The area eventually comprising Robeson County was not heavily settled by whites until about ten years before the American Revolution, when Highland Scots moved into the area. They formed a separate community from the Scuffletonians. The immigrants encompassed a range of class distinctions, from literate and aristocratic English-speaking families to poorer Scottish Gaelic-speakers, many of whom were indentured servants. The latter were called "Buckskins" due to their reputation for wearing pants made of deer leather. Gaelic remained spoken in the area as late as the 1860s. English and a few French settlers moved into the eastern portion of the eventual county. Despite the increase in settlement, population levels in the Lumber River valley remained low for many years, as swamps and thick vegetation divided arable land and made transportation difficult. The production of timber and naval stores formed a key part of the area's early economy, with logs being floated down the river for sale in Georgetown, South Carolina, in the late 1700s. During the American Revolutionary War, control over the Lumber River valley was heavily contested by British Loyalists and Patriots. Tensions raised by the war caused some whites to migrate out of the area, moving as far away as Canada.
the areA eVeNtually cOmpRisIng Robeson coUNtY waS not heAviLy sEtTLEd by wHites untiL aboUt tEN yeARs beforE THe aMERican revOlUtIon, when highLand ScoTs moVEd intO the ARea. tHeY FormeD a sepArate CommUnity froM the scUFFLEtonians. the iMMigRants EnCompassed a range oF cLass DisTiNCTions, froM litERAte ANd ariStOcraTiC english-speakiNg famILIeS to Poorer scottish gaelic-SpEaKeRs, manY of Whom WerE indentUreD ServanTs. THe Latter wErE called "buckSkiNs" duE to their ReputATioN For wearinG paNtS MADe of deER lEathER. gaeLIc rEMaINED spokEn In The aReA as Late as thE 1860s. engLish and a few fRencH settlerS MOved INto the EAsterN pORtIOn of THe evEntUal counTY. desPItE the incReasE in settlement, PopULatIon LevEls in The lUmbER rIvER vaLlEY reMAinEd low foR maNY yeaRs, As SWAmps AnD tHick VEGetATion dIvideD Arable LAnd anD mAde traNsportation dIfficuLT. the proDUcTiOn Of tiMbeR And naVal Stores formEd a key pART OF the aRea's early econoMy, WIth lOgs being flOated down tHe rivER for SAlE in gEoRGetowN, south CarolINa, iN the late 1700S. DurInG the amerICaN revolUtionAry War, coNTrol over the Lumber RiVeR vallEy WAS hEaVilY ContEstEd By brItisH LoyaliStS and PaTRiots. TEnSions raised bY tHE WAR cauSeD SoMe whItes to miGRate oUt of The aREa, moving as faR away As canada.