Asheville, Ashe co and Haywood

1. Hey  guess I better get this out..
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3. Our earliest known proven Collins ancestor was Thomas Collins born abt 1770 in Wilkes/ Ashe NC..It was all Wilkes co until 1795..He married a Nancy Williams there who was born abt 1785. They had 10 children and all but one or two were married when they moved to Perry/Letcher co Ky abt 1835. Many families left Va and the Carolina's in the early 1800's due to more expensive land, higher taxes, intrusion by new settlers and the pressure on Indians to vacate their land for white settlers. Several families of Collins were back and forth across the Va/NC state line (which was moved more than once) with children born in both states..Ok  so here is a map showing Samuel Collins almost dead center. that should be somewhere arond Jefferson now I think..Far to the right in Allegheny co is a Charles then George Collins cabin. Samuel is who we're interested in..
   From 1807 to 1913, the county went through numerous boundary changes. In 1849, to form Watauga County, the southwestern part of Ashe County was combined with parts of Caldwell County, Wilkes County, and Yancey County.^{[citation needed]} Ten years later in 1859, the eastern part of the remainder of Ashe County became Alleghany County.^[3]
4. here is a Wilkes/Ashe map

Samuel would be on the south fork of the New river (I don't know why I got center spacing and I can't seem to fix it  lol)  

this Thomas below is "old" Thomas Collins b 1710 ,and is possible he is father  of Samuel b. 1734 who I think (but no one can prove) is the father of our Thomas b.1770.Regardless of parentage you can see pretty close where they lived.

Jan. 9, 1779, John Livingston enters 140 acres, headwaters Beaver Creek, joining Thomas Collins land and Thomas Collens line including his improvements., Wilkes Co.

Jan. 2, 1779, Benjamin Cleveland enters 200 acres southside south fork of New River where Reuben Stringer and Samuel Collens now lives.

Jan. 2, 1779, Benjamin Harden enters 600 acres on Dogg Creek of New River near Rattlesnake Den on Dugout, including two old cabbins formerly belonging to George Collins.

settler map

present day Ashe co

 

But you're not going to Ashe NC I don't think..you're going to Asheville.!!..or more specifically Waynesville. that brings us to another one of your grandfathers,William Caldwell who was married in Haywood co NC in 1810 ..exactly where you're going.

 William Caldwell married Nancy Agnes Black (Nancy Agnes Blackfox Chippewa)

County Court Records at Waynesville, NC & Family H

North Carolina, Marriage Collection, 1741-2004 about William Caldwell

Name: William Caldwell Spouse: Nancy Black Marriage Date: 22 Sep 1810 Marriage County: Haywood Marriage State: North Carolina Source: ~~~~~~~~ Name: William Caldwell Gender: Male Spouse: Nancy Black Spouse Gender: Female Bond Date: 22 Sep 1810 Bond #: 000065040 Level Info: North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868 ImageNum: 000675 County: Haywood Record #: 01 014 Bondsman: John Battle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Agnes was youngest dau of Bob Benge the Chicamauga Cherokee war chief by his 3rd wife Nancy Blackfox Chippewa (formatting really gone to hell.) Benge's 1st family was burned to death in an attack by John Seiver and his men..they could not marry in Va due to the anti-miscegenation laws and Ky had large penalties if you married outside your "race".Haywood is right across the mountains from Harlan co Ky where they lived the rest of their lives. Later on some Caldwell's moved to Magoffin co then on to Ashland Haywood is also part of the Qualla boundry read abt that here http://shaybo-therisingtide.blogspot.com/2013/02/william-holland-thomas-white-son.html This I believe is the grandfather of Nancy (Benge) Black Caldwell ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This petition concerns a spoliation claim made against the United States by Black Fox, dated September 15, 1838. Black Fox is seeking compensation for improvements that he made to his property before U.S. authorities removed him. The case was referred through Chief John Ross to Major General Scott for settlement. http://shaybo-therisingtide.blogspot.com/2014/06/black-fox-is-seeking-compensation-for.html