There is pretty good documentation available regarding Peter Finger's North Carolina land purchases. Below is a summary of these transactions:
| Date | Acreage | Seller | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 1778 | 120 ac. | Abraham & Juliana Keener | Minutes from Oct. 1784 Lincoln Co. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions |
| Aug. 10, 1787 | 87 ac. | State of North Carolina | Grant #339, Entry #304, Book 66 |
| Oct. 25, 1787 | 100 ac. | Lorance Yount | Minutes from Jul. 1788 Lincoln Co. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions |
| Aug. 18, 1788 | 250 ac. | Henry & Elizabeth Cline | Lincoln Co. Deeds: New Book 3 / Old Book 15; also minutes from Oct. 1788 Lincoln Co. Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions |
The parcel purchased from Abraham Keener in 1778 was located on Leeper's Creek
and was part of a land grant received by Casper Keener, Abraham's father, on March
27, 1753 (Anson County Grant #821).
Casper Keener had initially settled in York County, Pennsylvania, later moving to
North Carolina (sources: A History of Casper Keener by Dorothy Keener and The
Lincoln County News, Lincolnton, North Carolina, Tuesday, October 13, 1908). I
haven't been able to determine whether the Melcher and John Keener who were
associates of Peter Finger's in Pennsylvania were related to the Casper and
Abraham Keener of North Carolina. Casper Keener arrived in America on Sept. 9, 1738
aboard the Thistle, Abraham Keener arrived in America on Sept. 29, 1741 aboard the
Lydia, John and Melcher Keener arrived on Aug. 27, 1739 aboard the Snow Betsy.
The parcel granted by North Carolina to Peter Finger in 1787 is described as on the
waters of Leaperd's Creek. The "Cline Tract" spanned both sides of
Lockhart's Creek.
The American Revolutionary War battle of Ramsour's Mill, which was fought on June
20, 1780, took place literally on the front doorstep of Peter Finger's
brother-in-law, Christian Reinhardt. Many of the German families in Lincoln County
fought for the British at Ramsour's Mill, though there is no record of Peter
Finger or his sons in the short summary of the battle entitled The Battle of
Ramsour's Mill, written by William L. Carpenter in 1995. Peter's involvement
in the battle, if he had any, is unknown.