It is said there was a man and I think his name was John Dockery was one of the first ones to settle in the area where Dockery is, by that I mean the church and the store. He had a pottery business and apparently he found a better source of clay down around North Wilkesboro and he moved. I think his entire family went with him. That is the story I have always heard. There were many other families living around the area but in that spot there were none. Because of the road and the post office that area became known for him. Apparently during that time potteries were around that area. there was also I think a Ballard pottery place there too not far away.