John Williams

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This material is NOT related to Capt. John Williams [Hatte Blejer April 27, 2011]

ID: I592989140 Name: John WILLIAMS Given Name: John Surname: Williams Sex: M Birth: Abt 1684 in Bertie Co. North Carolina Birth: 1679 in Redruth, Cornwall, England 1 2 Change Date: 15 Sep 2003 Note: [Edward Thomas Ray Descendants.FTW] [Descendants of Benjamin Williams b 1545.FTW] Please contact me at KrisR50 for more information and/or cor rections. While direct family lines have been documented and verified, ma ny of the relationships found in this file are the result of information g athered on the internet and should

Father: Robert WILLIAMS b: 22 Mar 1655 in Redruth, Cornwall, England Mother: Katherine EDDY b: 1654 in Phillack, Cornwall, England

Marriage 1 Ann UNKNOWN

Children

1. Ann WILLIAMS b: 1710 in Bertie Co. North Carolina

Marriage 2 Cordelia ROBERTS b: 1675 in Saint Gluvias, Cornwall, England Married: 26 Dec 1715 in Redruth, Cornwall, England 3 1 2

Children

1. Stephen WILLIAMS b: 1715 in Redruth, Cornwall, England
2. Michael WILLIAMS b: 1726 in Redruth, Cornwall, England

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Sources: Title: Descendants of Benjamin Williams b 1545.FTW Repository: Title: Edward Thomas Ray Descendants.FTW Repository: Title: Family History Online Note: ABBR Family History Online

John Williams, "The Wealthy Welshman" John Williams. (A few sources may use "Jonathon", but I will use "John", as that is the name that John Drayton Williams recorded in 1845 and I will continue with this tradition.**).

John Williams was born 26 January 1679 in Llangollen, Wales. [** John Drayton Williams, the grandson of Brig Gen. James Henderson Williams (killed at the Battle of Kings Mountain), recorded in 1845, names and birthdates of early family members. These he kept with the family Bible. In 1910 Barbara A. McClung, copied these records, loaned to her by Wm. D. Williams, Jr. of Greenville, Tenn. Where ever possible I use the dates, like John's birth, used in this document. ]

John's wife was named Mary_____, b. 26 Sept 1684. (Mary's full name is generally accepted as Mary Keeling, the d/o of Capt. George Keeling and Ursula Fleming. If so she was born in America.) John is believed to have immigrated to America in the 1690's. He appears to have first settled on Queens' Creek in York County, Virginia but they later moved to Hanover County, Virginia and built their home "Studley" sometime before 1712.

Why was John wealthy? Some surmise he earned his wealth like other immigrants to Virginia often did, by growing tobacco. That is possible. He probably was a good wheeler-dealer, made money off that, possibly land as well. But most definitely, the early generations of the family were involved in the distilling of Whiskey. This I am sure is a trade that was brought over from Wales, as it seems to be a popular beverage from all the countries that border the Irish Sea. In fact as late as 1904, the family was advertising the sale of Old Williams Whiskey from their distillery in Williams, Surry County, North Carolina. It states that "The Old Williams Company" of Williams, N.C. was founded in 1768. This business was run by the descendants of John's son Nathaniel (b. 1712). It is probably a family trade handed down over the generations dating much earlier. Just my guess.

John went to live in Bertie county, British Colonial America, in 1710 but returned back to Cornwall before 1715