Dear Researchers, Is anyone acquainted with the family history of one Joseph Williams who was married to Sally (?) Searcy in Madison Co., KY? I have reason to believe he was the brother of Ursley Duke Williams (the widow Peoples) who was the first wife of Richard *Ready-Money* Oldham. Can anyone enlighten me? submitted by E.W.Wallace Madison Co., KY Residence Joseph Williams married in Madison Co., KY in 1796. Joseph Williams & Sally Searcy (bond 21 Mar 1796). Sally's mother Lucy Searcy gave consent. Robert Searcy was bondsman. (Bill & Kathy Vockery, MADISON COUNTY, KENTUCKY MARRIAGE RECORDS VOL. 1, 1786-1822 [Richmond, KY: Privately published, 1993], p. 89) Joseph's wife, Sally Searcy, who may have been his cousin. Her mother was Lucy (reportedly Williams) Searcy, widow of Bartlett Searcy, resident of Madison Co. but formerly of Granville Co., NC. If Lucy's lineage is correct as projected in this undocumented Bible record cited in Alvahn Holmes [see Comment 2 below], she was a daughter of John2 Williams, Sr. of Granville Co., then she was a first cousin of Henry3 Williams of Caswell Co., who was a son of Daniel2 Williams and his wife Ursala of Granville Co., NC, but formerly of several different counties in Virginia. (To date, early 2001, we lack proof that her Lucy's maiden name was Williams, but there was a close association of Williams families and Searcy families. Earlier generations of Searcys and Williamses had been in Hanover Co., VA. as determined from the few surviving records of Hanover Co. ca 1733-1735.) (Comment 1: Since it is known that Joseph was underage when his father Henry Williams of Caswell Co., NC died in 1785 but was of age to marry by 1796, he probably was born ca. 1766-1770. He would have been approximately 26 years old at the time of this 1796 marriage.) (Comment 2: Lucy Searcy, mother of the bride, was the widow of Bartlett Searcy, formerly of Granville Co., NC. Lucy Searcy said to be nee Williams. This is according to several transcribed Bible records, was the daughter of John2 Williams, Sr. of Granville Co., NC. Refer to Alvahn Holmes, SOME FARRAR'S ISLAND DESCENDANTS and to "Henderson Bible Record." as given in that work. Holmes' work is privately printed, Baltimore, 1979 and is on Film 1033635 at Family History Library, Salt Lake City. In it, Holmes quotes from a Henderson family Bible, which gives two generations of Williams descendants.) However, my independent research fails to prove--or disprove--that she was a Williams. The Searcys were very active in Granville Co., NC. Other Evidence in Madison Co., KY Madison Co. KY Court Order Book, at a court held on Tuesday the first day of May 1798: Ordered that Joseph Williams be appointed surveyor of the road from the mouth of Four Mile Creek to where it intersects the Otter Creek road in the room of Richard Searcy. (Jackie Couture, MADISON COUNTY, KENTUCKY COURT ORDER BOOK B, 1791-1801 [Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, Inc., 2000], p. 213) Madison Co. deeds indicate Joseph's presence for a number of years. Madison Co. DB C-461 [abstracted]: Moore to Williams 7 July 1795 John Moore to Joseph Williams both of Madison Co., KY; consideration - 80 pds. East fork of Otter Creek being part of a tract of land conveyed to the said John Moore by Nath'l West out of a preemption of 400 A. granted to John South (?) by reference to said deed of conveyance... lines of William West...corner to Josiah Conn John Moore [LS] Ack. by Moore at a court for Madison Co. on Tuesday 7th of July 1795 (SL film 0183284) DB D-111 [abstracted] 4 Oct 1796 - Joseph Williams to Lynch Brooks, both of Madison Co., KY. consideration of 75 pds. Land on East Fork of Otter Creek being part of a tract of land conveyed to the said Joseph Williams by John Moore out of a preemption of 400 acres granted to John Moore by reference to said deed of conveyance being had will more fully appear containing 77 acres. Joseph Williams [LS] Ackd 4 Oct 1796 (SL film 183,285) DB E-132 [abstracted] 28 Feb 1801 - Tyree Oldham to Joseph Williams both of Madison Co., KY - Tryee Oldham & his wife Nancy for and in consideration of 104 pds. - 52A between Tates Bottom & Kentucky River granted to Tyree Oldham by patent bearing the 18th day of May 1790 lines of William Irvine... ln. of Isaac Ware ... Warens Ln No 87... corner to Robert Clarke... ln of Richard Harrison Tyree Oldham [LS] Nancy Oldham [LS] Ackd by Tyree Harris & Nancy Oldham in Madison Co. court Monday the 2nd day of March 1801. Nancy examined privately. (SL film 183,286) DB F-21 [abstracted] 4 Nov 1805 James French and Kezia his wife of Montgomery Co. KY to Joseph Williams of Madison Co., KY... consideration 420 pds. ... 202 acres on waters of Otter Creek & Tates Bottom... being the place where the said Joseph Williams now lives... corner to Samuel South ... Tates Bottom Run... Richard Harrison's preemption of 1000 .. thence with the line of Harrisons preemption... Harrisons line to his corner... branch of Stony Run.. ln of Wm.Smiths survey of 1000 acres... ln of William Irvine & James French... Charles Caffery.. ln of Irvine & French West... ln of Samuel South James French Keziah French I Joseph Williams do hereby declare that the foregoing deed from James French & Keziah his wife is in full discharge of said French's bond to me for the land on which I now live & provided I should find said Bond which is either lost or mislaid. I am to deliver said Bond to said French as witness my hand & seal this 5th day of November 1805. Joseph Williams [LS] (SL film 183,287) DB F-706 [abstracted] Woods to Williams, 12 Sept 1808 William Woods & Ruth Woods of Madison Co. KY of same... consideration 1500 dollars ... 100 A. ... parcel of land lying on Hazel Patch Road and on the waters of Rockcastle William Woods [LS] Ruth Woods [LS] Since brides married quite young in this time period, it is conceivable Joseph Williams, son of Henry Williams of Caswell Co. is the father of the following brides: Barnett Eades & Elizabeth Williams - 17 Sep 1811 (bond); Joseph Williams, father of bride; Lewis Eades, bondsman. Lewis Pully & Lucy Williams - 15 May 1817; Joseph Wiliams, father of bride; Samuel Searcy, bondsman. Certainly the naming patterns of the brides--Elizabeth and Lucy-- and in the case of the second cited marriage, the association with a Searcy bondsman, would certainly suggest linkage with the extended Henry Williams-Bartlett Searcy family of Caswell Co. and Granville Co., North Carolina. Elizabeth Williams, wife of Henry3 Williams, was the mother of Joseph4 Williams. Lucy Searcy nee Williams (purported) would be the maternal grandmother of the bride. Joseph Williams and Sally Williams were witnesses to the will of James Harrison, 1806, Will Bk. A (Charles M. Franklin, Madison Co. KY WILLS & ESTATES 1785-1813) Possibly Joseph had died by 1825 as one Sally Williams, mother of the bride, has given consent to this Madison Co. marriage bond: James Mitchell & Sophia Williams, 29 Dec 1825 Wiley Searcy, bondsman; Sally Williams, mother of bride. (Bill & Kathy Vockery, MADISON CO., KY MARRIAGE RECORDS, V. II [Richmond, KY, 1997] p. 52)