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1784 North Carolina Land Document of Alexander McGinty Historic Indian Trader

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:500.00 USD Estimated At:900.00 - 1,200.00 USD
1784 North Carolina Land Document of Alexander McGinty Historic Indian Trader
Federal Period
1784 North Carolina Land Document of Alexander McGinty The Important & Historic “Indian Trader”
Alexander McGinty (c. 1725 - ?) was known as an Indian Trader and in 1753 was captured by French Preying Indians when he and other traders were returning from the Carolinas. First purchased land in Mecklenburg Co., NC in 1763 on Clems Branch which he later sold to Elijah Millerin 1799.
This original Partially-Printed State of North Carolina Land Grant Document is 1 page, measuring 13" x 17" with the date 1784, Very Good. The front of the document has Official State of North Carolina Printing, plus lots of additional information about the land purchase in manuscript form. The blank backside of the document has manuscript information by the Mecklenburg County Clerk, including: "This certifies that this grant is registered in my office in book...".

Alexander McGinty was an interesting and rather important early citizen of North Carolina. He was an Indian Trader and was once Captured by Indians. (More information provided about Alexander McGinty online.) Folded many times, it has a number of vertical and horizontal creases across its surface, tearing along the fold of many of the creases, and there are a few nickel-size holes at the intersection of some of the horizontal and vertical folds/creases from use. The printing and manuscript writing is fully legible, only a word or two are damaged by small holes, overall complete and fully legible.


Account of Alexander McGinty's capture:

"That on the twenty-sixth of January last your petitioner, in company with six other Indian Traders, being on their return from a trading journey among the Cuttawas (Cherokees), an Indian nation within the territories of Carolina, was met and taken prisoner by a party of French Indians, who took from your petitioner in goods, skins, and horses to the value of two hundred and twenty pounds, being all that your petitioner had in the world, and was even stripped of all his clothes; and being now reduced to extreme poverty and want... Deposition of Alexander McGinty

Many of the early German and Scotch-Irish settlers used what became known as the Great Wagon Road to move from Pennsylvania southward through the Shenandoah Valley through Virginia and the Carolinas to Georgia, a distance of about 800 miles. Beginning first as a buffalo trail, a great Indian Road (the Great Warrior Path) ran north and south through the Shenandoah Valley, extending from New York to the Carolinas. The mountain ranges to the West of the Valley are the Alleghenies, and the ones to the east constitute the Blue Ridge chain. The Second Treaty of Albany (1722) guaranteed use of the valley trail to the Indians. At Salisbury, North Carolina, the Great Warrior Path was joined by the Indian's "Great Trading Path." By the early 1740s, a road beginning in Philadelphia (sometimes referred to as the Lancaster Pike) connected the Pennsylvania communities of Lancaster, York, and Gettysburg. The road then continued on to Chambersburg and Greencastle and southward to Winchester. In 1744, the Indians agreed to relinquish the Valley route. Both German and Scotch-Irish immigrants had already been following the route into Virginia and on to South Carolina, and Georgia. After 1750 the Piedmont areas of North Carolina and Georgia attracted new settlers. From Winchester to Roanoke the Great Wagon Road and the Great Valley Road were the same road, but at Roanoke, the Wagon Road went through the Staunton Gap and on south to North Carolina and beyond, whereas the Valley Pike continued southwest to the Long Island of the Holston, now Kingsport. The Boone Trail from the Shallow Ford of the Yadkin joined the road at the Long Island of the Holston.

John's brother Alexander, who was probably born in Ireland about 1725/1726, first purchased land in Mecklenburg Co., NC in 1763 on Clems Branch. He later sold the land in 1799 to Elijah Miller. By 1810 you will find Elijah Miller along with Alexander's grandson, James Crawford living in the same area, but now it is part of York Co., South Carolina.

Alexander later purchased land from George Augustus Selwyn on Reedy Creek and McAppins Creek in January of 1767. He later mortgaged the property to Henry Eutace McCulloh for 75 pounds. Alexander paid off his debt to McCulloh in 1796. There are many land records and Court Minutes that mention Alexander in Mecklenburg County until his death in 1802.

About Alexander McGinty (from several McGinty Family sites on the Internet):

The first record, we have so far located, on John McGinty I is found in Lancaster County, PA., in a 16, December 1755 land warrant for 50 acres. In Cumberland County, PA. in 1757, he is mentioned in a deed of sale (Public Auction) with his brother Alexander McGinty, who was an Indian Trader, and made many trips to the Carolina's, which is where John McGinty I settled, along with his brother Alexander in the 1760's.

Previous family researchers have indicated that Alexander McGinty was said to be the son of John McGinty, but I have found that he was more likely his younger brother. No documentation has been found which proves or disproves that Alexander McGinty was the son of John McGinty.

John and Alexander migrated from Pennsylvania to North Carolina in the 1760's.

Alexander McGinty was known as an Indian Trader and in 1753 was captured by French Preying Indians when he and other traders were returning from the Carolinas.

Alexander McGinty was probably born in Ireland about 1725/1726. He is known to have purchased land in Mecklenburg Co., North Carolina. He married Mary Ann Orr, date unknown.

M'Ginty is an old Irish name, stamped with the seal of the real bluebloods. Its ancient form was Inty, which means "well-born." So the family were of the purple, the well-bora McGinty, or NTIntys, for the founder of the line, or clan, was Trial, son of Conal Cearnach, the Warrior.

Conal Cearnach is one of the greatest of ancient Eire's heroes and there are many tales of his prowess and keen leadership.

He was one of the great realities of Ireland, whose name, and deeds, have been passed won; not merely for generations, but for many centuries.

Possessions of the M'Ginty family were in what is now County Donegal, Ireland in olden times best known as Tirconaill, or Tir-connell, the land of Conaill. This territory was not named after Conal Cearnach, or Kearnach, but after Conall Gulban, son of Niall of the Nine Hostages, King of Ireland.