Jim Hecht wrote, Another reason for migration after the Revolution was that the Continental Army paid off their soldiers with land vouchers rather than cash--certificates which could be redeemed for a specified amount of public land (number of acres varied with the rank of the veteran), and these public lands were typically located west of the Appalachians in TN and KY. After receiving a certificate, veterans could either sell the certificate or move to western lands and settle there. Many sold out, which is how the Watauga company, headed by the Henderson family in Granville County, wound up owning a huge tract in KY, enough that they sent a young explorer, Daniel Boone, to survey and prepare the land for settlers. Comment: Jim is quite right. However, I am going to correct some of his comments. Virginia also granted land in Ohio and Indiana, according to Lloyd D. Bockstruck's book, info below. North Carolina awarded land in Tennessee, or tried to. This subject of *bounty land* for Revolutionary soldiers (and presumably sailors, et al) is covered in the 21 page or so Introduction of Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck's wonderful book entitled Revolutionary War Bound Land Grants Awarded by State Governments (Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1996). He breaks down each of the colonies (I think) and explains their policies for awarding land to participants in the American Revolution. This book is well worthwhile trying to find in your genealogical library. If possible, try to interlibrary loan it, especially if you have Revolutionary War ancestors. About the Watauga Company I cannot speak with any authority. However, I do believe it and Boonesborough (in present-day Madison Co., Kentucky) are covered in a long-ago book published by the Filson Club [now called Filson Historical Society] by an author named George W. Ranck about Boonesborough. Boonesborough was being established before the American Revolution broke out. In fact, one of my direct ancestors of Granville Co., NC wrote his will in December 1775 as he lay dying. He was a first cousin of Colonel Richard Henderson, and his older brother was Henderson's agent. All the partners were from North Carolina, but many with Virginia roots. (No Harrises that I recall!) Henderson's plans to set up Transylvania Colony (13th colony, some say a kingdom or a proprietary) were interrupted by the outbreak of the Revolution in Massachusetts. There were many court fights about this land speculation by Henderson. I believe the upshot was something like this. Virginia awarded so many acres in what is now Kentucky, principally Henderson Co., KY and the counties formed from Henderson Co. North Carolina awarded part of Tennessee to Henderson. Henderson is credited with establishing Nashville which he called Nashborough, if memory serves. Do a google.com search for Transylvania Colony. There is a short paragraph on Encarta, and probably more which I did not bother with. In a series of books called Calendar of Virginia state papers and other manuscripts (also at University libraries, but some volumes filmed by the Family History Center in Salt Lake City) are some court records of the hearings about awarding Henderson the land which Virginia had claimed. Some interesting depositions by people who participated in Henderson's scheme(s). There is an old paperback book about some of the earliest days in Kentucky by the white man, still being published I believe. It is called The Frontiersmen by Allan W. Eckert, and much of it is based on the Draper Manuscripts, held by the Historical Society of Wisconsin. The Eckert book is still for sale on Amazon and also on e-bay. The North Carolina State Papers and the North Carolina Colonial Papers (large volumes, generally in University libraries) have some of Henderson's correspondence replicated. Most interesting. I beleive these have been microfiched by the FHL in Salt Lake City. E.W.Wallace