Shepard, Hargrove, Eaton, Chapman

I am primarily looking for clues in the SHEPARD surname. According to American Indians in North Carolina: Geographic Interpretations, by Thomas Ross; Karo Hollow Press: Southern Pines: NC, 1999, SHEPARD is a name frequently found among the Person Co. Indians.

I know some of you folks are associated with the Person Co. Indians, so I’m hoping (desperately) to get a response from you letting me know if this is the case and adding anything that might help me.

The particular SHEPARD I’m hoping to research would have been a Native American female who bore atleast 2 sons to Richard HARGROVE, Sr. during the early to mid-1700’s. They were not married as I believe was not uncommon during this period. His grandson, John, bears the middle name of Shepard. The location of their relationship was in Olde Orange Co, likely in what is now Person Co. The HARGROVE family hand land holdings there (His will mentions “the Upper Beaver Dam”), but lived in Granville Co. (Nutbush/Townsville) where they are well-documented. Richard Sr.’s grandaughter, Elizabeth, married George CHAPMAN during the mid to late 1700’s. I believe that these CHAPMANs had strong Native American bloodlines with some African American. They are also found in Granville, but are not well-documented.

I am also curious of William EATON as I know he was a well-known Indian trader during the early to mid-1700’s and his family lived in Granville Co. in proximity to the HARGROVEs. A couple of his descendents are included in CHAPMAN family documents. So, I wonder if there may be some connection there.

As I’m sure you all already know, identifying and tracing Native American ancestry is definitely challenging (ie. frustrating)! I have many clues and I think I am hunting in the right vicinity, but I just want to find something more tangible. Thanks for your assistance.

Carla