William Prince (1752 - 1810)

Born 19 May 1752 in Frederick County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (Ford) Prince — married about 1787 in South Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died 1 Aug 1810 at age 58 in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

Captain William Prince performed Patriotic Service in South Carolina in the American Revolution.

Captain William Prince served with South Carolina Militia during the American Revolution.

William Prince is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A093274.

William Prince, a Revolutionary War hero, was the son of John Prince Sarah Berry. He was born 19 May 1752 in Frederick County, Colony of Virginia. He died 1 Aug 1810 in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States and was buried at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, United States of America.

William came to South Carolina with is father in 1768. John Prince Esq. was a member of the First General Assembly, Lower District 1776 Second Provincial Congress District between Broad and Saluda, 1775-1776 and a member to the Second General Assembly (1776-78) in South Carolina. William is named in his father's will dated 7 November 1782 with six siblings. John Prince's will was proved 12 Nov 1782 ^[1] See transcribed copy of will here. John Prince Esq. (1710-abt.1782)

William was married twice. First to Dulcina Barry, who passed away sometime between 1784 and 1785. They had seven children together.

Four of his children include:

1. Elisha Prince, 1786–1856
2. Thomas Eli Prince, 1787–1860
3. Rhoda Prince Delany, 1790–1852
4. Elizabeth Prince Frazer, 1798–1820

His second wife was Elizabeth Ford. She had two sons from previous marriage.

Find-a-Grave contributes the following biography (incl photo of engraved memorial stone):

"Although born in Virginia, William moved to Spartanburg, South Carolina in 1768 with his father John Prince Esq.

"William, a Revolutionary War patriot, saw action at the battle of the Cowpens. He was a Captain in Colonel Benjamin Roebucks Spartan Regiment. In the spring of 1782 Captain William Prince, a recently discharged veteran led a party west through the Cumberland Gap to the Red River Valley, a branch of the Cumberland River now located in Montgomery County in the vicinity of Clarksville. The party included Dulcinea Barry Prince, their children, two brothers, Enoch and Robert, and other unknown souls.

"Dulcina died soon after... leaving seven children. William returned to South Carolina, leaving his children with friends and trusted slaves to conduct a second party to his new home in Tennessee. The second group included William's second wife, Elizabeth Ford [1755-1828], and her sons Philip, James and Richard. William established Prince's Fort located near today's Port Royal." ^[2]

Records for the Cumberland settlements indicate William Prince was summoned for jury duty on the Superior Court of Law and Equity in May 1790 in Davidson County, Southwest Territory. ^[3] (The so-called Southwest Territory was the political designation of Tennessee prior to statehood in 1793. ^[4])

According to Reconstructed Census records, in 1790, William lived in "the territory south of the Ohio River [in Tennessee]," and in 1791, the governor appointed William coroner of Tennessee County, the county adjacent to the west of Davidson County in the Southwest Territory. ^[5]

The Find-a-Grave biography continues with the following: "In 1796 William and his brother Robert, having been elected, were sitting in convention in Knoxville for purpose of forming a constitution. In the winter of 1798 a party led by William Prince surveyed land in what was to become Caldwell County, Kentucky. They surveyed 200 acre tracts along the fertile land of upper Eddy Creek. They liked the area so well they moved in. William built the Shandy Hall Tavern at the Big Spring. It stood on the spot where the Dollar Store now is."

William Prince appears in the Tax List for the Second Census in Livingston, Kentucky, on 30 March 1800. ^[6]

Caldwell County would be formed from Livingston County in 1809. ^[7]

Capt. William Prince passed away on 1 Aug 1810 in Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, according to his headstone, where he is buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery. ^[8]

The Find-a-Grave biography relates, "His widow gave 50 acres on which to build a courthouse. The Community was named Princeto[w]n [later changed to Princeton] in his honor."

Notes

War of Independence participation confirmed by document from South Carolina Department of Archives & History. Image of document uploaded to this profile page, and called "Capt. Wm Prince Tour of Duty." Note that this document is spelled phonetically for pronunciation of the times--viz, "tower" likely means "tour" and "hole" likely means "whole." ^[9]

William must have been discharged from the Continental Army before 7 Nov 1782 since his father's will states he was on that date living on a plantation adjoining his father's estate in Abbeville County, South Carolina. (See John Prince will citation below.)

Sources

1. ↑ ancestry.com. South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980. Ancestry.com online database, transcribed document, naming wife Mary and son William [1]
2. ↑ This biography is a compilation by the Tanners, genealogical researchers, of the wording on public plaques displayed in modern-day Princeton, KY, about William Prince [2]
3. ↑ 1710 to 1790 Census for the Cumberland Settlements for William Prince. Ancestry.com, transcription of census record [3]
4. ↑ "Exploration and Early Settlement [of Tennessee]." Wikipedia article [4]
5. ↑ Reconstructed Census Records, 1660-1820. Ancestry,com database [5]
6. ↑ US Tax Lists, 1799-1801 in the Second Census in 1800 for Kentucky. Ancestry.com, digital image of document [6]
7. ↑ "Caldwell County, Kentucky," Wikipedia article [7]
8. ↑ Headstone Application for Military Veterans, for William Prince. Ancestry.com database, image of original application [8]
9. ↑ South Carolina Department of Archives & History. Wm Prince Tour of Duty in Continental Army[9]

• Find A Grave memorial page for CPT William Prince (19 May 1752–1 Aug 1810); citing Cedar Hill Cemetery, Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky. Capt William Prince. BIRTH 19 May 1752. Virginia, USA. DEATH 6 Aug 1810 (aged 58). Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, USA. BURIAL Cedar Hill Cemetery, Princeton, Caldwell County, Kentucky, USA. PLOT 9-51-2.
• North America Family Histories, 1500-2000, Lineage Book, page 297
• Historical Southern Families, Vol. I p. 287
• American Genealogical Index (AGBI), Vol. 140- Page number 505
• "United States Headstone Applications for U.S. Military Veterans, 1925-1949", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VHZ6-G57 : 26 April 2021), William Prince.

Acknowledgements

This person was created on 22 September 2010 through the import of PittsPenn_2010-09-21.ged.