MARCUS EGLI AND HIS DESCENDANTS: History of the Eagle Family of Rowan County, NC

The family of Eglí, belonged to the anient German tribe of the Langobards (Longbeards), which settled in the northern part of Italy in the fourth or fifth century AD. The ancestor of the Swiss Eglí's emigrated from the Canton of Tessino to the Canton of St. Gall, about the twelfth century. This ancestor had five sons, three of whom settled in the department of the Loire, in France, subsequently, upon the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, removing to the Canton of Zürich, where they became followers of the Swiss reformer, Zwingli, whilst the other two remained in the Canton of St. Gall. A branch of the latter, somewhat later, emigrated to the Canton of Lucerne. The St. Gall and Lucerne families adhered to the Roman Catholic faith, but a family relation with the Zürich branch was constantly maintained. The orthography of the name is somewhat perplexing, from the fact that Egle is that adopted by the Zürich branch, while that of Egly by those of St. Gall. The first settlers in America wrote their name Egle, and the American branch are all descended from one Marcus Egle. Adam Eagle (1726-1799) son of Marcus Eglí (1690-1767) and Anna Barbara Buehler Eglí (1694-1730), enlisted in 1775 as a private in Captain James Ross' Company of Pennsylvania Militia. He was then promoted to Wagon Master of Colonel William Thompson's Battalion of Pennsylvania Rifleman in the Continental Army of the Revolution. In 1786, Adam Eagle's son Philip Eagle was living in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina where he farmed land. In 1792, Philip and his wife Hannah sold 165 acres. This land was part of a 400 acre grant owned by Hannah's father, John, and conveyed to Philip in 1786. The land was located on the waters of Little Coldwater Creek. In 1795, Philip Eagle appears on the Rowan County tax list. George Eagle, Sr. (1752-1820) son of Marcus Eglí (1690-1767) and Anna Barbara Buehler Eglí (1694-1730), received a Land Warrant for 100 acres on the northeast side of Dutch Buffalo Creek in Litaker Township, Rowan County, North Carolina. George served in the Revolutionary War in Captain McKee's Company of the 1st Regt. Rowan County NC Militia. George was discharged 10 April 1782. George Eagle's occupation was a gunsmith. This work is their story. Their descendants in Rowan County, North Carolina who many spread out to other counties and states. The author has compiled many resources over many years to present this book in its present form. I hope you will learn more about your Swiss ancestors and understand that no genealogy book is ever completely finished.