William Suits (1791 - 1881)

Born 18 Jan 1791 in North Carolina

Husband of Catherine Kerr — married 4 Sep 1816 in Guilford, NC

Descendants

Died 17 Mar 1881 at age 90 in Dearborn County, Indiana

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Biography

William Suits and his wife Catherine were by 1817 in the State of Indiana in what was then Laughery Township of Dearborn County. The NC Marriage Index asserts that he had married Catherine on September 4, 1816 in Guilford, NC.

Listed as "William Soots" during the 1820 census, he had acquired land in a settlement then called Hopewell, after the friendly Hopewell tribe of the area. At this time his home fell in Laughery Township, one of the first of Dearborn County, Indiana. The settlement grew into a town and was thereafter in 1830 re-named Dillsborough. This town then fell within a newly established township of "Clay" in 1835.^[1]

William's 1820 household contained his wife, one son under 10 years, and two daughters under 10 years. He remained in this location throughout his life. He was again listed in the 1830 census in Laughery Township and it appears a second older male had joined his household. This was perhaps the Walter Soots born about 1810 who would later reside in Ohio County, which was cut from Dearborn County about 1840.

1830 Household of William Soots

1 male 30-40 yrs William

1 male 20-30 yrs ? [Probably Walter Soots b. 1810]

1 male 10-15 yrs David

1 male 5-10 yrs Emsley

2 males under 5 yrs Alfred & Walter

1 female 30-40 yrs Catherine

1 female 15-20 yrs Martha

1 female 10-15 yrs Elizabeth Ann

1 female 5-10 yrs Nancy

1840 Household of William Suits

1 male 50-60 yrs William

1 male 15-20 yrs Emsley

2 males 10-15 yrs Alfred & Walter

2 males 5-10 yrs Ralph & ?

1 female 50-60 yrs Catherine

1 female 20-30 yrs Martha

1 female 10-15 yrs Nancy

1 female 5-10 yrs America J.

William has been found in the 1850, 1860, 1870, and 1880 US Census. In all of these except 1870 he gives his birthplace as North Carolina. The 1870 record indicates Pennsylvania, but this birthplace may have been transposed with another member in the household of his son Ralph. Pennsylvania was listed on the death record of his son Walter in 1919, but this son had indicated both parents born in North Carolina during the census if 1880.

William and Catherine raised a good sized family of children in Dillsboro, many of whom were important contributors to their community. His wife Catherine passed in 1856 and William died in 1881.

Sources

1. ↑ 1820 census https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGN-4JS

• Source Information:

Title North Carolina, Marriage Index, 1741-2004 Author Ancestry.com