ports of Brunswick and Wilmington. As a The Cape Fear result, settlers could send their goods to market and could trade with other In the mid-1720s, the first permanent colonies and with Europe more easily. settlers arrived in the area around the lower Cape Fear River. Their arrival was In the 1730s Welsh and Scotch-Irish due mainly to the efforts of South began settling in the Cape Fear area. Carolina planter Maurice Moore and Around 1730 a group of Welsh settled North Carolina governor George along the Northeast Cape Fear River. In Burrington. Moore had come to North the mid-1730s Swiss from South Carolina Carolina to help fight the Tuscarora and Scotch-Irish also settled in the area. Indians. He became interested in settling The Scotch-Irish were fleeing high rents, in the Cape Fear area and encouraged heavy taxes, and famine in Ireland. The others in South Carolina to settle there Swiss soon departed, but the Scotch-Irish as well. Burrington ignored South remained on land along the Northeast Carolina's claim to land on the west bank Cape Fear River. Lowland Scots, often of the Cape Fear River. Instead, he merchants, also came to North Carolina. granted this land to settlers who left While some went north to the South Carolina to settle in North Albemarle, many went to Wilmington to Carolina. improve their fortunes. The settlers from South Carolina were Highland Scots immigrated to North fleeing economic depression, high taxes, Carolina as well. The first group arrived and political unrest in their colony. Other in 1739. Many more came in the settlers came from England, Scotland, following years, especially in the 1760s and Ireland as well as the colonies of and 1770s. Some of the Highland Scots Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, may have been political refugees fleeing and Maryland. Some traveled on a new Scotland after a failed uprising against one-hundred-mile road between the the English. Most wished to escape the Neuse River and the Cape Fear River. high rents, unemployment, and poverty in their country. Most settlers were attracted to this region by vast amounts of unclaimed land that were available and by commercial opportunities offered by the Cape Fear River. Since the Cape Fear River was the only deep river in the Coastal Plain that emptied into the ocean, large ships could travel it to the
The Cape Fear In the mid-1720s, the first permanent settlers arrived in the area around the lower Cape Fear River. Their arrival was due mainly to the efforts of South Carolina planter Maurice Moore and North Carolina governor George Burrington. Moore had come to North Carolina to help fight the Tuscarora Indians. He became interested in settling in the Cape Fear area and encouraged others in South Carolina to settle there as well. Burrington ignored South Carolina's claim to land on the west bank of the Cape Fear River. Instead, he granted this land to settlers who left South Carolina to settle in North Carolina. The settlers from South Carolina were fleeing economic depression, high taxes, and political unrest in their colony. Other settlers came from England, Scotland, and Ireland as well as the colonies of Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. Some traveled on a new one-hundred-mile road between the Neuse River and the Cape Fear River. Most settlers were attracted to this region by vast amounts of unclaimed land that were available and by commercial opportunities offered by the Cape Fear River. Since the Cape Fear River was the only deep river in the Coastal Plain that emptied into the ocean, large ships could travel it to the ports of Brunswick and Wilmington. As a result, settlers could send their goods to market and could trade with other colonies and with Europe more easily. In the 1730s Welsh and Scotch-Irish began settling in the Cape Fear area. Around 1730 a group of Welsh settled along the Northeast Cape Fear River. In the mid-1730s Swiss from South Carolina and Scotch-Irish also settled in the area. The Scotch-Irish were fleeing high rents, heavy taxes, and famine in Ireland. The Swiss soon departed, but the Scotch-Irish remained on land along the Northeast Cape Fear River. Lowland Scots, often merchants, also came to North Carolina. While some went north to the Albemarle, many went to Wilmington to improve their fortunes. Highland Scots immigrated to North Carolina as well. The first group arrived in 1739. Many more came in the following years, especially in the 1760s and 1770s. Some of the Highland Scots may have been political refugees fleeing Scotland after a failed uprising against the English. Most wished to escape the high rents, unemployment, and poverty in their country.