Updated November 25, 2022
Background
The inhabitants of Burke County west of the Appalachian Mountains request due to the distance to the courthouse a new county be formed comprising parts of Rutherford and Burke.
Overview
The petition includes John and William Gillahan a John Gillem. A John Gillahan appears in the 1790 Burke County, census. It does not appear there is a John Gillem; however, a John Gilliland does appear in the 11th Company of the census along with many of the names that appear below. There are no Gilliams listed in the 1790 Rutherford census.
25 Sep 1790
State of North Carolina 25th Sept. 1790
Burke County
The Honourable the General Assembly of the State of North Carolina now Sitting at Fayette Ville.
The Petition of the Inhabitants of that part of Burke County lying west of the Appalachian Mountain Most Humbly Sheweth
That the local Situation of your Petitioners renders it exceedingly difficult and (in the winter season of the year) almost impossible to attend at the Court House of said County as Jurors, witnesses, &c., a number of the inhabitants on the west side of said mountain living seventy or eighty miles distance from said Court House and several very bad mountains to cross.
And by annexing or adding that part of Rutherford County lying west of the Appalachian Mountain to that part of Burke County west of the Mountain, your Petitioners conceive that there would be a sufficient number of inhabitants to form a respectable County -- Therefore Hope your Honours will take their case under your most prudent consideration and in your Wisdom grant them a Separate County if you should consider expedient, as your Petitioners Humbly conceive it would conduce to the ease & Convenience of Inhabitants, and your Petitioners will every pray.
| Nathan Deaver | Joshua Bartlett |
| Matthew Patton | Samuel Rentfro |
| James Cunningham | Mark Rentfro |
| Jno. Gibart | Henry Heatly |
| Jas. Davidson | James Heatly |
| [torn] Brittain | Tho Bounds | Nathan Smith |
| James Love | Joshaway Chanler | Henry Robbers |
| Wm. Gudger | John Roberts | Baxaller Barnet |
| John Chambers | Adam Biffle | James Givin |
| Gabriel Elkins | James Same | Baxter Davis |
| Benja. Gregory | James Stanphil | Jacob Beyler |
| Wm. Bailey | John Street | Peter Deveas |
| John Gregory | John Gillahan | John Dillard |
| James Cravans | William Dever | Wm. Grigory |
| John Weve | Jacob Caler | Samuel Randolph |
| Wm. Tinker | Wm. Gillahan | Richard Dever |
| Tho Dillard | Jacob Beefell | Nathaniel Armstrong |
| Adam Dunsmoor | William Jones |
| James Dunsmoor | William Young |
| William Dunsmoor | John Patton |
| David Dunsmoor | Janes Gouge |
| Aaron Patton | Joseph Rise |
| William Graham | Zemeh Gudger |
| Alexd. Graham | James Battle |
| John Graham | John Whitson |
| Benjamin McWhorter | Thomas Whitson |
| John Wiles | John Davidson |
| Robert Patton | Ephraim Davidson |
| Wm. Long | Arch:d Neill |
| -no Lekey | John Neill |
| --- Ba---an | Gabriel Ragsdale |
| Humphry Cuningham | Richard Highwer |
| John Alexander | John Philips |
| Wm. Alexander | Daniel Smith |
| Thomas P. Alexander | Jacob Caseegh |
| James Alexander | John Philips |
| Jno. Davidson Juner | Wm. Ingram |
| Nathan Bartlet | John Beefel |
| Jno. Bartlet | Goldman Ingroman |
| William Davidson | Jacob Beyler senior |
| John Davidson | Abraham Beyler |
| George Davidson | David Beyler |
| Hugh Davidson | John Gillem |
| David Hill | Robt. Logan |
| Thomas Davidson | Joseph Smith |
| John Patton | Samuel Smith |
| William Alexander | Nathaniel Smith |
| Benjamin Gudger | |
| Joseph Forsythe | |
| George Cunningham | |
| Aaron Graham |
| Richard Dever |
| John Bounds |
| Henry Roberts |
| Aston Chote |
| Edward James |
| Gilberd Barnet |
| William Reader |
| John Sames |
| Wm. Whitson |
| D. Vance |
| Philip Hoodenpyl |
| Jno. Baker |
| Jno. Langford |
| David Hinton |
| Wm. Henton |
| Hickman Hensley |
| John Hensley |
| Obediah Hammon |
| Charles Calleway |
| William Morris |
| Thomas Ray |
| John Hughes |
| Hickman Hensly |
| John Edwards |
Sources