Huntersville in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
Hugh Torance House & Store c. 1779
Photographed by Mark Parker, July 29, 2026
1. Hugh Torance House and Store c. 1779 Marker
Who was Hugh Torence
In 1763, Hugh Torance (1743-1816) emigrated to the American colonies from Ireland with his brother Albert. The Torances were among tens of thousands of Scots-Irish, also known as Ulster-Scots, who made this journey in the 18th century. Many early settlers in this region traveled the same route as Hugh, sailing from Londonderry, Ireland, to Philadelphia.
Hugh lived in Pennsylvania for several years before traveling to Rowan County, NC. In 1779, Hugh purchased 667 acres of land from John McDowell, including the site on which you are now standing.
Hugh Torance sided with the Patriots in the American Revolution. After taking an oath of allegiance to the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Hugh joined the Revolutionary forces. He fought with the "Partisan Chargers," a light cavalry company led by Captain Galbraith Falls, who was killed on June 20, 1780 at the battle of Ramsour's Mill in Lincoln County,
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After the Revolutionary War, Hugh married Isabella Kerr Falls (1740-1816), the widow of Captain Falls, who, along with their eight children, came to live here with Hugh. In addition, Hugh acquired five enslaved individuals from Captain Falls' estate. These were the first of many enslaved people who lived and worked at this site. Hugh and Isabella Torance had one child together, James Galbraith Torrance, born in 1784.
By the 1790s, Hugh Torance had expanded his landholdings, acquiring over 500 additional acres. In 1805, Hugh and Isabella relocated to a brick house on the site where Cedar Grove now stands. James Torrance, then 21, managed the store and lived upstairs in the Federal addition. He shared this home with his first wife, Nancy Davidson, and later with his second wife, Mary Latta, the daughter of North Mecklenburg planter James Latta.
Hugh and Isabella Torance both died in 1816, by which time Hugh had amassed over 1,400 acres of land for his plantation operations. Following the death of his parents, James Torrance managed the plantation and lived in their brick house. That structure was demolished in 1831 to make
Photographed by Mark Parker, July 29, 2026
2. Hugh Torance House and Store with marker. Location is at the dirt driveway entrance.
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H is for History, because nothing compares to immersing ourselves in the past to gain perspective on today's world.
The rich history of this region provides the backdrop for HEARTS place-based approach to preservation. Truly, the deeper we look, the more we see.
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(caption) Hugh Torance's son, James Galbraith Torrance (1784-1847)
Erected 2026 by HEARTS Collaborative Inc.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Notable Buildings • Settlements & Settlers • War, US Revolutionary. A significant historical year for this entry is 1779.
Location. 35° 24.418′ N, 80° 53.185′ W. Marker is in Huntersville, North Carolina, in Mecklenburg County. It can be reached from Gilead Road 0.1 miles west of Old Store Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 8231 Gilead Rd, Huntersville NC 28078, United States of America.
Photographed by Mark Parker, January 27, 2024
3. Cedar Grove House, built by James Torrance, located next door to the Torance Store
Regionally, this marker is in the Piedmont and in Greater Charlotte. It is also in the American South and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the original Thirteen Colonies, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Visit the Store & Take a Tour (here, next to this marker); Hugh Torance (a few steps from this marker); The Enslaved of Torrance Plantation (within shouting distance of this marker); The Kitchen Trail (within shouting distance of this marker); Gen. William Lee Davidson Was Killed (approx. 2.1 miles away); The First Sermon of Hopewell Presbyterian Church (approx. 2.3 miles away); The Tanner (approx. 2.3 miles away); Richard Barry (approx. 2.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Huntersville.
Also see . . .
1. Hugh Torance House and Store.
Photographed by Mark Parker, January 15, 2024
4. Hugh Torrence gravesite at Hopewell Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Huntersville
Note the change of spelling in the last name from "Torance" at the store to "Torrence" at the gravesite.
2. Hearts - New life for old places. (Submitted on August 4, 2026.)
Photographed by Mark Parker, January 15, 2024
5. Isabella Torrence gravesite at Hopewell Presbyterian Church cemetery Huntersville
Photographed by Mark Parker, January 15, 2024
6. The tombstone of James Galbraith Torrance at Hopewell Presbyterian Church cemetery Huntersville
James is the only child of Hugh and Isabella Torance. The middle name "Galbraith" comes from the first husband of Isabella "Gilbraith" Falls, who was killed at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill in Lincoln County. Hugh Torance served under Falls at Ramsour's Mill.
Credits. This page was last revised on August 4, 2026. It was originally submitted on August 2, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. This page has been viewed 15 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on August 2, 2026, by Mark Parker of Hickory, North Carolina. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.
