John Brevard was born in Maryland in 1716. Brevard later became a resident of western North Carolina. A local justice of the peace, Brevard resided near the Rocky River on land originally in Anson County, but that later was situated in Rowan and Iredell. He  was a representative of Rowan County in the colonial Assembly from 1754 to 1760.One of the largest enslavers in the county, Brevard was almost murdered by one of his enslaved people in 1765. When the enslaved man, named Dick, was captured and executed, Brevard ordered him decapitated as a warning to his other enslaved people. Brevard died in Iredell on September 15, 1790.