William Magness (abt. 1747 - 1816)

Born about 1747 in Prince George's, Province of Maryland

Ancestors

Died 6 May 1816 at about age 69 in Lincoln County, North, Carolina, United States

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Biography

Captain William Magness served with North Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

William Magness is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-327949
Rank: Captain

William Magness was born about 1747 in Prince George's County, Maryland, and moved with his parents to Virginia and later to Tryon County, North Carolina, which in 1779 became Rutherford and Lincoln Counties.

By 1774, William had begun to acquire land and at the time of his death owned about 2500 acres. William apparently began his acquisitions with land deeded to him by his father, Perrygreen Magness, in Lincoln County in 1774. (Deed Book 2, page 31).^[1]

A bill of sale for two slaves for $500 is recorded in Lincoln County deed book 19, page 196, from Perrygreen Magness of "Woodford County, Kentucky," to William Magness "of Lincoln County, North Carolina," dated 3 November 1796 (alt 1798). Peregrine and family apparently left North Carolina for Kentucky about this time.^[1]

Military

William served as Captain of a company in Colonel William Graham's Tryon Regiment of Militia during February and March of 1776. ^[2]

Census

• The 1790 Lincoln County Census shows him with 2 males age 16 or older and 12 slaves.^[3]
• 1800 Lincoln County, North Carolina Census^[4]
  • Name: William Magnus
  • Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
  • Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1 [family member, wife, servant?]
  • Number of Slaves: 11
• 1810 Lincoln County, North Carolina Census^[5]
  • Name: Wm Magness
  • Residence Date: 6 Aug 1810
  • Residence Place: Lincoln, North Carolina, USA
  • Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
  • Number of Enslaved Persons: 19

Death & Legacy

On May 6, 1816, he died without leaving a will and without a legitimate heir. Because there was much litigation, the estate was not settled until 1825.

Much of what is known of the family comes from court proceedings. Robert, Jonathan, Joseph, and Samuel Magness, four of William's brothers, brought suit in 1819 against John Roberts and Benjamin Magness, the administrator's of the estate. They claimed in the suit that about $17,000.00 worth of personal property had been sold. Still unaccounted for were nine slaves and a large quantity of cider and brandy. When the estate was divided in 1825 into seven shares, each share was valued at $1400.00.^[6]

William was buried in Cleveland County, North Carolina, on the shores of Buffalo Creek, near Shelby. His father and sister, Sarah Roberts, and her family are also buried there. His tombstone says, "Sacred to the Memory of William Magness, who died May 6, 1816, age 69 years."^[7]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Whitley, Edythe and Johns Rucker. Cantrell - Potter - Magness, Ancestry of Alvin Edward Potter, Sr., researched & compiled by Edythe Rucker Whitley. Nashville, Tenn., 1938. Pages 23-38
2. ↑ SAR https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/327949
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1790," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY8-3H8J?cc=1803959&wc=22HB-YXV%3A1584071002%2C1584070943%2C1584070607 : 14 October 2022), North Carolina > Lincoln > Not Stated > image 12 of 12; citing NARA microfilm publication M637, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.). Col. 2, Line 8
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1800," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHR8-5ZN : accessed 21 December 2022), William Magnus, Lincoln, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 897, NARA microfilm publication M32, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 29; FHL microfilm 337,905.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1810," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHL9-CCK : accessed 21 December 2022), Wm Magness, Lincoln, North Carolina, United States; citing p. 429, NARA microfilm publication M252 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 40; FHL microfilm 337,913.
6. ↑ FamilySearch Digital Collection. Lincoln, NC, Superior Court of Law and Equity: Division of Real Estate of Wm Magness, dec'd, among Heirs, April Term 1825. "North Carolina. Superior Court of Law and Equity (Lincoln County), Minutes, 1816-1868." FHL Film #421875, FHL Digitized Film #8189310, Images 125-129 of 584. FamilySearch, https://familysearch.org/. (On 25 Feb 1825,Commissioners appointed by Lincoln County Superior Court: Maxwell Wilson, Wm. J. Wilson, Wm. Oates, Lemuel Moore, divided Real Estate property being surveyed by Maxwell Wilson among the Petitioners and Heirs of Wm. Magness, dec'd: Lot No.1, to Johnathan Magness, one of the Petitioners, commonly called John; Lot No. 2, to Joseph Magness, one of the Petitioners; Lot No. 3, to Col. John Roberts in right of his wife Sarah, one of the Heirs of the said deceased; Lot No. 4, to John Roberts, assignee of Samuel Magness, one of the Petitioners, land where Roberts now lives on main Buffalo Creek in Lincoln County; Lot No. 5, to William Magness, assignee of Robert Magness, one of the Petitioners; Lot No. 6, three tracts to Perrigreen Magness, Heir of George Magness, dec'd., one of the Petitioners; Lot No. 7, to Benjamin Magness, one of the Petitioners. Real Estate Divisions presented to Lincoln County, NC, Superior Court April Term, 1825.) Retrieved 26 Feb 2020.
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #38143759 Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 02 March 2020), memorial page for William Magness (1747–6 May 1816), Find A Grave Memorial no. 38143759, citing Roberts Family Cemetery, Kings Mountain, Cleveland County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by Liz Olmstead (contributor 46772820) Retrieved 2 March 2020.

See also:

• Webb, Thomas G., DeKalb County Historian. Magness History
• William Magness, The Hennessee Family

Acknowledgments

• Thanks to Nancy Snow for starting this profile.