The following new message has been added to the Williams Genealogy board under the new topic of John Williams (abt1720-1793) wife: Mourning... -------------------------------- Here is one more "John Williams" to add to the list. He is my 4xggrandfather. This John Williams was born abt 1720, probably in Isle of Wight, Va. He married Mourning (NLN). She was born abt 1725 and died abt 1805. John and Mourning died in Edgecombe Co., NC. I believe that John had two brothers, Arthur and Roger, but not confirmed. I do not know anything about his parents nor other siblings. ANY information I can get will be greatly appreciated! John and Mourning settled on Town Creek in Edgecombe Co., NC in the 1750's. According to estate papers filed in Edgecombe Co. when his will was probated in 1793, they owned close to 2,000 acres of plantation land. The following can be found in a book entitled "Edgecombe Co. Court Minutes (partial) 1784-1800": "August, 1793: LWT of John WILLIAMS, dec'd, was exhibited for probate, but there being no subscribing witnesses thereto, Hardy FLOWERS, Benjamin LANCASTER, Absalom WILLIAMS made oath that the whole of the said will is in the handwriting of the Testator and Drury (sic) WILLIAMS also made oath that the said will was found locked up in a chest of the said dec'd among his valuable papers. The said will is there upon admitted to probate and ordered to be recorded, and John WILLIAMS, one of the executors therein named came into court & qualified thereto & took out letters. Morning (sic) WILLIAMS dissents to the LWT of her late husband, John WILLIAMS." TRANSCRIPT: PETITION DATED NOVEMBER 1793, EDGECOMBE CO., N.C. (942) Petition (November 1793) for dower and yar's provisions by the widow Morning (sic) Williams stating he died "August last" possessed of 1786 acres in two tracts on Town Creek, as follows: (1) adjoining George Gardner, dec'd, Martin Gardner, Harty Flo9weres (sic) and Benjamin Williford, and (2) adjoining Hardy Floweres, Hardy Todd and Barnaby Barrow. Record indicates the dec'd left a will to which the widow entered her dissent. Petition (July 24, 1794) for dower by the widow, Mourning Williams, stating the dec'd died possessed of 812 3/4 acres on north side of Town Creek, and stating the dec'd had bequeathed a horse to his son Benjamin Williams, sheep to his daughter Mary, wife of Robert Lancaster, a negro to his daughter Elizabeth and Cows to his daughter Lucy, now wife of John Bell. Dower allotted (July 21, 1795), consisting of 49 1/3 acres adjoining Bradly, Town Creek, the Rooty Branch and Hob Pen Branch, and mentions the widow's part of land willed to Elizabeth Williams, wife of John Batts, "called the Proctor Tract". Dower ordered (Nov. 6, 1795), except for lands claimed by the heirs of Jesse Williams, dec'd. Dowers allotted (Dec 0, 1795) to be drawn from 294 acres on Town Creek." The following information regarding Mourning is "hearsay" only. I read this on another web site and was unable to contact the person who posted it in order to confirm it: "Mourning (--?--) was born abt 1730 in Upper Town Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina, and died AFT 1793 in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina. She was the daughter of (unknown) and Summer Moon. She married John Williams, Sr., son of )?) Williams and Margaret or Elizabeth. He was born ABT 1730 in Upper Town Creek, Edgecombe Co., North Carolina and died ABT 1793 in Edgecombe Co., North Carolina." I am 99% sure that neither Mourning nor John were born in Edgecombe County, so there is serious doubt about the validity of the rest of that statement. Children of John and Mourning were: i. Drewry b. 1753, Edgecombe Co., d. May 17, 1831, Edgecombe Co. m. Elizabeth (NLN) ii. Jesse b. abt 1759 m. Elizabeth (NLN) iii. Mary b. abt 1764 m. Robert W. Lancaster iv. Benjamin b. abt 1766 d. July 29, 1811, m. Mary (NLN) v. Milbrey vi. Lucy b. 1770, d 1837, m. John Bell vii. John b. 1772, d Oct 15, 1817 m. Phereby Murphree viii. Elizabeth b 1773 d April 12, 1859 m. Jeremiah Batts ix. Nancy b. abt 1776