William Terry

William Terry BIRTH unknown Virginia, USA DEATH 1805 Richmond County, North Carolina, USA BURIAL Terry Bridge Cemetery Roberdell, Richmond County, North Carolina, USA PLOT UNMARKED MEMORIAL ID 70599917 · View Source

MEMORIAL PHOTOS 0 FLOWERS 6 NO MARKER

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William Terry and his wife, Anne Raiford, were the progenitors of the Terry Family of Richmond County, North Carolina.

DNA evidence indicates William Terry was born to a Terry family living in Virginia.

William was known as 'William Terry of Hitchcock's Creek' or 'William, east of the Pee Dee' or, after 1755, 'William Terry, Jr.' [The Pee Dee is a river that separates Anson and Richmond Counties. William Terry, west of the Pee Dee, lived on the other side and was a bit older. The two Williams are unrelated except via marriage. They married Raiford sisters.]

Married to Anne Raiford (Rayford).

William Terry signed his Last Will & Testament on March 20, 1805, in Richmond County. It was probated in September 1805. His exact date of death is unknown but it was between end-March and early-September 1805. Five living children and the heirs of two others are listed in the will.

The seven children are:

Drusilla, Nancy, James, Elizabeth, Matthew, William and Champness.

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The parents of William Terry are not yet determined. DNA evidence points to his place of birth as being in Virginia. As of May 2011, about 35 males have tested in Group 1 of the Terry DNA project who are genetically related to William Terry, East of the Pee Dee. See The Terry-Tarry DNA Project at http://www.terry-family-historian.com/TerryDNAProject/index.htm

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Sites with old Terry graves in Richmond County:

TERRY BRIDGE CEMETERY in Roberdell has the oldest marked grave. This site is overgrown with forest and appears small but may contain many more unmarked graves. Looking at the Findagrave map in aerial view, the darker green color of vegetation around this site suggests its immediate area was once cleared and much larger.

The original cemetery survey conducted in the 1980-90s (www.ncgenweb.us/richmond) recorded 16 marked graves. In 2011, a photographer found 13 markers associated with two grandsons of William and Anne Terry. The oldest marker is their mother, Sarah Jane Jernigan Terry died 1852, wife of James Terry. James died in 1835 and is reported to be in an unmarked grave at Terry Bridge.

Research at www.the.terry.historian.com states William, his wife Anne, their son James and James' wife Jane are buried at Terry Bridge Cemetery.

TERRY FAMILY CEMETERY near Ellerbe is a cleared site enclosed by a fence. It is known to contain unmarked graves. It is close to Rourk Church and off Gibson Nursery Road. It is referred to as "TERRY GRAVEYARD, GIBSON MILL" on a descendant's 1918 death certificate.

ROURK PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CEMETERY in Ellerbe. This site is near Terry Family Cemetery but its graves are more recent.

BEAR BRANCH CEMETERY in Roberdell sits on former Terry property and was once associated with a small church that no longer exists. Its congregation merged with nearby Green Lake United Methodist Church. The tombstone of a descendant of William Terry (Cornelia Ann Terry Baxley) notes the donation of the land at Bear Branch for a cemetery. Its earliest marked grave is dated 1853. There are known unmarked graves.

Family Members Spouse Anne Raiford Terry unknown–1805

Children James Terry 1769–1835

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/70599917/william-terry

GEDCOM Note

Sources:

1- Final Words, 772 Original Wills By Richmond County, North Carolina Testators, 1779-1915, p. 556(FHL 975.634, P2bf).

2- WorldConnect Project: Blackman-Farmer Roots @ RootsWeb.com.

3- Terry Research Group, Richmond County, North Carolina: "Descendants of Matthew Raiford".