Notes: Malcolm Fowler stated (without naming his source) in his book Valley of the Scots that "Bluff Hector" settled the Bluff in 1742, thus he would have to have been of legal age (16) with added maturity for the management of such an acquisition. I believe "Bluff Hector" was born close to 1720 to 1725, but certainly no earlier than 1715, which would then put his father "Black Neill" McNeill's accepted birth year, 1699, in question. Also, his many accomplishments were not realized until the 1750s, namely: being designated attorney in 1754 for the sale of the thousands of acres on Cape Fear River of Duncan Campbell of Argyllshire, Scotland; becoming Sheriff of Cumberland County in 1754, and in 1760 became a representative of Cumberland County in NC colonial government.
    The will of "Bluff Hector" McNeill names only two sons, Neill and John. We know Neill died in April 1773 from a letter written by Alexander McAlester at him home, Barmore, in Cumberland County dated January 1774 stating "Our sister Mrs McNeill lost her eldest son last April, aged about 21... all daughters but one boy John who is about 16.". In 1796 John, in a deed dated that year, was Hector's "only son and heir". In his will of 1761, "Bluff Hector" named his own brother Duncan McNeill as an executor, and divided his lands between his two sons Neill and John; in 1785, as his father's only son and heir, John had to sue his uncle Duncan McNeill to county court to sue for his rightful inheritance in land and the slave Bob.
    A note on the estate settlement of "Bluff Hector" McNeill: Listed in his estate as one of Hector's debtors was the famous Cornelius Harnett.