Thursday, January 12, 2012

West Fork of Flat Creek Found?

Field Stone marking Boston Grave's burial site on Little Flat Creek

I've been continuing to trace the land of Hugh Forgey's neighbors in order to find the location of  his Flat Creek property.  It seems like Little Flat Creek was not identified as such until the mid nineteenth century; which leaves me with the question was the West Fork later identified as Little Flat Creek? Early deeds never seem to refer to it. I've found a number of transcriptions for Flat Creek deeds on the internet. Flat Creek, and the West Fork of Flat Creek were common names used on deeds for the area. 
John Beaird  (brother-in-law of Hugh) owned 400 acres at the Headwaters of the West Fork of Flat Creek. I figured if I could find his land I would then answer my question. I had searched for Boston Graves earlier (knowing he was a neighbor of Hugh). I had found out that John Beaird had sold land to Boston and his son. Boston was said to have lived on Little Flat Creek according to a descendant. I wasn't sure if that Little Flat Creek land was previously owned by John Beaird? I did find references to the sale of this property by John Beaird to Levi Hinds as follows:


Levi Hinds sold the Beaird property to Boston. This still didn't connect Little Flat Creek and the West Fork. I later found this about Boston's burial which does make the connection:

I was able to establish the connection using all of these facts and going to Find-a-Grave and looking for Boston's burial place. Luckily he was listed there, and the address of the Graves Cemetery was given. I looked it up at google maps and found out it was located on Little Flat Creek. I now have some evidence that the West Fork of  Flat Creek and Little Flat Creek are the same. Along with previous statements by family researchers, everything is pointing to  Hugh Forgey's property being located on Little Flat Creek.
I found Hugh Forgey mentioned on other West Fork deeds. Some of the men sharing property lines were: William Beaird (John's brother?), Absalom Hankins, and a Reynolds no first name ( may be his cousin John?) Mynatt's and Gibbs also lived close. Hopefully, I will be able to find the exact location of the property eventually!
Boston Graves Burial site location at A pinpoint located on Jim Wolfe Road


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