William Thomas Cleveland, RW

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William Cleveland, son of Jacob and Millie, born April 6, 1766, in Virginia, appears on the nearby Franklin County GA tax lists from 1801 to 1819. I cannot find him on the 1820 census. He was on the census in Jasper County GA in 1830. Listed as having been a soldier, he was a fortunate drawer in the 1832 Cherokee Land Lottery for land in Jasper County. I am assuming that this means he was in the militia in Georgia but I cannot find his name on any of the lists I have consulted so far. Even though some descendants of Jacob Cleveland believe that he was a revolutionary soldier, records have not been found to substantiate the tradition Records from the former Wilkes County area are known to be fragmented, so the true information may be irretrievably lost. Other members of the extended Cleveland clan, such as Col. Benjamin Cleveland, hero of the Battle of King’s Mountain, in North Carolina, have found their way into the history books. William Cleveland married (1) Mary Seaggs in Franklin County. She was born about 1771, and died before 1798. He married (2) Rhoda Wright# in 1798, daughter of David Wright. Rhoda was born September 1777 and died 1865 in Crawford County, GA. William is on the federal census in Crawford County in 1840. In the household: one male, 60-70; one female 60-70; one female 5-10; 2 females 10-15. From notes made by Adrianne Harp Moore, the children of William Cleveland were: "Absalom Carter Cleveland, married Miss Lucinda Harp of Crawford County,was murdered, 1854; Mary, married Allen G. Simmons; Mildred or Millie, married Reaves of Fayette County, GA; Elizabeth, married Morgan of Crawford County; Martha, married Green Pinckney Harp; Washington Cromwell, b. April 3, 1803, married Edna Armstrong. William Cleveland, Revolutionary Soldier, married in Franklin County and in a few years went to Jasper County, GA, finally settled in Crawford County. These dates corroborate with Mrs. O. C. Cleveland’s Bible, in the possession of Mrs. Oliver Cleveland of Culloden, Georgia." William Cleveland’s was signed on January 12, 1835. Letters testamentary were issued to W.C. Cleveland and A. C. Cleveland, executors, and this was recorded Jan, 1844 (exact date illegible). Rhoda Cleveland (wife) was given the lot of land upon which they lived and "the following negroes (viz) Spencer, Sam, Easter, Rap, Silla, Harriet, Peggy and Queen Silva and her child Hester". Daughter Betsy Morgan was given "a negro woman, Vernice and child". The children of his daughter Milly W. Cleveland Reeves were given a "woman named Easter and her children" to remain in the possession of "this father William Reeves during his life time." Daughter Patty Simmons was given a "woman Milly and her children." His son Washington C. Cleveland was given a "man Isaac". His son Absolom C. Cleveland was given land. His daughter Martha T. Harp was given a slave and some cash.#

• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Sep 23 2019, 15:39:25 UTC