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 Until the 1730's the only people living west of the Catawba River were native Americans. A few hunters and traders who made contact with these Indians noted the good lands and fast-flowing streams. By the 1740's men came down the Great Wagon road from Pennsylvania and up the Broad River from Charleston, SC. At this time, the inhabitants of Gaston County numbered something less than 8,000, twenty-five percent of them Negro slaves and a small proportion Indians, local survivors of the once great tribe of the Catawba. There were no towns, hardly any settlements. The crossroads store of Fred D. Hoffman and Moses Rhyne, close to the place where Dutchman's Creek flowed into the Catawba, had served as headquarters for the committee that had fought so well for the establishment of Gaston County. Anson County was formed in 1748 or 1749 from Bladen County. At its formation it included a vast territory, having as its northern border the Virginia line until the formation of Rowan County in 1753, having no western boundary until the formation of Mecklenburg County, 1 February 1763, and having an indeterminate southern boundary until the survey of the South Carolina line, 24 September 24.�Before surveys, Anson county included all or parts of the South Carolina counties of Marlboro, Chesterfield, Lancaster, York, Chester, Cherokee, Union, Spartanburg, Greenville, Laurens, and Newberry. Tryon County was formed from Mecklenburg County in 1769, Mecklenburg having been formed from Anson County in 1763.�At its formation, Tryon County extended north to Earl Granville's line and west to the Indian line of 1767, a portion of which is now the line between Greenville and Spartanburg Counties, South Carolina. The eastern boundary was the Catawba River.�Tryon County included all or part of the North Carolina counties of Lincoln, Gaston, Cleveland, Rutherford, Henderson, Polk, Burke, and McDowell and the South Carolina counties of York, Chester, Union, Cherokee, Spartanburg, Greenville, Laurens, and Newberry. Tryon County was abolished in 1779 to form Lincoln and Rutherford counties. Gaston was formed in 1846 from Lincoln. It was named in honor of William Gaston, a member of Congress and a Justice of the Supreme Court of North Carolina. It is in the southwestern section of the State and is bounded by the state of South Carolina and Cleveland, Lincoln and Mecklenburg counties. The court was ordered to be held at the home of Jesse Holland, who apparently is not related to Isaac Holland, until a courthouse could be erected. Commissioners were named to select a site for the county seat as near the center of the county as possible provided it was within two miles of Long Creek Baptist Meeting House. They were to acquire land, lay out a town by the name of Dallas, and erect a courthouse. Dallas continued to be the county seat until 1909 when Gastonia was, by popular vote, selected as the county seat. Isaac Holland Isaac Holland was born 1745. He lived most of his life in Lincoln County, now Gaston County, North Carolina, and died there 10 September 1810. He was a Revolutionary Soldier, Carpenter and Wagon Maker. He married Hannah Wylie Liggett 8 March 1770, and had al least seven children. They were Presbyterians. Hannah was born 29 October 1747, and died 25 June 1818 in Lincoln County, NC. Hannah's maiden name was Wylie. She had been previolsly married to Liggett. From this marriage she had at least one son, named William Liggett. Isaac and Hannah Holland are buried at Olney Cemetery. His Life The pioneer or pioneers of the Holland family as established in what is now Gaston County, came to this section some time prior to the revolutionary war, among the first settlers in the area. Isaac Holland settled on the north side of Catawba Creek, about a mile south of now Gastonia, out in the Union Section of Gaston County. He married Hannah Leggett, a young widow whose maiden name was Wiley, and became the ancestor of an influential and proeminent family. They were staunch Presbyterians. He had large tracts of land, parts of which are still known as the Holland land and were occupied by his descendants in the beginning of this century.3 He was one of the volunteers who, at the battle of King's Mountain, 7 October 1780, fought and destroyed the British forces and loyalist militia which were commanded by brevet lieutenant-colonel Patrick Ferguson. He was a private at this battle presumably as one of the "Fork Boys" under Lt. Col. Frederick Hambright and Maj. Wm. Chronicle. This was the battle where Chronicle was killed and Hambright was severely wounded. It is a distinct tradition in the family that after fighting through the battle of Kings Mountain he walked home during the night following notwithstanding his strenuous exercions in the battle.4 We found several reports about Issac Holland fighting the battle of Kings Mountain. Here is another, from Rufus Grady Rankin, Jr. writing about his forefathers: In the following article we learn Isaac was a skilled carpenter. The article is about the Rankin Family Home. It was originaly published in The Gastonia Gazette - Gastonia, NC, May 1955 by Mrs. Kay Dixon: (Mary E. Moore, wife of Oliver Wiley Holland, was a niece to Mary Moore, the wife of William Rankin, son of Samuel. Issac Holland Jr. married Mary C. Rankin, daughter of William.) Isaac Holland was born in England, perhaps in Pensylvannia or even Virginia. There are several different possibilities and not all researchers agree about his parentage. I decided to place a whole page to discuss this subject. The the link is at the bottom of this page. From the Tryon County, North Carolina, Court Minutes 1769-1779: October Term 1774 January Term 1778 April Term 1778 April Term 1778 July Term 1778 July Term 1778 October Term 1778 October Term 1778 27 February 1779 21 September 1778 12 April 1782 15 December 1783 The deeds of land belonging to Isaac Holland found till this moment are: 1790, Lincoln County, North Carolina 3-4-4-0-0 0820 3 - Isaac and two other unknown males over sixteen. Who could be these two other males over 16? Maybe Isaac's brothers? Perhaps two sons from a previous marriage? Isaac left a will in Lincoln County, NC, dated 14 November l808, in which he names wife Polly. Then tells that he married Hannah Leggett, young widow whose maiden name was Wiley, in 1770. He quotes: my beloved wife, Hannah; my oldest daughter Mary (Polly) Dickson; Peggy Cox; daughter Jean Beard; son Issac Holland; son Oliver Holland; son James Holland; Executors, Issac and Oliver Holland. Witnesses: James Gullick and Benjamin Gullick.2 Daughter Hannah is not listed in will. She may not have been living at that time, or perhaps has moved and was lost of sight. Hannah and Isaac Holland are buried in Olney Cemetery, Gaston County, North Carolina. Cemetery Location: From Dallas, North Carolina, the former seat of Gaston County, drive south on U.S. 321 through Gastonia, the modern county seat. After 6.6 miles, turn left on S.R. 2411, and then drive 0.2 mile east to Olney Presbyterian Church. This historic church was established in 1792. Located adjacent to it is its equally historic cemetery. A bronze plaque near the old entry gate lists the names of eighteen Revolutionary War soldiers interred here. Among the names on the list is that of Isaac Holland.1 He and his wife are buried just inside the north old gate of old enclosure of Olney Cemetery.His wife's tombstone is inscribed: wife of Isaac Holland, Esq., who departed this life June 2, 1818, aged 70 years, 7 months, and three days." The inscription on Isaac Holland's tombstone is:" "In memory of Isaac Holland, Esquire, From DAR Patriotic Papers we learn the name of the children of Isaac, their spouses and marriage dates. 2 William Liggett, born between 1665-1768. Son of Hannah and her first husband, he later moved to Tennessee. William is not quoted in the patriotic papers. We don't have other info about him. Mary Holland, born 9 January 1771. Married John Dixon 12 December 1787. Moved to Tennessee. Margaret Holland, born 28 January 1774 in Lincoln County, North Carolina, died 31 January 1825 in Gastonia, North Carolina, married Elisha Coxe 17 December 1792 in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Jean Wiley Holland, born 1 April 1779; married Mr. William(?) Beard or Baird. She moved to Indiana. No further information about her has been found. Recent research indicates her husband might be the William brother of Frances Baird and son of John Baird Jr.. Frances married John Berry. The Berry family members married several times to Moore family members, the one of the wifes of Oliver and Isaac Jr. Isaac Holland, Jr., born 27 July 1781 in Lincoln Co. NC; died 09 August 1859 in Gaston County, NC; married Mary Dickson Greaves 09 April 1807; married Mary C. Rankin 1813 in Gaston Co. NC. Oliver Wiley Holland, twin of Isaac Jr., born 27 July 1781 in Catawba Creek, Gaston Co. NC; died 12 October 1857 in Gaston Co. NC; married Mary Elizabeth Moore 04 September 1807 in Gaston Co. NC. James Harrison Holland, born 04 October 1784; died 30 March 1826 in Lincoln Co., NC; married Jane Moore before 1818; then married Elizabeth L. Hoyle 14 July 1819. James Holland was a captain of the war of 1812. They are also buried at Olney Cemetery. Hannah Holland, born 24 December 1788; married Hall. They moved to Tenneessee. No further information about her has been found. The patriotic papers does not show her husband. She is not quoted in Isaac's will. Did they go with William Liggett?
Back to HomeWhere did Isaac Holland and his wife come from? Site map The Battle of Kings Mountain Outline of his known descendants The Holland men References E-mail the Author
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