musick.
(Oct. 26) John Goode enters land on Crab Creek

1793
Reuben Johnson, et al, enters land on Sugarloaf Mountain from John McDowell Sr.
William Wilson enters land on “Muddy Creek”

1794
(Feb. 11) James Brittain, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on Foster’s Branch of Mills River.
(March 2) William Hix (Hicks) enters land on “Little Hungry Creek of the Green River, borders his own lower line.” Hix also enters land at the “head of Beaver Pond Branch of Hungry Creek of Green River.” First of several hundreds of acres for which Hix enters claims. One entry states “near Hick’s old mill place.”
(March 6) Shadrach Gibbs enters land on Little River
(April 26) Matthew Maybin and David Miller enter land on a “branch of Green River under Bluff Mountain.” Another entry is for land on “both sides of North Pacolet River near Ezekiel Pott’s line.”
As early as 1778 John Potts had land along North Pacolet River.
(May 6) John Case, who lived in area before as noted by earlier deeds bordering his land, enters land on the north side of Green River.
(June 14) Andrew Lyda enters land bordering Col. James Miller  and Col. Joseph McDowell and includes “swamp on same side of French Broad River said Lyda lives on.”
(June) John Ireland enters land on Mills River
(June 20) Jesse Briggs, Bird Laughter, Samuel Porter and David Miller enter land on “Chimney Mountain, includes the old hunting path,” and more land along Green River.
(Nov. 18) David Miller, Andrew Miller, James Greenlee, Abraham Kuykendall enter land on Little Mud Creek near Matthew Maybin’s land  “near Butt Mountain and ‘Short arsed’ Mountain and runs on the waters of Green River, includes the wagon road to Mud Creek.”
Martin Gash enters first of hundreds of acres of land entries. This was one was on the French Broad River.
(Dec. 15) Robert Orr, Revolutionary War veteran, enters land on the side of Little River on the “upper corner of the land he lives on and runs down said line.”

1795
Amos Justice enters land along Mud Creek.
(Jan. 13) William Hicks enters land on the “waters of Hungry Creek of Green River, borders ‘my own land where I live.’ Thomas Hicks also enters a land entry.
(Feb. 21) James Wilson and John Carson enter land bordering David Miller on north and William Mills’ land on the south of Mud Creek.
Henry Newman and Waightstill Avery enter land along the “horseshoe bend” of French Broad River “adjoins James Blythe.”
(May 7) John Morrow enters land on the “south side of Hoopers Creek and the south side of a Plantation William Morrow lives on and runs with said line.”
John Jones enters first of hundreds of acres of land entries. These two deeds were along Clear Creek from James Stepp and on Hungry Creek from William Hix.
Edmond Russell enters land on Clear Creek
Ebezerer Fain enters land entry on French Broad River. In 1800, he enters land on Mills River.

1796
David Kimsey records land entry along Mills River.
James Moss enters land on Clear Creek

1797
David Russell enters land on McDowell Creek from Lemuel Moore

1798
Thomas Justice enters land along Shaw’s Creek, from Andrew Miller.
Noble Johnson, Rueben Johnson, John Johnson, James Johnson and Jacob Johnson enter first of hundreds of acres of land, some on Hungry Creek, others along Shaw’s Creek, French Broad River, Mills River. Noble Johnson and James Johnson were Revolutionary War veterans.
Samuel Murray enters land along Mud Creek, Cane Creek and Hoopers Creek

1799
George Greer enters land on Little Mud Creek.
Valentine Keagle (Cagle) enters land along Hoopers Creek
William Capps, Revolutionary War veteran, enters first land grant.