WILLIAMS FAMILY
1. John Williams, born say 1654, was the "Molatto" servant of Mr. Martin Gardner on 26 April 1675 when the York County court ordered that he receive thirty lashes for stealing a hog. The court also prohibited his master from furnishing him with powder and shot or allowing him to carry a gun [DWO 5:110]. He may have been the ancestor of
i. Faith, born say 1720, presented by the Surry County, Virginia court on 18 May 1739 for having a "Malato bastard Child" by information of Capt. John Ruffin [Deeds, Wills #9:54].
2 ii. William1, born about 1723.
3 iii. Mary, born say 1725.
iv. Hannah1, born say 1734, a "free negro" taxable in Norfolk County from 1752 to 1765, taxable in her own household in 1752, in Ann James's household in 1757, in her own household in 1759, and taxable with (her husband) Till/ Tully Williams from 1765 to 1767 and with Tell and (their daughter?) Mary Williams in 1768 [Wingo, Norfolk County Tithables, 1751-66, 33, 120, 147, 165, 213; 1766-80, 39, 86]. Hannah may have been the mother of Fanny Williams, a "free Mullatto" bound by the Princess Anne County court to Anthony Walke on 17 June 1760 to learn to read, sew and knit [Minutes 1753-62, 384]. A suit brought by James Anderson against Till Williams and Hannah his wife was dismissed by the City of Norfolk Hustings Court on 23 November 1767, and Till was sued in the same court by John Calvert on 25 October 1773 [Orders 1761-9, 156; 1770-82, 206a]. A deed from Tully Williams and his wife Tamer to William Capps was proved in Princess Anne County court on 4 July 1791, and on 3 July 1792 the overseers of the poor of the upper district of the Eastern Shore were ordered to bind his orphan Anne Williams to Ann Whitehead [Minutes 1790-2, 121, 292].
v. Polly, born about 1785, registered in York County on 18 March 1833: a bright Mulatto about 48 years of age ... light gray Eyes, long hair which is a little gray ... Born free [Free Negroes Register 1831-50, no. 345].
2. William1 Williams, born about 1723, was a thirty-three-year-old, 5'6" Virginia "Negro" planter who was listed in the 13 July 1756 roll of Captain Henry Harrison's Company, drafted in Surry County, Virginia [Clark, Colonial Soldiers of the South, 390]. He may have been the father of
i. William2, born say 1758, called "Billy Williams a Mulatto" on 15 April 1760 when the Surry County court ordered the churchwardens of Southwarke Parish to bind him out [Orders 1757-63, 236]. He was taxable in Surry County in 1783 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-90, frame 367].
4 ii. James2, born about 1762.
3. Mary Williams, born say 1725, was living in Warwick County on 1 May 1760 when the court ordered the churchwardens of Warwick Parish to bind out her children Davy, James, Godfrey, Matt, Sarah, Jack, Mary and Will "for reasons appearing to the court." Her children were described as "Mulattoes" when the indentures were certified in court on 3 July 1760. On 7 August 1760 the churchwardens charged her with bearing a bastard child, but the case was dismissed at the next session of the court on 4 September [Minutes 1748-62, 322, 325, 334, 337]. She was the mother of
i. David, born say 1743, bound to Harwood Jones in Warwick County on 3 July 1760. At the next session of the court on 7 August, Moses Collikin testified that David had absented himself from the service of Jones for twenty eight days. And on 4 September Jones reported that David had absented himself another nine days [Minutes 1748-62, 325, 334, 335]. He was probably the David Williams who died before 15 April 1793 when John Williams was granted administration on his York County estate with John Wright and Edward Cuttillo as his securities [Orders 1788-95, 548].
5 ii. James1, born say 1745.
6 iii. Godfrey, born say 1747.
iv. Sarah, born say 1752.
7 v. John, born say 1754.
8 vi. Matthew, born about 1755.
vii. Mary, born say 1756.
9 viii. William3, born say 1759.
4. James2 Williams, born about 1762, was taxable in Surry County from 1783 to 1816: charged with Solomon Williams' tithe from 1801 to 1803; called a "Man of Color" in 1805; a "Mulatto" from 1806 to 1812; listed with 2 "free Negroes & Mulattoes above the age of 16" in 1813 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-90, frames 373, 398, 606; 1791-1816, 18, 170, 275, 349, 429, 466, 504, 546, 602, 618, 659, 677, 716, 762, 871]. He registered as a "free Negro" in Surry County, Virginia, on 17 February 1797: a mulattoe man pretty dark complexion born of free parents resident of this County, aged about 35, thin visage and rather slender made - 5'10-1/2" [Back of Guardians Accounts Book, no.22]. He was counted in the 1803 census of "Free Negroes and Mulattos" in Surry County with his wife Molly and their children: Sollomon, (a labourer), Caty, Samuel, James, Hannah, and Elijah on Mrs. Marston's land. He married, second, Pamelia Debrix, thirty-five years old, 6 November 1813 Surry County bond, Nicholas Scott, surety. His children were
i. Solomon, born about 1782, registered in Surry County on 24 October 1804: a mulatto man of complexion more bright than otherwise, short hair, aged 21 years the 31 day of December, 1803, 5'6-1/2" high ... by occupation a Laborer, was born of free parents, residents of Surry county to wit James Williams and Mary his wife [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 24].
ii. Caty, born say 1791, "daughter of James Williams," married Samuel Blizzard, 28 December 1807 Surry County bond, David Charity surety, 7 January 1808 marriage.
iii. Samuel.
iv. James3, Jr., born say 1795, married Keziah Blizzard, 25 October 1819 Surry County bond, James Williams, Sr., surety, 28 October marriage.
v. Hannah2.
vi. Elijah, born about 1801, registered in Surry County on 23 June 1823: a mulatto man, the son of Jas. Williams and Polly, his wife, he was born free supposed to be 22 years old, is of a bright complexion, pretty stout made, 5'5-3/4" high ... has a large flat Nose [Hudgins, Surry County Register of Free Negroes, 77].
5. James1 Williams, born say 1745, a "Mulatto," was bound to William Harwood, Gent., in Warwick County on 3 July 1760 [Minutes 1748-62, 325]. He was taxable in York County from 1782 to 1810: on 2 free tithes in 1790, 1796, and 1797. Perhaps his widow was Faith Williams who was taxable on 2 free tithes in 1811 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1841, frames 69, 166, 186, 224, 259, 300, 344, 357, 368] and head of a York County household of 7 "other free" in 1810 [VA:886]. James may have been the father of
i. William5, born say 1783, called "William Williams, Jr." when he was taxable in York County from 1804 to 1813: called a "free Negro" in 1805 and head of a household of 2 "free Negroes & mulattoes over 16" in 1813 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1841, frames 300, 310, 331, 357, 368, 397].
ii. Henry, born about 1791, taxable in York County in 1812 and head of a household of 2 "free Negroes & mulattoes over 16" in 1813 (probably himself and his wife) [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1841, frames 379, 397]. He registered in York County on 17 September 1810: about 19 years of age, 5 feet 8-1/2 Inches high, fine hair, tawny complexion (rather dark), flat nose, long visage and pleasant countenance ... born free [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 51].
iii. Sarah, born about 1793, registered in York County on 17 September 1810: a dark mulatto, about 17 years of age, 5 feet 5 Inches high ... born of free parents [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 49].
6. Godfrey Williams, born say 1747, was head of a Warwick County household of 5 persons in 1782 [VA:45], taxable in Warwick County on a horse in 1782, 2 cattle in 1783, called a "free Negro" in 1785, a "Mulatto" in 1789 [PPTL 1782-1820, frames 215, 219, 226, 229, 238, 246], taxable in York County from 1790 to 1812 and head of a York County household of 2 "free Negroes & mulattoes over 16" in 1813 [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 166, 186, 214, 224, 259, 290, 397]. He may have been the father of
i. Polly, born about 1785, registered in York County on 18 March 1833: a bright Mulatto about 48 years of age, 5 feet 6-1/2 Inches high, has light grey Eyes, long hair which is a little grey. Born free [Free Negroes Register 1831-1850, no. 346].
ii. Hannah, born about 1790, registered in York County on 17 September 1810: a bright mulatto, about 20 years of age, 5 feet 4 Inches high ... long hair. Born of free parents [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 48].
iii. Maria, born about 1791, registered in York County on 17 September 1810: a tolerably bright mulatto, about 19 years of age, 5 feet 2-12 Inches high ... she is very freckled. Born of free parents [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 49].
7. John Williams, born say 1754, was a "Mulatto" bound to William Harwood, Gent., in Warwick County on 3 July 1760. He was taxable in Nottoway Parish, Southampton County, from 1784 to 1800: charged with Jesse Ash's tithe, 2 horses and 6 cattle in 1784, called a "black" in 1788 when he was taxable on 3 free persons over the age of 16, a "free Negro" with 3 persons over 16 and 3 horses in 1795 and 1800, 1 person in 1801 and 1802, and 3 free tithables, 2 slaves and 2 horses in 1803, 2 free persons and 2 slaves in 1804, perhaps identical to John Williams "Preacher" who was taxable on 3 tithes in 1791 [Personal Property Tax List 1782-92, frames 554, 697, 860; 1792-1806, frames 149, 461, 497, 603, 674, 745]. His estate was administered in Southampton County before 1808 when his daughter Aira Byrd sued his son-in-law and executor Lemuel Clark over her part of the estate [LVA, Southampton County chancery suit 1814-017]. His widow may have been the Mary Williams who was a "F.N." taxable on a horse in Nottoway Parish, Southampton County, from 1805 to 1811, a free male tithable in 1811 [Personal Property Tax List 1792-1806, frames 787, 896; 1807-21, frames 35, 117, 153, 235] and head of a Southampton County household of 8 "other free" in 1810 [VA:78]. His children were
i. ?Jerry, born about 1782, registered in Southampton County on 14 May 1828: age 46, Yellow Bright, 5 feet 4-1/4 inches, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 1721]. He was a "F.N." taxable in Nottoway Parish, Southampton County, in 1805, 1806 and 1810 [Personal Property Tax List 1792-1806, frames 787, 896; 1807-21, frame 154].
ii. Arry/ Aira, married John Taylor, 25 December 1797 Southampton County bond and second, Aaron Byrd, 19 February 1803 Southampton County bond.
iii. Mary, married Lemuel Clark, 29 January 1795 Isle of Wight County bond, David Jones surety.
8. Matthew Williams, born about 1755, was a "Mulatto" bound to Servant Jones by the Warwick County court on 3 July 1760. He was a seventy-seven-year-old "Free Man of colour" who appeared in Southampton County court on 17 September 1832 to make a declaration to obtain a pension. He stated that he was living in Southampton County when he enlisted at Cabin Point for eighteen months. He died on 29 July 1833 [National Archives pension file S6414, http://www.fold3.com]. He was probably the Matthew Williams who married Susannah Tan, "both of Isle of Wight County," 22 December 1783 Southampton County bond. He registered in Southampton County on 12 July 1810: age 55, Blk, 5 feet 7-1/2 inches, free born. His wife was probably the Sally Williams who registered the same day: age 40, Blk., 5 feet 5 inches, free born [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, nos. 589, 590]. He was taxable in Nottoway Parish, Southampton County, from 1787 to 1800: called a "Black" in 1787, a "free Negro" from 1789 to 1802, listed with 3 free male tithables from 1802 to 1804, 2 male tithables in 1805, 1810 and 1811, listed with his wife Sally, daughter Sally and son Jack in 1813, taxable on his son Jack in 1814 [PPTL 1782-92, frames 627, 698, 747; 1792-1806, frames 19, 38, 149, 253, 361, 479, 604, 747, 787, 896; 1807-21, frames 35, 154, 238, 404]. He was called a "free person of colour" on 16 November 1818 when he made a declaration in Southampton County court setting forth that he was a soldier in the Revolutionary War by voluntary enlistment [Minutes 1816-9, unpaged]. He was the father of
i. John, born about 1785, registered in Southampton County on 30 June 1806: age 21, Blk., 5 feet 9-1/2 inches, free born in York [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1832, no. 389, 413]. He was head of a Southampton County household of 4 "other free" in 1810 [VA:78]. He was a "F.N." taxable in Nottoway Parish from 1807 to 1812 [Personal Property Tax List 1807-21, frames 35, 117, 153, 235, 277].
ii. Sally.
9. William3 Williams, born say 1762, and his wife Rachel, "Free Mulattoes," registered the birth of their daughter Lydia in Bruton Parish, James City and York counties [Bruton Parish Register, 35]. He was taxable in Warwick County from 1783 to 1798: taxable on 2 horses and 10 cattle in 1783 and 1786, called a "free Negro" in 1785, a "Mulatto" starting in 1789, taxable on 4 horses in 1793, 2 tithes in 1795, 1797 and 1798 [PPTL 1782-1820, frames 219, 226, 229, 233, 238, 243, 246, 250, 253, 255, 257, 267, 271, 274, 279]. He was taxable in York County from 1792 to 1806: called "William Williams, Sr." in 1804 and thereafter, called "free Negro" in 1805. In 1813 (his widow?) Rachel Williams was counted in a York County list of "free Negroes & mulattoes over 16," taxable on a horse [PPTL, 1782-1841, frames 186, 214, 280, 300, 320, 397]. William and Rachel were the parents of
i. Lydia, born 5 January 1783 [Bruton Parish Register, 35].
Other members of the Williams family were
i. William4, taxable in Elizabeth City County from 1801 to 1817: taxable on 2 tithes and 3 horses in 1801, 3 tithes and 3 horses in 1802, listed as a "Free Negro & Moll" in 1813 and 1814 [PPTL 1782-1844, frames 183, 196, 217, 225, 247, 272, 297, 318, 337, 350, 362], head of an Elizabeth City County household of 6 "other free" in 1810 [VA:185].
ii. William7, born about 1792, obtained a certificate of freedom in Gloucester County on 7 December 1822: a free tawny Coloured man about 30 years of age, 5 feet 8 inches high ... born of free parents, and registered it in York County on 17 October 1831 [Register of Free Negroes 1798-1831, no. 326].
iii. William6, a "F.N." taxable in York County in 1807 [Personal Property Tax List, 1782-1841, frame 331]. He may have been the Billy Williams who registered in York County on 21 February 1814: of dark complexion, about (blot) of age, 5 feet 6-3/4 Inches high, has high cheek bones, very short wooly hair. Born free. He renewed his registration in 1822 and 1826 [Register of Free Negroes, 1798-1831, no. 75].
Middles*x County, Virginia
1. Mary Williams, born say 1660, a "Negroe Wooman," was sued in Middles*x County court by Christopher Robinson on 3 September 1688 for a debt of 3,866 pounds of tobacco [Orders 1680-94, 371].
Westmoreland County, Virginia
1. Mary Williams, born say 1685, was the white servant of Willoughby Allerton, Gent., of the Parish of Copely, on 25 April 1705 when she was convicted by the Westmoreland County court of having a "mulatto" child by a "Negro man" [Orders 1698-1705, 256a]. She was probably the mother of
2 i. William1, born say 1704.
2. William Williams, born say 1704, was a "free Mulato" who petitioned the Westmoreland County, Virginia court for his freedom from Isaac Allerton on 31 July 1733. On 27 March 1753 the court ordered "his several Children" bound out as apprentices. And on 25 March 1755 he sued John and Spencer Ayris for detaining his children, but the court stood by its original order [Orders 1731-9, 99a; 1752-5, 60, 227, 249]. He may have been the father of
i. George, born about 1731, a soldier from Richmond County in the French and Indian War, age 26, a mulatto, 6'1", when he was listed as a deserter on 2 September 1757 [Magazine of Virginia Genealogy 31:95].
Northampton County
1. Anne Williams, born in September or October 1686, was the child of Daniel Webb, a Northampton County, Virginia slave, and Ann Williams, a white servant woman. See further the Webb History. She was called a thirteen-year-old "maletto childe" on 29 November 1699 when she was bound to Hamond Firkette until the age of eighteen years in Northampton County, Virginia [OW&c 1698-1710, 30].
Richmond County, Virginia
1. Hannah Charlton, born say 1685, was released from servitude and "given" her daughter Ann by Francis Williams, Sr., of Sittenbyrne Parish in Richmond County. She recorded the document in court on 6 December 1710. She was called "Hannah, a Mulato belonging to Francis Williams" on 6 March 1711/2 when she appeared in Richmond County court on the complaint of her master's wife, Alice Williams, that Hannah was threatening and abusing her. Hannah was ordered to give security for her good behavior for one year. On 7 July 1715 Francis Williams was presented by the Richmond County court for living in adultery with "a Mulatto Woman." And on 1 August 1716 he recorded a paper in court which set free her children: Catherine, Mary, and John Charlton [Orders 1708-11, 220; 1711-6, 8; 1716-7, 28]. Hannah was the mother of
i. Ann Williams, born say 1710, ordered to be given twenty-five lashes in March 1735/6 by the Orange County, Virginia court [Orders 1734-9, 61].
ii. Catherine Charlton, born say 1712, called Catherine Carleton alias Williams in November 1735 when the churchwardens of Orange County, Virginia, presented her for having a bastard child. John Becket agreed to pay her fine, and Francis Williams and John Haddocks provided security for the child. In March 1738 John Becket was accused in Orange County court of failing to pay tax on "Kate Williams, a Mulattoe woman" [Orders 1734-9, 42, 290].
iii. Mary Charlton, born say 1714.
iv. John Charlton, born say 1716.
Lunenburg County
1. Zedekiah Williams, born say 1775, was living with his wife Anna, daughter Lucy and (wife's niece?) Ritter Lester on Bears Element Creek in the lower district of Lunenburg County in 1802 and 1803 when they were counted in a "List of all free Negroes & Mulattoes" [LVA, Lunenburg County, Free Negro & Slave Records, 1802-1803]. Zedekiah and Anna were the parents of
i. Lucy, born 1795-1800, registered in Lunenburg County on 10 October 1825: aged about twenty five or thirty years, yellow complexion, very corpulent ... born free [WB 5, after page 89, no. 40].
Members of the Williams family in North Carolina were
1 i. James1, born about 1748.
ii. William, head of a Beaufort County household of 2 "other free" in 1800 [NC:20], 4 in 1810 [NC:113], and 5 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:42].
2 iii. Charles, born before 1776.
1. James1 Williams, born about 1748, was a thirteen-year-old "Mullatto Boy" ordered bound an apprentice to William Armstrong in Cumberland County, North Carolina, on 19 August 1761 [Minutes 1759-65, 70]. Perhaps his children were
i. Joseph, head of a Sampson County household of 4 "other free" in 1790 [NC:53].
ii. Crecy, head of a Sampson County household of 3 "other free" in 1790 [NC:53] and may have been the C. Williams, head of a Cumberland County household of 1 "other free" in 1810 [NC:627].
iii. Hannah2, head of a Sampson County household of 2 "other free" in 1790 [NC:53], perhaps the H. Williams who was head of a Cumberland County household of 2 "other free" in 1810 [NC:623].
2. Charles Williams, born before 1776, was head of an Ashe County household of 12 "free colored" in 1820 [NC:3]. He may have been the father of
i. Charles Williams Loyd, born about 1787, registered in Petersburg on 11 March 1817: a free man of colour, five feet three and a half inches high, thirty years old, a waggoner, born free & raised in the Town of Petersburg [Register of Free Negroes 1794-1819, no. 837].
ii. James Williams Loyd, born 1810, son of Charles Williams and Sally Lloyd, resided in Chillicothe, Ross County, Ohio, on 28 September 1818 [Turpin, Register of Black, Mulatto, and Poor Persons, 25]. Sally Lloyd may have been related to "Indian" Robin Loyd, a "person of color" residing in Jennings County, Indiana, about the age of eighty on 12 February 1838 when he made a declaration to obtain a pension for his services in the Revolution. He stated that he enlisted at Dinwiddie County courthouse and had resided in Dinwiddie for many years after the war, went to North Carolina for a few years, and had been living in Indiana for more than twenty years. John Grimes of Ripley County, Indiana, testified for him that Indian Robin, "a negro man," had served as a footman and also as a soldier in the light horse service. Bartholomew Turner of Jennings County testified that he had seen a "Negro man" named Indian Robin as a soldier on horseback and armed for battle [M804-1596, frame 0594].