December 11, 2024. I found a map at the NC Archives of a piece of land in Wilkes County, but it wasn’t immediately clear where the property was located. Eventually I determined that it was the home of Jim Combs on Roaring River, and the map was likely drawn for use in court when he was charged with illicit distilling. The map shows the still locations, the spring branch, and the location of his house. It also shows the homes of his neighbors Tom Bell and Everett Blackburn.
You can take a closer look at the map here. It is #8 in the Maps and Land Grants section: http://webjmd.com/genrecords.html
