Watauga Democrat. [volume] (Boone, Watauga County, N.C.) 1888-current, 1913-06-26
EARLY NORTH CAROIINAHI
VI ~
IT. EttA II lSass II l<lGled kGe4 uIl1l b q
4 sSs, laI. Il Dsau ek nofth caR II e DenSet

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Soon after the western part OF
North Carolina began to be sets
tied, tie lawmaksrs deemed Y q
'wiss policy to place the low prics
of Ave and ten cents 40 yacrsTior
vacant and unapp tOpfiated land
with the view Qi encouraging its
citisens to take ouc grants from
the State, and BY lsvying tixes
on these lands the revenues oiths
state would be greatly incrsassd
but 10 many instAnces, 100 will
subsequently appear, this policy
had Q tendency to retard prog
rees rather than encourages early
settlement in certain sections, e.
pecially iin some Of the counties.
q 1t win be remembered that VII.
Ikes aud Burke we're crs8ted 10
the year 1777, and that the divi-
ding line between the two, coun.
.tisa ran from a point on the Blue
Ridge near Blowing Rock, west
fifteen miles to the Tennessseliue.
passing near the town Of Banner
Elk.
On July 14th, 1875, the State
OF North Carolina granted to
William, Tate and William Coch.
ran one hundred thousand, six
hundred and forty acres Of land,
lying in Burke County just south
Of the Wilkes line. On July 9Th,
1895, the State granted to Sam
uel Meeks and Alexander Coch
ran q tract Of twenty-five thou
sand acres; and on July 2Oth,
1895, the State granted to Will
lam Cathcart q number OF tracts
one Of sixteen thousand acres
one Of eight thousand. seven hun
dred and sixty acres; one ofnine
ty.nine Thousand acres, and q
mother Of Rfty nine thousand q
cree. Some of the surveys .
these large tracts were mad
many years before the grant
were issued. and as the countr.
was wild and mountainous, will
no roads, the surveying partiel
encountered many dif8cultie
and suffered many hardships, ant
often in danger Of being, massa
cred BY Indians.
In making the surveys OF thes
lands. 1t 90 happened that som
oi the Cathcarts grants, and es
pecially the flity.nine thousan'
'1acre grant, Tapped on the Tat
and Cochran grant, thus pr0du
clng a conflict of titles, whicl
was not finally settled until NOR
than a century had elapsed. 500
after these grants we're issue
the grantees named therein cor
veyed these large tracts to moi
residents OF the State. Some, 9
the owners neglected their land
entirely while Others would hat
them looked after occasiOnall
by agents; but all seemed to hav
! neglected totlook alter theirlibt
! and corners until they had grea
difficulty in establishing thel
boundaries against the many q
tacks made upon their locatio
and titles. II Q person desire
to invest his money 10 laad Will
in this territory. be might |
confronted BY twotitles and nc
knowing which vas The bettert {
tie, be would 60 elsewhere to il
: vest his money, Occasionslly q
enterprising squatter would tel
possession oi q small tract eith'
under 3 second grant or 8 dee
from some one who had no cit
aud II he could manage TO hOl
bic possession required lengt
OF time he would ripen bic It'll
but II discovered by the agent
the true owner he would eiths
|, compromise or. purchase wha
his paper title covered for n
small sum and thus quiet hin I
tie. Msny lawsuits aruse aI0r
a a lfA