Archibald Wasson

 Archibald Wasson was born in County Mayo, with his family originating in Mauchline, Ayrshire, Scotland. He was a cordwainer by trade as well as a farmer. (A cordwainer made luxury shoes and boots out of the finest leathers.  In the British guild system, a cordwainer was distinguished from a cobbler because the guild tradition restricted the cobbler to repairing shoes and making new shoes only out of old leather. The cordwainers and cobblers had separate guild) 

His father, John Wasson, emigrated to County Antrim, Ireland sometime before 1700 when his first son, John, Jr. was born in Dunaghy Parish, Antrim, Ireland. There seems to be some confusion as to whether Archibald’s mother was Mary Deemer or Jean Walker.

The Wasson family was rooted in Ayrshire for as far back as we currently know, which is six generations from and including John, back into the early 16th century.

The entire family emigrated to the American Colonies prior to 1739. They must have had connections in both Ulster Scots communities of Pennsylvania and North Carolina. A marriage bond from Rowan County, North Carolina is on record for Archibald Wasson and Elizabeth Woods in 1739. There is also a record of marriage dated in 1741 in Pennsylvania

Archibald and Elizabeth living in Chester County, Pennsylvania prior to 1742. A Land Warrant for 103 acres in Chester County is given to Archibald Wasson dated 17 March 1745. They lived in Fallowfield Township, Chester County until 1747.

The Wasson clan moved to Rowan County, North Carolina before August 2 1761 when Earl Granville grants Archibald 415 acres of vacant land on the south side of Grant’s Creek (in Rowan County’s Irish Settlement) for ten shillings. Grant’s Creek flows into the upper Yadkin River; it flows through the center of Salisbury, Concord, Kannopolis, Spencer, and China Grove. In 1769 Archibald and Elizabeth acquired more land in Rowan County. By 1768 they had moved from their landholdings to the area north of the South Yadkin River.

The Wassons were part of the 4th creek congregation of Rowan County N.C. A Presbyterian church which became established in 1750. It was attended by a close knit Ulster Scott Community who lived in a several mile radius. Many of whom intermarried. The area was known as the 4th Creek Settlement until becoming the county seat and Statesville in 1789. The 4th creek church became the 1st Presbyterian Church of Statesville in 1875. The Forth Creek Burying ground surrounded by a stone fence next to the church where most of the original settlers are buried.

The records show that Archibald liked "finer" things. In an article in the Journal of Backcountry Studies entitled “Barcelonia” Neckerchiefs, Teaware, and China Plates: Kinship, Status and the Division of Fourth Creek Church” Joshua Lee Mckaughan states, “During the early 1770’s, Archibald Wasson, although possessing an estate valued far below that of either his grandson or son Joseph, sought to acquire several status-granting items. Like his grandson’s purchase of fragile “China plates,” Archibald Wasson invested in an equally breakable tea set, spending the extravagant sum of seven shillings. Equally lavish was his purchase of a ‘barselonia’ neckerchief for himself, which, at the price of ten shillings, cost far more than the checked and printed neck cloths which adorned his neighbors.” My mother might have referred to this as “putting on airs,” but Archibald does seem to have had a taste for finery and setting himself apart.

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http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=58440826

https://richardgwynallenblog.wordpress.com/2017/04/23/the-purviance...