CHARLES WILLIAMS (ca 1735?-CA 1819 Granville Co., NC) WIR00325 Charles Williams
is one of the four known sons of John Williams, Sr. of colonial Granville Co., called in this history, "John Williams II of Goochland."
Goochland Co. was where John Williams II (son of John Williams I of colonial Hanover Co.) lived prior to migrating to Granville Co. He operated
a tavern there, was a reader in the Anglican church, was witness to many official records, signing himself J. Williams, for the most part.
(Of Note: Some current online trees erroneously identify this
Charles Williams as living and dying in 1803 Lincoln Co., NC,
further identifying him from a family in Connecticut during the
Revolutionary War, whose descendants have been accepted in the Sons
of the American Revolution. Clearly that is not this family.
D.Williams.)
Charles Williams appears on the tax list of Reuben Searcy, Granville Co. of 1764-65, indicating that he probably is 21 years old but
possibly as young as 16.
Charles died in Granville Co. before 27 Aug 1819, as indicated in a Raleigh newspaper: "D. Lately, in Granville [county], Mr.
Charles Williams, an old and respectable inhabitant of that county. RaNCSw Fri 27 Aug 1819
3:3."
(Lois Smathers Neal, ABSTRACTS OF VITAL RECORDS FROM RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA NEWSPAPERS, 1820-1829. V. II, p. 536)
Father John Williams Sr. (adm. bond filed by two sons Jan 1770, Granville Co.) and his two younger sons, Charles and Nathaniel (qv)
removed to Granville Co., NC ca. 1750, probably from Goochland Co., as indicated by Goochland Co. deeds of the father. Refer to biographies of
John Williams I of Hanover (d intestate ca 1735) and John Williams II of Goochland Co., VA, who was later of Granville Co. for information from
Henderson family Bible, as quoted by Alvahn Holmes in SOME FARRAR'S ISLAND DESCENDANTS. (FHL film 1,033,635; book is in Virginia State Library
and in DAR Library, Washington.)
There are some errors in the book. Perhaps more reliable information about the older Williams family will be found in the Calvin M. McClung
Collection in the Public Library System of Knoxville, TN. The collection cannot be photocopied, however, because of the age of some of the
documents.
Charles appears on the 1747 list of Goochland Co., VA, tithables, along with brother Nathaniel, both in the household of father John
Williams II. This would indicate he was at least 16 years of age, the age at which he would have been eligible for militia duty. Again, refer
to biography of John Williams II of Goochland Co. ***see Notes below.
(Mrs. W. M. Sweeny, "Goochland County Tithables, 1747, 1751,"VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, V. 6, No. 1 (Jan-Mar 1962)
Charles is on Granville Co., NC tax list of 1755, and is designated "s. of John". Therefore, he was a brother of
John Williams, Esq. (d. 1799), of William
Williams (d. 1775), and also of Nathaniel Williams, also designated on the same tax list as "s. of John." Also, on 1762 tax list for
Granville Co. in Ragland District taken by John Williams, Jr. is this listing:
"John Williams & son Charles, Thomas Davis, Pleasant Hicks, Abraham," total of 4 whites, 1 black, 5 total, 1 black over 16.
(Ransom McBride & Jo Anna B. McDaniel, "List of Taxables for 1762 in Granville Co., NC," NORTH CAROLINA GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL,
May 1987, pp. 100 ff.)
The identities of Thomas Davis and Pleasant Hicks are unknown. However, refer to biography of Daniel Hix of Goochland (and Brunswick)
Cos. Pleasant is probably not a son but possibly a relative of Daniel Hix, a neighbor of John Williams I in Goochland Co. before Williams
removed to Hanover Co. in the 1730s. (No sons but only two daughters and a wife named in will of Daniel Hix of Goochland Co.)
In 1761, Charles Williams received a patent in Granville Co.
[Patent Bk 14] [no.] 2822, pg 100 ["Lord Granville to"]
Charles Williams 24 Jul 1761. 700 acres in Granville Co. on both sides of Crooked run, joining Vincent Bodine OR [Original record] /s/ Chas.
Williams. Wits. -- Bullock, Thos Lowe surveyed 29 Aug 1760 SCC: Thos David, Chas. Williams. Thos Person, surveyor.
(Margaret M. Hofmann, THE GRANVILLE DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA, 1748-1763, V. 2, p. 161).
(Question: Is Thos. David, one of the chain carriers, the same as Thomas Davis listed among the the tithables in cited taxable list?) ***
see additional notes below.
Granville Co. DB H-145-146 Charles Williams of Granville Co. NC to David Gunter of same, 10 June 1765 for 5 shilling Sterling money, one
certain tract or parcel of land containing 100 acres, it being part of a tract of land granted by deed to William Williams, lying in Granville
County on the South side of Tar River, Beginning at a Gum, running South 200 p to a Red Oak, thence West 00 [sic] to a White Oak, then North 200
p to a White Oak, then East to the first station. Charles (his mark) Williams. Wit: Francis Fowler, Samuel Pittman, Peter Lee. Granville
County August Court 1766. Proved by Francis Fowler.
(Timothy W. Rackley, GRANVILLE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA DEEDS, 1763-1766 [Kernersville, NC: Privately published, 1999], p. 98)
(Note: It is unclear whether this Charles Williams is the son of John Williams, Sr. of the Nutbush Creek area of Granville Co. or whether he is
a member of the Williams family in the Tar River/Knap of Reeds area. Deed Bk H-36-37, Jonathan Parker to Edward Moore, 7 Aug 1765, both of
Granville Co. , refers to land on the North fork of Tarr River and was witnessed by William Williams and proved by Williams at Aug Court 1765. )
To further indicate relationships of the family, Charles Williams was one of the witnesses to the will of his brother William Williams,
which will was made at Boonesborough ca 25 December 1775, a day or two before William's death. Refer to biographies of each of these brothers,
John, Esq., William, and particularly that of Nathaniel Williams. Charles and Nathaniel Williams are associated with each other in deeds and
lived near each other as shown in tax list of 1786.
Since Charles and Nathaniel Williams, featured in many records of Granville Co. as being closely associated, seem to be a good deal younger than
their older brothers--John, Jr. later called Esq. and William (d. at Boonesborough), it is conceivable that they had a different mother.
Records of Goochland Co., particularly the will of the elder William Womack, specify that Mary Williams was the former Mary Womack. In
Goochland Co., the Womack and the Williams family are closely associated.
1786 census of Granville Co., Ragland's District
1-5-4-0-0-10
1st figure - white males 21 to age 60
2nd figure - white males under 21 and over 60
3rd figure - white females of every age
4th figure - blacks of each sex from 12 to 50
5th figure - blacks upwards 50 and under 12
6th figure - no. of inhabitants (total No. in each household)
His brother Nathaniel is listed below Charles's name.
("Granville Co.:-1786 Census [140 Families Left Out of 1790 Census of Granville Co.]" NORTH CAROLINA GENEALOGY, VOL. XIV, No. 3)
Deed Bk H-398, 1 Feb 1768, John Williams deed to Charles Williams.
(The grantor is probably John Williams, the father of Charles, and not Charles's brother, John Williams, Jr. later called Esq.. However,
the following cited deed implies that Charles's father is deceased by Aug 1768. Also, from this, we know Charles was married prior to 1768.)
Deed Bk I-7, 23 Aug 1768, Charles Williams and wife Susannah deed to Henry Graves for land, part of which was left to him by his father.
["His father" seems to refer to the father of Charles Williams--John Williams, Sr. of Nutbush Creek area.] According to older genealogies,
Henry Graves' second wife was Mary Williams, sister to John Williams II. However, based on records referring to "Graves's orphans" in land
records of Virginia, this Henry Graves of 1768 may have been a namesake.
(The father is almost certainly John Williams, Sr. of Granville Co. called "John Williams II of Goochland" in this history. This deed would
indicate John II was deceased by 1768. Henry Graves may be a cousin or more probably a son of Henry Graves the elder, of Hanover Co., VA.)
Deed Bk K-231, 27 Jan 1775, Charles Williams deed to John Williams. Details unknown.
(The grantee is believed to have been John Williams, Esq., brother of Charles, as it is estimated the father John II was deceased before
1768, according to DB I-7, cited above.)
Deed Bk L-13, 14 Mar 1775, David Lewis of Craven Co., SC sold land in Granville Co. to Henry Graves which land he bought of Charles
Williams.
(Regarding Henry Graves: The [second?] wife of Henry Graves was Mary Williams, reportedly daughter of John Williams I of Hanover,
according to Alvahn Holmes in above cited work. An earlier deed, DB I-4, 17 Oct 1769, indicates Henry Graves sold land in Albemarle Co. to
David Lewis of Albemarle Co., VA. Later, a Henry Graves was living in Caswell Co., NC; however, in Granville Co. DB N-113, dtd 28 Dec 1791, he
is called Henry Graves, Jr. of Caswell Co. Henry Graves, the elder, of Hanover Co. VA, is believed to have died in Virginia before 1770. His
widow Mary (Williams) Graves was executing deeds in the 1760s in Lunenburg Co. and Mecklenburg Co. Refer to her biography and that of Elijah
Graves for information about her activities. Mary Williams Graves would have been the paternal aunt of Charles; i.e., this Mary Williams was of
an earlier generation than Charles's sister, Mary,
(Deed abstracts are from Z. H. Gwynn, DEED ABSTRACTS OF GRANVILLE CO., NC and from KINFOLKS OF GRANVILLE CO., NC. The first book
contains abstracts of deeds through 1763, and the latter book takes up later deeds, but not in as great detail.)
From Granville Co. NC Land Entries: "235. Charles Williams enters 640 A in Granville Co. on both sides of Ruin Cr; border: his own line,
Nathaniel Williams, Tillman, & Ragland; includes an entry formerly entered and surveyed by his father; warrant 'Oct. 28'."
(Entry is not dated, but the preceding and succeeding entries are dated 19 and 20 June 1778. Ruin Creek is a tributary of Tar River. In
the previous month, Charles's brother John had entered land on S. side of Flat Cr., the land adjoining William Farrar, William Ragland and
Charles Williams.)
(Dr. A. B. Pruitt, ABSTRACTS OF LAND ENTRIES, GRANVILLE CO., NC 1778-1877, p. 20)
Deed Bk N-122, 10 Mar 1789, Charles Williams deed to Nathaniel Williams for a token amount [abstractor's words] for part of the tract
whereon said Charles Williams now lives.
Deed Bk N-167, 10 Mar 1789, Nathaniel Williams deed to Charles Williams for a token amount.
Note: In the 1790 reconstructed census for North Carolina, Charles Williams appears in Ragland Dist., Hillsborough Dist., Granville Co.,
NC.
The following for Charles Williams is taken from STATE CENSUS OF NORTH CAROLINA 1784-1787. The first column is white males 21-60 yrs.;
second column, WM under 21 & above 60; third column, WF all ages; fourth blacks, 12-50; fifth black, under 12 & above 50; sixth, total.
1-5-4-0-0-10.
Charles appears in the abstracted 1800 census of Granville Co., NC, and seemingly he is the older man, and there is an elderly female:
Males: 0-l-l-l-l
Females: 0-1-1-0-1
Slaves 3
Deed Bk R-78, 30 Oct 1802, Charles Williams deed to Frank Nash Williams Burton, heir and representative of John Williams, decd.
(Note: This deed refers to Charles's older brother, the deceased Judge John Williams, son of John Williams II [of Goochland, later of
Granville Co.] John Williams, Esq., died 1799. John's executor was his son-in-law, Robert Burton. Presumably Frank [other records say Francis]
Nash Williams Burton is John Williams, Esq.'s grandson by his only child Agatha [Williams] Burton and her husband Robert Burton, all of
Granville Co., NC.)
Deed Bk Y-31, 29 Apr 1818, Charles Williams deed to his son, Robert Williams for a token amount.
Deed Bk Y-357, 14 Dec 1816, Allen Williams deed to Charles Williams.
Deed Bk Z-2, 14 Dec 1816, Charles Williams, Sr deed to Allen Williams.
(Gwynn, op. cit.)
(These last deeds indicate Charles probably had at least three sons: Robert [Robbin], Leonard and Allen, but court records indicate there
probably was a son-in-law named Williams, married to Fanny Williams, Charles's daughter.)
( Z. H. Gwynn, COURT MINUTES OF GRANVILLE CO., NC 1746-1820)
Found in this abstract from Granville court minutes, 1818-1820 is another indication of Charles Williams's relationship to the family of
William Williams, deceased; i.e., Elizabeth Yancey, daughter of William Williams, assists in proving the will of Charles Williams:
August Court 1819 - Monday, August 2: Will of Charles Williams, deceased proved by Richard Sneed and Elizabeth Yancey and John Hare,
William Robards, Samuel Craft and Leonard Williams relinquish right to executorship, and William Morgan Sneed qualified as executor.
(Note: Elizabeth Yancey [the former Betsy Williams], wife of Sterling Yancey, was a daughter of Charles's deceased brother William Williams
[d. 1775 at Boonesborough], and thus she was niece of Charles, who was one of the witnesses to the will of William Williams, made at
Boonesborough. Refer to biography of Betsy's mother, Phillis [Beckham] and to biography of John Mitchell, Phillis's second husband for deeds
made to Sterling Yancey, Betsy's husband. The two Sneeds named in the probate are believed to have been Charles's nephews, sons of his sister
Mary [Williams] Sneed, wife of Stephen Sneed [qv]. Samuel Craft was husband of Polly Williams [qv])
(Gwynn, COURT MINUTES)
Granville Co., NC Will Book 8, 1816-1821, pp. 259-260, Apr. 22, 1817 - proved Aug. court 1819 - Charles Williams wills to son Robbin
Williams the land whereon I live on Raleigh Road near Rewin [Ruin] Creek at Ragland's line, Burton's line, and Allen Williams's line on Glebe
road containing 100 acres; all other land sold and 2/3rds of money to be given son Leonard Williams; to daughter Fanny Williams, a loom and
apparatus, spinning wheel and cotton, and wool cards for herself and children and not at disposal of her husband; the balance sold and debts
paid; any money left to go to my daughter Aggy Ragland, one fourth part, daughter Polley Craft, 1/2 part, Fanny Williams and her children (not
her husband), 1/2 part; the other 1/4th to five sons: William, Leonard, John, Allen, and Robbin Williams. Excrs: John Hare, William M. Sneed,
William Robards, Samuel Craft, Leonard Williams (William Morgan Sneed). Wts: Richard Sneed, Step Sneed, Elizabeth Yancey.
(Zae Hargett Gwynn, ABSTRACTS OF THE WILLS AND ESTATE RECORDS OF GRANVILLE COUNTY, NC 1808-1833, V. 2 [Joseph W. Watson, 1976], p. 115)
*Leonard Williams may be the one who appears in the 1800 NC census, Warren Co., which was adjacent to Granville Co., to the east. He
seemingly is a single man, no females listed: 0-0-0-1-0
From this record, we learn of other sons: Leonard and William as well as daughters Fanny; Aggy Ragland; Polley Craft. Fanny may have been
married to a cousin named Williams. There is reference to Fanny's children but her husband, unnamed, is excluded.
From these various records, we deduce these were the children of Charles Williams and his wife Susannah:
William
Leonard
John
Allen
Robert (Robbin)
Fanny Williams (married name?)
Polley Craft (probable husband is Samuel Craft
Aggie Ragland
(Polley married Samuel Craft, 21 Dec 1796; Charles Williams, bondsman; Step. Sneed, witness. Stephen Sneed was bride's cousin by marriage,
as his wife was Mary Williams, daughter of William Williams. Sneed was also county clerk.)
(Evan Ragland married Agey Williams, 6 Mar 1802; Saml. Craft, bondsman; Jun Sneed, wit. Refer to preceding paragraph for Sneed-Williams
connection.)
Omitted from Gwynn's various abstracts are the following abstracts by Dr. Lewis Bullock (Lewis Bullock Collection at Richard L. Thornton
Library, Oxford, NC), which he indicated are in the Granville Co. will book:
Will Bk-1 p. 360, Feb Ct 1783: Petition of Charles Williams to build a grist mill on Ruin Creek land to be valued - one acre opposite
Nathaniel Williams.
B-1 p. 67 [no date shown] "Samuel Morse will: and also land adj. Charles Williams."
(Comment: Note the appearance of the name Morse. This name appears time and again in connection with the Williams families of Nutbush
Creek area. Since there was a Phillis Morse, we speculate that Phillis, who was wife 1) of William Williams and 2) of John Mitchell, may
possibly have been a Morse rather than a Beckham. However, a recently published book of the notes of Thomas McAdory Owen entitled HISTORY AND
GENEALOGIES OF GRANVILLE COUNTY.... states that the wife of Williams Williams was Phillis (Beecham.)
.......
(5) Delores Crumrine Rutherford, Carmichael, CA, in a letter dated 11 Apr 1988 stated that Henry Graves was married to Mary Williams. She
did not present documentation, but later partial documentation is found in Alvahn Holmes, SOME DESCENDANTS OF FARRAR'S ISLAND. Others quote
Martha Hiden's works which specify Mary Williams was second wife of Henry Graves. Other historians state that Mrs. Henry Graves was a daughter
of John Williams, [Sr.] and thus inferred is she was an aunt to Charles Williams. However, there is evidence that another Mary Williams,
perhaps a sister of Charles and the others, was married to William fferrar/Farrar (qv) in Goochland Co. in 1755. Even students of the Farrar
family are unable to separate the contemporary William Farrars. A John Farrar was associated with the Transylvania Co. See Virginia Calendar
of State Papers.
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| Charles Williams is
believed to be brother to these male Williamses of colonial Nut Bush Creek area, Granville Co. He is one of four documented sons of
John Williams, Sr. of early Granville Co. who had migrated from Goochland Co. NC, where he was licensed to operate an ordinary [tavern]. He,
Brother John Jr., was also a reader in the Anglican church in early Goochland Co. It is believed his ordinary may have been near the
Goochland Co. courthouse as he witnessed many deeds and other documents requiring witnesses.
There was a grandfather, John Williams, formerly of Henrico Co. (land patent of 31 Oct 1716 in Henrico Co.), land later of Goochland Co.
which was formed from Henrico Co. More information provided upon request. He sold his entire patented land (in Goochland Co.) of 31 Oct 1716 for
50 pounds to his son, John Williams Jr. The reason for the sale, stated in the deed, was that he was removing to Hanover Co. (a burned
county).
Brothers of Charles Williams (and sons of John Williams, Sr. of colonial Granville Co.) would be as follows. The wife of this
John Williams Sr. is believed to be the former Mary Womack of Goochland Co. Her father's will filed in Goochland Co. named a number
of daughters but only one son, William Womack, Jr. Her name does not appear in the abstracted documents of Granville Co. read to date.
1. The older John Williams, Jr of Granville Co.(who became a Superior court judge in NC, both before the American Revolution and
afterwards). Also just before the American Revolution he was involved with his cousin Col. Richard Henderson of Transylvania [aka
Boonesborough now in Madison Co. KY] as an agent. The book Boonesborough by Filson Club can be found online at HeritageQuest, subscribed to by
some public libraries, as well as on on Archives.org, where it can be read
or downloaded in several different formats for free. The appendices are of interest.
Other brothers, probably younger but not as noted in records of Granville Co.
2. William Williams, who died testate Dec 1775 at Boonesborough, then a part of VA but now
of KY. Charles Williams was one of the witnesses of the will (at NC State Archives) of the will of William Williams, made as he was dying at
Boonesborough--date of death ca 25 Dec 1775.
3. Nathaniel Williams - in Granville Co. records, such as land patents, he seems closely associated with Charles Williams. These
two were frequently sworn chain carriers (SCC) in the patents. Based on inference he is the brother of John Williams, Jr., as above. Inferences
can be made from these land patents which associate John Williams Jr. and Nathl Williams.
Aggy Williams was one of the children of Charles and it was indicated in his will that both she and Polley [Mary] Williams
(married name: Craft) were his daughters.
Aggy Williams married Evan Ragland 6 Mar 1802; Samuel Craft [her brother-in-law] was bondsman. Jun. Sneed was witness.
(Brent H. Holcomb, MARRIAGES OF GRANVILLE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA 1753-1868 [Baltmore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981],
The same source shows this marriage:
Samuel Craft & Polley Williams, 21 Dec 1796; Charles Williams, bondsman; Stephen Sneed, wit.
There was an earlier *Evan Ragland as indicated by the will of Mary Merrit, Halifax Co., NC, Oct Ct 1765.
(*Note by D.Williams: The Evan Ragland who married Aggy Williams was the son of William Ragland & Emily Sneed, and the grandson of Evan Ragland,
d. 1778, & Amey Merritt.) Comments:
John Williams, Jr (later called Esq and Judge) of colonial and post Revolutionary Granville Co. NC [probably eldest son of John Williams
Sr. and grandson of an earlier John Williams of colonial Hanover Co.] Married widow Agnes
(Bullock) Keeling, widow of George Keeling and named
in will of Richard Bullock dtd 27 Oct 1764, probated Nov Ct 1766. John Williams, Esq.
became stepfather of Agnes's children. Seemingly he adopted the youngest daughter (who is named in the will of her father George Keeling)but who
later assumed the surname Williams. Otherwise, Judge John Williams died without issue.
Some additional entries:
NC Patent Bk 11-1736 [Lord Granville to] Captain William Haywood of Edgecombe County 6 May 1756 649 acres in Granville County in the Parish of
St. John on the Branches of Nut Bush Creek, joining John Glover, flat Creek, Norwoods line, Joseph Glover, and a Branch OR [original records] /s
W Haywood Wits: Jno Haywood, Sherd Haywood, surveyed 10 October 1755 SCC [sworn chain carriers] John Williams, Jr. Nathl Williams Sher Haywood D
[deputy] Surveyor
Patent Bk 14-2783 John Williams 28 November 1760 600 acres in Granville County in the Parish of St John's /s/ J. Williams, Jr Wits: Will Hurst,
Reuben Searcy examined 16 October 1761 SCC. John on both sides of Flat Creek, joining Joseph Glover, Nathaniel Doughorty, and Nathaniel Norwood
OR [original records] /s/ J. Williams, Jr Wits: Will Hurst, Reuben Searcy examined by Tho Jones and William Hurst surveyed 9 June 1755 SCC:
Charles Williams, Nathl Williams Sherd Haywood, D Sur [deputy surveyor][SCC=sworn chain carrier]
(Margaret M. Hofmann, The Granville District of North Carolina 1748-1763: Abstracts of Land Grants, Vol. Two [p. 157]
Patent Bk 14-2829 John Williams 27 November 1760 641 acres in Granville County in the Parish of St /s/ J. Williams, Jr Wits: Will Hurst, Reuben
Searcy examined 16 October 1761 SCC. John on both sides of Ruin Creek,(which is) a Branch of Nut Bush OR /s/ John Williams Wit: Wm Leadem, Phil
Hawkins, examined by Tho Jones and Rich Vigers surveyed 10 June 1755 SCC: Charles Williams, Nathl Williams Sherd Haywood, Dep Sur [deputy
surveyor]
(Hofmann, Vol Two, p. 162)
This latter patent seems to indicate that Charles and Nathaniel Williams resided in the same neighborhood.
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