William Radford

Radfordville in Perry Co, AL It was reportedly named after William Radford, b. 1782 in VA, d. 1862 in Perry, Co. AL.

From an account of the Harbour, Radford and Watters Failies of E T Harbour and the history of the 8th Alabama Volunteer Infantry by Robert L Adair, Jr. , Baton Rouge LA 199::

CHAPTER 7 THE FAMILY OF WILLIAM RADFORD

William Radford was the oldest son of Reuben and Elizabeth Radford of Campbell County, Virginia. Born in Virginia in 1782, William moved with his family to Georgia as a young boy. At some point the family probably was living on the land granted to Reuben in 1794. William married Nancy James, a woman about two years his junior, on the 17th of July, 1804. The marriage took place in Oglethorpe County. She was born in Georgia about 1784. Their first son, Reuben, was born about a year after the marriage. That year William appeared in the Oglethorpe County tax digest. Elizabeth, the first daughter, was born in 1806. In 1807 William was fortunate when he participated in the land lottery. He received two draws, both in Wilkinson County, Georgia. They were for lots 56 and 107 in districts 18 and 13 respectively. His brother-in-law Samuel Watters drew land in the same county. Sometime in 1808, William's father Reuben moved to Morgan County, Georgia. William packed his family up and moved there as well. That year, another son was born. His name was Elisha. The first record of William in Morgan dates from 1810. In August of that year he served on the Number 2 jury. In 1810 he also paid tax on land near his father in William's Militia District. William's family grew very large over the years. Susan H. was born around 1812. Temperance, or "Peggy," was born circa 1814. A son, John W., was born around 1815. Another daughter, Polly Ann, was born in the early part of William's marriage but her birthday is unknown. Though the dates and facts are vague, it appears that William's wife Nancy, died around this time, 1817. Around 1818 a large group of people from the area in North Georgia that William lived in began a migration to Alabama. Included in this group were his sister Ann, her husband Samuel Watters, and his family. William decided to seek out his fortune as well for land in Perry County, Alabama was cheap and plentiful, so he packed up his family and joined them. A month after his father's death, on 24 January 1820, William was granted 160 acres of land. His sister Susan Bennett moved out to Perry County after the death of her father and Elizabeth, their mother, came as well at some later time. The land that William was granted was in the close proximity of what became known as Radfordville, named after him. Evidently William accumulated much land in his long lifetime. It also seems that William remarried had several more children. Mary, or "Winnie," was born around 1820. William T. came in 1822. Nancy J. was born in 1825 and the youngest child, George Washington, in 1827. As William's family grew larger, some of the older children began to move out and start their own families. On 22 August 1823, in Perry County, Reuben is recorded in a marriage to Sarah Wilbanks. In 1830 he is recorded in the census with a daughter under four. He and his wife are in the 20 to 30 year old category. In 1840 he is listed in husband's family. He is three households over from his father. He and his wife are in the 30 to 40 year group and they have 11 others living with them. He must have died in the 1840's as his wife Sarah is listed in the 1850 census as a forty year old woman alone with 7 children in Radfordville. That same year, Elizabeth, the oldest daughter, was married. On October 1823, Elizabeth wed John H. Smith. By 1850 she had 10 children and was still in Perry County. Apparently, however, she died before 1862.1 Susan married George M. Henson on 11 July 1829. They were living in Perry County in 1850 and she was named in her father's will in 1862. A few days after Susan's marriage, on 25 July 1829, Elisha married Mary Ross. Elisha Radford and his wife were recorded in the Perry County 1850 census as a couple between 20 to 30, and had a daughter under five. On 31 March 1835 Elisha was granted 320 acres near Radfordville. In 1840, this family and 8 children, still in Perry County, were not living very closely to the other Radfords. Elisha did not stay in Alabama his whole life. In 1870 he died while living in Meridian, Mississippi. In the 1830's, William was able to receive more government patents to increase his land holdings. On 14 April 1834, he received 80 acres. On 16 January 1836, he received another 80 acres. Both of these were near his previous land holdings. As William's land holdings increased, so did his flock of grandchildren. Peggy married William Harbour in July of 1832. She soon had several children of her own. Polly Ann was married to George W. Mayfield around the same time but little is known about her life after this. On 18 January 1837, Winnie married John C. Oaks. She had a large family that she reared in Perry County. Not much is known about John save that he was named in his father's will. He later became a well driller in Choctaw County, Alabama. On 19 August, 1841, William married Elizabeth Griffen, the widow of Owen Griffin . She had moved from Wilkes County, GA. to Perry County with her two children. The 1840 census shows that William continued to prosper in his holdings. His daughter Nancy, who was not on the 1840 Census, had married Thornberry W. Bolling. By the time of the 1850 census, the Bollings were back living with William and Elizabeth along with their children. George was living with his parents as well. William in 1850 owned 4,000 in real estate. The younger William was not found with his parents in 1850 as he married a woman named Amanda in the early part of the 1840's. He had three known children. George moved out soon after the 1850 Census when he married a girl named Martha circa 1852. He then lived close to his parents. By the 1850's, it appears that Radfordville was establishing itself as a real focal point for the region's farmers. As William owned much of the land in the area, the Radfords certainly became prosperous. In 1853 he and his wife donated 1 acre in the village to establish the "Radfordville Academy." The trustees of this school were all local men, many whose families had married into the Radfords. Included here was Samuel Bolling, James M. Watters, Joseph R. Watters, and James W. Oaks.1 The town was a prominent place in the local area for many years. Near the school a post office and a brick store were built. In the Civil War a company of the 8th Alabama Volunteers was formed there. The school continued to function until 1928. It is likely that many of the young Harbours, Watters, and Radfords that this book is concerned with were members of this school. The school was torn down in 1930 and all that remains of it, the store, and the post office, is an empty field. Sometime after 1853 William lost his wife Elizabeth. William was an old man in his 70's, but loneliness did not set in. On 13 July 1858, William married Massey Leach. She was a widow from nearby Bibb County. Born in South Carolinia in 1813, she had at least 4 children by a previous marriage. In the 1860 census William was listed with Massey, 33 years his junior. The census had him still listed as a farmer with a real estate value of 6,200. His personal holdings were more than 2,000. Massey's daughter, Lucinda Leach, was listed as an 18 year old house keeper. Living next door was his son George and his wife Martha. He was listed as an overseer,evidently running the large farm that his father owned. It appears that the family of Mssie did not approve of this marriage, and the last few years may not have been pleasant, despite all of his wealth, and being surrounded by many children and countless grandchildren, many living near the town and attending a school bearing his name. W. G. Leach from Bibb, apparently a relative of Massey, brought a case against William and had him declared a lunatic. Duke Nall, who later as an officer in the 8th Alabama died in the Civil War, was appointed guardian. He later resigned and John C. Oakes, his son in law, became guardian and managed his affairs until William's death on 23 October 1862. He left a will that divided his estate among many children and grandchildren. He was most likely buried in the old Stone Family Cemetery. Marked with wooden headboards, the markers have since rotted and the exact grave sites lost. What became of Massey is not known.

House William lived in:

http://linda_walker999.tripod.com/radford-house.html

WILLIAM AND NANCY BUILT A HOUSE IN PERRY CO., AL IN ABOUT 1819. IT IS SUPPOSED TO STILL BE THERE

Radford Farmhouse is a National Park Service-certified site on the Trail of Tears National Historic Trail.[6]

The Radford Farmhouse / Original Trail of Tears Segment
610 Dixie Beeline Highway (U.S. 41), in Todd County, KY between Pembroke and Trenton. (:270) 475-4076 (call ahead to arrange a visit)

GPS: 36° 45′05.33 N, 87° 18′23.01 W