William S Ligon (abt. 1839 - 1914)

Born about Mar 1839 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 31 Mar 1914 at about age 75 in Richmond Wayne County Indiana, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Michael Lake [send private message]

Biography

William S Ligon is the father of Ethel, irmy, and Rufus C Ligon. His wife is reported to be a Margaret Ligon/ Mary A Cruse (b 1848 in Tennesee). He may also be the father of a Mary C Ligon also.

My cousin Lois, who has a copy of his death certificate, reports that his father was a Robert Ligon, born in the 1790s. http://www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/ligon/1206/

Census records before 1850 are very poor. There appears to be 5 major points of entry for ligon lines (powhatten, halifax, prince edwards, henrico, amelia) to enter into Tennessee (wilson/smith county, Tipton county, tabernacle, montgomery, robertson county) and perhaps lesser areas as well including henry, and sumner county.

In the 1840-1850 census there are only a few Robert Rigon's in Virginia and Tennessee. One is listed in brunswick on the 1850 census, but I don't see any ligon records there prior until about the 1730-40 when a henry and Joseph was buying up land there and across virginia, Another is listed as a Robert S Ligon of Amelia, who also had a brother William who moved to texas. The Robert of Amelia had 3 wives, only his children by wife # 3 are recorded. He married Judith in 1837, and was remarried in 1842. There is only one william Ligon born in tennessee about 1838, and only one William ligon born about 1838 in Virginia that I can tell. Neither is in a census with a father named robert.

One (born tennessee) is with a John H Ligon in Wilson County, the other (born virginia) is with edward mosely Ligon. Edward Mosely line originated from Amelia county, where Robert S Ligon was. The Ligons of Wilson/smith counties were from halifax county. At face value, it would look like during the 1850 census this William S Ligon may have been staying with Edward. But I think I seen some records saying it was a William H Ligon-I have to verify.

I forget the exact relationship between John and Robert Ligon. record of his kids have them born in virginia. Robert may not have been the ideal father, having been described as intemperate. He was awarded guardianship of his children in 1839, left the county in 1841 to arkansas https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-XXD3-B7?i=6&cc=1401638 , and lost his gaurdianship in 1843. It suggests that his kids would end up staying with relatives in the county until there were complaints. In an 1852 deposition, John C Ligon names Roberts four kids-but not a william. One witness specifically notes that while in arkansas 4 of his kids were with him. The wording could suggest there are more kids, and some documents note a marion. http://www.tngenweb.org/wilson/wilson3.htm . However, there is a separate gravestone for him in Tennessee. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33427377/william-b-ligon

Another robert Ligon from this era was recorded in the 1840 census in henrico county.

It is not clear which Robert Ligon, if any, is his father.

Robert Married Mary Ann Cruse in Jefferson county, and they settled in Union, TN by 1840. Although there is no record of a robert Ligon I can find there, a Henry A Ligon moved to Union county who had children in virginia in the 1830s and 40s. He did have a son named william C ligon in 1846-not the William we are looking for. It should be investigated if Henry had a brother or a cousin who followed. Henry's parents were William C and Sally Ligon, and his siblings were Paschel, Elizabeth, Edith, John, David, and Willliam C. The william C that is also the father of henry also had a father named william, and was born in Amelia in 1729. Henry's uncles included a John, Henry, and Joseph Ligon.

If the paths indeed fall to Amelia county, it is likely that william and Ann (webber) is a common ancestor.

Sources

• https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=36596957

https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=36602336

"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX66-3YR : 12 April 2016), William Ligon, Indiana, United States; citing p. 1, family 4, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 545,862.

"United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCDB-YSZ : 12 April 2016), William Ligon in household of Edward M Ligon, Robertson county, Robertson, Tennessee, United States; citing family 1340, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).

"United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MCCK-B1C : 12 August 2017), William Ligon in household of E M Ligon, Cuba, Graves, Kentucky, United States; citing enumeration district ED 96, sheet 380A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 0416; FHL microfilm 1,254,416.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:27VT-13P

photo of Rufus Ligon, with label of uncle. Rufus Ligon would also have a daughter named Helen.