Kegley, Mary & F.B. Kegley. Early Adventures on the Western Waters, Vol. I The New River of Virginia in Pioneer Days, 1745-1800, Orange, VA: Green Publishers, Inc., nd
- Map - The Beckoning Land on the Western Waters - New River and tributaries
- Map - The Mountain Empire - showing present counties and county seats - Augusta, Botetourt, Greenbrier, Montgomery, Fincastle, Washington, Kanawha, Kentucky
- Map - Col. Patton's Survey for 7500 Acres at a Place Called Draper 1747 Patent, 1753 Subdivision for Settlers by William Preston, 1754 - includes: William Taylor, John Taylor, George Taylor, Charles Taylor, John Draper
- Map - The Beginnings of the Radford Neighborhood - includes: John Taylor
- Map - On East Side New River & Little River, New River tributaries
- Map - Early Crossings of New River - includes: Cloyd's Mountain, Tom's Creek
Before the homeseekers of Pennsylvania and Maryland began to expand into the Valley of Virginia in the 1730s, little was known about the region farther to the southwest, including the New River valley. Interest in discoveries had been stimulated by trading merchants of Eastern Virginia, but the planters there had remained very well satisfied with the opportunity for expansion east of the Blue Ridge. It appeared that the governing officials were concerned more with extension of the fur trade than they were in opening the land for prospective homeseekers. However, when the traders began to venture