Pineville |
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Address
118 College Street
Pineville, NC 28134
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Phone
704-889-2291 |
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Some two hundred forty-five years ago through the wilds of The Carolinas (one mile East of the present state line of North Carolina and South Carolina) there was a junction of two important Indian Trails. This was located near two small streams now known as Sugar Creek and Little Sugar Creek. One of these trails ran westward to join the Nation's Ford Road that led to the Catawaba Nation. A remnant of this trail can still be seen just west of Pineville. The other trail ran from the Waxhaw Indian Tribe northward. This was the famous Trading Path, later becoming an important colonial road and was the beginning of Highway 21.
The Indians who roved the banks of Sugar Creek were the Sugarees, a branch of the Catawabas, who were of the Sioux Indians. They were friendly to the white settlers, and were gentle and un-warlike. The Sugarees were almost annihilated by their enemies living across on the westward side of the Catawaba River. This was the powerful and cruel Cherokee Tribe, who were of the Iroquois. Thus the Catawaba River was the dividing line between the territories of The Catawabas to the East and the Iroquois to the West.
About 1761, the exact dates are unknown, the first white settler in this entire area drove his oxen down from Virginia. Driving down The Waxhaw Trail, Thomas Spratt and his family came upon the junction with a westward trail. Here he "turned out" along the bank of Sugar Creek and built his cabin. This became home. At the present time his descendants live only six miles to the west in Fort Mill, South Carolina. He was soon followed by Thomas Polk (or Pollock) the eldest son of a former neighbor. Thomas married Susan Spratt and they built their cabin on the Trading Path. The junction of two Indian Trails beginning with one cabin thus became known as "The Turnout".
Thomas Polk's brother followed and married Susan Spratt's sister. Another brother Ezekiel married Mary Wilson and they became the grandparents of James K. Polk, born 1795, our eleventh President. The grave of Thomas Polk, long lost, was recently found near the original Trading Path, just outside Pineville. In the same graveyard were graves of Smarts, Alexanders, and others. The pioneers coming down this now famous trading path included Smiths, Elliots, and Williamsons, all of whom have descendants in this area.
With the coming of settlers there came traders. Transportation came soon after in the form of a stagecoach line. Some form of law and order was now needed. The first court ever held in Mecklenburg County is said to have been held in the cabin of Thomas Spratt. Among the families arriving about this time were the Morrows. They built their home on a high hill overlooking Little Sugar Creek. (This is now known as the Old Morrow Place). The Morrow Place also became a crossroad known as "Morrows Turnout".
In 1852 the Iron Horse came to the community. The Charlotte, Columbia & Augusta Railway was put in operation. A passenger and freight station was built at Morrow's Turnout. In this area there were many large and beautiful pine trees casting their shadows over the community. Thus, when the newly painted sign went up on the Railroad Depot, the name Pineville was displayed.
Pineville became an Incorporated municipality in 1873. In 1900, the town boasted a population of 585 souls, two bar rooms, and ten stores, and an average sale of 6,000 bales of cotton from the surrounding farms. Today only 3,600 bales are grown in the entire county of Mecklenburg. Pineville also became a large mule trading center and an important credit market. Sam Younts, a blacksmith from Davidson, moved here and made a fortune in the credit business. The tax rate in 1900 was one percent. The town officers that same year were as follows: Mayor W. S. Fisher; Clerk J. J. Morrow; Tax Collector F. C. Harris; and Policeman Thomas Crump. The Postmistress was Mrs. Ida Devlin. Ministers of the three churches were: Presbyterian, J. R. McAlpine (for whom McAlpine Creek is named); Methodist, H. C. Sprinkle; Baptist, A. L. Stough (for whom the present Stough Memorial Baptist Church is named). There were two doctors; William K. Reid and N. G. Moore.
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