I found two land records of these Pickerings in Duplin County, North Carolina in 1777. These were found online at the Sampson County, NC Register of Deeds website where you can search the old records. You can search by last name or by entering the Book # and page #. A summary of the two records are as follows:
1777 "John Pickren of Georgia to Benj. Pickren of Craven Co, NC."….150 acres of land on west side of the NE Swamp, above Alexander Rouse’s land. Wit.: Gabriel Pickren, Moses Pickren, & Richard Jelks?. Bk 6, p 38-39.
1777 Benjamin Pickeren to John Houseman; Wit. Gabriel Pickerin; Bk. 6, p. 33-34