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We have almost no clues as to where James Hollis was prior to arriving in Augusta County, Virginia by early 1753. Most settlers at that time came from Pennsylvania via the Shenandoah Valley, from eastern Virginia or Maryland, or from overseas.  There were eighteenth century Hollis families in eastern North Carolina and northeastern Virginia, but with no apparent connection to James Hollis.

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Background of James Hollis’s initial land grant

3 November 1740
Order of Council:  “Upon Consideration of the Petition of John Smith, Zachary Lewis, William Waller, Robert Green and Benjamin Waller, Leave is granted to them to Enter For and Survey one Hundred thousand acres of Land in that part of Orange County which will be in the County of Augusta when that County Shall take place on the River and Branches of Roanoke and the Branches of James River.” [Wilmer H. Hall, ed., Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. 5, p38.]

James Hollis’s initial survey was within this grant, which was renewed in April 1745, but for 50,000 acres. See next item.

26 April 1745
Order of Council: “On reconsidering the Petition of John Smith Zachary Lewis William Waller Benjamin Waller and Robert Green to renew an order of Council for one hundred thousand acres of Land granted them Nov^r 3^d 1740 the said Order is renewed in Part and Leave is granted them to enter for & Survey 50,000 acres of Land in that Part of Orange which will be in the County of Augusta when that County shall take Place on the River and Branches of Roanoak and the Branches of James River on paying Rights for the same on their entering their Surveys in the Secretarys Office at any Time within four Years from this Time.”  [Wilmer H. Hall, ed., Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. 5, p175. This was an amended from an order on p173.]

This was renewed yet again but for 30,000 acres in the name of Zachary Lewis. See next item.

17 June 1748
Order of Council:  “Zach. Lewis having entered a Caveat against John Robinson Esq. James Wood & al. for 30,000 Acres of Land or any part thereof lying on the North West & S<> S° West of the Calf Pasture formerly granted to John Lewis & Edw”* Barradall Esqs. and afterwards Granted to the above Persons in Augusta It is Ordered that the Plaintif upon agreeing to Dismiss the Caveat be allowed five Years Time to take up and Survey 30,000 Acres upon the Waters of James River and Roanoake so as not to interfere with any prior Order or Entrey.” [Wilmer H. Hall, ed., Executive Journals of the Council of Colonial Virginia, Vol. 5, p255.]

The next item confirms that all three of the above items refer to the same grant.

27 June 1761
Deed: Zachary Lewis to John Buchanan and William Thompson, executors of James Patton, …release of all rights in “one certain Order of Council or grant for one hundred Thousand Acres of Land lying on the Waters of James River and Roanoke in the County of Augusta (3 November 1740)…  afterwards in the Month of May 1745 was renewed for Fifty Thousand Acres and since has been renewed for Thirty Thousand acres in which Grants or Orders of Council James Patton Gent. in his lifetime was takin in and admitted by the said Company to be a partner…  [Augusta County Deed Book 10, pp78.]

 Col. James Patton’s will of 1750 and other records clarify that he was the agent for John Smith, Zachery Lewis, Wm. Waller, et al for the “Roanoke and James River Grant”.  Before his death James Patton had also purchased the shares of the other partners except Smith and Lewis.  

There are internet postings to the effect that James Hollis bought his initial land from The Loyal Land Company, but that is clearly not the case.  The land was part of the Roanoke and James River Grant. The survey of the James Hollis grant refers to the land as “part of Zachery Lewis order of Council”, meaning the 17 June 1748 Order abstracted above.

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4 April 1753
Appraisal:  An Apraisement Bill of the Personal Estate of Colo. James Patton dec’d taken by us Thomas Stewart, John Ramsey & Edward Hall being first sworn this 17th day of February 1758…[a lengthy list of personal property]… A List of Bonds & Promissory Notes Due to the Estate of Colo. James Patton Dec’d to be Anexed to the Apraisement Bill:  [more than four pages of notes and bonds, mostly dated 1753 and 1754, including] …James Hollis – Bond – April 4, 1753 – £31:3:9… [Augusta County Will Book 3, p202.]

This was one of the larger bonds in the list, apparently signifying a loan for the purchase of the 395 acre tract that was surveyed the following month.  James Patton had been killed by Indians in July 1755 and this was the first recorded appraisal of his estate. Whether he was collecting on behalf of Zachary Lewis or for himself isn’t clear from this record.

There is a “Survey Book of James Patton and William Preston 1752-1756” that may have useful information, but I have not yet located a copy.  

9 May 1753
Survey: Surveyed for George Hollis 144 acres of land in Augusta County lying on a branch of Catawba, a branch of James River, part of Zachery Lewis order of Council this 9th May 1753. Signed:  Wm. Preston, assistant. Thos. Lewis [Augusta County Surveyor’s Record Book 1, p63.]

9 May 1753
Survey:  Surveyed for James Hollis 395 acres of land on ye waters of Catawba Joyning Burdens (sic) & Thomas Ramseys Land part of Zachry Lewis order of council this 9th May 1753. Signed:  Wm. Preston, assistant. Thos. Lewis (county surveyor)  [Augusta County Surveyor’s Record Book 1, p62.]

Both tracts were granted on the same day eight years later in 1761 and, because they were also surveyed on the same day, miust have been near one another. They were both located in what became Botetourt County in 1770 — Catawba Creek is partly in present-day Botetourt and partly in present-day Roanoke County.  James Hollis’s bond a month earlier was probably to purchase the land from John Patton, who was acting as agent for Zachary Lewis and the other partners. The colonial grant may have been for the purpose of perfecting title.

Surely James Hollis and George Hollis were related. They both surveyed land along Catawba Creek on the same day. But there is no further mention of George Hollis other than his abandonment of his grant (see 15 June 1773 below).

William Preston, the surveyor, was the nephew of Col. James Patton and one of the executors of his will.  In 1773 he was granted the 144 acres originally granted to George Hollis.

10 May 1753
Survey: Surveyed for Thomas Ramsey 310 acres in Augusta County lying on ye waters of James River Joyning Hais, James Hollis & McFerons (sic) Land this 10th May 1753. Signed:  Wm. Preston, assistant. Thos. Lewis (county surveyor) [Augusta County Surveyor’s Record Book 1, p662.]

1755 – 1757
Indian attacks on settlers in Augusta were nearly constant, with little in the way of organized resistance.  In late 1755 Governor Dinwiddie authorized two companies of thirty men under captains William Preston and John Smith, supplemented by Cherokee Indians, to range the frontier and discourage raiding parties. In February 1756 he authorized Major Andrew Lewis’s ill-fated expedition against the Shawnee Town in Ohio (see below).  An unknown number of settlers left the frontier to avoid Indian attacks.  James Hollis was apparently among them, as his son James Hollis Jr. claimed to have been born in Bedford County in his Revolutionary War pension application.

September 1758
An Act for the defence of the Frontiers of this Colony, and for other purposes therein mentioned…To the Militia of the County of Augusta, and for Provisions furnished by sundry Inhabitants of the said County, viz…. Henrico County:…To Messieurs Coutts and Crosse, assignees of James Hollis, for two horses lost in the Shawnese expedition, appraised to £9.   [William Waller Hening, The Statutes at Large, Vol. 7, p221.]

There was a contemporary James Hollis in Fairfax County, Virginia but this record surely refers to the James Hollis of Augusta County. Coutts & Crosse were merchants based in Richmond (in Henrico County) who did business in Augusta County (see Chalkey).  James Hollis likely assigned the reimbursement to them as payment for a store bill.

The Shawnese Expedition:  In early 1756 Gov. Dinwiddie ordered Major Andrew Lewis of Augusta County to lead an expedition to the Shawnee Town on the Ohio River.  Lewis left Fort Frederick on February 19 with 263 frontier militiamen and 130-odd Cherokee and Chickasaw Indians.  Most of what we know of the expedition comes from the journal of one of the company commanders, Captain William Preston (the same William Preston who surveyed James Hollis’s grant in 1753).  After weeks of heavy rains, swollen rivers, lost canoes loaded with provisions and ammunition, low morale and desertions, the party was reduced to killing their horses for food.  Even buffalo rugs and shot pouches were eaten — Preston wrote that “any man in the camp would have ventured his life for a supper.”  By March 12, having encountered no Shawnee and uncertain of where to find them, only about thirty men were willing to continue. The party returned to Augusta.  Whether James Hollis was a participant is unknown, as no record of the names of the militia participants exists.

22 June 1759
Birth of James Hollis II in Bedford County, Virginia, according to his application for a Revolutionary War pension on 5 October 1842. [Pension File R5154.]

This statement is widely taken as evidence that the James Hollis family refugeed eastward to Bedford County during the French and Indian War. I haven’t found further evidence of they presence, but need to search court records more thoroughly.

7 August 1761
Land Grant:  To James Hollis, 395 acres lying and being in the County of Augusta on the waters of Catawba and Bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at three Hickorys corner to Borden’s Land and thence with a line of Thomas Ramsey’s land N80E 100p to a black oak, S25E 60p to a Locust in a Hollow, S25E 104p to a white oak on a Rocky Hill, S40W 176p to a black oak on a Ridge, W 100p to a white oak, N30W 132p to a white oak in Bordens Line and with the same 312p to the Beginning.  [Virginia Patent Book 33, pp1086-7.]

As mentioned above, this was surveyed for James Hollis more than eight years earlier, on 9 May 1753.  The land lay in what would become Botetourt County in 1770.  He likely applied for the grant to secure a clear title to the land.  (I note that no deed to James Hollis seems to have been recorded — perhaps the death of James Patton delayed the conveyance.)

7 August 1761
Land Grant: To George Hollis, 144 acres lying and being in the County of Augusta on a branch of Catawba and Bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at two Spanish oak saplings at the foot of a mountain, running thence S20E 100p to a Hickory and black oak, S 70p to a white oak by a run, SE 62p to two black oaks, SW 100p to two Spanish oaks on a ridge, N35W 180p to a black oak at the head of a Hollow, thence along the Mountain 160p to the Beginning. [Virginia Patent Book 33, p1087.]

Both Hollis tracts were in what became Botetourt County in 1770. The mountain referred to in the second patent, as lying on its western side, may be Broad Run Mountain, which lies west of the creek. In 1773 the patent was reissued to William Thompson and William Preston. (See 15 June 1773 below.)

20 November 1761
Jury Service:  James Holles, a juryman in the case of David Stuart vs. Samuel Boyd.   [Augusta County Order Book 7, p118, also abstracted in Lyman Chalkey, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia: extracted from the original court records of Augusta County, 1754-1800, Vol. 1, p94.]

If he really was in Bedford County in 1759, he’s back in Augusta now.

17 May 1762
Deed: George Stevenson, and Rebecca his wife, of Louisa County to Samuel Henderson of Albemarle County, for £4, 2 acres “being part of Benjamin Borden’s great tract of 92,100 acres”, adjoining Greenlee, McMurray, John Stevenson, Thos. Paxton, James Greenlee. Signed: George Stevenson, Rebecca (her mark) Stephenson (sic).  Witness: Wm. Graham, James Hollis, Marget (her mark) Luney. [Augusta County Deed Book 10, pp204.]

This is a deed in the form of a lease and release – the lease is for 2 acres, the release is for 200 acres. one of which is a “typo” on the part of the clerk.  Marge (sic) Luney was the wife of Peter Luney, a neighbor of James Hollis.

1763
Proclamation of 1763, after Britain acquired the land of New France, was intended to minim\ize conflicts with Indians by banning white settlers in their traditional territories.  It specifically banned colonial settlement west of the eastern continental divide — including along the Holston, New and Greenbrier rivers — and demanded removal of settlers already in the area. However, it also gave rise to speculators negotiating directly with Indians.

See 1777 Treaty below.

6/7 March 1765
Lease & Release:  James Hollis and Anne his wife to George Patterson, both of Augusta County, for £70, 395 acres by patent bearing date 7th August 1761 lying and being in the County of Augusta on the waters of Catawba & Bounded as followeth, to wit: Beginning at three hiccories corner to Borden’s land and thence with a line of Thomas Ramsey’s land N80E 100p to a black oak, S25E 60p to a locust in a Hollow, S25E 104p to a white oak on a Rocky Hill, S40W 176p to a black oak on a Ridge, W 100p to a white oak, N30W 132p to a whie oak in Bordens Line and with the same 312p to the Beginning. Signed: James Hollis, Anne Hollis. Witness: William Fleming, Wm. Davis, Geo. Skillern.  Proved at court 21 March 1765 by oaths of George Skillern and William Fleming, Gent.  At a court held 15 October 1765 further proved by oath of Wm. Davis.   [Augusta County Deed Book 12, pp224-7.]

1765
Processioners Returns:  …one tract of Land on Catawbo (sic) Creek for John McFarren containing 319 acres having 4 corners 2 not mark’d by the surveyors.  Present: William Ritchie Junior, James Rowland, Jam’s Hollis.  [Augusta Parish Vestry Book, p381.]

John McFarren’s land adjoined Thomas Ramsey’s which, in turn, adjoined James Hollis — See 10 May 1753.   Lyman Chalkey (in Vol. 2, p453) reports the first name as “Sam’l” but I read it as “Jam’s”.  The first three letters are identical to those in the preceding name James Rowland, although James was spelled out in Rowland’s name but abbreviated in Hollis’s. I read this as James Hollis being present for the processioning of the land of McFarren (his adjacent neighbor) but not for the other lands in the district.

20 November 1766
Estate Accounting:  George Robinson’s estate account presented by James Robinson and recorded by James Robinson, Samuel Robinson and Martha McCormick, late Martha Robinson – [List of debits includes] “to James Hollis 7:6”.. [Augusta County Will Book 3, pp484-5.]

28/29 October 1767
Lease & Release: John McFarland and Mary his wife of Bedford County, to James Holles of Augusta County, for £40, 98 acres in Augusta County on a. branch of Reed Creek, a branch of New River, betwixt the land of the said John McFarland and the Cove, by patent to the said John McFarland bearing date 20 June 1753 and bounded as follows:  Beginning at two white oaks and red oak and runneth thence N23E 100p to an ash and red oak, thence N85E 70p to two white oak saplings, S71E 60p to a black oak sapling, thence N85E 50p to two white oaks near a meadow, thence S15W 70p to three white oaks and black oak, thence S86W 205p to the beginning.  Signed: John McFarland, Mary McFarland. Witness: Israel Christian, William Christian, Daniel McNeill, Robt. Breckenridge, Samuel Black, William Wright, William Bates, George Dair. Proved at a court held on 10 November 1767 by the oaths of William Bates, Israel Christian, and Samuel Black. [Chalkey, Vol. 3, p461. quoting Augusta County Deed Book 14, pp86-91.]

This is 60-odd miles southwest of Hollis’s original land on Catawba Creek — but it still fell into Botetourt County when that county was formed in 1770.  McFarland acquired at least three parcels on the waters of Reed Creek in what eventually became Wythe County. His home on the adjacent tract there was described as being 19 miles from Burke’s Garden (in present Tazewell County).  Reed Creek fell into the huge 800,000-acre grant along the the North Carolina border that was originally made in 1749 to the Loyal Land Company (see below).

16 March 1768
Estate Account Recorded:   Account of estate of Peter Looney, presented by John McCain and Margaret his wife… [Credits included a list of cash received from the following] Thomas Ramsey (6s), Joseph McMurty (£1), James Ledderdale (£3:15), David Looney (5s), James Holles (£1:9:1), James Estill for Abraham Haines (£3,; cash received from Benj. Estill for Abraham Haines. [Augusta County Will Book 4, pp80-81.]

10 April 1769
Survey: 185 acres in Augusta County “on waters of Reed Creek, a branch of New River… beginning at two white oaks on a ridge corner to the land of James Hollis and runneth thence with a line thereof S30E 60p to two black oaks on a ridge…” described in a grant to Jeffrey Hildreth 25 years later on 23 June 1794. [Virginia Grant Book 34, p336.]

In 1769 the land was in the part of Augusta County that became Botetourt.  By the time the grant was issued many years later it was in newly formed Wythe County.

17 August 1769
Estate Account:  Account of estate of Col. James Patton presented by William Thompson, executor…. [A lengthy list of credits under the heading 10 February 1762] By cash of Jas. Hollis £6:5:0…  [Augusta County Will Book 4, pp235-240.]

1770
Botetourt County was formed from the southern part of Augusta County. James Hollis’ land on Reed Creek fell into the new county of Botetourt.  The southern part of Botetourt would become Fincastle County in 1772.  In 1776 the Hollis property would fall into Montgomery County,  In 1790, long after James Hollis left Virginia, the land would fall into Wythe County.

14 February 1770
Road Surveyors: This Court doth appoint the several Persons to be Surveyors of the Roads as followeth to wit… Kinder from Davis’s to the South Fork of Reed Creek. James Hollis from Reed Creek to Willy’s Place on the same. Robert Montgomery fr[om] Willys Place to the Ford on Reed Creek David Sayers from the said Ford to Little Pine Run… [Botetourt County Order Book 1, pp7-8]

15 May 1771
Jury: At a court held for Botetourt County on 15 May 1771…  James Hollis on jury for the case of Daniel Evans and wife Mary vs. Robert Kirkham, alleging trespass, assault and battery. [Botetourt County Order Book 1770-1772, Part 2, p328.  Also abstracted in Annals of Southwest Virginia, p123.]

June 1771
Botetourt County Tithables:
A list of Tithables taken in by Walter Crockett from William Sayers to the head of Holston River for the year 1771: … James Hollis & one slave named Hannah – 2… [FHL Film 007856374, image 31.]

James Hollis is the only Hollis in the county.

27 September 1771
Deed: Walter Crockett and wife Margaret Crockett to James Hollis, all of Botetourt County, for £30 current money of Virginia, 198 acres lying and being in the County of Botetourt on a Branch of Reed Creek a Branch of New River and Bounded as followeth, to wit:  Beginning at a white oak in John Mcfarland’s survey and running thence with his line S85W 70p to an ash and white oak corner to John McFarlands land, N20W 34p to three white oaks, thence N63E 68p to two white oaks & black oak, thence N55E 76p to two Hiccories, thence N20W 6p to a white oak and Hickory, thence N55E 50p to two Hiccories, thence N72E 60p to a white oak and Hickory, N55E 40p to an ash, thence N80E 38p to a white oak, thence S35E 80p to a corner of Coves Survey, thence with the said lines S37E 46p Crossing a Branch thence S21E 273p to the Beginning…Signed: Walter Crocket, Margaret (her mark) Crockett.  No witnesses. Acknowledged in court by Walter Crocket and Margaret examined.  [Botetourt County Deed Book 1, pp307-310.]

June 1772
Botetourt County Tithables:  A list of Tithables in Capt. Doacks and my own Companeys for the year 1772, Taken in by Walter Crockett:  …Hollis, James & one slave – 2…[FHL Film 007856374, image 58.]

Again, he is the only Hollis in the county. None of his sons are yet 21.

11 August 1772
Road Order:  At a court held for Botetourt County on 11 August 1772… Ordered that Samuel Davis Samuel Montgomery and James Hollis do view the Way from the Cove to William Davis on Holston and make Report of the Conveniences and Inconveniences of the said intended Road to the Court [Botetourt County Order Book 1772-1776, p100.]

6 January 1773
Stock Mark:  At a court held for Fincastle County 6 January 1773… On the Motion of James Hollis it is ordered to that his Mark be Recorded a Swallow fork in the each Ear. [Montgomery County Order Book 1, 1773-1788, p7.]

Reed Creek is now in Fincastle County for the next few years.

12 March 1773
Mortgage Deed: James Hollis of Fincastle County to William Leftwich of Bedford County, for £100 current money of Virginia which the said James Hollis is justly indebted to the said William Leftwich and which he honestly desires to secure… for and in the further consideration of 5 shillings…sells a certain tract or parcel of land lying in the County of Fincastle containing 98 acres…[same meets and bounds as the land purchased in 1767]  Also one other tract or parcel of land adjoining the same containing 128 acres the title of which was conveyed to me by Walter Crockett,  Also two sundry (sic) adjoining the above tract, one was surveyed in my name the other in the name of James King, each survey considerably improved… in trust… after 10 March 1774 [can be sold] to discharge the above obligation of £100… Signed: James Hollis.  Witness: Casper Gander, Jacob Katherine, William Phipps, Hugh Gullion.  [Montgomery County Deed Book 1, pp42-43.]

4 May 1773
Grand Jury: At a court held for Fincastle County on 4 May 1773 James Hollis served on grand jury. [Annals, p604.]

5 May 1773
Suits: At a court held for Fincastle County on 5 May 1773… James Davis vs. James Hollis, in debt… James and Donald Robert vs. James Hollis, in debt… James Hollis vs. Arthur Campbell, on petition… [Botetourt County Court Order Book 1772-1776, p?.]

The first suit was settled in favor of the plaintiff, the last was dismissed several months later.  I did not see the resolution of the second suit.

12 May 1773
Jury: At a court held for Botetourt County on 12 May 1773… James Hollis on jury for case of James Hind vs. Francis Muncey, debt.  [Botetourt County Court Order Book 1772-1776, p178.]

14 May 1773
Jury: At a court held for Botetourt County on 14 May 1773… James Hollis on jury for case of Solomon Seekright vs. James Smith, ejectment. [Botetourt County Court Order Book 1772-1776, p190.]

15 June 1773
Patent: 144 acres to William Thompson and William Preston.  “Whereas by patent… bearing date the 7 of August 1761… there was granted unto George Hollis one certain tract or parcel of land containing 144 acres lying and being in the County of Augusta now Botetourt on a branch of Catawba and bounded as followeth… which said parcel or tract of land was granted on condition of paying our Quitrents and cultivating and improving… and whereas the said George Hollis has failed to pay such Quitrents and to make such cultivation and improvement, William Thompson & William Preston, executors etc. of James Patton dec’ed, have made humble suit… & have attained a grant for the same… [Virginia Patent Book 41, pp447.]

It doesn’t seem likely that George Hollis simply abandoned the land since it must have had value.  More likely he died, perhaps during the Indian troubles of the 1750s. Note that this grant is barely twelve years after the initial grant to Hollis — which suggests that the 1761 grant may have been posthumous.

8 November 1773
Deed: James Hollis and Anne his wife of Fincastle County, to Daniel Chambers, late of York Government, for £300 current money of Virginia, two tracts of land adjoining, lying in the County of Fincastle on a branch of Reed Creek containing 226 acres, one of said tracts being the land the said Hollis bought from Walter Crocket and the other from John McFarland and bounded as followeth, viz; [Metes and bounds of the two parcels match the two deeds above.] Signed: James Hollis, Ann (her mark) Hollis.  Witness: James McCorkle, Abram Trigging, Samuel Handly.  Acknowledged at Fincastle court March 1774 by James Hollis.  [Montgomery County (was Fincastle) Deed Book A, pp52-53]

Montgomery County inherited much of Fincastle’s records.

2 February 1774
Survey: An 1816 land grant reads, in part, “in conformity with a survey made the 2nd day of February 1774, 388 acres in the county of Wythe (formerly Fincastle) on a branch of Reed Creek… beginning at a white oak of James Findley’s line and corner to James Hollis thence with Hollis’ line N77E 59p to three white oak saplings… it being part of an order of Council granted to the Loyal Company to take up and survey 800,000 acres…” — a grant to George Kegley 40 years later on 1 August 1816. [Virginia Grant Book 66, p47.]

2 March 1774
At a court held for Fincastle County on 2 March 1774… License to keep an Ordinary is granted James Hollis he having with security entered into and acknowledged their Bond according to Law. [Annals p599.]

Where is he living?  He has sold his land.  Is he renting?  Or has he claimed or surveyed land that hasn’t yet been granted?

Interesting that he operated a tavern — his house was apparently used as an ordinary in Sullivan County as well.

1774
Dunmore’s War Militia Payroll:  Joshua Hollis, Botetourt County, Capt. John Henderson’s Company — 54 days, £4.1.0.   [Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Culpeper, and Fincastle Payrolls and Public Service Claims 1775 (The Society of Sons of the Revolution, 1938), p179.]

This is evidently a son of James Hollis. (If George Hollis had a son he would presumably have laid claim to his father’s patent.

3 April 1775
Land Entry: James Hollis on the __ day of ___ Anno Dom 1775 obtained a patent from this office for a tract of land lying on Holston river at the mouth of Cedar Creek bounded as follows… including an Island containing 442 acres more or less which tract was entered by the said Hollis on the third day of April 1775 who obtained a warrant for surveying the same… [Records of the Watauga Purchase, “Old Book A, p23”.]

Although he hd a deed from Charles Robertson, he would later need to perfect title from North Carolina. He entered this tract as a NC grant on 30 December 1778 and it was assigned as Washington County Entry # 864.  The tract was officially granted eight years later in 1783 — see entry below for 13 October 1783.  Hollis made his entry just two weeks after the treaty was made with the Cherokees, it being the 22nd entry.  The land was just barely inside Sullivan County when that county was formed.  

1 September 1776 
James Hollis Jr. entered service this date, when he resided in Sullivan (sic) County, Tennessee.[Pension Application of James Hollis R5154]

20 May 1777
Treaty of Long Island:  Signed at Fort Patrick Henry, the Cherokees ceded their claims to southwestern Virginia.

6 October 1778
Warrant: Washington County (North Carolina) Warrant #484 for 420 acres entered by James Hollis [See Grant #419 below.]. Tennessee records have the date as 18 January 1779, apparently the date sent to the surveyor.

The North Carolina website (nclandgrants.com) mistakenly identifies this as a Sullivan County entry, but Sullivan County had not yet been formed.  The land was in what was Sullivan County by the time the land was surveyed, but it was still Washington County when the entry was made in 1778.

25 May 1778
Grand Jury:  James Hollis a grand juror in Washington County. [Washington County Minute Book 1, p26.  Also abstracted in “The Records of Washington County”, The American Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 5 (October 1900), p346.]

He is living in Washington County, presumably on the land he’s claiming.

24 November 1778
Administration Bond: Ann Choate adm. of Thos. Choate énterd. Eliz. Smith, James Hollis & Robt Sevier her sec’y. in the sum of £3000. [Washington County Minute Book 1, p51.  This is abstracted with some slight changes to the text in “The Records of Washington County”, The American Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 5 (October 1900), p360. This is abstracted from ]

James Hollis appears to have spent several days at this court — did he have other business that week?  James Hollis was also on a case jury a day earlier [Minute Book 1, p49] and again two days later [Minute Book 1, p53.] In the above record a name that I read as “Eliz” was abstracted in the referenced article as “Ezekiel”. 

30 December 1778
Warrant: Washington County (NC) Warrant #864 for 450 acres entered by James Hollis [See Grant #332 below.]

18 January 1779
Warrant: James Hollis

25 August 1779
Suit: James Hollis came into Court & proved by his oath an acct. of £2 :13:4 agst. the Estate of Wm Fauling Decd… James Hollis also a juryman for the debt case of Sam’l Henry vs. And. Greer. [Washington County Minute Book 1, p89, p90.  Also abstracted in “The Records of Washington County”, The American Historical Magazine, Vol. 5, No. 5 (October 1900), p381.]

The abstracted version incorrectly gives the deceased’s name as “Wm. Rauling” but it is clearly “Wm. Fauling”

Fall 1779
James Hollis Jr. “removed from Sullivan County to Nashville now the capital of Tennessee, then called the French Lick in the fall of 1779…” [1843 Pension application of James Hollis, R5154]

If we take this literally, James Hollis Jr. must have been a member of James Robertson’s overland expedition to French Lick (Nashville), which left the Watauga settlement in the fall and arrived in French Lick in late December 1779.  That apparently makes him the first Hollis to arrive in what became Davidson County, since his father was still further east in the fall of 1779.  He would have been just 20 years old.

Although it is quite possible that he misremembered the year, that he was specific about “the fall” would seem to eliminate participation in the Robertson expedition, which left in the winter and arrived in the spring.

25 November 1779
Jury: James Hollis a juryman in the case of Fauling’s adm. vs. Bracken.  [Washington County Minute Book 1, p100.]

I’ve seen speculation online that James Hollis and some of his sons may have participated in the overland expedition to Nashville led by Capt. James Robertson. While James Hollis Jr. may have been part of that expedition, this places James Hollis Sr. in Washington County after the Robertson party had left the area.  James Robertson and his companions reached Nashville in late December 1779 about four months before the Donelson party arrived by the water route.

There were other immigrant parties that followed after Robertson and it is certainly possible that James Hollis, perhaps with family, participated in one of them. However, his participation in the Donelson party seems likely, since he was not present at the court in the months following November.

22 December 1779
John Donelson’s company left Fort Patrick Henry (now Kingsport, Tennessee) to travel to French Salt Springs (now Nashville), also referred to as the Big Salt Lick.  Donelson’s journal records the route down the Holston, French Broad, Clinch, Tennessee, and Cumberland rivers.  The trip began on December 22, 1779 and was completed on April 24, 1780. Donelson’s boat was joined early in the voyage by several others going along the same route. [“Journal of a Voyage, intended by God’s Permission, in the good bond Adventure, from Fort Patrick Henry on Holston river to the French Salt Springs on Cumberland River; kept by John Donaldson”]

Legend is that James Hollis and some of his family were a part of this expedition. See the entry at 12 April 1780 below.  This is possible, as his last appearance in Washington County court records was almost a month before the expedition set out.

However, his absence from those court records can also be explained by the fact that Sullivan County was formed in October 1779 but did not hold its first court session until February 1780.  Unfortunately all court records were destroyed in a fire, so there is no way to prove or disprove the presence of James Hollis in Sullivan County after late November 1779.  

One probate record preserved in North Carolina records tells us that he was physically in Sullivan County in February 1781.  That he received a preemption grant suggests that he arrived in the vicinity of Nashville by 1 June 1780 whether he was part of that particular expedition or not.  

7 February 1780
Court: The first court session of Sullivan County was held at the house of Moses Looney. A variety of county officials were appointed and “the next court was to be held at the house of James Hollis” [J. G. M. Ramsey, The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century…,  (Charleston, 1853), p189.  Repeated 24 years later in Goodspeed’s 1877 History of Tennessee, Sullivan County.]

If James Hollis was on his way to Nashville with the Donelson party, how do we explain this?  Given his presence in Sullivan County court in early 1781, we need to consider that he didn’t go to Nashville until 1781 or 1782.  I note that John, Isaac, and Joshua Hollis did not receive preemption grants, apparently having arrived after June 1780. (Joshua at least was over 21 by 1780.)   But that raises the question of whether the preemption grant was actually to James Hollis Sr. or to James Hollis Jr, whose pension declaration states that he was in Nashville by late 1779.

8 February 1780
Warrant:  Sullivan County (NC) Warrant #111 for 500 acres adjoining Martin Roller, Gilliland, William Ramsey, entered by James Hollis.  North Carolina records show the date as 8 February, Tennessee records show it as both 5 February and 8 February. [See Grant #106 below]

Sullivan County had begun formal operation the day before. The North Carolina record of this warrant was copied in Tennessee records, but the Tennessee record contains an additional assignment of 100 of these acres by James Hollis to 

26 February 1780
Warrant:  Sullivan County (NC) Warrant #233 for 200 acres entered by James Hollis. [See Grant #70 below]

Need an explanation for this.  When was the actual entry?  If James Hollis was traveling with the Donelson party when did he enter these lands?  Was he not intending to move to the Nashville area?  

6 March 1780
A list of 23 names in John Donelson’s Journal on this date included Peter Looney. [“Journal of a Voyage, intended by God’s Permission, in the good bond Adventure, from Fort Patrick Henry on Holston river to the French Salt Springs on Cumberland River; kept by John Donaldson”]

This is probably the son of Robert Looney, evidently related to the Peter Looney who was a neighbor of James Hollis back in Augusta County and who died in the 1760s.  

12 April 1780
Regarding Moses Renfroe’s party leaving Donelson’s party and settling up the Red River at Parson’s Creek:
“This was the first settlement in Montgomery County. The names of the settlers cannot all now be ascertained; many of them are remembered for their subsequent misfortunes.  Among them were Moses, Isaac, Joseph and James Renfroe, Nathan and Solomon Turpin, Isaac Mayfield, James Hollis, James Johns, and a Mrs. Jones, who was a widow.” [Albert V. Goodpasture, “Beginnings of Montgomery County”, The American Historical Magazine and Tennessee Historical Society Quarterly, Vol. 8, No. 3 (July 1903), p193-4.]

This is the earliest written record I’ve found of the participation of James Hollis in the Donelson expedition.  I don’t know the original source of this information, but this list of names is repeated in several later histories. 

Haywood’s earlier (1891) The Civil and Political History of Tennessee mentions only five of these men as members of the Donelson party — three Renfroes, Solomon Turpin, and “old Mr. Johns”.

Ramsey’s 1853 The Annals of Tennessee to the End of the Eighteenth Century…, lists a number of Donelson’s party, including the same five of the Renfroe party as in Haywood, but no Hollis.

John Donelson’s own journal names none of Renfroe’s party, saying only that on April 12 “we came to the mouth of a little river running on the north side, by Moses Renfroe & his company called Red River, up which they intend to settle. Here they took leave of us.”  

13 May 1780
Cumberland Compact:  The compact, signed on 1 May, and amended on 13 May, by about 250 residents established a system of government for the settlement prior to recognition by North Carolina.  No Hollis appears among the names.

For what it’s worth, two members of Moses Renfroe’s party were among the signers. 

25 May 1780.
Warrant:  Sullivan County (NC) Warrant #571 for 200 acres entered by James Hollis. [See Grant #50 below]

Need an explanation for the date of this record.  James Hollis must not have remained at Renfroe’s Station if he was claiming land in Sullivan County a month later.

August 1780
History:  In June or July Nathan Turpin and another settler were killed near Renfroe’s Station. By about August the settlers evacuated the settlement and retreated to the Bluff (Nashville), about twenty being killed along the way at Battle Creek.

It isn’t known whether James Hollis and his family actually lived at Renfroe’s Station or participated in the evacuation.  It is curious that these incidents occurred at the same time that James Hollis was entering warrants back in Sullivan County.

February 1781
Bond:  Administration of Lasurus (sic) Jones granted to Thomas Ramsy (sic), securities: James Hollis, Richard Gamble. [Sullivan County estate records, abstracted in North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 15, No. 1 (February 1989), p18.]

A bit odd, as this places James Hollis back in Sullivan County in early 1781.  A Thomas Ramsey (apparently a different person) was an adjacent landowner to James Hollis’s 1753 grant and appears in numerous records associated with the same Catawba Creek neighbors.

Early 1782
Apr-May, 1782 – House Bills – May 5: Bill for establishing a County by the name of [blank] on the Cumberland River
Petition (undated) of various inhabitants of the Cumberland River. They prepared to come to that region in the latter part of 1778, but were told that the area fell within the Virginia military district. They sent out an advance party, however, with instruments needed to measure latitude and determined that the area was actually located within the limits of North Carolina. The following year, they planted a crop of corn and began transporting their wives, children and belongings. They applied for a county government some time past but have since been informed that the Cumberland district was set aside for the soldiers of North Carolina. Since their arrival, several inhabitants have been attacked by Indians, resulting in loss of life and property and many widows have been created. They fear for their lives should they have to move again. Signed: [Page 1, Col. 1] Peter Vandeman; Amos Keaton [Heaton?]; Jno. Thomas; Isaac Lindsey; Haydon Wells; William Loggins; Jeams(sic) Mayfeild; Robert Keaton; Benjamin Drake; Samuel Hollis; Isaac Mayfeild; Elijah Mayfield; Elisha Mayfield; Nich Gentry; Dan’l Hogan; James Mcadoo; Nyshon Ray; Arthur Mcadow; Mager Winters; Caleb Winters; Luas Cran; James Harry; Johannes Götz [in German]; Mark Nobles; Frederick Stumps; Jacob Stumps; Frederic Stump Jn’r; John Hues; Henry Ramsey; Kasper Bucher; Rob’t Wells; Enoch Keaton; [Col. 2] John Mitchell; Wm Mitchel; Dennis Condry; Jas. Hollice; John Brown; John Rice; John Montgomery…  [General Assembly Session Records, (Apr to May 1782), abstracted in North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 40, No. 1 (February 2014), p49.]

It isn’t clear to me which records in this general timeframe refer to James Hollis Sr. and which to James Hollis Jr.  The son was over 21 by 1781 and, according to his pension application, was lining in Nashville from late 1779 onward, so this signatory is probably James Hollis Jr.

May 1782
Preemption Act:  The North Carolina General Assembly reserved a tract of land in Tennessee for Revolutionary War grants but permitted grants of 640 acres to single men over 21 and heads of families who were living within the military reservation before 1 June 1780.

This formalized a right which the settlers who had claimed land would have had to acquire title if the lands had been, as they once thought, subject to the jurisdiction of Virginia rather than North Carolina.

The military reservation was a huge rectangular area set aside for Revolutionary War grants. It began where the Cumberland River crossed the Virginia line, ran 50 miles due south, then west to the Tennessee River.  Nashville was several miles south of the center of the reservation.  The act permitted settlers who were already in the reserved area to claim their lands.

23 October 1782
Land Grant: Sullivan County Grant #50, to James Hollis, 200 acres of land in Sullivan County on Fall Creek , Beginning at three white oaks on the South side of Fall Creek on Martin Rowlers line thence on said line N32W 80p to two white oaks and hickory…  From Warrant #571 of 25 May 1780.  [North Carolina Patent Book 43, p261. Also registered in Sullivan County Deed Book 1, p55.]

This indicates that James Hollis probably made the claim in 1779, meaning that this is James Hollis Sr.  Martin Rowler’s grant (Washington County Grant #143) was issued 23 October 1782 for 312 acres “in our County of Washington on Fall Creek joining Hollis and Jas. Patterson”.  There doesn’t seem to be an extant warrant or entry for this grant, but this implies that Rowler’s claim (and therefore Hollis’s) predated the formation of Sullivan County.  Sullivan was created by an Act of the North Carolina legislature on 10 November 1779, although it didn’t begin functioning until very early in 1780.

23 October 1782
Land Grant: Sullivan County Grant #70, to James Hollis, 200 acres lying and being in our county of Sullivan, Beginning at a red oak on James Blanton’s line thence on said line N40W 56p to a Chestnut… From warrant #233… [North Carolina Patent Book 43, p273. Also registered in Sullivan County Deed Book 1, p53.]

23 October 1782
Land Grant: Sullivan County Grant #106, to James Hollis, 500 acres lying and being in our county of Sullivan on the waters of Fall Creek, Beginning on John Blanton’s line then S36E 160p to a hickory and two dogwoods on Patterson’s line…  From warrant #111 entered 8 February 1780.  [North Carolina Patent Book 43, p288. Also registered in Sullivan County Deed Book 1, p54.]

All three of these tracts form a single parcel on Fall Creek and are within walking distance of the Holston River and Fort Patrick Henry.  

30 November 1782
The Revolutionary War effectively ended when both sides signed the preliminary articles of peace.

7 January 1783
Committee of the Cumberland Association: James Holles (sic) appeared in committee and declared on oath that Joshua and Eneas Thomas threatened the taking away of his life, whereby he was hindered in the pursuit of his lawful calling; on which a writ issued for apprehending said Thomases… [“Records of the Cumberland Association”, The American Historical Magazine and Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1902), p117.]

This is reported in a modern book as “James Hollis Sr. brought charges before the Committee of the Cumberland Association against Joshua and Eneas Thomas for threatening his life. [ Richard Carlton Fulcher, compiler, 1770-1790 Census of the Cumberland Settlements (Genealogical Publishing Co., 1987), pages 57,  119, 120.]  Mr. Fulcher assumed that this referred to James Hollis Sr. but the original record contains no suffix.  While a very valuable resource, his book makes a couple of other claims about members of the Hollis family that are not sourced from original records, but rather are selectively sourced from secondary material. 

4 March 1783
Committee of the Cumberland Association: The trial of James Holles against Joshua and Eneas Thomas for breach of the peace — neither of the parties appearing — was continued. [“Records of the Cumberland Association”, The American Historical Magazine and Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1902), p119.]

There is no further mention of this case.  And just ten days later James Hollis and Joshua Thomas were named militia officers at the same station.

15 March 1783
The North Carolina Commissioners appointed to lay off lands for Revolutionary soldiers and for preemption rights of the early settlers arrived in Nashborough (Nashville) with a protective detail of about 100 soldiers in early 1783.  On 15 March 1783 a committee of inhabitants established militia stations which included “at Heatonsburg (Eaton’s) Josiah Ramsey, captain, James Hollis, lieutenant, and Joshua Thomas, ensign.”  [W. Woodford Clayton, History of Davidson County, Tennessee, p37 and p52.]

Note that all Davidson County references 1782 to 1787 are to James Hollis, neither Senior nor Junior.  If both father and son were living there, was the son entirely missing from all records?

Also note that several Hollis men did not receive preemption grants — suggesting that John, Joshua, and Isaac Hollis may not have been in Nashville by June 1780.  Perhaps the bulk of the family arrived subsequent to the Donelson expedition. 

15 March 1783
Committee of the Cumberland Association:  It being thought necessary for our better defense, in these times of danger, that officers  be chosen in each respective station to embody the inhabitants for their greater safety: Accordingly there was made choice of…  at Heatonsburgh, Josiah Ramsey, captain; James Holles, Lieutenant; Joshua Thomas, ensign…  [“Records of the Cumberland Association”, The American Historical Magazine and Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1902), p123-4.]

5 August 1783
Committee of the Cumberland Association:  In the trial of Frederick Stump vs. Isaac Renfroe… James Holles witness for the plaintiff being called, sworn and heard… [“Records of the Cumberland Association”, The American Historical Magazine and Tennessee Historical Quarterly, Vol. 7, No. 2 (April 1902), p134.]

6 October 1783
Davidson County was created, Cumberland Committee dissolved.

7 October 1783
Grand Jurors Appointed:  Among them, James Hollis. [Davidson County Minute Book 1, p4.]

This was on the second day of the first court session held for Davidson County.

13 October 1783
Land Grant: Washington (sic) County (NC) Grant #419, to James Hollis, 450 acres of land in Washington County on Holston River and Cedar Creek including said improvement and an Island, beginning at a white oak in the upper end of said Island and then down said Island N60W 74p to a Spruce pine, then down said Island across N50W 68p to a poplar the bank of the River then down the said river N55W 42p to a beech tree, then from said river on a dividing line between said Hollis and a man named Moore S28W 328p to a stake on George Gray’s line, then on said Gray’s line S52E 70p to said Gray’s corner red oak, then on said line S18½W 278p to a stake on said line, then from said Gray’s line E 122p to a stake on a dividing line between said Hollis and Richard Cox then on said line N6E 242p to a white oak on the side of a Knob, then on said Knob N30E 250p to the beginning.  [North Carolina Patent Book 52, p275.]

This was the Watauga Purchase entry of 3 April 1775, just now being titled by North Carolina.  The land was just barely in Sullivan County when it was carved out of Washington County.  Nearly all of Cedar Creek lies in Washington County but the mouth of the creek is barely within Sullivan County and perhaps five miles from James Holli’s other claims.  See the deed below selling 216 acres of this grant.

7 January 1784
Stock Mark: James Hollis records his stock mark thus a Swallow fork in the left Ear and a Slit in the right and Brands I:H: [Davidson County Minute Book A, p8.]

Note that this is slightly different than the mark he recorded in Fincastle County ten or so years earlier. 

8 January 1784
Bond: John Montgomery bond for £13.6.8 to satisfy debt judgment in favor of John Hamilton, with Thomas Fletcher and James Hollis securities. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p11.]

31 January 1784
Preemption Right: Davidson County Land Entry, preemption right of James Hollis assigned to Benjamin Drake.  [See North Carolina Patent Book 73, p257.]

14 February 1784
Deed: James Hollis by his attorney John Adair, “especially for this purpose”,  to John Yancey, for £500 current money of Virginia, viz., half bearing(?) at 48 shillings Spanish Milled Dollars at six shillings and other in gold & silver in proportion, 3 tracts of 900 acres lying on the waters of Fall Creek  the first 500 acres, the others of 200 acres each, “as by the respective plott (sic) annexed to the Several grants of the above Described premises to the said James Hollis bearing Date the 23rd day of October 1782…” [the 500 acre tract described as] “including ye houses, buildings and improvements where ye Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions for sd. County have usually been held.” Signed: James Hollis by his attorney John Adair. Witness: John Rhea, Weightstile Avery. [Sullivan County Deed Book 1, pp190.]

This conveys the three grants issued on 23 October 1782.  Note that the county court was “usually” held on the 500-acre parcel, where the “houses, buildings and improvements” were located.  

March 1784
Petition by residents of Davison County: Surrounded by Numerous Savage Enemy; our fellow Adventurers daily massacred; Our horses taken; our Cattle destroyed; closely confined to two small Stations; deprived of making Crop for future Subsistence; and Unable to remove ourselves and Families, we were exposed to every Calamity which War and Famine could inflict . . . we pray that the price of our lands may be proportioned to our abilities of Payment. . . some few Families arrived here shortly after the time prescribed by Law for making Settlement, and some young men who were not twenty-one years of age on the first day of June 1780 . . . have by that means been deprived of obtaining any claim to land; . . . and . . . those persons have been very instrumental in defending this county and have suffered an equal share in all our Calamities and Distresses… [North Carolina General Assembly Session Records April-June 1784, partially repeated in North Carolina Genealogical Society Journal, Vol. 18, No. 4 (November 1992), pp199.]

This resulted in the Act two months later. See below. 

7 April 1784
Ensigns Appointed:  On motion made ordered that William McNealy Act as Ensign in Capt. Hollis company of Mil’ia… [Davidson County Minute Book A, p21.]

May 1784
Legislative Act: “An act for the Relief of Sundry Petitioners Inhabitants of Davidson County Whose Names are Therein Mentioned… [a lengthy list of names followed by] “who were killed in the defense and settlement of the said county of Davidson…
And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid that Christopher Gais, senior, Christopher Gais, junior, … Samuel Hollis… [20 names in total] shall each and every one of them be entitled to enter with the entry-taker of Davidson County six. hundred and forty acres of land without being obliged to pay any price for the same, except surveyors fees and others fees of office…” [The State Records of North Carolina, Vol. 24, p629-30, April-June Session 1784.  See also the residents petition with the same names at Vol. 19, p573.]

The twenty names were apparently persons who were either underage in1780 or who lived elsewhere in 1780 but participated in the defense of the Cumberland settlement. This is mentioned by Hollis family researchers as proof that Samuel Hollis was underage and thus not included in the earlier act.

The town of Nashville was created by the General Assembly at the same session.

10 May 1784
Land Entry: Davidson County Entry #432 by James Hollis for 640 acres on the waters of White’s Creek.  It was granted on 18 August 1787 to Samuel Varner, “assignee of James Hollis one of the hunters to the Commissioners for laying off the lands to the Officers and soldiers of the Continental Line of this State… joining a preemption of James Hollis on the East, Beginning at a red Elm Tree 20p South of James Hollis South East corner…”  [North Carolina Patent Book 68, p132.]

This is just northwest of Nashville. It isn’t clear whether the James Hollis referred to is the son or the father.  It seems logical that the son would have been one of the hunters, but is this grant separate from the preemption grant to James Hollis Sr.?  The preemption of James Hollis (Senior) was assigned to Benjamin Drake.

8 July 1784
Juror: James Hollis a juror in case of Alexander Ewing vs. John Culberson for trespass. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p36.]

8 July 1784
Oaths Taken: Lieutenant Col. James Robertson, Capt. James Hollis and Capt. Julius Sanders took and subscribed the Test and likewise took the Oath prescribed by law Respective to those Military Offices.  [Davidson County Minute Book A, p38.]

---

A number of inconsequential court records are omitted below.  James Hollis was a frequent attendee at Davidson County court sessions, serving often as a case juror.

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1784
Deposition:  On 24 March 1821 Isaac Hollis deposed that in 1784 he lived in Tennessee below Nashville, and that in the fall of that year he started with his eldest brother on a hunting expedition… [Montgomery Vanderpool, Logan County, Kentucky Abstracts of Equity Cases, Vol 1, page 20.]

Who was his eldest brother?  Probably Joshua — he died by 1797 and this was unable to give testimony in this case.  

The case of Craddock et al vs. Russell’s Heirs was filed on 1 May 1813.  On 13 December 1785 Robert Craddock and three other  men had made an entry of 100 acres of land in what became Logan County, Kentucky, for which a Virginia grant was issued on 10 June 1788.   A few months earlier, William Russell had made an entry and surveyed 2,000 acres that included Craddock’s tract.  The suit was filed to resolve the conflicting ownership.  On 20 March 1821 the Commonwealth of Kentucky ordered the justices of Montgomery County, Tennessee to examine William Hooper, David McFadden, Daniel Oglesby, Isaac Hollis, John Mackey, David Gould and James Carr as witnesses for William Russell’s heirs. Note that Oglesby and Hooper were brothers-in-law of Isaac Hollis.

See the Hooper records for more on this case.

10 November 1784
NC Land Grant:  Sullivan County Grant #332, to James Hollis (Hollice), 420 acres of land in Sullivan County on the North fork of Horse Creek that lies Opposite to Beech Creek, Beginning near a small field at an Elm tree at the spurs of the Mountain then down the said Creek South 366p crossing said Creek twice to a White Oak Tree, East 182p crossing said Creek to a Sugar tree Sapling then North 366p to a pine tree then West 182p to the Beginning.  Warrant #484 dated 6 October 1778.  [North Carolina Patent Book 69, p188 and again in Book 15, p310.  Recorded in Sullivan County Deed Book 4, p753 on 20 August 1806.]

Note: The warrant was delivered to the surveyor 1 January 1779 and was surveyed on 8 November 1780 according to Tennessee records.

I don’t know exactly where this land was located, but Horse Creek meanders roughly northeastward to empty into the Holston River just below Kingsport in Sullivan County. Note the recording date more than 20 yeas later, apparently coincident with the subsequent sale of the tract.

5 April 1785
Suits: Joel Sterns vs. James Hollis and Joel Sterns vs. Ezekiel Smith…  (By Consent) Referred to the Decision of James Robertson & Isaac Linsey and that Anthony Bledsoe be the Umpire in case the others cannot agree… And the the Arbitrators award as follows, To Wit: That the costs acruing On the Several suit be Divided into three Equal parts and that the Plait. and each of the Defedt. pay one Third thereof.  [Davidson County Minute Book A, p64.]

17 June 1785
Land surveyed for James Hollis on Half Pone Creek. [See item at 7 March 1786.]

20 February 1786
Deed: James Hollis by his attorney John Adare (sic) especial appointed for that purpose… to Thomas Bragg of North Carolina, for £130, 420 acres in Sullivan County on the north fork of Horse Creek that lies opaset to Beach Creek… [same description as the Grant #332 above]…; Signed: “James Hollis by me his attorney Jno. Adare” [Sullivan C county Deed Book 4, p775-6.  Recorded 28 August 1806.]

7 March 1786
NC Land Grant: Davidson County Grant #185, to James Hollis, assignee of David Pew Heir of Arthur Pew, private in the Continental Line, 640 acres of land in Davidson County on a branch of Half Pone Creek Beginning at a black oak Josiah Ramsey and James Turners corner running with Turners line N46E 43 chains, to a black oak Turners corner, then with said Turners line East 62 chains and 50 links to [a] Dogwood, then South 59 chains and 90 links to a black oak Capt. Nehemiah Longs line, then West with said line 44 chains and 40 links to a black oak Longs corner, then with said Longs line South 26 chains to a Hickory, then West 49 chains to a stake Josiah Ramsey’s line, then with said line North to the Beginning.  [North Carolina Patent Book 63, p69.]

This is Hollis’s first acquisition in the part of Davidson County that became Montgomery County, and is now Cheatham County.

The grant is recorded in Davidson County Deed Book A, page 111 (indexed under “Hollin”) with the additional notes that it was “located July 22, 1782” and “surveyed for James Hollis the 17 day of June 1785.”

2 April 1787
Road Order: Ordered that James Hollis Jnr. Oversee the clearing out of the Road from the fork of Brushy Creek to the ford of Sycamore and that all the Inhabitants within Six miles of the sd. Road above the mouth of Brushy Creek work thereon and that James McFaddin Oversee the clearing out of the sd. Road from the fork of Brushy Creek to the End of the Road and all those of the Inhabitants Living wt. in Six Miles above the Mouth of Parsons Creek To Work thereon. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p158.]

5 April 1787
Tax List Assignments: Ordered that James Mulherin Esq. Take a List of all Taxable property in Capt. Overallls Militia Company… Molloy Thomas in Capt. Drakes Company & Capt. Hollis Company… [Davidson County Minute Book A, p168.]

There were a total of eleven militia companies.  The tax was one bushel of corn for every poll and one bushel of corn for every 900 acres of land, each bushel being valued at 5 shillings — or bacon, beef or cheese in lieu of corn at prevailing prices. The tax collector was allowed 5% as his fee.

1787
Davidson County Tax List:  … Hollis, James, John, Joshua, Samuel – 4 [polls]. [Prof. W. W. Clayton, History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with Illustrations and Biographical Sketches of Its Prominent Men and Pioneers,  ( J. W. Lewis & Co., Philadelphia, 1880, Reproduced by Higginson book Company, 1996)  page 58.]

Taxables were white males 21 and over (and blacks aged 12-60.) There were 372 whites and 105 slaves in total.  This was the first tax list of Davidson County.

Note that neither John Hollis nor Joshua Hollis received preemption grants, though Joshua at least was clearly old enough to have qualified.  That suggests that neither was in Davidson County as early as James and Samuel.  Nor did Isaac Hollis receive one.

18 August 1787
Land Grant: Robert Branks, assignee of Henry Hollis one of the Guard to the Commissioners for laying off the Lands allotted the officers and Soldiers of the Continental Line of this State… 320 acres in Davidson County on south side of Cumberland river and west side of Stones river… Warrant No. 508 entered 5 July 1784.  [North Carolina Land Patent Book 68, p126. Duplicated in Tennessee records.]

Who is Henry Hollis?

18 August 1787
Land Grant:  Samuel Varner, “assignee of James Hollis one of the hunters to the Commissioners for laying off the lands to the Officers and soldiers of the Continental Line of this State… joining a preemption of James Hollis on the East, Beginning at a red Elm Tree 20p South of James Hollis South East corner…”  [North Carolina Patent Book 68, p132.]

Is this James Hollis Senior or Junior?  Seems likely to be Junior but the assignor and preemptor are not differentiated in this record.  Check to see if a person could have both a right as a hunter and a preemption right.  

9 April 1788
Stock Mark:  James Hollis Senr. Records his Stock mark thus a Swallow fork in the Left Ear and a Slit in the Right. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p207.]

Apparently identical to the stock mark he recorded a few years earlier, but he is now referred to as “Senior”.  

8 July 1788
Deed: Samuel Vernor to Absolom Hooper, both of Davidson County, for £500, 340 acres on the north side of the Cumberland River 2½ miles from Heaton’s Old Station beginning at a red elm tree 20 poles south of James Hollis southeast corner, thence east 156 poles to an ash, thence north 341½ poles to a small ash tree, thence west 300 poles to three elms on James Hollis’s east boundary, then south 341½ poles to the beginning… land granted to said Vernor by State of North Carolina 8 October1787.  Acknowledged by Elizabeth Vernor and James Cooper, administrators of Samuel Vernor deceased… in consequence of a sale of the said lands made and obligation for a conveyance thereof given by the said Vernor in his lifetime…  Recorded 30 July 1788 [Davidson County Deed Book A, page 244]

This is the western portion of Vernor’s grant.  It bordered Vernor to the east and James Hollis to the west.  Vernor was assignee of James Hollis, who would later sell land in Montgomery County to Vernor’s widow.  Daniel Oglesby and William Hooper would marry daughters of James Hollis.

7 October 1788
Road to be laid off – On motion Ordered That a Road be laid out from Jas. Hollis Senr. to Frederick Stumps Mill and that John Jones, John Barrow, James Hollis Jnr.(sic), Isaac Hollis, James Hollis Junr.,Amon Pyburn, Sam’l Loggins, James Mills, John & Patrick Ryeles, Benjamin Rogers & Josiah Ramsey being first sworn for the purposes view mark and Lay off the Same and that Col. Danl. Smith Surveyor of this County attend to the laying off off (sic) the Same. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p247.]

I suspect that the first James Hollis in this record was intended to be “Senior” rather than “Junior”.  The handwritten court record renders the two descriptors differently as “Jnr” and “Junr” the first of which may be a copying error on the part of the clerk.

1 March 1789
Marriage Bond:  William Hooper & Absolom Hooper bond for marriage of William Hooper and Sarah Hollis. [Davisdon County Loose Marriage Bonds]. Marriage License dated 4 March 1789: Wm. Hooper to Sarah Hollis. No return noted. [Davidson County Loose Marriage Bonds and Marriage Book 1, page 3.]

This is the second-earliest marriage license recorded in Davidson County.  There are no marriage records prior to 1789.

James Hollis had apparently moved about a year earlier to a home and mill on half pone creek near the present village of Thomasville in what is now western Cheatham County. He signed a petition to establish a new county west of Davidson in 1788 and in late 1788 the Davidson County court ordered a road to be built from James Hollis’s mill to Frederick Stump’s mill.  Whether Sarah Hollis moved with her family or remained near the Hoopers isn’t clear, but William Hooper would eventually move nearer her family.

8 April 1789
Bond: James Hollis Jnr. and Wm. Loggins acknowledge Themselves Securities for Elizabeth Vernor as administratrix of Sam’l. Vernor Deceased in the Room and Stead of Joseph Marlin and John Jones the former Security acknowledged. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p280.]

16 May 1789
Deed: James Hollis by his attorney John Adair, “especially for this purpose”, to William Evans, for £300, 216 acres on Holston River including the Mill plantation where the sd. Evans lives, Beginning at a white oak at the upper end of an Island, thence down sd. Island N60W 74p to a Price pine, the down sd. Island across N60W 68p to a poplar on the bank of the River, then down sd. River N55W 42p to a Beech tree…  Signed: James Hollis by his attorney John Adair. Witness: Joseph Moor, Sam’l (hi mark) Moor. Proved by the oath of Joseph Moore at June court 1789.  [Sullivan County Deed Book 2, p440.]

This is part of the 450-acre grant issued on 13 October 1783. Whether the mill was constructed by Hollis or by Evans is not clear from this record..

1 June 1789
Land Entry:  William Crawford, assignee of Wm. Hollis, 640 acres in Tennessee. County on Red River beginning at a maple and elm at the mouth of Sturgeon Creek… Granted on 17 November 1790. [North Carolina Patent Book 76. p186.]

This tract is located in northwestern Robertson County, about four miles south of the Kentucky line. This is the only mention I’ve found to William Hollis – how do we know he was a son of James Hollis? Why do we think that James Hollis Jr. was granted a patent in lieu of WIlliam Hollis? 

1 July 1789
Deed: James Hollis, no residence stated, to Ann Choate of the County of Tennessee, for £100, 200 acres on the north side of Cumberland River in Tennessee County about eight miles from said river on the waters of half poan (sic) creek being part of a 640 acre survey and military claim where the said James Hollis has formerly lived, the said 200 acres lying on the west side of said military claim and bounded as follows: beginning at a black (sic) corner to to said survey thence N45E 112 poles to a large black oak thence east 20 poles to a black oak and dogwood thence S13E 132 poles to a large oak and dogwood, thence S80W 80 poles to a hickory and red oak thence south so far as to include the quantity thence west until it intersects said Hollis’s west boundary thence north with said boundary to the beginning. No witnesses. Acknowledged in court by James Hollis 20 July 1789.  [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 16.]. 

Note that he had been security for Ann Choate’s administration of the estate of her husband Thomas Choate back in Washington County.  Her daughter Sarah Choate married James Hollis Jr. in 1794.

7 July 1789
Joshua Hollis a juror in the case of Rice & Adams, administrators of Jas. Moore deceased,  vs. David Hay & James Bosley for debt. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p299.]

5 October 1789
Guardian Appointed: Samuel Hollis appointed Guardian to an Orphan Boy named James Vernor gave bond of One thousand pound wt. Lewis Reeland & Wm. Loggins his Securities. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p319.]

James Vernor must have inherited his father’s property.  His brothers, evidently having no estate necessitating a guardian, were bound out as apprentices.

8 January 1790
Anthony Crutcher of Davidson County to James Hollis Senr. of Tennessee County, for £80, 390 acres part of a 640 acres grant No. 579 dated 15 September 1787 running as follows to include his mill and improvements beginning at a white oak Daniel Oglesby’s corner running south 160 poles to a black oak thence S24E crossing Sycamor (sic) twice 120 poles to a large beech, SxxE crossing said creek 100 poles to a poplar thence east 64 poles to a small island in said creek thence east with said (sic) 108 poles to a honey locust on said creek thence 4 degrees West (sic) 276 poles to red oak thence to the beginning… Signed A. Crutcher.  Witness: ___ Galesp, Geo Suggs.  [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 12.]

Sycamore Creek rises in southern Robertson County and runs through modern Cheatham County to the Cumberland River.  

20 April 1790
Deed: James Hollis of Tennessee County to Elizabeth Vernor for £50, 100 acres of land lying on Sycamore Creek being part of a tract of 390 acres granted by Anthony Crutcher to the said James Hollis Sen’r… and runs as follows to improve (sic) James Coopers improvements…. Signed: James Hollis Sen’r.  No witnesses.  Acknowledged by James Hollis Sen’r in court July term 1790.  [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 53.]

17 November 1790
Land Grant: William Crawford, assignee of William Hollis, 640 acres in Tennessee County on Red river… Warrant No. 375, entered 1 June 1789. [North Carolina Land Patent Book 76, p186.]

23 February 1791
Deed: James Hollis to James Choat, both of Tennessee County, for £200, 300 acres on the north side of Cumberland River about eight mile from said river and on the waters of half pone creek being part of a 640 acre survey and military claim including the plantation whereon sd, Hollis formerly lived… North 15 chains to a black oak and dogwood Ann Choats corner, thence with her line N30W 33 chains to the beginning, her corner on the line of the old survey said tract being granted to said James Hollis by the state of N. Carolina grant bearing date the 17th day of March 1786 and Number 185…. Signed: James Hollis. No witnesses noted. Acknowledged April Term 1791. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 59.]

1 March 1791
Deed: James Hollis to Stephen Hopton, both of Tennessee County, for £100 140 acres on the north side of Cumberland River about eight miles from said river on the waters of half pone creek it being a part of a 640 acre survey whereon said Hollis did formerly live and including Old Hollis ‘s improvement… beginning at a black oak and dogwood thence south 15 chains to a white oak and dogwood thence west ten chains to a dogwood and sassafras thence with said line west 29 chains 50 links to a stake thence with the other line North 27 chains 40 links to a stake Ann Choats corner thence with his (sic) line East 36 chains….  Signed: James Hollis. No witnesses noted. Acknowledged in court July Term 1791. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 62.]

These last two deeds dispose of the remainder of James Hollis Sr.’s 640-acre grant on Half Pone Creek. Stephen Hopton would later sell this tract in 1802 to Absalom Hooper of Davidson County.

11 April 1791
Deed: Robert Nelson to Samuel Hollis, both of Tennessee County, for £150, lying on the north side of Sycamore Creek including the improvement where said Hollis now lives beginning at a black oak (post?) & dogwood east of said Hollis’s tract that leads toward Sycamore running west 418 poles to a gum and black oak on Norris’s old tract….  640 acres. Signed Robert Nelson. Witness: Moses [Reby?], James Hollis.  Acknowledged at July Court 1791. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 69.].

13 April 1791
Juror: Samuel Hollis a juror in the case of John Ring vs. Jesse Reed, for debt. [Davidson County Minute Book A, p417.]

15 October 1791
Deed: James Hollis Sen’r to John Crocker, both of Tennessee County, for £60, 227 acres on Sycamore Creek being part of a 640-acre grant No 579 dated 15 September 1789 and run as follows to include mill and improvement, beginning at a white oak Daniel Oglesby’s corner runs South 160 poles to a black oak then S24E 58 poles to the creek, thence N65E 124 poles to Verners corner a poplar near Coopers improvement, thence S78E with sd. Verner’s line 188 poles to a stake thence N4W 204 poles to a red oak thence to the beginning.  Signed: James Hollis Sen’r.  Witness: Samuel Crocket. Proved by Crocket at October Court 1791. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 91.]

James Hollis Sr. has now sold 327 of the 390 acre purchase from Crutcher on Sycamore Creek. Unless there is an anomaly in surveyor’s acreage, he now owns only about 63 acres.

8 July 1793
Deed: Benjamin Drake Junior of Davidson County to James Hollis of Tennessee County, for £100, 640 acres in Tennessee County on the north side of Cumberland River on the head of the north fork of McAdoos Creek beginning south of a sugar tree on sd. fork marked D at a forked dogwood and runs thence North 70 chains 40 links to a stake thence East 91 chains to a large black oak thence South 70 chains 40 links to a white oak thence west 91 chains to the beginning which land was granted to the sd. Benjamin Drake as assignee of Shadrach Cobb by the State fo North Carolina by patent bearing date Nov’r 14th 1789 No. 1072…. Signed: Benjamin Drake. Proven by the oath of David Baily a subscribing witness at January Term 1794 (at Mero District court.). [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 294.]

This is James Hollis Junior according to the 1806 deed below.  He sold half this land to his brother Isaac Hollis, who then sold half of his half tract to William Hooper.  In 1806 James Hollis would sell a 7-acre parcel of it to William Hooper.

1794
Death of James Hollis:  A gravestone in the Mount Carmel Methodist Church cemetery in Montgomery County reads” “James Hollis Capt NC line Rev. War. 1727 – 1794″.

This is a modern stone, I have no idea where the dates were sourced. Is there a modern descendant who has records supporting the birth and death dates?

I haven’t found any record that he served in the North Carolina Continental Line in any capacity.  I suspect this is an error.  There were two other men named James Hollis who did serve in the NC Continental Line — one was pensioned in South Carolina and the other lived in Tyrell County in the 1780s, collected his pay in 1791 in Tyrell County. 

22 September 1794
Marriage Bond: Samuel Hollis to Nancy Strother, securities Richard Strother and Edward Douglas. [Tennessee County Marriage Bonds.]

27 October 1794
Deed: James Hollis to Isaac Hollis, both of Tennessee County, for £50, 320 acres on the head of the North fork of McAdoes Creek beginning at a forked dogwood South of sugartree thence running East 45 chains and 50 links to a stake, thence 70 chains 40 links to the beginning being the one half of a grant No. 1072 granted to Benjamin Drake Jun’r… Signed: James Hollis. Witness: A’y. Crutcher, Jno. Harris. Recorded October Term 1794. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 371.]

A few months later Isaac Hollis sells half this tract to his brother-in-law William Hooper.

1795
Lieut. James Hollis, returns of provisions [Index to Tennessee Historical Society Manuscripts, The American Historical Magazine , Vol. 6, No. 4 (October, 1901), p329.]

27 July 1795
Deed: Isaac Hollis of Tennessee County to William Hooper of Davidson County, for £100 all that tract of land lying and being in the County of Tennessee and Territory aforesaid on the waters of McAdo (sic) Creek the head of the north fork , beginning at a stake, thence running South 35 chains & 20 links to a stake, thence running West 45 chains and 50 links to a forked dogwood thence running North 35 chains and 20 links to a red oak on the creek, thence up the creek as it meanders to a big spring including half the water, thence East to the beginning being the one fourth of a grant No. 1072 granted to Benjamin Drake Junior… Signed: Isaac Hollis. Witness Thomas Johnson, A Crutcher. Recorded at July Court 1794. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 394.]

The acreage is not specified, other than being one-fourth of 640 acres, was apparently surveyed as 163 acres.  Hooper was later taxed on 163 acres, Isaac Hollis on 157 acres.

This land appears to be located in the vicinity of where Highway 112 crosses Half Pone Creek.

26 March 1796
Deed: John Gray Blount of Beaufort County, North Carolina, to James Brinson for £100, 320 acres on Duck River in Davidson County. Beginning at a stake the fourth corner of John Allen’s grant & runs north 213p to Truetts line then East 240p to Hollis’s line then with his line North 213p to the line of the grant then with the same to the beginning… part of a grant to John Allen and was conveyed by the sd. John Allen to John Gray Blount… Signed: J. G. Blount. Witness: S. N. Dunn & James Hollis.  “State of North Carolina Craven County Court June Term 1796. Then was the within proved in open court by the oath of James Hollis one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and ordered to be registered.” [Davidson County Deed Book D, p152.]

See the next two items — this is apparently an unrelated James Hollis who formerly lived in Craven County North Carolina, where there was a large Hollis family, James Hollis purchased his first tract there in 1765.  I don’t know if he was the same person who was in nearby Tyrell County in 1791 when gave a power of attorney to collect his pay as a soldier in the NC Continental line.

26 March 1796
Deed: John Gray Blount of Beaufort County, North Carolina, to James Hollis for £100, 320 acres on Duck River in Davidson County. Beginning at a dogwood the third corner of John Allen’s grant and runs South 213p to Truett’s line then with his line west 240p then North 213p to the line of the grant then to the beginning… part of a grant to John Allen and was conveyed by the sd. John Allen to John Gray Blount. Signed: J. G. Blount. Witness: S. N. Dunn & James Brinson. “State of North Carolina Craven County Court June Term 1796. Then was the within proved in open court by the oath of James Brinson a subscribing witness thereto and ordered to be registered.” [Davidson County Deed Book D, p152. Also recorded in Craven County Deed Book 32, p580.]

This deed was recorded in both Davidson and Craven counties. The grant to John Allen [Land Patent Book 82, p69) was for a whopping 2,560 acres in what became Hickman County. James Hollis sold 200 acres of this tract in 1814 as a resident of Sumner County.  

26 March 1796
Deed: “I James Hollis of the County of Craven and State of North Carolina” to John Gray Blount, for £100, two certain pieces or parcels of land in Craven County on the north side of Neuse River and west side of Goose Creek (acreage not given)… the other tract on the west side of Broad Creek… 84 acres.  Signed: James Hollis. Witness: S. N. Dunn & Wm. Davis.  Not recorded until after Blount’s death in 1835 when a witness testified as to the handwriting of William David, deceased. [Craven County Deed Book 51, p353.]

These three deeds apparently refer to another James Hollis in Davidson County, formerly of Craven County in eastern North Carolina. The first tract conveyed in Carven County was 200 acres which he had recently bought from Daniel Brinson [Deed Book 32, p589.]

James Hollis sold this tract in 1814 as a resident of Sumner County. See Hickman County Deed Book A, p169. The witnesses included James M. Hollis and Jesse Hollis.  James Hollis appears to be the progenitor of the Hollis families of Sumner County.

22 April 1796
Deed: Isaac Hollis of Tennessee County to William Hooper of Davidson County – the same deed as 27 July 1795 – recorded twice. [Montgomery County Deed Book A, page 464.]

29 September 1797
James Hollis commissioned Captain of Militia. [The Montgomery County (Tenn,) Genealogical Journal, Vol. VII, No. 4 (June 1978), page 92.]

31 October 1797
Deed: Thomas James to Susannah & Sally Hollis, heirs to Joshua Hollis des’d, all of Davidson County, for $100, 49 acres lying on the north side Cumberland River. Beginning at a sugar tree on the bluff of sd. River Joseph Browns corner add runs north with sd. Browns line N87W 3 chains 29 looks to Rock marked I B above a small spring then S53W 4 chains to an elm thence north with Browns line N88W 24 chains 70 links to a cedar thence N 50 links to Robert Weakley’s corner and with his line in all 15 chains 30 links to a pile of rocks in the cedars thens E 32 chains 80 links to the sd. River thence down the meanders of the sd. River to the Beginning…Signed: Thomas James and acknowledged by him in court April 1798. No witnesses noted. [Davidson County Deed Book D, p427.]

April 1788
Inventory: Chattel estate of Joshua Hollis relived by administrators John McGaugh & Mary Downey, administrators. Three cows and two calves, one two year old steer, two feather beds & furniture, two pewter dishes… [Davidson County Will Book , p110.]

1798 Tax List – Montgomery County
James Holises Company:
Hollis, James – 157 by Isaac Hollis, 1 white poll, 1 black poll
Hooper, William – 263, 1 white poll
Hollis, James – 320 acres on McAdoo, 1 white poll
[Ansearchin’ News, Vol XI, No. 2 (April 1964), page 67.]

1 April 1799
Estate Sale: Joshua Hollis estate, returned October court 1799. Sales totaled $52.24, all to John McGaugh.

1799 Tax List – Montgomery County
James Hollis’s Company:
James Hollis – 320 (acres) head of McAdoo Creek – 1 white poll
Wm. Hooper – 263  waters of the dry fork – 1 white poll, 1 black poll
Isaac Hollis – 157 in the name of his son James Hollis – 1 white pol

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My intention was to stop at this point but a few later records already collected for other purposes are included below.

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24 June 1806
Road Order: Ordered that a road be viewed and marked out from Captain James Blackwells on the Robertson and Montgomery line leading so as to intersect the road from Clarksville to Edmonstons at or near Wene(?) Millers old place and that James Hollis, Isaac Hollis, William Hooper, Col. John Edmonston, John Lamaster, and Israel Robertson be and are appointed a jury to view and mark the  same… Ordered that James Hollis be appointed overseer of the above named road… [Montgomery County Minute Book 1, page 73.]

24 June 1806
Jurors to September Term 1806: Isaac Hollis, Ephraim Drake, William Hooper…  [Montgomery County Minute Book 1, page 76.]

26 October 1806
Deed: James Hollis to William Hooper, both of Montgomery County, for $10, 7 acres on the waters of McAdoo Creek beginning at a hickory on Hooper’s line running North to an elm in the conditional line between James Hollis and William Hooper thence up the branch as it meanders to an elm, then along the conditional line South Westward to a stake in the East and the West line of the original survey, thence west to the beginning… it being part of a tract of 640 acres granted by the State of North Carolina in the year 1789 to Benjamin Drake and by him conveyed to the said James Hollis…. Signed: James Hollis. Witness: Willie Blount, W. G. Blount.  Proved by the two witnesses at January Term 1807. [Montgomery County Deed Book D, page 92.]

16 January 1809
Deed: Willie Blount to William Hooper, both of Montgomery County, for $350, 157 acres on the headwaters of the North Fork of McAdoo Creek, beginning at a spring in the line between William Hooper and Isaac Hollis which spring is within a few yard of said Hollis’s house which line between said Hooper and Hollis divides the water of the said spring between them as originally agreed on between said Hooper and Hollis and now the line between said Blount and Hooper and runs one out East to a walnut thence four outs and 9 chains to a hickory and black oak thence North three outs and 7 chains…    being part of an original survey of 640 acres granted by the State of North Carolina to Benjamin Drake No 1072… Signed: Willie Blount. Witness: David R. Slatter(?), John Lemaster.  Proved by witnesses January Term 1811.  [Montgomery County Deed Book I, page 300.]

This is Isaac Hollis’s quarter of the original tract, giving William Hooper the 320 acres that James Hollis had sold to his brother Isaac Hollis, plus the 7 acres from James Hollis’s half.  William Hooper will keep this 327-acre parcel until his death.

Need to look at records from other counties (Robertson) and state records.

More Davidson records