Isaac settled in North Carolina sometime prior to the Revolutionary War. Isaac was a Lieutenant in the North Carolina Militia during the revolutionary War. In 1781, he and his family came to Washington county and settled on the fall Branch of Horse Creek, just south of the present Fall Branch community. Isaac owned approximately 400 acres of land in Washington County, as well as 200 acres in Sullivan County. In 1790, Isaac was commissioned a Lieutenant in Sullivan County by William Blount, Govenor of the Southwest Territory. Before 1800, Isaac was commissioned as a justice of the peace for Washington County; he also served as a tax collector.

At his death, he left a will, giving most of his estate to his wife and his son, Terry. In addition, he gave three of his other sons 100 acres of land each. He was buried in the family cemetery on his farm, located at the present intersection of State Highway 93 and Interstate 81. Sarah Vaughn was probably buried there as well, but no records of this have survived.