Most likely your line of thought is in the right direction. The probable cause was, free land. Most land grants were for a small number of acre's. However: people like Henry Rhoades and others who had fought in the Revolutionary War that were promoted to Officers from Lt. to General were granted several hundred acres of land, depending on their rank. Henry was a Capt. and his grant is said to have been about 1600 acres. At that time Muhlenberg County had not yet been established What is your comment on this subject?