Tom McCabes Genealogy 2022

Early Settlers of Surry County

Source: The Heritage of Surry County, North Carolina, Volume I

Surry County was settled largely by second generation Americans who were born in Virginia. Some came before the Revolution looking for land; some came to receive land in payment for services in the Revolution; some were simply land speculators; and some passed through and stayed only long enough to grow food to take them to another place. ........ They traveled in groups of extended family, neighbors or in groups that had a common religious bond. They followed the same pattern in settlement and in marriage. They married where they were. And if they did not migrate, they were given their portion of land adjoining the family. This pattern is still true of farm families today. ....... Another example of a travel group was Matthew CREED and his brother Bennett who came to Surry about 1770. They brought adult and teenage children with them. Also included were Matthew's wife's family, the McKinneys, Richard Lawrence with seventeen children, Edward Moore and Rodham Moore (who settled in Patrick but whose son Gabriel settled in Surry and married into the Lawrence family).

It is believed that the GORDON family came with them as well as the Herring and DUDLEY families. This group settled in the area south of Mt. Airy on the Turner's Mountain and the Red Brush section; others who came with them were the ROBERTS, Robertson and the very wealthy McCraw families. Descendants are here today through hundreds settled in the west.