William Barnhill first appears in the Buncombe County Deed Index as having purchased property in 1800. The entry shows the date of instrument as 10 Dec. 1800, date of recording 8 July 1805 for 130 acres in Hooper Creek purchased from State of N.C. ,#1371. Additional purchases of property show as 60 acres in 1813, 60 more in 1814, 104 acres in 1817, 164 in 1818 and 120 in 1819. This is a total of 384 acres of property purchased by William in the Hoopers Creek area.
The 1800 North Carolina Census shows no Barhill or Barnwell in Buncombe County. William Barnhill first shows up in the 1810 Census. Here he is listed as 1 male 45+ years, 1 female 45+, 3 males 16-26, and 2 females 16-26. In 1820 he is listed as 1 male 45+, 1 female 26-45, 1 male 0-10. This would indicate that the 3 older males and at least 1 female has left the home. Or all the children listed in 1810 have left, his first wife died, and he is remarried and has one child by his second wife. One son, James, does show in the 1820 census married with children. Another observation of the 1820 census is that William is listed as a Senior which would indicate the male 0-10 years old was a Junior. If this is true, it would mean the William Barnwell listed in the 1850 census as 32 years old could have been William's last child and not James' child as is most often thought. Also the Margaret Barnhill listed in the 1830 census as a head of household, possibly could be William's second surving wife and not his daughter as some have thought.