William Yancy York (abt. 1823 - abt. 1854)

Born about 3 Oct 1823 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Nancy Ann (Myrick) McCollum — married 30 Aug 1846 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States

Descendants

Died about 30 Aug 1854 at about age 30 in Randolph, North Carolina, United States

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Biography

William Yancy York was born 3 October 1823, in Randolph County, North Carolina, United States. He was the son of Larkin York and Sophia Kivett.

William seems to have been involved in polygamous activities with three different women following the time of his father's death on 13 March 1844.

The first marriage of William possibly occurred in 1844 with his second cousin once removed, Mary "Polly" York. They were the parents of three children:

1. Mary YORK, b. 1845 NC; d. aft 1860 NC.
2. America "Merika" YORK, b. 1846 NC; d. 1922 NC.
3. James Terrell YORK, b. 1850 NC; d. 1934 NC.

These three children are living with Tabitha York Savage in Randolph County in the 1850 and 1860 censuses. Mary "Polly" York remarried a second time to Stephen W. Ivey on 3 November 1850 just eight months after her son James Terrell York was born on 24 March 1850.

The children born to William Yancy YORK and the teenage Mary Lucy WRIGHT were:

1. Angeline York, b. 1846 NC; d. aft 1860
2. John Wesley "Wes" YORK, b. 30 Jan 1848 NC; d. 08 Aug 1929 NC

The third marriage of William York documented with a Randolph County marriage bond on 30 August 1846 with Nancy Myrick.^[1] (This may have been just a cover up for his extramarital relationship with Mary Lucy Wright.) Nancy Myrick soon learned about the polygamous activities of her new husband William. Mary Ann quickly left the marriage and joined a group of friends and neighbors in a wagon train going north to Morgan County, Indiana.

The 1850 census shows William York living in Randolph County, North Carolina, where he was employed as a millwright.^[2]

William Yancy York, age 30, died 30 August 1854, in Randolph County, North Carolina, and was buried at York Family Cemetery in Ramseur, Randolph, North Carolina, United States.^[3]

Research Notes

Mary b. 1845, America b. 1846 and James Tyrell b. 1850 - Mary and America are found living with Mary "Polly" York and Martha "Molsey" York with their mother Tabitha in the 1850 Census, and Mary, America and James Tyrell also with Tabitha in 1860 (someone was pregnant with James Tyrell in 1850).

Mary "Polly" married Steven Ivey (who also shows up in one 1850 version in the same household) in 1850. Their first child Martha is born soon after (they say 1 Jan 1850 but her gravestone says 1850). (Dennis has a Henry in 1848 but Censuses place him younger.) She is clearly named Polly York Ivey in several records:

• her 1850 marriage certificate with Steven Ivey
• 1926 death certificate for dau. Sarah Wright
• 1936 death certificate for dau. Martha Langley
• 1942 death certificate for dau. Julia Ivey
• 1944 death certificate for son Jacob Ivey

The documents that have Molsey or Molcy York as mother for these children and Yancy York as father are:

• 1871 marriage certificate for America York and William Ruffin Cheek
• 1934 death certificate for James Tyrell
• 1922 death certificate for America York

One problem with Molsey being their mother though, is that Martha, dau. of Tabitha and Alfred Isaac Lane, was already married to Peter Richardson and having children with him in 1845, according to her FAG Memorial (also by Dennis York).

Sources

1. ↑ Marriage: "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979 ," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q21Y-2G49 : 21 July 2021), William Y York and Nancy Myrick, 30 Aug 1846; citing Randolph, North Carolina, United States, p. , North Carolina State Archives Division of Archives and History; FHL microfilm.
2. ↑ 1850 Census: "United States Census, 1850", William York (age 27, born about 1823 in North Carolina), Millwright, head of Household in Randolph, North Carolina, United States; citing NARA Publication M432, Household 717, Line 30; FHL microfilm 444654. FamilySearch Record: M4BN-C3F and FamilySearch Image: S3HT-698W-1C2 (accessed 16 April 2024).
3. ↑ Burial: Find A Grave: Memorial #81061197 (accessed April 16, 2024), memorial page for William Yancy York (3 Oct 1823–30 Aug 1854), citing York Family Cemetery, Ramseur, Randolph County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Dennis York (contributor 47405652).

   Tombstone photo added by Todd Callahan. Birth and death dates inscribed. Name inscription: Wm. Y. York.

• "North Carolina Estate Files, 1663-1979," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ8G-MSG6 : 8 March 2021), William Y York, 1854; citing Randolph County, North Carolina, United States, State Archives, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 2,079,416.
• "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3DG-TQX : 20 February 2021), Yancy York in entry for America York, 26 Dec 1922; citing Columbia, Randolph, North Carolina, reference Item 7; cn 240, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,893,091.
• "North Carolina Deaths, 1906-1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F3DH-1GV : 20 February 2021), Yancy York in entry for John Wesley York, 07 Aug 1929; citing Randolph, North Carolina, reference fn 1315 cn390, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,907,545.
• "North Carolina Deaths, 1931-1994," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FPJ3-QYZ : 17 July 2017), Yancy York in entry for James Terrell York, 26 Apr 1934; citing Ramseur, Randolph, North Carolina, fn 1704 cn 492, State Department of Archives and History, Raleigh; FHL microfilm 1,943,084.