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William Ragen, the Immigrant, was born in 1724, in Ireland (source citation needed for place of birth, it's not verified). William immigrated to the Province of South Carolina, where he was living in the Camden District (see notes) during the time of the American Revolutionary War. William was a Petit Juror and also furnished supplies in support of the Continental Army. [1] William is honored for his Civil Service and Patriotic Service by the Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution as DAR Ancestor #A134910. DAR Records are found under the name of William "Reagan," with the disclaimer, "As such, the DAR assigns a single standard surname that covers variant spellings of similar surnames. While the surname may appear incorrect, this does not mean it is in error. This spelling system ensures that patriots are not established under more than one spelling." Applications for membership in the Society of the DAR have been made by the descendants of his daughters, Jamima, who married William Griffin; and Frances, who married Richard Harvin; and of his son, John Ragan, who married Sarah Felder. [2]
Known children of William and Lucy: Lucy, William, Jemimey, Elizabeth, Sarah, Frances, John and Tabitha.
William Wrote his Will on 15 Jan 1785 at St Marks Parrish in Craven County in the State of South Carolina and he died before March 17, 1787, when his Will was proven. William is buried in the churchyard of the Calvary Baptist Church in Clarendon County, South Carolina.[3]
Deed (Lease and Release) - 13 Jul 1761 - William Kearley and Dorothy his wife of Craven Co SC sell to William Ragan, for 300 pounds current money, 150 acres lying on the north side of the Santee River near the Cypress Pond, bounded on the sound by Thomas Maples and all other sides by vacant land, patenteded to William Leonard. Witnesses Thomas Prestwood and Betty Prestwood.[4]
Grant - On 20 Apr 1763, William Regen received a land grant for 300 acres on Enoree Creek at the fork of the Broad and Saludy rivers in Berkeley County, bounded on all sides by vacant land. in Berkeley County. This land was surveyed for him on 7 Jan 1763.[5]
Grant - 22 Feb 1765 - William and his wife Lucy conveyed the 300 acres in Berkeley County to Thomas Gordon, probably because it was their intent to settle the land in Craven County.[6]
Grant - On 18 Jan 1765, William Raggon received a land grant for 50 acres in Craven County bounded on the north by William Leonard and all other sides by vacant land. It was surveyed for him on 9 Jun 1764.[7]
Grant - On 7 Feb 1767, William Ragen received a land grant for 100 acres in Craven County near St Marks Parish Church, bounded on the SW by Emphraim Clerk's land, vacant on the north, by his own land on the West, and all other boundaries vacant land.[8] The land grant can be viewed in the plat book 10 page 62.[9]
Grant - On 6 Oct 1766, William Ragin of St Marks Parish Craven Co SC executed a mortgage deed in favor of John Donovan of Charleston, to secure a loan of £59.11.0 made to him by Donovan, securing it with 150 acres where he now lives at St Marks Parish Craven County, surveyed by William Leonard and conveyed to Ragan adjoining Angela Harden and Robert White and one Negro wench slave named Deanah aged between 20-30 years. Witnesses were Peter Bocquett Jr and John Wagner.[10]
Grant - 4 Dec 1771 - 24-499 - 50 acres in Craven County (this grant book, no. 24, is missing from the collection online at familysearch.org; the information was pulled from the index).[11] However, this may be the 50 acres that was surveyed for William on 6 Aug 1771, the plat showing lands bounded on the west and north by George Saunders.[12]
Grant - 25 Apr 1774 - 150 acres in Craven County on Sammy Swamp on the Black River, bounded on all sides by vacant land.[13]
Grant - 11 Aug 1774 - 100 acres on the Santee River in Craven County, north side of the Santee River, bounding on the north and northeastward by Robert White, Col. Richardson and himself, southeast and south party on his own land and William Leonard and Francis James, to the west partly on William Leonard and Benjamin Stone and Robert White.[14]
Grant - 28 Oct 1774 - 300 acres in St Marks Parish on a branch called Sammys Swamp bounded on the southeast by his own land and all other sides vacant.[15]
The total acreage in Craven County/St Mark's Parish which became Camden District and Sumter County was 750 acres.
When William wrote his will in 1785, he bequeathed all his real property to his grandsons William Sanders (son of his daughter Sarah who married William Sanders) and John Broughton (son of his daughter Elizabeth who married Edward Broughton). The two grandsons disposed of their inheritance in 1792 and 1800, respectively:
The records suggest that since William Ragan had acquired 750 acres in Craven County, but his real property at his death amounted to 400+/- acres, he disposed of 350 acres by different means. Since in his will he bequeaths one guinea each to daughter Elizabeth Broughton, daughter Jemima Griffin, daughter Frances Harvin, and son John Ragan, William may have sold or gifted the "missing" acreage to those children.
Recorded Kershaw Co SC Will Book A-1 p 384[18]
In The Name of God Amen, I William Ragin of St Marks Parrish in Craven County in the State of South Carolina considering the Transitoriness of life do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament (being at this time of sound and Disposing mind Memory Judgment and Under-standing) that is to say; it is my Will that all my Just Debts be well and truly satisfied and paid out of my Estate within some convenient time after my Decease by my Executors herein after named.
I give and bequeath unto my beloved Wife Lucey Ragan. the use of my Dwelling House during her natural Life, with her maintenance out of my movable Estate which is to be Kept together for that purpose as Long as she Lives, my Daughter Lucey Ragan and her Daughter Mary Ragan is to have their maintenance Till the Death of my Wife or until my Daughter Lucey shall get Marryed if that should happen before, Likewise my son William Ragan is to be maintained with his mother till after her Death After which the whole of my movable Estate is to be sold (Except a Negro boy named Sharper) and to be Divided in the manner herein after mentioned.
Item, I give to my Daughter Elizabeth the wife of Edward Braughton one guinea. Item, I give to my Daughter Jemimey the Wife of William Griffen the sum of one guinea. Item, I give to my Daughter Sarah the Wife of William Sanders one third part of my movable Estate after it shall be sold and the Legaceys paid which are herein mentioned. Item, I give to my Daughter Frances the Wife of Richard Harvin the sum of one guinea. Item, I give to my son John Ragan the sum of one guinea. Item, I give to my Daughter Tabitha the Wife of Richard Rodgers one third part of my movable Estate after it shall be sold and the Legaceys paid which are herein mentioned.
Item, I give to my Daughter Lucy Ragan one third part of my movable Estate after it shall be sold and the Legacy paid which are herein mentioned.
Item, I give to my sone William Ragan dureing his natural Life the use and service of a Negro Boy Named Sharper the Interest of two Hundred and Twenty pounds sterling which is to be put at Interest for the purpose of maintaining him by my Executors and after his Death the Negro Sharper if Alive is to be sold and what he fetches with the two Hundred and Twenty pounds to be Divided in manner following; that is to say one Hundred pounds to be divided equally between the Children of my son John Ragan to be paid to them as they arrive at the age of twenty one Years and one Hundred Pounds to be equally divided between the Children of my Daughter Jemimey Griffen to be paid to them as they arrive at the age of Twenty one Years and the Remainder to be equally divided among the Children of my Daughter Frances Harvin as they come to the age of Twenty one Years.
Item, I give Bequeath and Demise unto my two Grandsons William Sanders, The son of my Daughter Sarah Sanders, and John Braughton, The son of my Daughter Elizabeth Braughton and their Heirs for Ever all my Real Estate to be equally Divided between them at the Discretion of my Executors
Item, I give to my grand Daughter Mary Ragan Daughter of my Daughter Lucey Ragan the sum of Forty Pounds Sterling to be put at Interest after my Estate is sold and is to be paid to her either at her being marryed or the age of Twenty one Years and Incase she Dies before she comes of age or marrays then I give it with the Interest to my Daughter Lucey Ragan.
And Lastly I constitute and appoint my Loving Friends. John James, Samuel Little, and William Sanders to be my Executors to this my Last Will and Testament uterly revokeing and Disannulling all former Wills and Bequeaths by me made heretofore and Acknowledging this to be my Will in Witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal this Fifteenth Day of January in the Year of our Lord one Thousand seven hundred and Eighty Five and in the Ninth Year of the Independence of America.
Interlined before sealing the 8th Line from the top / her / 9th Do / Daughter / 17th Do / Daughter / 25th Do / him / 29th Do / divided. Sealed published, and declared by the above named William Ragan for and his last Will and Testament, in the presence of us, Josiah Furman, Sarah Furman, Thomas Casity William /m/ Ragan
Proven 16th Day of March 1787, Wm Ragans Ordinary, Bundle 119, Pkg. 17 [19]
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