History

Patriot John Hoyle

Hickory, North Carolina, is located in Catawba County, which was formed in 1842 from Lincoln County. During the American War for Independence, this area was part of Rowan County. Settlement began here around 1740 with Palantine German families and English families, both of whom followed the “Great Wagon Road” from Pennsylvania.

Patriot John Hoyle, for whom our chapter was named, both fought and supplied the troops of the American Revolution. A pay voucher proves his military service and lists his rank at that time as ensign. John Hoyle was the youngest child of German emigrant “Pioneer Peiter Heyl” and was born in Pennsylvania, on 1 June 1740. He was said to be a born leader and sympathized with his English neighbors in their desire for independence. He received 1150 acres of land in Rutherford County, North Carolina (NC), for his service.

John Hoyle was in his mid thirties when the American Revolution began. He had seen service against the Cherokee prior to the war, but there is no evidence that he participated in the patriot cause before 1780 — apparently choosing to remain neutral, as most Germans in that area did during that period. On June 22, 1780, the Battle of Ramsour’s Mill occurred in Lincoln County, NC, where John resided. The battle was significant in that several hundred patriot militia defeated loyalist militia more than three times their size, greatly weakening loyalist sympathies in the back country and strengthening the patriot cause. John had relatives on both sides. Loyalist brother-in-law Peter Costner was killed, patriot brother-in-law Thomas Costner survived the battle, and John’s brother Michael furnished supplies to the patriots during the war. With his military background, John Hoyle would have been encouraged to use his skills in the strengthening patriot cause in North Carolina, after 1780.

John Hoyle died on 1 Sept 1822, in what was then Lincoln County and is buried at Grace Reformed and Lutheran (Union) Church, just outside Newton, Catawba County, North Carolina.

John Hoyle Chapter

Magnolia McKay Shuford (Mrs. Edward L.) was organizing regent of the John Hoyle Chapter of the Daughters of the Revolution (DAR), which was founded on 31 January 1922. Many of the earliest members were descendants of John Hoyle. The John Hoyle Chapter was the first and remained the only DAR chapter in Catawba County until 1951.

The John Hoyle Chapter has a long history of service and community contributions from its inception in the 1920s until today. The strong sense of giving back to the community is demonstrated both by our many organizational projects and by the members’ individual service through other venues.

Like other chapters in the DAR, we strive to uphold the goals of historic preservation, patriotism, and education. We are first and foremost a service organization, and we welcome other like-minded women who have a patriot ancestor.