Russell County AlArchives Wills.....Byrd, William August 28, 1850 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/al/alfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Laurel Baty laurelbaty@comcast.net July 23, 2008, 3:52 pm Source: Russell Co. Will Book 2, Pages 7-8, Fhl Microfilm 1033491 Written: August 28, 1850 Recorded: January 4, 1851 Last Will and Testament of William Byrd Sen’r. In the name of God Amen I William Byrd Sen’r of the County of Russell and State of Alabama do make and declare this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following. Item First. I resign my soul into the hands of Almighty God hoping and believing in a semission of my sins by the merits and mediation of Jesus Christ. And my body I commit to the earth to be buried at the discretion of my family. My worldly estate I give and devise as follows Item second. I give and devise to my wife Nancy for whom I cherish the utmost regard and affection, one negro man Jack Sen’r, one negro woman Cheney, also one thousand pounds of peas(??), one hundred and fifty bushels of corn, fifteen hundred pounds of fodder, one sow, and ten year old shoats, two cows & calves, two beds and furniture all the household and kitchen furniture together with such other property as may herein after be bequeathed to her. To have and to use for her own proper use and benefit during her life. After her death said bequeathed property to be equally divided between my six children to wit Martha Parker, Harriett Barr, David, James, William and John. Item third. I will and devise to SUSAN STRICKLAND my Grand Daughter one negro boy named Columbus. Item Fourth. I will and devise to my daughter Martha Parker wife of Jno. W. Parker, and to her children, free from the disposition of her present or any future husband. My negro man Jack Jr. about twenty three years old to be controlled for the use and benefit of my daughter Martha & her children, by my son William, and my son-in-law William J. Barr whom I appoint Trustees for said property and any other property that may herein after be bequeathed to my daughter Martha and her children. Said negro Jack is to be valued and the amount of his valuation to be taken into the division of my Estate as herein after devised. Item fifth. I will and devise to my son James, one bed and furniture, one cow and calf. Item sixth. I will and devise to my son William, one bed and furniture, one cow and calf. Item seventh. I will and devise to my son John one bed and furniture, one cow and calf and sixty five dollars in money. Item eighth. I will and devise to my wife Nancy and to my sons James, William and John, all my lands, to wit, the west half of section twenty one Township Eighteen and range thirty one fractional section sixteen, township eighteen, and range thirty less eighteen acres. Said land to be taken by them at a valuation of twenty two hundred and fifty dollars. The amt. as above mentioned to be taken into account in the division of balance of the estate. Item ninth. I will and devise that the balance of my Estate after paying all my just debts, be equally divided between my wife Nancy, my daughter Martha Parker wife of J. W. Parker (inserted text “and two ????), my daughter Harriett Barr wife of William J. Barr and her children, my sons David, James, William and John. And I appoint my son William Byrd Jr. Trustee for all property bequeathed to my daughter Harriett Barr and her children to be controlled by said trustee for their proper use and benefit free from the disposition of her present or any future husband. Item tenth. I constitute and appoint my son William & son-in-law Wm. J. Barr my Executors who are requested and empowered to execute this my last Will and Testament William Byrd [L. S.] Signed, sealed, declared and published by William Byrd Sen’r. as his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, the subscribers who subscribed our names hereto in the presence of said Testator and of each other. This August 28th 1850. James Allen John H. Frazer H. C. A. Smith Wm. Lowther Interline before signing. The State of Alabama, Russell County Probate on vacation. Personally appeared in open Court James Allen, John H. Frazier, H. C. A. Smith, three of the subscribing witnesses to the above foregoing Will the same being the last Will and Testament of William Byrd late of said County deceased and after being duly sworn deposeth and saith that they saw William Byrd whose name is subscribed thereto sign, seal, publish and declare the same to be and contain his last Will and Testament, that they subscribed their names thereto as witnesses in the presence of each other & that they saw the other subscribed witness, William Lowther, sign the same as a witness in the presence of the said Testator. And that the said William Byrd was of sound mind and disposing memory, that he executed the same without compulsion so far as they know or believe.—James Allen, H. C. A. Smith, John H. Frazer Sworn to subscribed in open Court this 4th day of January A. D. 1851, Thomas Tate Judge of Probate William Byrd, Sr. [From The History of Opelika and Her Agricultural Tributary Territory by Rev. F. L. Cherry, reprinted 1996 by Alabama Department of Archives and History, page 250. The reader will now follow me up the river, passing by for the time being, Girard and Browneville, pausing for a time about five miles above the latter place, where I shall tarry for a chapter, at least. The crest of the ridge of hills at this point reach a height which affords a view facing the east, that borders upon the sublime to an observer who has an eye to the attractions of nature's architecture. The river bottoms on the Alabama side are broad and fertile, as the Indians were correct judges of good soil, they were quite numerous here when intruded upon by the advance of civilization; yet, they were peaceable, probably made so by the manner in which they were treated by the early settlers. I have heard the descendents of these say that they never heard of an outrage committed by the Indians upon the white in that section, it was not an uncommon thing for parties of whites from other and distant, or unknown localities, to intrude upon and shamefully mistreat the Indians. One of the first settlers of this healthy and fertile country was Mr. William Byrd, Sr., who was born in 1785, in North Carolina, near Norfolk, Va., and but a short distance from the line of those two States. In 1821, he moved to the neighborhood of Clinton, Jones county, Ga., where he lived only two years, and in 1823 moved to Houston county, Ga., seven miles east of Perry, where he lived four years. In January, 1837, he made his last and final move, crossing the river at Girard on the day after the execution of the convicted Indians, and saw the gibbet on which they were hung, which some of his surviving children still remember, and settled about five miles up the river and three miles north of the present Smith's Station. His predecessor on the place was Mr. Peter Guerry, father of General Guerry, now of Mississippi. Mr. Guerry built the first cabins on the place about a half a mile from the present homestead built by Mr. Byrd in 1844, where his sons, William and John Byrd, now reside, and in which their father died, Dec. 27th, 1850. His wife's maiden name was Miss Nancy Rogers. Mr. Byrd was a substantial man, both in morals and means, supporting the cause of Christianity by the use and influence of both. He had eight children, two of whom died before his emigration to Alabama. Six emigrated with him, the eldest of which was Mrs. Martha Parker, who died in Texas in 1878, followed by Mr. David Byrd, who died about 1852, in Louisiana. The others, Messrs. John, William and James Byrd, and Mrs. Harriet Barr, all live on and near the old place settled by their father. These all represent their pioneer parents well, and contribute their quota to the best church and social circles. Mr. Wm. Byrd, Jr., of Smith's Station, and Mrs. Thomas Gibson, Jr., of Mott's Mill, are his grand children. North Carolina Marriage Collection, 1741-2004 Name: William Byrd Spouse: Nancy Rogers Marriage Date: 17 Oct 1814 Marriage County: Gates Marriage State: North Carolina Source Vendor: County Court Records - FHL # 1014853-1014856 Source: Family History Library, Salt Lake City, UT Source Citation: Data Source: County Court Records - FHL # 1014853-1014856. 1820 United States Federal Census Name: William Byrd County: Gates State: North Carolina 1 male under 5 [?], 1 male 26-45 [William], 2 females under 10 [Susan and Martha?], 1 female 10-16, 1 female 16 -26 [Nancy] Source Citation: Year: 1820; Census Place: , Gates, North Carolina; Roll: M33_84; Page: 140; Image: 148. 1830 United States Federal Census Name: William Byrd County: Houston State: Georgia 3 males under 5 (James, John , William), 1 male 5-10 (David), 2 males 20-30, 1 male 40-50, 2 females 5 -10 (Harriet & Martha?), 1 female 10-15 (Susan), 1 female 30-40 (Nancy) Source Citation: Year: 1830; Census Place: , Houston, Georgia; Roll: 18; Page: 283. 1840 United States Federal Census Name: Wm Byrd County: Russell State: Alabama 3 males 10-15 [James, John, William), 1 male 15-20 (David), 1 male 30-40 [could this be Aaron Strickland?], 1 male 50-60 [William], 1 female 5-10 [could this be Susan Strickland?], 1 female 16 -20 [Harriet?], 1 female 40-50 [Nancy] Source Citation: Year: 1840; Census Place: , Russell, Alabama; Roll: 15; Page: 9. 1850 United States Federal Census Name: William Byrd Age: 65 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1785 Birth Place: Virginia Gender: Male Home in 1850(City, County, State): Beat 2, Russell, Alabama Household Members: Name Age James Byrd 24 (born 1826) born GA John Byrd 20 (born 1830) born GA Nancy Byrd 54 [born 1796] born VA William Byrd 22 (born 1828) born GA William Byrd 65 [born 1785] born VA 1850 Beat 3, Russell Co., AL p. 23 Aron Strickland 41 NC Susan 16 AL Daniel 18 GA Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Beat 2, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M432_14; Page: 8; Image: 274 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Martha Parker Age: 30 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1820 Birth Place: Virginia Gender: Female Home in 1850(City, County, State): Beat 2, Russell, Alabama Household Members: Name Age David Parker 7 George Parker 8 James Parker 2 Jane Parker 3 John Parker 5 John W Parker 48 Louisa Parker 10 Martha Parker 30 daughter of William Byrd (oldest daughter who emigrated) William B Parker 9 Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Beat 2, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M432_14; Page: 8; Image: 274. 1850 United States Federal Census Name: Harriet Barr Age: 28 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1822 Birth Place: Virginia Gender: Female Home in 1850(City, County, State): Beat 1, Russell, Alabama Household Members: Name Age Harriet Barr 28 James P Barr 6 William Barr 29 Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place: Beat 1, Russell, Alabama; Roll: M432_14; Page: 7; Image: 273. 1850 United States Federal Census Name: David Byrd Age: 25 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1825 Birth Place: Georgia Gender: Male Home in 1850(City, County, State): Jackson, Louisiana Household Members: Name Age David Byrd 25 Hariot e Byrd 0 Nancy K Byrd 19 Source Citation: Year: 1850; Census Place:, Jackson, Louisiana; Roll: M432_231; Page: 355; Image: 385. From Columbia Newspapers: the South-Carolian, p. 281 Palmetto-State Banner Married on the 21st ult., by the Rev. Dr. Brown, Isaac A. Baker, and Miss Susan M. Strickland, daughter of Aaron Strickland, Esq., all of Russell county, Ala. [Issue of Feb. 25, 1851] Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) Spouse 1: David Byrd Spouse 2: Nancy E. Stroud Marriage Date: 29 Oct 1848 Marriage Place: Russell Performed By: J. P. Surety/Perf. Name: S. O'Neal OSPage: 188 Source Information: Dodd, Jordan R., comp.. Alabama Marriages, 1809-1920 (Selected Counties) [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 1999. Original data: Early American Marriages: Alabama, 1800 to 1920 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/russell/wills/byrd42nwl.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/alfiles/ File size: 12.5 Kb