The history of migration sheds some light on the coming of the Nobles and Neaces. Throughout history, typically the middle class led the way in most migrations. The wealthy have absolutely no reason to leave. While the poor typically do not have the means or owed too many debts to be free to move. We must assume therefore that the Nobles and Neaces represented the middle class of Virginia society.
Settlers typically follow others rather than lead.
In many regards they are not the pioneers that we envision. They follow trails that have been cleared and usually do not move until there is a relative level of stability. That level ofstability was not reached in the Breathitt County area until the early 1790s. In 1780 and 1781, a large gathering of Shawnee trading and war parties assembled at Indian Fields in Clark County. They sent parties out to raid the Wilderness Road and the surrounding area.