Keelon Williams (1795 - 1859)

Born 1795 in North Carolina

Husband of Dorothy (Milsap) Williams — married 18 May 1845 in Wayne County, Kentucky

Descendants

Died 9 Dec 1859 at about age 64 in Edmonson County, Kentucky

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Biography

Keelon Williams was born about 1795, the son of James and Cely Williams. He lived primarily in Kentucky and raised his children and step children there. He never reported owning slaves in any US Census Report.

Note: This man should not be confused with a slave owner, Keeling Williams, who lived in Tennessee and Arkansas, fought in the Mexican War, and died in 1880 Texas.^[1] (The two men with similar names are likely to have been related in some way.)

Name

Keelon Williams most common form of name found in public records.^[2][3][4][5] Different variations of first name include Kelon, Kellon, Keeling, Kellin, and others.

Birth

Born about 1795 in North Carolina.

Age 54 in 1850 US Census^[2]

Age 64 on death recorded in Dec 1859.^[4]

Parents

• James Williams^[4]
• Cely (Celia) Williams^[4]

Marriage

1. Rachel (Upchurch) Williams — married ca.1815
2. Dorothy (Millsap) Williams — married 18 May 1845 in Wayne County, Kentucky

Children

Most children and step-children of Keelon Williams are named in his 1859 Will, probated in Edmonson Co., KY. (He also noted that his wife was pregnant In his Will.)^[5]

Children by Rachel Upchurch:

1. Millie (Williams) Dishman
2. Mary (Williams) Keeton
3. Celia (Williams) Slagle
4. Anna Sarah (Williams) Hazelip
5. Rachel (Williams) Adkins
6. Elizabeth (Williams) Gilbreath
7. Rebecca (Williams) Adkins
8. Kelly (Williams) LeGrand
   
   Children by Dorothy Millsaps:
   
9. James Sherod Williams
10. Charlotte (Williams) Hazelip
11. William Calvin Williams
12. Martha Ellender Williams
13. Susan Williams

US Census

1820: Wayne County, Kentucky (7 Aug)

Keeling Williams

Free White <10: 3f

Free White 26-44: 1m, 1f

Number Engaged in Agriculture: 1

Free White <16: 3

Free White >25: 2

Total Free White: 5

Total White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 5

1830: Fentress County, Tennessee

Keland Williams

Free White <5: 2f

Free White 5-9: 3f

Free White 10-14: 2f

Free White 30-39: 1m, 1f

Free White <20: 7

Free White 20-49: 2

Total Free White: 9

Total Free White, Slaves, Free Colored: 9

1840: Wayne County, Kentucky

Keelon Williams

Free White 10-14: 2f

Free White 15-19: 3f

Free White 50-59: 1m, 1f

Persons in Agriculture: 1

White Persons >20, Cannot Read and Write: 3

Free White <20: 5

Total Free White: 7

Total Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 7

1850: Cumberland County, Kentucky, Family #643^[2]

Keelonn Williams, 54, NC

D Williams, 35, KY

A S Williams, 23, KY

James S Williams, 4, KY

Charity Williams, 3, KY

Celey Keeton, 70, NC

W Millsaps, 25, NC

W C Williams, 2, KY

Land Records

Kentucky Land Grants, 1782-1924^[3]

Grantee: Keelon Williams

Number of Acres: 50

Survey Date: 1 May 1822

County: Wayne

Watercourse: N Fk Little S Fk

Book Number: M

Deeds - Edmonson County, Kentucky^[6]

Death

Keelon Williams^[4]

Gender: Male

Age: 64

Birth Date: abt 1795

Death Date: 9 Dec 1859

Death Place: Kentucky, USA

Father: James Williams

Mother: Cely Williams

Cause: Consumption

Will

Will Recorded^[5]

Keelon Williams

Will Book 1

Pages 79-80

Recorded Date: 10 Nov 1859

Record Place: Edmonson County, Kentucky

Inferred Death Year: 1859

Inferred Death Place: Edmonson County, Kentucky

Will of Keelon Williams, Will Book 1, Page 79

Will of Keelon WIlliams

In the name of God, I Keelon Williams of Edmonson County, Kentucky, being of Sound mind and (disposing?) Memory though Feeble in Bodily Strength, hath thus committed to writing the following Items as my last Will and Testament. (To wit:

Item 1st It is my will & desire at my deth that my Body be buried in a plain and decent manner without any show.

Item 2nd It is my will that all my Burial expenses and just Dept be paid That coming out of my Estate

Item 3rd It is my Will that my Beloved Wife Dorothy Williams have the entire use and benefit of all my Estate both real and personal during her widowhood So as to have a Support for Raising my infant children.

Item 4th It is my will that Sarilda McClelan have One Good Bed and furniture.

Item 5th It is my Will that Amanda Jane McClelland have One Good Bed and furniture.

Item 6th It is my Will that my Sone James S. Williams Should Take Care of his Mother Dorothy Williams and assist her in Raising the family So long as She remains a widow have Two Thirds of the Value of my Land. If the Said James Should his mother before the age of 21 years he is only to have a proportionable part with the Other Children.

Item 7th It is my Will and desire believing that my Beloved Wife is pregnant and at the birth of the Same (If it Should be a Boy that he have One third part of the Land. (If a girl She is entitled to an equal portion of my Estate with the Ballance of my girls as above named.

Will of Keelon Williams, Will Book 1, Page 80

Item 8th It is my Will that Martha Elender Williams my Daughter be well educated our of my Estate and that She have One Hundred Dollars (Extra) Moore than the ballance of my Children (from the fact that She is (Disabled?) & Will be during her life Time.

Item 9th It is my Will that Charlotte Williams, Kelly Legrand, my Daughters Have One Hundred Dollars Each

Item 10th It is my Will that my Daughters Milly Dishpan, Polly Keeton, Anna Hazelip, Celia Slagle,, Rachel Adkins & Rebecca Adkins and Elizabeth Gilbreath have One Dollar each Out of My Estate at My death from the fact that they have received Moore than the Heirs of My Present Wife Dorothy and Myself.

Item 11th It is my Will that My Son James Sherod Williams have a good Horse Saddle & Bridle at the age of 18 years (if I should die before the time.

Item 12th It is my Will that My Wife give to My Son the Same Property as Mentioned above.

Item 13th It is My Will that my wife Dorothy Williams and James Lock be appointed as My Executors of this My last will & Testament.

In Testimony whereof I have hereunto sit my hand & seal this 10th day of November 1859.

            his

Keelon ¥ Williams (Seal)

           mark

Test:

James Lock

William Skaggs

             his

Braxton ¥ Keeton

           mark

Equity Suit

Keelon's wife Dorothy married for a third time in 1962, to William H. Wells. Suit was brought against Mrs. Dorothy Wells and her other heirs by the following: Milly Dishman, Joseph Dishman, Celia Slagle, Joseph Slagle, Rachel Adkins, Benjamin Adkins, Rebecca Adkins, Elizabeth Gilbreth, Calvin Williams, James K Hazelip, Charlotte Hazelip, D W Hazelip, and Martha E. Williams. These same persons received the proceeds of a Commissioner's Sale in 19 Feb 1873 (Deed Book: J, Page: 413 - 414) from three tracts of land in Edmonson County (apparently the same land that was obtained by Keelon Williams in 1856.^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ The Many Keelen/Keelon/Keeling Williams (from R. Bryant on Williams Message Board)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} 1850 US Census of Cumberland Co., KY (at Family Search - poor transcription)
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Kentucky Land Grants, 1782-1924 (at Ancestry.com)
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4} KY Vital Statistics (in Kentucky Death Records, 1852-1964, at Ancestry.com - poor transcription)
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Kentucky Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 (With Images at Ancestry.com)
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1}

   To: Kelon Williams

   From: James and Elizabeth Skaggs

   Deed Book: F

   Page: 514 - 515

   Date: 15 Nov 1856

   Description: Tracts 1, 2, and 3

See Also

• Marriage Record
• Will in Edmonson County, Kentucky