STEELE CREEK SETTLERS

A deed dated January 7, 1771 showing that William Bigham and wife, Sarah, sold 300 acres to Robert Brownfield has often been cited by researchers as one of the first documents for Steele Creek Presbyterian Church. The deed specifically exempted from the sale four acres including the new meeting house, the graveyard, and the spring on the north side. This deed also helps establish who the adjoining property owners were in 1771 and gives us some clues as to how the Steele Creek area came to be settled with settlers from the southern border counties of Pennsylvania.

The metes and bounds of the deed start at a black oak on Hugh Parks corner and ran just over 2000 feet on a slightly southwest course to a pine tree. The second line ran north almost 1500 feet to a beech tree. The third line ran due west almost 3000 feet to a stake and then in a northeast direction 3630 feet with John Giles line to a hickory tree. The next line ran north and slightly west 1650 feet to a black oak at Gile's corner and then northeast for 1254 feet to an elm tree at the dividing corner with Andrew Carrother's property.

Who were these early residents of Steele Creek and where did they come from?

William Bigham and wife, Sarah
The 1771 date of the sale to Robert Brownfield indicates that this was probably the elder William Bigham since his son William born in 1756 would have only been 15 years old at the time. The deed was witnessed by Robert Brownfield and Samuel Bigham and there is no indication as to whether this is Samuel the son or the Samuel who may have been a brother to William.

William Bigham obtained this particular plot of land as part of a land grant from the colony of North Carolina on December 23, 1763. The land in 1763 adjoined James McKnight and Hugh Parks and was described as lying on both sides of Rocky Sugar Creek. William probably had or lived on the land before he received the official grant.William had previously obtained a land grant on April 10, 1761 for 195 acres on the head of the north fork of Paw Creek which he later sold to Joseph Moore on November 20, 1762.

Robert Brownfield
Robert Brownfield, Jr. was born in North Ireland in 1705. He married Jane (Jenny) Stuart in Chester Co. PA about 1737. In 1738 Robert was shown in Chester County PA documents to have assisted his brother, Charles to settle their father's estate (See Chester County PA Wills - Robert Broomfield February 22, 1739/40)

Brownfield was part of the group that helped produce the "Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence" and was active during the Revolutionary War. All three of the family's sons were officers during the war. Robert and Jenny Brownfield had 7 children, all born in Pennsylvania.

William married Margaret "Peggy" Giles in Mecklenburg County about 1782. William served in the Colonial Army in Pennsylvania (age 16) and under Col. Thomas Polk in NC. He and Peggy later moved to Greene County and Jasper County Georgia. William is shown in the Minutes of the Mecklenburg Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions July Session 1801 to have sold 259 acres to Colonel Charles Polk with a reservation of four acres for the Steele Creek Meeting House.

Isabella Brownfield was living in York County SC at the 1810 census.

Margaret Brownfield married Robert McKnight of Mecklenburg County and was the mother of Nancy L. McKnight who married Samuel Bigham in 1818.

There is no information available on Ann Brownfield.

John Brownfield fought at the Battle of Hanging Rock in the Revolutionary War and was later killed by indians near Augusta Georgia.

Robert Brownfield was a surgeon's mate who gave notable service during the Revolutionary War at the Battle of Camden. He is reported to have saved the life of General Sumpter. Following the war, he moved to Sumpter County and was a physician at Georgetown, SC.

Hugh Parks
Hugh Parks was a resident of Rowan County as early as 1754 and lived in the Coddle Creek area. His will was probated in Rowan County in 1781 and named his wife Margaret, John Parks, Hugh Parks, and John McDowell. He named his grandsons as James Beard, John McDowell, James McDowell, and Hugh McDowell. This indicates that John McDowell's wife, Jane, was Hugh and Margaret Parks daughter. Hugh Parks property also adjoined the McDowell property in the vicinity of Sugar Creek where Robert McDowell received land grants in 1754.

John Giles
John Giles was born about 1727 and died December 7, 1777 according to his tombstone in Steele Creek Presbyterian Cemetery. His wife, Ann Giles, was sixteen years older according to the dates (1711 - December 13, 1777) on her tombstone. It is interesting to note that the couple died six days apart. Due to the age of Ann Giles, it is probable that she was not the mother of John's three daughters.

John's will is found in Mecklenburg Will Book C:92 dated 26 Sep 1771. The will was probated prb. 13 Jan 1778 in the Court of Pleas & Quarter sessions.

Several deeds are found for John Giles beginning with Deed Vol. 4:249 12 & 13 Aug. 1766 Samuel Allen to John Giles 250 A on east side of Catawba, on branches of Beaverdam Creek with witnesses: Samuel Bigham, Sr.and Samuel Bigham. Samuel Bigham evidently sold John property as Deed Vol. 7: page 56 18 Feb 1775 shows Robert Patterson sold to Joseph Hart 104 acres that was part of 500 A granted to Samuel Bigham 21 Dec 1763 and conveyed by him to John Giles 1 Apr 1767 and to Henry McMurdy 2 May 1770
and to Robert Patterson 5 July 1771. Deed Vol. 7:294 22 Nov 1775 shows John Giles sold to William Henderson, son-in-law , 250 acres on east side of the Catawba River adjoining the line Samuel Allen sold to Francis Beaty, sold to Edward Hughes, , to James Carter, by sheriff's deed to John Brandon, then to Samuel Allen, then to John Giles.

There evidently was a conflict in the execution of John's will as the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions shows that William Henderson and his wife, Mary, and the other daughters: Susannah and Sarah reached an agreement even though the original will provided Susannah and Sarah land (270 acres) , the house and improvements and daughter: Mary (250 acres bought from Samuel Allen in August 1766, Mecklenburg Deed Vol. 4, pg. 249.)
The movable effects were originally divided in thirds between wife, Susannah and Sarah but the agreement showed William and Mary paid for the wife, Ann's part. The executors were Robert Brownfield, Sr and John Hunter with witness: Robert Hunter

The accounts of the 1756 indian attack on Fort Bigham in Juniata County PA listed a Susannah Giles as found near the Fort killed and scalped. A history of
the Susquehanna and Juniata Valleys (Ellis and Hungerford: 1886) says that
Mrs. Giles was probably the wife of John Giles who had sold land to a William Anderson. It is possible that John Giles left Pennsylvania after the death of his
wife, Susannah, and came to North Carolina at the same time as Samuel
Bigham.

Andrew Carrothers
Andrew Carrothers was a neighbor who can be directly traced to Pennsylvania.
The Cumberland Co PA will of John Carothers, East Pennsborough 14 Oct 1767/8 Book D:172-173 probated Aug 1783 named his wife, Sarah; sons Robert and James, minors and listed land in Mecklenburg Co, NC.
The rest of his children named were : John, William, Andrew, Samuel, Ezekiel, Archibald, Margaret, Isabella, and an unborn child.

The Mecklenburg Co NC will of wife Sarah Carothers is dated  2 Apr 1798 and probated 1798.
The will listed sons: Robert, James, John, William, Andrew, Samuel, and Archibald.
Daughters were : Margaret Sloan (wife of Samuel Sloan), Isabella Woodard (wife of Absalom Woodard); "Son by law" Samuel Neely, grandsons John, Samuel Neely and granddaughters: Mary Carothers, Mary Vance Carothers, James Carothers. She is buried at Steele Creek Cemetery (9-16-1798 age 71).

Mecklenburg Deed Vol.6:245 4 Aug 1774 shows John Carothers of Cumberland County PA sold to Robert Carothers of Mecklenburg Co 150 acres on North Fork of Steele Creek adj. William Barnet ... John Carothers.

Samuel Allen
There was a Samuel Allen listed on Lunenburg County Virginia lists in the late 1740s and very early 1750's. A John Giles was also on the same lists as was a William Brumfield. There were several prominent Allens in Virginia during this period connected with the Augusta settlements and other frontier areas.

Samuel Allen was involved in several land transactions with Francis Beaty as was Samuel Bigham. Beaty was a surveyor whose name is found in records from Pennsylvania, Virginia, and North Carolina. Mecklenburg Deed Vol. 4, pg. 84 indicates that in January 1767 Samuel Allen and wife Patience sold to Francis Beaty 202 acres east of the Catawba River on branches of Beaverdam Creek. The land was part of a tract of 478 acres granted to Allen 24 April 1762 suggesting that he came to the area about the same time as the Bighams.

The Mecklenburg Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, October 1778 Session indicates that Samuel Allen appeared and gave information that he was about to "remove out of this State."

John Hunter
While not listed in the January 1771 Bigham-Brownfield deed, other deeds show that the property north-northwest was owned by John Hunter. The first volume of Mecklenburg deeds on pages 6 - 9 record a deed from John McKee and wife, Mary, to John Hunter for 720 acres on Sugar Creek. The date of the
deed was probably in 1761 or 1762. John McKee was granted the land in May . At John's death the land he lived on was divided between sons Robert and John Hunter.

John's will, dated May 3, 1790 listed his wife, Mary, sons Robert and John Hunter, and daughters Rachel (who married Andrew McNeely), Agness (wife of James Harris), and Nancy. James Beaty was listed as a son-in-law but no reference was made for James' wife, Mary Hunter. John Harris was listed as a son-in-law but no reference was made to his wife, Martha Hunter. All of these persons are named in the will of son John Hunter dated May 15, 1798.

John Sr. and wife Mary are buried in Steele Creek Cemetery as is son John Hunter who died in March 1800 at the age of 34.

James McKnight
The migration of James McKnight from Maryland with his brothers and the Nottingham Colony group through Guilford County has been previously documented. James probably became acquainted with the Catheys and
Carruth families in Rowan County. Walter Carruth of Coddle Creek had some connection with the Nottingham Colony. Jane Cathey, daughter of George Cathey, Sr. and sister of Andrew and Archibald Cathey of Steele Creek married a Carruth. These acquaintances probably attracted James to Mecklenburg where he obtained land from Martha Sproot (Spratt) in a deed dated February 21, 1761.

James son Robert married Margaret Brownfield and his grand-daughter Nancy L. McKnight was the wife of Samuel Bigham.

Samuel Berryhill
The Berryhill name is another name found in Pennsylvania records.

Samuel Berryhill bought land from Samuel Bigham and wife, Mary, in a deed recorded April 27, 1762. The land was described as being on the southwest branch of Sugar Creek and was originally granted to Robert McDowell in May 1754.

Samuel Berryhill died in 1778 leaving generations of Berryhills who remained in the Steele Creek area. His great grand-daughter Margaret Bernice Berryhill became the wife of Robert McKnight Bigham.


The Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session in several references indicate that one of the roads in the vicinity of Steele Creek Church in the early years was Toole's Road. This name referred to roads that lead to Toole's Ford on the Catawba River. The 1780 British map in Thompkin's History of Mecklenburg County shows Toole's Ford to be in the vicinity of the present Walker's Ferry Road area where little Paw Creek joins the river. Matthew Toole was an indian trader who reportedly settled along the river about 1748.

Matthew Toole
Toole's wife was Eleanor Cathey, a daughter of George Cathey. Their son's name was John. George Cathey was born in Ireland and eventually settled in Lancaster County PA before moving south to Rowan County NC.

Catheys
Several children of the George Cathey family settled in Mecklenburg County along the banks of the Catawba River after the family came from Lancaster County PA to Rowan County to join relatives living there. Parts of the Cathey family were early Rowan residents in the late 1740's. Thyiatira Presbyterian Church was originally known as Cathey's meeting house.

Andrew Cathey was born in Lancaster County PA about 1722 and died in Mecklenburg County in January 1785. He is buried at Steele Creek Cemetery.

George Cathey, Jr. was born in Lancaster County PA in 1724 and was married in Anson County NC before 1749. He died in Mecklenburg County in May 1801 and is buried at Steele Creek Cemetery with his wife, Francis Henry Cathey.

Archibald Cathey was born in Pennsylvania in 1737 and died in Mecklenburg County in January 1777. He also is buried at Steele Creek Cemetary.

Esther Cathey, born about 1742, married Edward Cusick. At her death in 1825 she also was buried at Steele Creek Cemetery.


It therefore is apparent that the first settlers in the Steele Creek area may have been the indian traders - Robert Steele and Matthew Toole who both were known to have been in the area as early as 1748. James and Andrew Armor (Armour) may have followed Steele from Pennsylvania and Virginia and settled on the east side of the Catawba River near the present South Carolina line.

The second wave of settlers appears to have come to Steele Creek about 1753 through the Cathey and Coddle Creek settlements in Rowan County. These settlers included the Catheys who settled near the Toole property, the McDowells, and Francis Beaty the surveyor with connections in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

The largest groups probably arrived about 1760 - 1761 and included the Bigham groups, the Berryhills, the Brownfield family, James McKnight, the Carrothers, Samuel Allen, and John Giles. These settlers probably were attracted because of relationships with the previous earlier settlers. Pennsylvania records clearly show that that the Armor and Bigham families were related. The Berryhills , the Carrothers, and Samuel Bigham were from the same areas of Pennsylvania and may have been related. The Brownfield family was from the area closer to where the William Bigham group lived in Pennsylvania. Allen and Giles were names found in the same Virginia county where a William Brownfield (Brumfield) was listed and a John Giles was in the same vicinity as Samuel Bigham lived in Pennsylvania. The difficulties with indians was increasing in 1760 in Pennsylvania and history records that a large number of the Pennsylvania settlers left to avoid the bloodshed in the areas where these families were known to have lived.

Steele Creek Presbyterian Church has been a central point of the community for well over 200 years. Tracing the roots of the early neighbors proves that our families gathered here from other counties and states to form a community that has survived and continues to be a focal point in the development of Mecklenburg County.