John Rackley 3rd died in Bute County , now Franklin County, NC

Family of Mary Parsons and John Rackley 3rd Children

M: John RACKLEY IV
M: Saul RACKLEY
F: Lucretia RACKLEY
F: Martha RACKLEY
F: Susannah RACKLEY
F: Mary RACKLEY
F: Slater RACKLEY
M: Parson RACKLEY
M: Robert Mills RACKLEY
F: Setevias RACKLEY


Tappahannock prospered when created in 1680, it had been made the seat of Rappahannock County, and in 1692 after the old county was divided to form Essex and Richmond Counties it became the seat of Essex. Though the town was formally named, Washington, stopping here in 1752, referred to it as 'Hobs Hole.' A century and a half ago ships went hence to the remotest parts of the world and the town was something of a social center. But its importance declined after the construction of railroads. It was shelled in December 1814 by the British navy, under orders of Admiral Cockburn.


General George Washington with a few other investors purchased and surveyed land off to create a timber company out of the swamp lands of North Carolina known as the Dismal Swamps. It is believed that the Rackleys acquired their timber skills and land survey skills early on with the Robert Mills family. It is documented that the land was not fertile for vast farming of corn or produce. John Rackley 3rd moved his family to the swamp lands of eastern North Carolina where his family hired Lumbee Indians to work the timber out of the swamps, canals, docks and levy,s were made to drain out the water,then precious walnut & cypress trees were harvested out of the swamps and shipped to England.Also noted that the Rackleys became fluent in Lumbee Indian language who they contracted to work for them.

DEEP CREEK, at the edge of the Dismal Swamp, was long a stagecoach stop and a vast shipping point for valuable lumber.

The Dismal Swamp is a wilderness in which, through the centuries, trees have fallen and, with other plants, formed a mass of organic material. Much valuable timber had been cut in the swamp. The mass material, reaching the peat stage, has raised the surface of the swamp at its center. Forest fires, burning to the depth of several feet, frequently continue for weeks. The swamp was described by Colonel William Byrd, one of the commissioners who in 1728 surveyed the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina. This waterway, connecting the southern branch of the Elizabeth River with the sounds of North Carolina, was built largely to afford transportation for lumber from the swamp. The Dismal Swamp Canal Company was organized to cut the canal in 1787, but the canal was not completed until 1828.It is well documented that the Rackley,s acquired vast acres of swamp lands in eastern North Carolina including the Black Swamp lands to where vast amounts of rare valuable timber was shipped out.

JOHN RACKLEY 8 March 1743 200 acres in Bertie County, joining below the Good going over on the East side of the Mill swamp, the Edge of the pocoson, the fork between the Long branch and the lick branch, and sd. mill creek swamp.

http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/by_map/main.php

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John Rackley 3rd died in Bute County , now Franklin County, NC

Family of Mary Parsons and John Rackley 3rd Children

M: John RACKLEY IV
M: Saul RACKLEY
F: Lucretia RACKLEY
F: Martha RACKLEY
F: Susannah RACKLEY
F: Mary RACKLEY
F: Slater RACKLEY
M: Parson RACKLEY
M: Robert Mills RACKLEY
F: Setevias RACKLEY


Tappahannock prospered when created in 1680, it had been made the seat of Rappahannock County, and in 1692 after the old county was divided to form Essex and Richmond Counties it became the seat of Essex. Though the town was formally named, Washington, stopping here in 1752, referred to it as 'Hobs Hole.' A century and a half ago ships went hence to the remotest parts of the world and the town was something of a social center. But its importance declined after the construction of railroads. It was shelled in December 1814 by the British navy, under orders of Admiral Cockburn.


General George Washington with a few other investors purchased and surveyed land off to create a timber company out of the swamp lands of North Carolina known as the Dismal Swamps. It is believed that the Rackleys acquired their timber skills and land survey skills early on with the Robert Mills family. It is documented that the land was not fertile for vast farming of corn or produce. John Rackley 3rd moved his family to the swamp lands of eastern North Carolina where his family hired Lumbee Indians to work the timber out of the swamps, canals, docks and levy,s were made to drain out the water,then precious walnut & cypress trees were harvested out of the swamps and shipped to England.Also noted that the Rackleys became fluent in Lumbee Indian language who they contracted to work for them.

DEEP CREEK, at the edge of the Dismal Swamp, was long a stagecoach stop and a vast shipping point for valuable lumber.

The Dismal Swamp is a wilderness in which, through the centuries, trees have fallen and, with other plants, formed a mass of organic material. Much valuable timber had been cut in the swamp. The mass material, reaching the peat stage, has raised the surface of the swamp at its center. Forest fires, burning to the depth of several feet, frequently continue for weeks. The swamp was described by Colonel William Byrd, one of the commissioners who in 1728 surveyed the boundary between Virginia and North Carolina. This waterway, connecting the southern branch of the Elizabeth River with the sounds of North Carolina, was built largely to afford transportation for lumber from the swamp. The Dismal Swamp Canal Company was organized to cut the canal in 1787, but the canal was not completed until 1828.It is well documented that the Rackley,s acquired vast acres of swamp lands in eastern North Carolina including the Black Swamp lands to where vast amounts of rare valuable timber was shipped out.

JOHN RACKLEY 8 March 1743 200 acres in Bertie County, joining below the Good going over on the East side of the Mill swamp, the Edge of the pocoson, the fork between the Long branch and the lick branch, and sd. mill creek swamp.

http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/by_map/main.php

.