Williams Family History

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Captain Isaac Williams and His Grandchildren Pioneers of Lawrence County, Indiana By Ben & Alice Dixon

11. WILLIAM WILLIAMS, SR

Son of Richard Williams of Gwynedd, and Margaret Eaton

Born, 1719, Gwynedd, Philadelphia county, Penna.

Married Margaret (Evans?), dau. of_____ and __________ who married, 2nd, at Cane Creek, NC, 5-1776, Anthony Chamness

She was born, 1721, (probably at Gwynedd); time and place of death unknown.

ISSUE

William Wi1liams and Margaret_________________

1. Priscilla, b. Pa. 3-27-1741; m. 1765, John Pike

2. Isaac (Sr) 11- 7-1742 1765, Rachel Pike

To Jefferson Co., Tenn. m. 1792, 2nd, Hannah Beals

3. Owen,b. Va. 10-20-1744 1770, Katherine Crawford

4. Mary l0-20-1746 d. Cane Creek NC 8-14-1766

5. Richard 11-11-1749 d. 11- ?-1766

6. Elizabeth l2-25-l750 m. 1769, Nathan Pike

7. Rachel 3-20-1753 1777? Joshua Chamness

8. Margaret 4- 1-1755 1772, Alexander Campbell

9. Jean 2-28-1758 d. Cane Creek NC 8-8-1766

10. Daniel 6-19-1760 m. 1781, Susanna Kemp

11. William (Jr) b. NC 9- 7-1763 1786, Rachel Kemp

***

Priscilla and Isaac were born at Gwynedd, Philadelphia Co., William, Jr. was born in Chatham Co., NC; all others in Loudon Co., Va.

This family has been well served by Quaker records in North Carolina and Tennessee. Of the eleven children we find eleven birth dates. Three children, ages 8, 17 and 20, died in 1766, within a three-month period, of some unrecorded frontier ailment.

There are eight marriage records, seven of which are replete with names and dates for eighty-one of the great-grandchildren of "Richard the First" of Gwynedd -- including Isaac (Jr) and Rachel (Adamson) who brought their families to Lawrence County in 1817.

Of the above: John, Rachel and Nathan Pike -- who married three of Isaac's children, were sons and daughter of John Pike and Abigail Overman. Susanna and Rachel Kemp, wives of Isaac's two younger sons, were daughters of Richard and Susanna Kemp. Joshua Chamness, husband of Rachel, was the son of Anthony Chamness, Sr. whom Margaret married after William's death. It is assumed that both William Williams and Anthony Chamness are buried at Cane Creek. Katherine Crawford, who married Owen Wil1iams, was the daughter of James. Alexander Campbell, Margaret's husband, was the son of Charles.

***

William Wi1liams made his will in Chatham county NC August 21, 1773. He named his wife Margaret and eight surviving children. It was discovered in the Archives of North Carolina by Mr. William P. Johnson of Fairmount, Indiana. Through the courtesy of Wm. B. Lindley of LaJolla, Calif., a descendant of Priscilla Williams and John Pike, we are privileged to reproduce the will as it appears in the microfilm at Raleigh. It is a pre-revolutionary family document of great and rare value to our Williams history.

WILL OF WIILIAM WILLIAMS

(JBl57 Unrecorded Wills of Chatham County, N.C.)

"Whereas I William Williams of the County of Chatham and Province of North Carolina Well knowing and Considering the grate Uncertainty of Life here do think it Needful to Leave Behind me the following Lines As my Last will and Testament that is to Say Principally and first of all I Recommend my Soul Unto the Lord Who Gave it me and my Body I Recommend to the Earth to Be Buried in a Christian Like Decent Manne at the Descrission of my friends and Relations And as tuching Such worldly Substans wherewith the Almighty hath Been pleased to favour me with all I Bequeath Device and Distribute thereof in manner and form As follows to wit I Desire in the first place that all my just Debts Be paid.

"I desire that three^* hundred acres of my Land on Deep River should be sold at the descression of my Executors it being three^* hundred at the bar End my Land I give and bequeathe to my well beloved wife Marget Williams fifty pound in mon.oney one feather Bed and furneture one Case of draws allso her Riding Mair Sorrel and her Saddal also tow pots three dishes and half a dozen plats also their is thre of sons Shal pay to ther mother twenty shillings yearly owen Daniel and William when youget comes of age and dureing her Widow hood I Like wiss leave the third of my Land that I now live on to my wife dureing her widow hood.

"I like wiss Give and bequeth to my son Isaac in money forty pounds to be paid by my Executors when the money that is due in Virginia is Collected or when the Land on deep River is sold

"I give and bequeth to my daugter prissillar pike four pounds to be paid when my money is Recived from Virginia I like wise Give and bequeth to my Daugter Lissy Pike forty shillings to be paid at the same time. I Like wise Give and bequeth to my Daughter Rachel twety pounds in money one feather Bed and furneture a Cow and Calf three dishes Six plates and pot I give and bequth to my Daughtter Marget Eight pounds in money to be paid by my Executors when the Rest of my Children Receves thers Like wise one Bed I give and bequth to my son Owen one hundred seventy five acres of my Land lying whear his house and plantation Lyes it being free and Clear from all in Cumb- rants quit rents Excepted. I also give and bequeath to my two youngest sons Daniel and William two hundred and seventy five accors of my Land to be Equelly Devid:d betwext the two only my Son William shall have the plantation. I allso Leave the use of the Remaining part of my house hold goods to my Well beloved wife and to my youngest Boys and all my horses and 4 head of Cattle and Six head of Sheep and all the Reset of my Stock to be sold at the Diascretion of my Executors

"And Lastly I Conclude and appoint my Loving wife Marget Williams and my son Owen Williams and John pike the hole and sole Executors of this my Last will and Testament as Witness tilis my hand and Sign:d and sealed this 21 of August 1773

Thos Hasavell Junr (S )

Newn N Walldesley (Signed) "WILLIAM WILLIAMS" ( E )

Alexr. Campbell ( A )

( l)

Notes: (^*) Three, or two; blurred and indeterminate. No date of probate shown. Spelling, punctuation and capitalization as shown in photocopy.