Hillsborough Forest

HILLSBOROUGH FOREST

Orange co., North Carolina

Introduction

Hillsborough Forest is located in Cedar Grove Township, Northern Orange county, North Carolina.

History

Early maps indicate that this was indeed a forest. On the Moseley map of 1733 the Indian Trading Path can be seen passing diagonaly North East to South West. Where it crosses the Eno river is the site of the Indian village of Acconeechy (Occoneechee - modern Hillsborough). North of this and to the East of the Eno river (center left on map) is the area of Hillsborough Forest. The area appears to have been settled in the 1700s. Hillsborough town was established in 1754..

On the Collett map of 1770, can be seen Hillsborough and the North Road, on the right of the map, passing to Person county (which originaly included Caswell).

The 1775 Mouzon map similarly shows Hillsborough and the north road.

Cedar Grove 1891. Hillsborough Forest is south of Mt. Zion church on the township line.

The area of land that now forms the Hillsborough Forest subdivision is called the "Alex Anderson home place" in deed of 1916.

Anderson and Thompson families

Alexander Anderson, 1797-1886 appears to have inherited the land from his father Robert Anderson, 1739/40 to abt. 1818. Alexander Anderson's grandfather John Anderson, abt. 1700 to 1756 was said to be from Ulster. His descendants are associated with the Old Presbyterian Church, or Eno Church Community. Indeed the town of Hillsborough is named for a town in Northern Ireland and it is probable that the Andersons were part of a group of immigrants from Ulster.

Alexander Anderson married Sussanna (Susan) Thompson 1794-1882. She was daughter of James "of the Eno" Thompson. James appears on a deed as purchaser of land that is now the Old Eno Cemetery. James Thompson was (possibly) son of James Thompson . To complicate things two James have been mixed up in various online databases. I believe I have seperated these in relation to the most consistent information.

Most of the Andersons who appear in early Orange county records could be of one family line. The Thompsons are a little more numerous and there may be more than one family line (three are indicated). Two of these lines appear to show Maryland connections and so could be of one family originaly.