William Alexander (1749 - 1836)

Born 1749 in Bucks, Pennsylvania

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 19 Dec 1836 at about age 87 in Charlotte, Mecklenburg, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Floyd Owsley [send private message] and Marilyn Marcia [send private message]

DNA

Direct male descendants completed Y-DNA testing. Y-DNA Haplogroup: R-BY130259 - downstream of R-A848.

Biography

Son of Benjamin and Susanna (Polk) Alexander, William was born 1749 in Bucks, Pennsylvania.

He passed away 1836 and is buried at Sugar Creek Presbyterian Church Cemetery #02.

Story

"Black Billy" THE GUNPOWDER PLOT OF 1771

The American Revolutionary War officially began in 1775, and ended in 1783.

But it was already starting to warm up a few years before that, around Mecklenburg Co, NC -- with tensions running high.

William "Black Billy" Alexander (1749-1836) was part of a raiding party in 1771, which managed to blow up a shipment of black gunpowder and other supplies sent from Charlestown, SC to supply the British troops in Hillsboro, NC.

The munitions were meant to be used against the rebellious Regulator movement in NC, but the supplies were intercepted by a group of men who lived near Rocky River, including "Black Billy".

Back in 1771, this part of NC was called Anson County.

In 1772 part of the county split off to be called Mecklenburg County, effective as of 1773.

Still later, part of Mecklenburg County split off to become Cabarrus County.

Col. Moses Alexander was the Sheriff back in 1771.

Both he and "Black Billy" were descendants of the "Seven Brothers & Two Sisters" Alexander family of colonial Maryland -- which made them distant cousins.

The Sheriff negotiated a plea bargaining deal with the culprits, if they would turn themselves in to justice.

Sources

• "United States Census, 1790", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHK1-1T6 : Thu Sep 14 17:19:12 UTC 2023), Entry for Capt William Alexander, 1790.

• "United States Census, 1800", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHRW-98T : Thu Sep 14 17:08:42 UTC 2023), Entry for William B Alexander, 1800.

• "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHG3-W1L : accessed 30 September 2017), William Alexander, Christiana Hundred, New Castle, Delaware, United States; citing p. 118, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 4; FHL microfilm 205,610.

• "United States Revolutionary War Pension Payment Ledgers, 1818-1872," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24Q-LTZK : accessed 20 September 2023), William Alexander, 04 Mar 1832; citing North Carolina, United States, NARA microfilm publication T718 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1962), roll 8; FHL microfilm 1,319,388.

• U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970

• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=43362372