'Indian Trader' William Sherrill, ' Conestoga Trader'

He was known as the "Indian Trader" and the "Conestoga Trader".

William Sherrill Sr. and his sons are said to have opened up the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia in the 1740's. They went to the Catawba River area in North Carolina in 1747, which is now known as SHERRILL'S FORD, Catawba county, North Carolina.

For many years, the three William Sherrill's, all living, at some point in time, in the same year, gave genealogists much trouble, and confused many a descendant. William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader, had a son, William Sherrill Jr. William Sr.'s daughter, Margaret Sherrill Perkins had an illegitimate child known as William Sherrill. Adam Sherrill, also a son of the Conestoga fur trader, named his son William.

2 vol. set published by Mary La Jean Davis Sherrill has documented many sources titled "Samuel Sherrill, Son of Adam & Elizabeth and Some of His Descendants." (Samuel is not our line).

.....To quote a few lines from the recent published of Mary La Jean Davis Sherrill of Denton, Texas....."In 1932, one of the better-known Sherrill genealogies was published. It was the genalogy of one Samuel Sherrill who was ship-wrecked off Long Island, where he was seen by Margarette Parsons, who later became his wife. Many genealogists of William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader, contend William was his son as well as Recompense and Samuel Jr., but no proof has ever been found. Many descendants have accepted another Samuel Sherrill as the "founding father," but this too has yet to be proven." .....There is another claim that his parents were William Sherrill and Margaret Upright Gregory .....William Sherrill is the earliest known ancestor of this family. The first four children listed are known children, the remaining are found associated with him but relationship not established. William Sherrill Sr. was born some time between 1670 and 1680, although his birthplace is not known. In 1702 he bought 150 acres called "Price's Forest" in Cecil County, Maryland, from William Price and his wife. He was in Conestoga, Pennsylvania between 1710 and 1726, where he and his sons William and Adam were taxpayers and English inhabitants. He returned to Maryland and purchased from Thomas Jacobs land called "Three Partners" but continued to pay taxes in Pennsylvania. On December 30, 1725, William Sherrill Sr. gave 100 acres of "Three Partners" to his son Adam and his wife, Elizabeth. He gave the remaining half to his son William Sherrill Jr. and his wife, Margaret. .....In 1746 these SHERRILLs were in Prince George County, Maryland. William Sherrill Sr. and his sons are said to have opened up the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia in the 1740's. They went to the Catawba River area in North Carolina in 1747, which is now known as SHERRILL'S FORD, Catawba county, North Carolina. .....The children of William Sherrill Sr. are believed to be eight: Adam, William Jr., Margaret, Mary, John, Samuel, Rudil, and Avington. Source: Hardesty Family in America by Irma Hardesty Wesley, 1414 Lilac Rd, Charlotte, N.C. 28209. (Published 1981) .....The children given for William are thought be have been his children but only three were named in his will. These four have been proven to be his children: Adam b. 1700, William Jr., Mary (married Perkins) and Margaret (Margery).

.....William appears with Samuel, Adam, and Rudil Sherrill in the 1720 Conestoga Township in Lancaster County. Source "Carolina Cradle: Settlement of the North Carolina Frontier, 1747-1762", Robert W. Ramsey, 1964.

.....This Indenture made ye Eighth day of March Anno Dom. 1702 and in ye first year of ye Reign of our sovereign Lady Anne by ye grace of god Queen of England vz Between Wm Price Senr. of Cecil County in ye province of Maryland planter and Margarett his wife of the one part and Wm Sherwell of ye same County and Province planter of ye other part witnesseth that ye said William Price and Margarett his wife for and in consideration of ye sum of three thousand pounds of Tob'o to them in hand paid by ye said William Sherwell ye receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge and thereof do acquitt and discharge ye said William Sherwell his heirs Ex's & Adm's forever by these presents have bargained and sold and by these presents do bargain and sell unto ye said Wm Sherwell his heris and assigns all that tract or parcell of land called Price Frorest Lying in ye aforesaid County & upon ye East side of Elk River as by ye patent hereof Relation being thereunto had ye meets and bounds thereof doo fully and at large appears with all rights profits comoditious appurtenances to ye same belonging or in anywise appertaining and ye Reversion & reversions remainder and remainders thereof To have and to hold ye before bargained land & premisses with ye appurtenances unto ye said Wm. Sherwell his heirs and assigns forever to and for ye onely use and behoof of ye said Wm Sherwell and and of his heirs and assigns forever In Witness whereof ye parties to these presents interchangebly throu hands and seals have sett ye day & years first above written. Sealed and Delivered } Wm [hisWmark] Price [seal] In Ye Pressence of } Margarett [herXmark} Price [seal] Edw'd Bonwicks, Thomas [T] Coe, Robert Moxey In ye back of which deed was this endorsed bond March ye 10th 1702 Then came into open Court ye within named Wm Price & acknowledged ye within deed to and for ye reas therein specified likewise came Margarett Price wife to ye said William Price and acknowledged ye said deed to ye said Wm Sherwell according to act of assembly in such casses made & provided John Dowdall Clk Com Cecil Recorded ye 19th day of March Anno Dom. 1702 Hn Jno Dowdall Clk

Genforum posting 8/2002 by David Shirrell: .....The earliest reference to William "the Conestoga Indian Fur trader" that I have seen from Pennsylvania dates from July 23, 1712 in the Minutes of the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania where it is written: "They added that one Sheerwill had lived amongest them [the Conestoga Indians] for two years without planting any corn; that notwithstanding he had still enough, furnishing himself by stealth; & that he had sometimes been taken in the fact, but that he had now left the place". This is taken from a list of the Conestoga Indian complaints to the Provincial Council of PA. This record can be found transcribed in the Pennsylvania Archives, Vol II, Colonial records, pp 578-580. Thus, this record would prove that William Sherwell was in PA by as late as 1710. .....As a consequence of the Indian complaints, William Penn set up the first Indian reservation, Conestoga Manor, in America and gave the Indian traders grants of land south of Conestoga Manor. William "Sherrard"'s grant was dated November 25, 1716 (Minute Book H, See page 597 Early Pennsylvania Land Records by William Henry Egle). I have looked for a Indian Trader License for William Sherwell; but, I can find no PA Indian Trader Licenses for this time period. If one exists, then I would certainly be interested in obtaining a copy. .....Earlier records than those in PA, for William Sherwell, exist in Cecil County, MD (land record 1702, debts listing and a MD Rent Roll Record from 1707). There has been some speculation about earlier references for a William Sherwell (various other spellings) being in MD prior to 1702 but no strong proof (in my opinion) exists whether these individuals were actually this William Sherwell. I have a posting for a William Shiel (& several other spellings), on this same web site, that has Cecil County MD land references from the 1690's placing this individual about 3 miles from the 1702 Cecil County (land record) farm site of William Sherwell. Was this individual in reality William Sherwell????

.....William was granted 200 acres of land in Cecil County, Maryland on 16 Sept. 1720 called "Three Partners". William sold half of this tract to Adam on 13 Dec. 1725. William bought 150 acres called "Price's Forest".

.....He and his sons Adam and William are credited with opening of the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia in the 1740's. William, Sr. and Jr. appear in the 1742 Augusta County, Virginia militia records.

Posted by Linda Goda (mgodalpm at aol.com) on January 10, 1999 at 12:36:22: In Reply to: Re: Samuel Sherrill 1640 posted by Jane Leavell on January 09, 1999 at 17:03:31: Hi. I'm not sure this is what you want when you ask for my version of ancestery. William Sherewell, b. ?, d. Nov. 12, 1638 in England, m. Johane Stisson. Children: Adam Sherwell, b. ?, m. June 13, 1632 to Mary unknown, d. bef. Feb. 1667 in england. Children: 1. Honor Sherwill 2. Mary Sherwill 3. William Sherwill, b. 1639 in England, m. 1658 to Margarey Upright, d. 1719 in NY. Chidren: 1. Elizabeth 2. William, Sr. 3. Anna 4. Adam 5. Dewence The above William, Sr. is the William in question, William was born Nov. 16, 1666 in England, d. 1747 in TN, m. Margaret Rudisill. William, Sr. and Margaret Rudisill had 11 chidlren, Adam Sherrill being the 3rd.

History of William Sherrill (Sherwill), the Conestoga Fur Trader, 16?? to 1725, and of his son Adam Sherrill, the North Carolina Pioneer, 1699 to 1772. By: Wanda L. Clark, 1304 East Miami, McAlester, OK. 74501. Family History Library, SLC, call # US/CAN 929.273, Sh 57c. Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. (Page 7) ...William Sherrill, the Contestoga fur trader. William's daughter, also named Margaret, married in Baltimore County, Maryland, in St. George's Parish to Elisha Perkins Sr., December 1, 1718... (Page 10) ...It is known that William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader's daughter, Margaret and her husband Elisha Perkins Sr. moved to land in what is now Berkeley County, West Virginia, on the Potomac River, across from Maryland. A large Dupont plant was located there in the twentieth century. Elisha Perkins Sr. left it, as his "manor place" to his son, Elisha Perkins Jr.(Will of Elisha Perkins Sr., Will Book 1, page 207, Orange County, Virginia, May 27, 1742). This area appears to have been part of Commonwealth of Virginia at that time. Known as the Shenandoah Valley, this point in time, around the 1742-1747, the names William, Adam, Abenton, Ute, Yont and Margaret Sherrill all appear in Augusta County, Virginia

(Abstracts from Records of Augusta County, VA., Vol. I, p. 414, Vol. II, p.509). In 1748, tax delinquents listed in Augusta County, Virginia show Adam, Adam Jr., Samuel, William and Abraham Sherrill(Abstracts from Records of Augusta County, VA., Vol. I, p.414). (Could this last name be Abenton?).

In 1747, Adam, with his brother William, his nephew John Perkins, a son of Margaret's and Elisha Perkins and a bevy of Sherrills, with the John Robinsons, and probably his sister Mary and her husband Richard Perkins II, unless they came later, moved to the west side of the Catawba River in North Carolina...

(Page 27) ...William Sherrill and his son Adam Sherrill left many tracks in the early Maryland, as William's daughters Margaret and Mary Sherrill, both married sons of Richard Perkins, a Baltimore County barrel maker...It appears that intensive research needs to be done in Washington, Franklin, Prince George's, Baltimore, Charles and Cecil Counties, Maryland. The Sherrills appear to have been in all of them during the eighteenth century, and earlier... (Page 28)...But for many years, the three William Sherrill's, all living, at some point in time, in the same year, gave genealogists much trouble, and confused many a descendant. William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader, had a son, William Sherrill Jr. William Sr.'s daughter, Margaret Sherrill Perkins had an illegitimate child known as William Sherrill. Adam Sherrill, also a son of the Conestoga fur trader, named his son William..

(Page 29) ...It was not until the 1900's that Christopher Hoomes(Holmes)will was found, establishing the Kentucky and later the Burke County, North Carolina William Sherrill as Hoomes son by Margery Sherrill alias Perkins. Robert Ramsey's "Carolina Cradle' has already established William Sherrill as a historical figure, in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, crediting him with opening up the Susequehanna Valley to settlement. Our first record of him in Lancaster County appears in 1712 where he is listed as an Indian Trader in Western Pennsylvania (Lancaster Assessments Lists, pp.177,180).

Prior to his arrival in Lancaster County, the first record so far found for him is in Cecil County, Maryland in 1702, when he purchased 150 acres called Price's Forest, on the east side of Elk River in Cecil County, Maryland (Captain William Sherrill, by William Andrew Sherrill, p.7, 1979). From there, he apparently moved to Lancaster County, where he paid taxes, along with his sons, as listed on the next page. It would appear that he frequently went from Cecil County, Maryland to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, probably by river, and possibly on down into Baltimore County, for, while he is on the tax rolls in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in 1718, his daughter Margaret is shown as marrying Elisha Perkins Sr. in St. George's Parish, in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1718. Of course, if "the" Margaret Sherrill who left a will in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1678, were her grandmother, she could have been visiting with aunts and uncles there... (Page 32 & 33) ...Tradition has it that William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader ccompanied his children to North Carolina in 1747, and then went on to Tennessee with one of his sons, where he died...But it is also possible he died in Maryland or Virginia without ever going to North Carolina...But, his place in the history of the Susequehanna Valley is secure, thanks to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania records and Robert Ramsey's Carolina Cradle.

The name of the wife of William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader, is listed in some unverified records as Margaret Rudisil and another as Margaret Perkins. It is possible that one of these is the Margaret who married his son William Sherrill Jr..One can safely say that only a few of the children of William Sherrill the Conestoga fur trader have been determined beyond a reasonable doubt, and that is Adam, William Jr., Margaret and Mary Sherrill. Those who appear with him in Lancaster County records, Rudil, and Samuel are probably sons, but if Kitchens is right, and he is from the Long Island Samuel, that Samuel may be his brother. I opt for a son. In the Shenendoah Valley we have William, Adam, Abenton, Ute and Yont listed, in Augusta County, VA., as well as an Abraham who was probably one and the same with Abenton. One record lists a John Sherrill as a possible son. While Abenton, Ute and Yont are likely candidates as the children of William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader, they could also be sons of the Rudil and Samuel who appear in Lancaster County, with him. For these two men, Rudil and Samuel, do not so far appear after Lancaster County. So, his children, proven and tentative are: Rudil Sherrill (not proven) b. ca. 1695 Samuel Sherrill (not proven) b. ca. 1697 Adam Sherrill, proven, b. ca. 1698, md. Elizabeth __________ William Sherrill Jr., proven, b. ca. 1699, md. Margaret _____ Margaret Sherrill, proven, b. ca. 1700; md. Elisha Perkins Sr. in 1718 in Baltimore County, Maryland, St. George's Parish. Had an illigitimate son by Hoomes(Holmes) that went by name of Wm. Sherrill, before she married Elisha Perkins. Mary Sherrill, proven, b. ca. 1701, md. Richard Perkins, brother to Elisha Perkins, also of Baltimore County, Maryland, and listed as one of two of his wives. Abenton/Avington/Abraham/Sherrill, not proven, and could possibly be a son of Rudil or Samuel, and does not show up until they have moved to the Shenendoah Valley; could also be a son of Wm. Jr. John Sherrill, not proven, but may also be a son of Rudil or Samuel, or Wm. Jr.(Anson County NC. records show Abenton/Avington as son of William Sherrill, who appears to be William Sherrill Jr.) Ute and Yont Sherrill, could be sons of Wm. Jr., Samuel, or Rudil

Probably William Sherrill, the Conestoga fur trader had other daughters or sons whose names are not even speculated upon. The fact that Rudil and Samuel, and Adam and William Jr. were all with him in Lancaster County strongly points to the fact that Rudil and Samuel were his sons, and it is possible that some of his neighbors there, Jones, Robinsons, McCreary, etc.were sons-in-law. (Page 34) ...The Historical notes from the records of Augusta County, Virginia, where William, Adam, and Margaret all appear with others listed, records the following: "The migration of families from Lancaster, Chester and adjointing counties in southeast Pennsylvania to Shenandoah Valley, Virginia, commenced actually in 1737, but from 1740 to 1745 it was in full tide, and it can be stated with certainty that at least three-fourths of the present inhabitants of the valley descended from Pennsylvania families. In many respects the Shenandoah Valley is a southwestern extension of Southeastern Pennsylvania, and the descendants of the first settlers have made it the most prosperous section of Virginia." The Great Road from the Yadkin River in North Carolina, to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, passes through the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on it way to Philadelphia. It started in the South of the Yadkin River in North Carolina, and entered the Valley of Virginia, through the water gap of the Roanoke River, a short distance east of the present city of Roanoke, Virginia. Through Virginia, its general course, was in the eastern side of the Valley, until present county of Rockbridge was reached, and then the road was about center of the Valley. Stanton and Lexington were about 8 miles to the west of the road, and Harrisonburg about 5 miles to the west. A few miles southwest of New Market, Virginia, the road took the line of the present Valley Turnpike and passed through Winchester, Virginia. It crossed the Potomac River at Williams Ferry, now Williamsport, Maryland, and thus deflecting to the northeast passed through Frederick, Maryland and the city of Lancaster, Pa., until Philadelphia was reached. Off northwest, 10 miles, Wrights Ferry, just established a year or two before 1729, was a healthy nucleu of the future Columbia, Pennsylvania; while farther on up the Susquehanna, rugged Donnagal was well filled, at least a decade by the Scotch-Irish pioneer, who worshipped and warred, watched and worked, while the German-Swiss tilled the interior valley (Historical notes from the records of Augusta County, Virginia,Lancaster County Historical Society, Vol. 25, June 3, 1921). (Page 37)

SEE: http://members.aol.com/mysherrills/

Conestoga Township of Lancaster County Extracted and excerpted from History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with Biographical Sketches of Many of the Pioneers and Prominent Men.ed. Franklin Ellis and Samuel Evans, Philadelphia, Everts & Peck,1883 ...Over to the east on Pequea creek the English and Scotch-Irish, beginning about the neighborhood of Marticville and going down the creek were: William and Robert Middleton, Albert Hendricks, William Sherrell, David Jones, Samuel Jones, John Robinson, John McCreary, practically all on the cast side of the creek; and Daniel Jones on the west side.

From the Department of Community Affairs, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, a photocopy of the original land Grand D-82--1147 reads as follows: By the Commissioners of Property at the Request of William Sherrerd (Sherrell) that we would grant him Two hundred Acres of Land on Pequea Creek for which he has agreed to pay to the Proprietors use twenty pounds for the whole and the usual quitrent of One Shilling Sterling yearly for each hundred Acres for ever. These are to authorize and require thee to Survey or cause to be surveyed to the said William Sherrerd two hundred acres of vacant land on the said Creek in one regula piece and make returns thereof into the Secretaries Office which survey in case of the said William shall duly fulfill the aforsaid Agreement in paying the said consideration moneywithin three months after the date hereof and shall be valid otherwise the same is to be void as if it never had been made nor this warrant granted. Given under our hand and seal of the Province of Philadia the 28th day of the 4th month AD 1715. Richard Hill Isaac Norris James Logan

Wiliam Sherrerd (Sherrell 200 acres records 100 as recd. May 1741 to Christian Preneman

114 acres, 99 recd 30 May 1741 to Woolrich Stopher

William Sherrell is of record in the original Chester County, PA (Chester Co. wa later divided into Chester, Lancster and York Counties) and in 1718 he is found in the new county of Lancaster, whose borders almost touch those of Baltimore Co., Maryland.

According to "Historical Papers and addresses of the Lancaster Co. Historical Society" Vol. XX, Lancaster, PA, 1911 William Sherrel was listed among the English inhabitants in Conestoga Township in 1718. He was assessed 16 pounds, 4 pence and had 1100 acres on the river.

In the Conestoga Township, Lancaster Co., PA Tax Lists were the member of the Sherrill family taxes as follows 1719 William Sherwill Taxed 20 pounds 1719 Rudil Sherwill Taxed 30 pounds 1720 William Sherwill Taxed 15 pounds 1720 Adam Sherwill Taxed 10 pounds 1721 William Sherwill Taxed 15 pounds 1721 Samuel Sherwill Taxed 12 pounds 1722 William Sherwill Taxed 16 pounds 1722 Adam Sherwill (Donegal Twp.) Taxed 16 pounds

It appears that William Sherrill returned to Cecil Co., Maryland in 1720, perhaps retaining his property in PA for a few years, then abandoning it (1100 acres!). In any event, he purchased land from Thomas Jacobs. It appears he actually patented the land in 1720 land that had previously been pattented by Thomas Jacobs on March 10, 1716, and then later purchased it from Jacobs.

From a rent roll in the Maryland archives in the following regarding "Three Partners". Three Partners surveyed March 10, 1716 for Thomas Jacobs lying in the CE. Co., Beginning at a Bounded black Oak standing on the West Side of a path leading from Abraham Pennington to Connestogoe and in a line of a Tract of Land Called Cornwall - to Addition. A portion of the action concerning this land follows: 200 acres William Sherrwill from Thomas Jacobs Dec. 13, 1725 100 acres Adam Sherwill from William Sherwill, Sr. June 6, 1729 100 acres William Sherwill, Jr. from William Sherwill, Sr. June 6, 1729 20 acres William Sherwill, Sr., from Adam Sherwill July 17, 1729 100 acres Samuel Caldwell from Adam Sherrill 100 acres John McCreery from William Sherwill, Jr. Aug. 221, 1744

Adam obtained 100 acres. The following month, he transferred 20 of these acres back to his father. Then he sells 100 acres to Samuel Caldwell.

Don't miss this great Sherrill website: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~schoshi/wills/

William Sherrill arrived from Devon England circ 1690 to Maryland.William was known as an Indian Trader. "The Conestoga Fur Trader".He opened up the Susquehanna Valley in Pennsylvania to white settlers.

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@R303261575@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=119779694&pi...

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@R850838881@ Ancestry Family Trees Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.

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Ancestry Family Tree http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=115337401&pi...