William Kirk Sr (abt. 1794 - 1888)

Born about 1794 in Mecklenburg, Virginia, United States

Husband of Nancy (Asbury) Kirk — married 3 Apr 1820 in Bedford, Virginia

Husband of Sarah (Webb) Kirk — married before 1833 in Charleston, Kanawha, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 10 Aug 1888 at about age 94 in Lewiston, Kanawha, West Virginia, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Curtis Milton [send private message] and Breauna McCallister [send private message]

Biography

William testifies he was born in Mecklenburg county Virginia in his long drawn-out pension application process for his service in the war of 1812. This application was being worked from 1877 until after his death. From it we learn not previously available facts.

William served in the War of 1812 in the 5th regiment Virginia infantry marching from Meckleburg towards Norfolk. But during his time he comes down ill (he said with mumps) and he is furloughed. As he was training and in service he seems to have been engaged in more than one company - he specially mentions these:

Capt. Martin Kitzmiller's company Capt. Blanton's company Captain Ralph Hubbard's

In total he may have served from June 1, 1814 to December 17, 1814. But during his illness he may have returned home, and from here the record of service is sketchy at best. Although he mentioned other soldiers on the roll, and a William Kirk is on the roll, there was also another William Kirk in this regiment who had successfully claimed a pension. It appears he may have never gotten his pension, nor per his claim any pay for his service. In total the documentation is 123 pages and involved at least 2 law firms (in Cleveland and Washington DC) who had agreements with the federal government to handle these claims. They made court visits in Boone, Kanawha and Putnam counties. ^[1]

William testifies on page 122 of his War of 1812 pension application that he lived for 10 years in Bedford county, then since then has resided in Kanawha county. In this same place he claims birth in Mecklenburg county, was 5 feet 10 inches tall, with black hair and black(?) eyes. Note the Coal River area presently in Boone county was also in Kanawha county. While perhaps owning land along Coal River at one time perhaps he may have never resided there.

His wife Sallie (Sarah) continues to seek the pension and provides valuable information.

...her name before marriage was Sallie Webb and that she has not remarried since the death of her husband, and she further states that said claimant was married somewhere in Virginia Bedford county, his first wife whose name was Nancy Asbury died at Browns town area West Virginia, and her said husband died at Lewiston Kanawha county in the state of WV on the 10 day of August 1888. She has resided in Kanawha county near Coalburg since the date of his discharge.

witnesses to her identity were Floyd Massey (age 38) and Adam Toney (age 20) whom they have known 15 and 20 years respectively.

Brownstown is currently known as Marmet. Coalsburg was west of East Bank. Sallie seems to indicate they lived much of their lives in that area.

William married Nancy Asbury 3 Apr 1820. They had children John Eli Kirk, William Kirk, and possibly several others including maybe Sarah Jane Kirk but this is unclear. This is the only Kirk marriage up to that time in Bedford county . Nancy died in Brownstown (Marmet) WV after the family had moved there.

From the 1830 census one can conclude that William and Nancy then had 3 sons and 3 daughters. Of these only the names of 2 sons are known, and the daughters may have lived and were married before the 1850 census.

William acquired significant acreage in what is now Boone county, but unclear if he owned both tracts at once. William bought 325 acres on Toney's Branch (near Bloomingrose WV) on August 6, 1830 from Francis and Rhoda Meadows. On August 28, 1849 he bought 525 more acres from James Webb. Possibly a relative of his wife Sarah. He voted for the formation of Boone County. His sons served in the Civil War. Jordan died at a prison camp in Maryland. Lewis and John were also in the war. ( Article published in The Boone County History Book by Russell E. Randolph, Jr. of Hulburt, Florida 32544 )

William married Sarah Webb some time before 1833 when their oldest known child was born. Some marriages of his children along Coal River in this time period seem to support that Giles Webb, Sarah's most likely father had settled there by this time.

The 1830 Census where he is residing in Kanawha county (which then Coal River area that is now Boone was part of) the count is bit complex - he may be married to Sarah who is under 20 then, and there are two males between 20 to 40, plus an older man between 60 and 70. I am not sure all these children are William's otherwise several did not live in adulthood.

1830 Census Kanawha County

198-25 Kirk, William males: 2 under 5, 1 5-10, 2 30-40, 1 60-70 females: 1 under 5, 2 5-10, 1 15-20, 1 60-70)

Not possible to infer if this is recorded when William is without spouse, and another similar aged man is residing there - along with possibly someone's aged parents.

William is also recorded there in 1840 and 1850.

Possibly his family is also listed in the 1840 census for Kanawha county. Clearly there is a Will___ Kirk listed but the ending of his name is indexed as Willerd. Very likely the census taker was abbreviating William. This listing has:

males: 2 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 females: 3 3 1 1 0 1

If this indeed is the household of William and Sarah, they are indexed one column too far to the right -- also they may be other individuals who may have lived into adulthood particularly that may be children of William and Nancy? Betty Y Montgomery has listed names of these people over at familysearch, and as she relied on some oral history these may be researched.

Note the 1850 census index references him as 'William Kirksen.' The line above seems to reference 'Isaac Kirksen.' Note the spaces between Kirk and sen. Both Isaac and William have sons with the same name, so the census taker is abbreviating senior after the name Kirk. Perhaps his brother Isaac could have been visiting a related household who lived next door to William.

Children of William Kirk and Sarah Webb: (all birth years approximate) Sarah b 1833, Jordan b. 1834, Martha b 1836, Lewis R. b. 1837, Polly b. 1839, Minerva b. 1842, Alfred b. 1843, Wilson b. 1844, James b. 1845, Eldridge and Emma b. 1846, California (male, also called Cal or Calvin) b. 1847.^[2]

1860 Census, Kanawha Co VA: William Kirk age 63, Sally Kirk age 50, Wilson Kirk age 16, Eldridge Kirk age 12, Emma Kirk age 12, James Kirk age 13, Calvin Kirk age 2, Silas Kirk age 7, Frances Kirk age 5. All born in Virginia. ^[3]

1880 Census, Cabin Creek, Kanawha, WV: William Kirk age 86 b VA; Sarah Kirk age 68 b WV; Wilson Kirk son age 28 b WV, coal miner. ^[4]

William Kirk and Sarah Webb were the parents of Catherine Neal. d age 86 (b ca 1837) on 4 Nov 1923 in Kanawha Co WV. ^[5]

Another record affirms Billy Kirk and Miss Webb were the parents of James N. Kirk b 24 Dec 1846. ^[6]

Calvin Kirk was a coal miner. He went by this name and not 'California' as mysteriously appears in only one census record. He suffered a fractured hip and died same day. Buried in Sawmill Cemetery. b 16 Jan 1837 d 23 Nov 1950 age 113 years, 10 months and 7 days. Winifrede, Kanawha, WV. Since he was aged 2 in the 1860 Census he was not as old as reported. ^[7]

Ron Cooper posted this info 5 May 2001. William Kirk. Wife was Sally "Sarah" Webb. William was in War of 1812. Have info on him, not much on her except eldest son was a Bradley. My grandmother, Margaret Ann Pettry, was daughter of Francis Evelyn Kirk and Henry Clay Pettry. Her [grand-]parents were William, born 1794 in Mecklenberg Co., Va, md abt 1828, died 10 August 1888 in Kanawha County, WVa. Sarah Webb born 1812 in Giles County, Va (possible even if her father is Giles?). Both were buried above I-64 Interchange at Cheylan,WVa.I went all over that cemetery many years ago trying to locate graves. Never found them, Grandmother, Maggie, said they were part of those relocated when the Interstate was built. Have other info. Call me. I live close in Reynoldsburg, Ohio. (I have seen other oral histories incorrect on burial spots so I would not be adamant that this is the place). Note: Sarah used Washington, DC law firm of Webb & Webb to file for Wm's pension for War of 1812 (not sure the source for this info). ^[8]

Research Notes

• • • This is in contradiction to being descended from Thomas Kirk of Giles county as concluded by prior researchers. ***

However, notice that Isaac Kirk happens to be listed next to William Kirk in the 1850 census. Maybe this might be entirely coincidental as Isaac is then living in the household of his son-in-law. William and Isaac are clearly the two 'coincidental Kirks' that many from this region descend from - whether they are indeed related may be a great mystery unless more records are uncovered?

Sources

1. ↑ https://www.fold3.com/image/314899880
2. ↑ http://www.harlessgenealogy.com/descendants/JohanMartinHarless.htm
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M418-4NY : 12 December 2017), William Kirk, 1860.
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6R5-Y6R : 15 July 2017), Sarah Kirk in entry for William Kirk, 1880; citing enumeration district ED 48, sheet 192B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d), roll 1405; FHL microfilm 1,255,405.
5. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NMZ2-SML : 10 March 2018), Wm. Kirk in entry for Catherine Neal, 04 Nov 1923; citing Kanawha, West Virginia, County Records, 13485, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 1,953,105. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=1953105&ImageNumber=1517
6. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F1Y4-3SQ : 10 March 2018), Billy Kirk in entry for James N. Kirk, 14 Jun 1927; citing Kanawha, West Virginia, County Records, 7451, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 1,953,331.
7. ↑ "West Virginia Deaths, 1804-1999," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NM2W-NDC : 10 March 2018), William Kirk in entry for Calvin Kirk, 23 Nov 1950; citing Winifrede, Kanawha, West Virginia, County Records, v K-L p 67, county courthouses, West Virginia; FHL microfilm 460,376. http://www.wvculture.org/vrr/va_view2.aspx?FilmNumber=460376&ImageNumber=140 informant Carl Kirk.
8. ↑ edited slightly by Curtis Milton to correct that Frances Evelyn Kirk is granddaughter of William and Sarah. Her parents are Alfred Newton and Jane Ann (Toney) Kirk

• ID14933 in Edgar C. Smith's GEDCOM "Thomas Kirk of Virginia" posted to RootsWeb's WorldConnect. His source is data from Herman "Clint" Kirk.
• Henning, Elma & Merle Rummel, The Toney Family History, 1979, Gateway Press, pg 305

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