Landrum Creek and Pre-Revolutionary War History
Landrum Creek flows along the western and southern boundaries of the Trout Lily community, running to the Rocky River farther south in Chatham County. This creek likely derives its name from an early settler of the region, James Landrum II and evokes memories of the turbulent years leading up to the Revolutionary War.
In 1754, Landrum received a land grant of 640 acres from Lord Granville, the proprietor of the Granville District, a 60-mile-wide swath of land that stretched through Carolina Territory from the Atlantic to the Blue Ridge Mountains with Old Orange County at its approximate center. Landrum's 640 acres lay within present-day Chatham County, one several counties that were ultimately carved from Old Orange County. The Landrum family remained in this area for about 20 years during which time some of its members participated in the Regulator Rebellion, a tax revolt that foreshadowed and helped precipitate the Revolutionary War.
The Regulator Rebellion began in 1768 in part as a reaction to what were considered Lord Granville's unfair tax policies and dishonest and inefficient tax agents. Those who joined the Regulator movement pledged to resist payment of any taxes they considered unlawful, often resorting to violence. In order to control the Regulators, the General Assembly made certain of their activities subject to capital punishment; and at least one Landrum family member, Reuben, was, in 1771, indicted for riot under this law.
The fact that the Landrum family resided in Chatham County for only about 20 years may be connected with the general exodus from North Carolina of many former Regulators.
Background
Map of Chatham County including Landrum Creek and the Rocky River
Census map of Chatham County North Carolina
The Granville District and Land Grants
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Granville_District
http://www.mynorthcarolinagenealogy.com/nc_records/land.htm
Map of Old Orange County
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~lrnoah/NCOrange/oldcomap.gif
Landrum Family History; see especially the section on John D. Landrum, Sr.
http://members.tripod.com/beejay1/pafn98.htm
The Regulator Rebellion
http://www.studyworld.com/regulators_of_north_carolina.htm
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