Author: Prof. John A. Cagle
Publication: Greenville, Texas
This book is a compilation of years of work on part of the
author in gathering information on the Pirkle family from the
American Revolution, including the many branches of this
family up to 1933.
Page 112
Pirkle, John Rockingham, Co., NC
-- Dibbs
John Pirkle, born 1725, died 1811, came to North America from
Europe - Holland, now called Netherlands -- before the war of the
Revolution.
State Records, Raleigh North Carolina, File 543 -- Guilford County
shows that on April 5, 1780, four hundred and twenty acres of land
were surveyed for John Pirkle, and file 2 -- Rockingham Co., shows
that on Oct. 24, 1787, two hundred acres were surveyed for John
Pirkle. The two tracts of land joined.
In 1770 Guilford County, NC was formed from Orange and
Rowan Counties and in 1885 Rockingham County was formed from
Guilford County.
These two tracts of land are near Wentworth, ROckingham, NC.
The Revolutionary Army Accounts, VOl. IX, Page 4-5 in Raliegh
North Carolina show that John Pirkle Sr. Received pay for his
service in the Revolution. John Pirkle Jr. who lived in an adjoining
county to Rockingham, but across the state line, Henry County,
Virginia, served in the War of the Revolution in the 8th Virginia
Regiment, while Jacob Pirkle served in Captain Ely Dorsey's Company,
2nd Maryland Regiment, commanded by Colonel Thomas Woolford.
This family was active in helping Washington in the War of the
Revolution which resulted in establishing the government of the
United States of America.
In a letter to John A. Cagle dated Sept 5, 1929, from Mr. T.W. Ault
Registrar of Deeds, Rockingham County, he said: "The records
show John Pirkle was granted two parcels of land by the state of
North Carolina. At his death his will provided for a division of his
land among his heirs -- eight sons: John, Nathaniel, Jacob, Jesse,
Samuel, William, George and Elijah. There are fourteen deeds to
Pirkles on the books. Two showing grants to John Pirkle, and one
showing division of John's land made the 10th day of April 1811.,
following his death. After this division the name of Pirkle appears
but five times as grantees or buyers of land, they are Jesse, twice;
James, Jacob and Alexander, after which the spelling appears to
have changed to Pirtle, Pyrtle, Pertle, or Purtle.
Jacob Pirkle married Elizabeth Saunders; William Pirkle married
Sarah Cantrell, Elijah Pirkle married Mary --., It appears that
the other boys or their descendants changed the spelling of the name
Pirkle to Pirtle, Pertle, Purtle, or Pyrtle. Elijah's children spelled
the name Pirtle. John Pirkle son of William Pirkle, who was born
in Rockingham Co., NC said that the people generally and many
members of the Pirkle family pronounced the name Pirkle, as if it
were spelled Purtle.
I think every name Pirtle, Pertle, Purtle, and Pyrtle in the United
States descended from the Pirkle who came here from Holland in
Europe.
-- John A. Cagle