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Wilson M. Williams (abt. 1769 - abt. 1835)

Wilson M. Williams
Born about [location unknown]
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married about 1790 (to about 1795) [location unknown]
Husband of — married about 1795 (to about 1817) [location unknown]
Husband of — married about 1819 (to about 28 Dec 1835) in Swallow Savannah Barnwell Countymap
Descendants descendants
Died about at about age 66 in Barnwell, South Carolinamap
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Profile last modified | Created 19 Jan 2017
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Biography

As far as can presently be determined Wilson Williams was the only son of Britton and Elizabeth (nee Calthorpe or Wilson) Williams. A “deed of gift” document recorded in Barnwell County conveyed from Elizabeth, the widow of Britton Williams, to her children Wilson Williams, Sarah Vasser, and Martha Bowen, four African American slaves. The deed was dated in April 1795 but not recorded until 7 July 1807, which may have been near the time of Wilson’s mother’s remarriage. The names of the four slaves were Isaac, Cudjoe, Stephen, and Sylvia. Isaac may have been among the slaves Wilson owned at the time of his death in 1835 since an Isaac was listed among his property and was worth $100 indicating old age. Slaves at their prime in the 1830s were worth up to $1000.

The 1790 U.S. Census of the Southern Portion of Orangeburg shows that Wilson Williams was the head of a family of females and a young male. There is no way from the census itself to determine if he was married and raising a family at that time, He may have simply been living with his mother and siblings.

The name of Wilson Williams’ first wife is presently unknown but may have been Mary Mallard the daughter of George Mallard. George Mallard died on September 12, 1812, and his Will was probated on October 30, 1812. George Mallard was also from Duplin County, North Carolina before moving to Barnwell District South Carolina where he had land near Wilson’s uncle Joshua Williams in an area known as Duck Savannah. On October 20, 1818, Wilson Williams bought 191 acres from Daniel Mallard, George Mallard’s son by a second wife. He paid $400 for the land on Coosawhatchie River near the Beaufort District county line. The deed record showed this acreage was part of lands first granted to Charles Boyles, William Bryan, and Joshua Williams. The following year on March 12, 1819, Wilson Williams filed a Bill of Compliant in the Equity Court of Orangeburg District against another son of George Mallard, Dewring over a tract of land on the Coosawhatchie River, which once belonged to George Mallard. The only surviving record of this case is found in an announcement in the COLUMBIA TELESCOPE newspaper and it stated that “Durin” Mallard resided outside the limits of the state of South Carolina and that a Samuel Jones was the commissioner handling the case. The results of this suit have not been located but this information strongly suggests that Wilson Williams had an interest in an estate belonging to Dewring Mallard and that this interest was probably a share of an estate due to him or one or more of his children.

On the 1810 Census of Barnwell District, South Carolina, Wilson Williams is enumerated as the head of household consisting of himself, his wife, eight children, and eight slaves. Both Wilson and his wife's ages were recorded as being between 26-45 years old.

According to the 1830 census of South Carolina, which is the last census to enumerate, Wilson Williams gave his age as being between sixty and seventy years of age. This would place his birth between the years 1760 and 1770. The 1810 census of the same state lists Wilson Williams in the twenty-six to forty-five age group placing the year of his birth between 1765 and 1784. The only other census in which Wilson has been located in the 1790 census of South Carolina which states that Wilson was over sixteen years of age; indicating that he was born before 1774. Consequently, from these three censuses, Wilson's birth year can be stated to be between the years 1765 (should be 1768) and 1774 (should be 1770).

There is no way to know for sure how many children Wilson fathered. The range is from 10-16 but the following is a brief listing and explanation of what is known at this time (2/24/2018)

A Barnwell District land document dated February 18, 1799, listed Wilson Williams as “of Washington County Georgia”. Wilson in the deed sold his father’s lands on King Creek to William Campbell, the father of Alexander Campbell who may have been at the time his mother’s second husband. The deed states that this land was first granted to William Brown. (Deed Records Book A page 124) Another deed record dated February 28, 1800, still listed Wilson Williams as “of Washington County, Georgia”. In this deed, he sold lands to Joshua Campbell, a brother of Alexander Campbell. This was the land his mother granted to him on 29 September 1795. The fact that he sold 116 acres for a mere $8 indicates that there was a familial bond between the Williams and the Campbells. William Campbell was recorded in Washington County, GA Sept 7, 1789, on lands adjoining Williams and a McGonders. Wilson Williams was probably traveling between his plantations in the two states. His son William Green Williams stated that he was born in South Carolina in 1804 although the 1805 Land Lottery for Washington County shows that Wilson registered for two draws but did not receive land. Wilson Williams was not listed in the 1800 U.S. Census of South Carolina so must have been in Georgia at the turn of the century.

In 1802 Wilson Williams desired to return to his estates in Barnwell District South Carolina but found that an obstacle had been placed in his path. In his absence, the South Carolina House of Representatives passed a law against bringing African Americans into the state. Wilson Williams evidently had some of his slaves working his lands in Washington County, Georgia; therefore he sent a petition to the House of Representatives that read in part. "Your humble petitioner purchased in your state a valuable tract of land with the intention of becoming a citizen of said state at the same time being, entirely ignorant of the prohibition of the immigration of people of color in your state. Your petitioner, therefore, prays you will take his case into your serious consideration and pass a law to enable him to bring his Negroes from the state of Georgia to his plantation in this state for the object of which he will ever pray." The request of Wilson Williams, to bring slaves into SC, was signed by him in a rather flowery, shaky hand. He made the "s" in his name like an "f"--English style. Wilson Williams received his wish and was allowed to bring his slaves back into South Carolina probably because of his former social standing in the community and perhaps because his father was once a member of that legislative body. It is not certain when Wilson Williams returned to South Carolina. The 1805 Georgia Land Lottery shows that Wilson Williams along with his brothers-in-law Josiah Vasser and Charles Bowen drew for land in Washington County. The three men each got two draws because they were married and had been a resident of Georgia for at least a year. None of them received land from the drawing. In March 1818 Wilson Williams brought 4 slaves to Augusta for registration according to records found in the Daughters of the American Revolution Quarterly (Vol. 58, #1, pp. 50-51.) Back in South Carolina, Wilson Williams located finally in the southeastern Savannah River section of Barnwell District. He soon acquired about six miles of land in the Ulmers area on Wells Branch, Briar Creek, Jackson Branch, and Big Salkehatchie. This area was also called the Great Cypress Area. He also held land in the Whippy Swamp area of Beaufort District among other locations. It appears that his main residence was near Swallow Savannah in the Log and Jackson Branches region near present-day Allendale.

An 1806 deed recorded in Book 59 on page 417 shows that Wilson received a 640-acre state grant. 640 acres is the same as a section of land which is one mile long, by one mile wide. This piece of property was on Wells Branch, and called in the records the "Williams Estate." Today Wells Branch is the county line between Barnwell County and Allendale County. John Williams later divided this property after Wilson’s death among his three sons.

In August 1810 Wilson Williams received a state grant of 720 acres recorded in Book 8 page 572 at Columbia, South Carolina. This piece of land was over a mile. Wilson continued to receive state land grants for the next 15 years. In March of 1819, he received 105 acres, and in October 1825 he received another 518 acres. By 1830 he had nearly 3600 acres of land in Barnwell District or roughly six square miles. Wilson’s last land entry was in 1831 when he sold 300 acres to his infant grandson, Josiah D. Williams, for $900 to keep the property out of the hands of Martin Jones Williams’ creditors. The property was adjacent to his son, William Green Williams' land.

Estate

In late 1835 Wilson Williams died intestate probably in his late sixties. His wife Esther was nearly 40 years old at the time. His Estate’s Administration papers are found in Book E, p. 76, Bundle 64, page 5. Esther Williams published the application for administration of her husband’s estate at Swallow Savannah Methodist Church and she was granted the administration. Wilson Williams died probably in December 1835, prior to the 4th of January when his widow was granted letters of administration over the estate of Wilson Williams as published at the Swallow Savannah Methodist Church on Sunday the 6th of January 1836. On the 15th of January 1836, Esther Williams posted a bond of $6000 as security so she could act as the “Administratrix” of the Estate, which on the 10th of January was appraised at $4,192.40. Her Bonds of Security were supplied by her brother, Robert Creech Roberts, and Amos Smart. The bond was $6,000.

The paperwork in Barnwell county indicates that Esther stated "That there were 10 children most of the age that would be looking for their share of the estate.

For more information on Wilson and a detailed account of his estate, see Wilson Williams of Swallow Savannah

Because Wilson left no known will at the time of his death and because of the hard feelings between members of the family the probation of Wilson Williams estate lasted eighteen years before it was settled on 26 April 1854. At that time the estate was valued at $6,564.25 but after local fees and taxes, this amount was reduced to $4511.59. This amount was to be divided between his wife Esther Roberts Williams, 7 children, and 2 grandchildren. Esther Williams received a third $1,503.86 and each of the remaining heirs received $334.19 with interest from 22 Feb 1836. Wilson Williams' heirs were:
1. Esther Roberts Williams his widow
2. John Williams
3. William Green Williams
4. Martin Jones Williams (Grandson, son of John Williams) 11/8/1818
5. Wilson Roberts Williams
5. James Lawrence Williams
6. Elizabeth Hanson Williams (Harley)
6. Winifred R. Williams (Best)
7. Elliott Williams (Brabham)
8. Hanson Harley (Grandson)
9. Charles Seaton Kirkland, son of his daughter Elizabeth Kirkland
10. Harriett Brabham. daughter of his daughter Elizabeth Kirkland

As far as can be determined, no tombstone survives for Wilson Williams. He was buried in a family plot on his own property and today the plot sits in the corner of a cultivated field; all overgrown with tangled vines and underbrush, and is fenced in (no longer). One cannot explore it without a clean-up first, and it is doubtful if any stones are still standing. It is reported that the stones were deliberately destroyed and removed to another site so that the land could be sold without there being a graveyard on it. In these old plots, the graves sink and the stones fall in on them. This grave is right outside (about 3/4 of a mile) of the town of Allendale on the road to Barnwell, just across the railroad, on the left. It is actually on Matthew Bluff Rd. (now Bluff Rd.) (Actually, the gravesite is on Bluff Rd., about150 yards on the left coming for Hwy 276. The headstones were destroyed and removed by the present landowner in an attempt to sell the land with no graveyard on it. This information came from a local resident.)

Sources





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