The physical geography of North Carolina is thus the easternmost part of the state is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, this area is characterized by sandy soil and tidal waters. As a child I also learned the term "tidewater" - I am not certain if this is the same as coastal plain or if is is an extention of the land around waters of the coastal plain until they reach the fall line. The central part of the state is the Piedmont. It has generally more fertil soil and is easily managed land, this area continues to the foot of the mountains mountains. There may also be rolling hills in the piedmont area. The mountains in North Carolina are the Blue Ridge, Appalacian, and Great Smoky Mountains. (pretty much in that order from east to west. North Carolina is a very wide state, something like 500 miles from the easternmost point to the western boundry, but the mountains are far into the western part of the state. Rowan County is in central North Carolina (although I always think of it as western North Carolina). People in North Carolina consider Western North Carolina to be West of the Catawba River and in the Mountains. When Rowan County was settled in the 1750s. Travel through the mountains was difficult. However there was some travel through the mountains, by trappers and traders, and by people moving down through the valley of Virginia from Maryland and Pennsylvania. There is a definite shadow of these immigration patterns (for example - in the number of old Lutheran Churches in the valley of Virginia). The history and record books of the early settlement of the middle colonies records little about these settlers, but I think that it was a situation of the English keeping the records, and the Germans and Scots-Irish staying "under the radar". I don't know if this ranting of mine has anything to do with your question, but anyway I had to stick my two cents worth in. Ginny Atwell From: "Sylvia (Susie) Heiney" <aj4ever@olemac.net> To: <NCROWAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:27 AM Subject: Re: [NCRowan] Reece & Brandon Is Rowan County, N.C. in the Ozarks and Piedmont areas? Just what are those areas and why are they named so? I have heard of the Piedmont area, but don't understand what it means. Mrs. S. Heiney, aj4ever@olemac.net PS, my ancestors name was John Adams,

Thank you, Ginny! That was wonderful! It makes the migration patterns of my family much easier to understand & how they seemed to flow back and forth between the two states, but always seeming to stay in the Piedmont region. Jerry Johnston ----- Original Message ----- From: <GinnyAtwell@aol.com> To: <NCROWAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 11:46 PM Subject: [NCRowan] Ozarks and Piedmont > The physical geography of North Carolina is thus > > the easternmost part of the state is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, this > area is characterized by sandy soil and tidal waters. As a child I also > learned the term "tidewater" - I am not certain if this is the same as > coastal plain or if is is an extention of the land around waters of the > coastal plain until they reach the fall line. > > The central part of the state is the Piedmont. It has generally more fertil > soil and is easily managed land, this area continues to the foot of the > mountains mountains. There may also be rolling hills in the piedmont area. > > The mountains in North Carolina are the Blue Ridge, Appalacian, and Great > Smoky Mountains. (pretty much in that order from east to west. > > North Carolina is a very wide state, something like 500 miles from the > easternmost point to the western boundry, but the mountains are far into the > western part of the state. > > Rowan County is in central North Carolina (although I always think of it as > western North Carolina). People in North Carolina consider Western North > Carolina to be West of the Catawba River and in the Mountains. > > When Rowan County was settled in the 1750s. Travel through the mountains was > difficult. However there was some travel through the mountains, by trappers > and traders, and by people moving down through the valley of Virginia from > Maryland and Pennsylvania. > > There is a definite shadow of these immigration patterns (for example - in > the number of old Lutheran Churches in the valley of Virginia). The history > and record books of the early settlement of the middle colonies records > little about these settlers, but I think that it was a situation of the > English keeping the records, and the Germans and Scots-Irish staying "under > the radar". > > I don't know if this ranting of mine has anything to do with your question, > but anyway I had to stick my two cents worth in. > > Ginny Atwell > > > From: "Sylvia (Susie) Heiney" <aj4ever@olemac.net> > To: <NCROWAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:27 AM > Subject: Re: [NCRowan] Reece & Brandon > > Is Rowan County, N.C. in the Ozarks and Piedmont areas? Just what are > those areas and why are they named so? I have heard of the Piedmont area, > but don't understand what it means. > Mrs. S. Heiney, aj4ever@olemac.net PS, my ancestors name was John Adams, > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237 > >

This is an excellent report. Thank you for taking the time to post it. Can you tell us where the Valley of Virginia is ? I had ancestors who migrated from Sussex, New Kent, Fluvanna and Fauquier counties in VA and I've been curious about their route(s). Thanks again.....~malinda The physical geography of North Carolina is thus the easternmost part of the state is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain,this area is characterized by sandy soil and tidal waters. As a child I also learned the term "tidewater" - I am not certain if this is the same as coastal plain or if is is an extention of the land around waters of the coastal plain until they reach the fall line. The central part of the state is the Piedmont. It has generally more fertile soil and is easily managed land, this area continues to the foot of the mountains mountains. There may also be rolling hills in the piedmont area. The mountains in North Carolina are the Blue Ridge, Appalacian, and Great Smoky Mountains. (pretty much in that order from east to west. North Carolina is a very wide state, something like 500 miles from the easternmost point to the western boundry, but the mountains are far into the western part of the state. Rowan County is in central North Carolina (although I always think of it as western North Carolina). People in North Carolina consider Western North Carolina to be West of the Catawba River and in the Mountains. When Rowan County was settled in the 1750s. Travel through the mountains was difficult. However there was some travel through the mountains, by trappers and traders, and by people moving down through the valley of Virginia from Maryland and Pennsylvania. There is a definite shadow of these immigration patterns (for example - in the number of old Lutheran Churches in the valley of Virginia). The history and record books of the early settlement of the middle colonies records little about these settlers, but I think that it was a situation of the English keeping the records, and the Germans and Scots-Irish staying "under the radar". Ginny Atwell <snip>

Hi, Ginny: My goodness, how very interesting. Thanks so much for explaining all that about North Carolina and its regions, and I thoroughly enjoyed your "two cents". If you have "four cents", sometime, I would love to listen. Actually, I am looking for a man's parents. His name is John Adams, Sr., and he lived in Rowan County, N.C. during abt. 1720 to 1764, or so, and that county was in such a different area of N.C. than it is today. I think he lived on the Yadkin, and maybe not too far from Squire Boone and his wife (Daniel's parents). I would love to find a map of North Carolina that showed that part of the Yadkin, or all of it. I can't find one on the Internet yet. Know where I might find one? I have no idea exactly where the Yadkin River runs, although I believe John Adams, Sr. was suppose to live close to where N.C. borders on Virginia, but I'm not positive. Thanks again, Mrs. Sylvia Heiney, aj4ever@olemac.net ----- Original Message ----- From: <GinnyAtwell@aol.com> To: <NCROWAN-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, December 21, 2002 12:46 AM Subject: [NCRowan] Ozarks and Piedmont > The physical geography of North Carolina is thus > > the easternmost part of the state is part of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, this > area is characterized by sandy soil and tidal waters. As a child I also > learned the term "tidewater" - I am not certain if this is the same as > coastal plain or if is is an extention of the land around waters of the > coastal plain until they reach the fall line. > > The central part of the state is the Piedmont. It has generally more fertil > soil and is easily managed land, this area continues to the foot of the > mountains mountains. There may also be rolling hills in the piedmont area. > > The mountains in North Carolina are the Blue Ridge, Appalacian, and Great > Smoky Mountains. (pretty much in that order from east to west. > > North Carolina is a very wide state, something like 500 miles from the > easternmost point to the western boundry, but the mountains are far into the > western part of the state. > > Rowan County is in central North Carolina (although I always think of it as > western North Carolina). People in North Carolina consider Western North > Carolina to be West of the Catawba River and in the Mountains. > > When Rowan County was settled in the 1750s. Travel through the mountains was > difficult. However there was some travel through the mountains, by trappers > and traders, and by people moving down through the valley of Virginia from > Maryland and Pennsylvania. > > There is a definite shadow of these immigration patterns (for example - in > the number of old Lutheran Churches in the valley of Virginia). The history > and record books of the early settlement of the middle colonies records > little about these settlers, but I think that it was a situation of the > English keeping the records, and the Germans and Scots-Irish staying "under > the radar". > > I don't know if this ranting of mine has anything to do with your question, > but anyway I had to stick my two cents worth in. > > Ginny Atwell > > > From: "Sylvia (Susie) Heiney" <aj4ever@olemac.net> > To: <NCROWAN-L@rootsweb.com> > Sent: Friday, December 20, 2002 8:27 AM > Subject: Re: [NCRowan] Reece & Brandon > > Is Rowan County, N.C. in the Ozarks and Piedmont areas? Just what are > those areas and why are they named so? I have heard of the Piedmont area, > but don't understand what it means. > Mrs. S. Heiney, aj4ever@olemac.net PS, my ancestors name was John Adams, > > > ============================== > To join Ancestry.com and access our 1.2 billion online genealogy records, go to: > http://www.ancestry.com/rd/redir.asp?targetid=571&sourceid=1237

>Hi, Ginny: My goodness, how very interesting. Thanks so much for >explaining all that about North Carolina and its regions, and I thoroughly >enjoyed your "two cents". If you have "four cents", sometime, I would >love to listen. Actually, I am looking for a man's parents. His name >is John Adams, Sr., and he lived in Rowan County, N.C. during abt. 1720 to >1764, or so, and that county was in such a different area of N.C. than it is >today. Ginny already gave an excellent answer to this question too, but I'll add just a little more. Rowan County was much bigger then, but present-day Rowan county was part of it. Take a look at http://www.rootsweb.com/~nccatawb/countyfm.htm and follow the changes from the 1760 map to the 1840 one. I doubt very much your family was there as early as 1720, however. This whole area didn't begin to be settled until about 1750. > I think he lived on the Yadkin, and maybe not too far from Squire >Boone and his wife (Daniel's parents). I would love to find a map of >North Carolina that showed that part of the Yadkin, or all of it. I can't >find one on the Internet yet. Know where I might find one? I have no >idea exactly where the Yadkin River runs, although I believe John Adams, Sr. >was suppose to live close to where N.C. borders on Virginia, but I'm not >positive. Squire Boone settled on Bear Creek near what is now Mocksville, in Davie County. The Yadkin starts in northwestern NC - look for Wilkesboro on a modern map - and then flows eastward through Yadkin County, which is west of Winston-Salem, then southward, dividing Davie and Davidson Counties and then along the edge of Rowan County. Mocksville and Salisbury are west of the Yadkin, Lexington is to the east. -- Elizabeth Harris ncgen@mindspring.com NCGenWeb project: http://www.rootsweb.com/~ncgenweb/ Winston-Salem NC area genealogy: http://www.fmoran.com/