William Sample Alexander

Notes:

Will of William Sample Alexander:

"In the name of God Amen! I, William S. Alexander of the State of North Carolina and county of Cabarrus, being advanced in age and somewhat in declining circumstances of health but, by divine goodness, of sound mind and memory, and moreover remembering that it is appointed to all men to die, do publish this my last Will and Testament, in manner and form as follows, viz:

Imprimis: I commit my body to the dust, to be buried in a decent manner at the discretion of my Exs., and my soul to God, who gave it, hoping and confiding on the mercy of God, Christ according to the terror (?) of the new and well ordered covenant; and as touching that portion of wordly substance that God, in his good providence, has bestowed upon me, I dispose of it is manner and form as follows, viz:

Imprimis: It is my will and pleasure that my wife Martha retain possession and enjoy without let or molestation her bed and furniture and all other property which she possessed at the time of her marriage, to which property I relinguished at that time by a written agreement or contract now in my possession, all clain; and further to enable my dear and beloved wife, Martha to have an independent home and that she and family may be in comfortable circumstances when I am dead and gone, I will and bequeath to my said wife Martha for her comfortable maintenance and for the comfortable maintenance of her family, and to enable her suitably to educate her children, all that plantation, known by the name of the Newell Plantation, including the Reed Tract, containing each about 130 or 140 acres; also including the McLelland tract of 50 acres; also including two lots of Robert Davis' Plantation, containing 45 acres each and adjoining to each other; also all the aforesaid tracts adjoining together and supposed to contain in all about 420 acres; two horses, her choice; her saddle and bridle; four milk cows, her choice of my stock; six head of sheep; all my hogs that are at the Robb Plantation; two ploughs; and two pair of horse gears to serve two ploughs; one pair of iron hung double trees; two single trees and three clevises; one ax; four hoes and one mattock and one walnut chest of drawers; one square walnut table, viz., my common dining table; six Windsor chairs and two common chairs; one fire shovel and tongs; one pair of fire dogs and loom and tacklings; all the cupboard and kitchen furniture; one big wheel and one little spinning wheel; one check reel; one candlestick and snuffers; six silver table spoons and six silver tea spoons; one large oak chest, one bible and two medical books, viz: Buchan's Family Physician and Ewell's Ladys Companion and one Confession of Faith; also in addition to the preceding farming utensils, two bull-tongue ploughs, in order to the profitable use of the above landed property & c. I further will and bequeathe to my said wife Martha the following family of negroes, Smith and his wife Fanny and their five children (viz) Abigail, Abraham, Caroline, Adaline, and Henry during her natural life or widowhood, or until my children by her shall come of age or marry, in the same manner, and under the same conditions all the previous devises made to my wife is to be understood. Should my wife Marry again my will that all the property, hitherto to her devised revert back into my estate and be reserved as a fund for the maintenance, and final advancement of my children by my said wife Martha.

Item: I will and bequeathe to my beloved son Koususko, his heirs and assigns forever, all that parcel of land consisting of the several tracts hitherto specified and set apart for the use of my wife and younger children, still allowing to his mother during her remaining my widow all that interest necessary for her maintenance and comfort.

Item: I devise that my daughter Martha be maintained and educated out of the preceeds of the property above decised and when she shall have come of age and married that she be furnished a feathr bed and furniture, a horse and saddle; a cow and a negro girl, viz: Caroline or Adaline.

Item: I devise that my Sossaman Plantation, consisting of 200 acres, be sold at the discretion of my executors and the monies put to interest and reserved as a fund for the liberal education of my youngest son Kousiesho provided that measure shall be advisible.

Item: I devise that upon the extermination of the right of my wife to the property hitherto devised, either by marriage or by death, then that all the remainder of the finally undevised perishable property be divided between my above named son and daughter in that propertion that my son possess two-thirds of the whole and my daughter one third.

Item: My will is that if in the judgment of my executors the capacity of my youngest son Koususko shall be promising for a liveral education and the measure forbidded by no special reason, that in that case, he be put to a grammar school under the direction of my executors, and his education duly prosecuted to the about issue.

Item: I devise that if one of my above named children die before he or she shall come of age that the survivor shall be the sole heir or heiress, and should neither survive to come of age that then the whole property revert into my estate to be divided amongst my children, accounting my daughter Theresa family one. Having disposed of my wife and younger children as their interest and endowment are necessarily involved with hers, I proceed to the case of my elder children.

Imprimis: I devise to my beloved son Alphonso all that plantation on which I now live, consisting of ten surveys, one of 108 acres; one of 50 acres, one of 39 acres, one of 11 1/2 acres also a deed from John Weddington of 200 acres, containing five surveys adjoining the above;

William married Elizabeth Alexander ca 1779, Mecklenburg Co. NC. Elizabeth (daughter of Abraham Alexander and Dorcas Amelia Wilson) was born 19 Feb 1783, Charotte, Mecklenburg Co. NC; died 29 Nov 1820, Mecklenburg Co. NC. [Group Sheet]

1. Alfonso Alexander, Sr. was born 13 May 1783, Mecklenburg, NC; died 16 Apr 1852, Cabarrus Co. NC.
2. Frances Theresa Alexander was born 1784, Mecklenburg, NC; died ca 1838, Cabarrus Co. NC.
3. Philander Alexander was born 1786, Mecklenburg, NC.
4. Dionysisus Alexander was born 1788, Mecklenburg, NC.
5. Osmund Alexander was born ca 1792, Mecklenburg, NC.
6. Elizabeth Alexander was born Bef 1800, Mecklenburg, NC.
7. Dorcas Alexander was born Bef 1800, Mecklenburg, NC.

Notes:

Hezekiah together with his brother John McKnitt were signers of the Mecklenburg Declaration. In 1774 Hezekiah built a house out of rocks. The family lived there for many years. His restored home is open to the public in Charlotte, North Carolina. There is a museum on the property also.

He was a member of the Mecklenburg County Committee of Safety. On August 21, 1775, Hezekiah was appointed by the Provincial Congress meeting in Hillsborough to the Salisbury District Committee of Safety which was to serve as the local governing body for a multi-county area. In November, 1776, Hezekiah joined other state delegates at Halifax to form the Fifth Provincial Congress which was charged with the task of writing the first state constitution. After the Halifax Congress, Hezekiah joined the Fourth Regiment of North Carolina Troops as Paymaster.

Will of Hezekiah South Alexander names these heirs, wife, Mary, son William, son Amos, son Joel, son Oswald, daughter Esther Garrison and granddaughter Caroline Garrison and daughter Kezia.

Simpson, p. 182 "Daughter of Hezekiah Alexander"
Family Tree: "Hezekiah Alexander's children, William, Margaret, Joseph, James, Silas, Ester m. Garrison, Mary, m. Polk, Hezekiah b. Apr 1767, Amos b. Apr 1769, d. 1847, Kisiah, Joel b. Apr 1776 and Oswald".

Olive "Hezekiah Alexander (father James Alexander, mother Margaret McKnitt) b. 13 Jan 1722 in Penn, Maryland, d. 16 Jul 1801, Mecklenburg County, buried Charlotte, Sugaw Cr. Presbyterian Cemetery, North Carolina, m. 13 Jan 1760, Mary Sample, b. 1734, d. 17 May 1806 (father William Sample and Esther).

CENSUS RECORDS

1790 Census
Name: Hezekiah Alexander
Home in 1790 (City, County, State): Mecklenburg, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females: 2
Number of Slaves : 1
Number of Household Members: 4

Buried:
Grave location, biography, and tombstone photo:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=ALE&GSpartial=1&GSbyrel=all&GSst=29&GScntry=4&GSsr=1241&GRid=11017534&

Hezekiah married Mary Sample. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Marylanders to Carolina: Migration of Marylanders to North Carolina and ... By Henry C. Peden, Page 5

ALEXANDER, JAMES. "James Alexander, son of Joseph Alexander and possibly Abigail McKnitt, was born in Cecil County, Maryland circa 1690. He and his father purchased land in "New Munster" in 1714 and it was around this time that James married Margaret McKnitt, daughter of John McKnitt and Jane Wallace.

Their children were: Theophilus Alexander (1714-1768, married Catherine Wallace); Jemima Alexander (born 1716, died young); Edith Alexander (born 1718, died young); Keziah Alexander (1720-1750, married Walter Sharp); Ezekiel Alexander (born 1725, died young); Jemima Alexander (1727-1797, married James Sharp); Hezekiah Alexander (1728-1801, married Mary Sample); Amos Alexander (1729-1780, married Sarah Sharp); John McKnitt Alexander (1733-1817, married Jean Bean or Bain); and, Margaret Alexander (born 1736, died young).

When he Was about age 55 James Alexander married a second time to Abigail ----, and their children were:Elizabeth Alexander (1746-1822, married William A. Sample, brother of Mary Sample who married Hezekiah Alexander); Abigail Alexander (1748-1817, married Francis Bradley); Margaret Alexander (1750-1772); Josiah Alexander (1752?after 1772); and, Ezekiel Alexander (1754-after 1832).

When James made out his will on June 17, 1772, nine of his children were still alive. Of those nine, seven eventually moved to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. From his will it is evident that James owned land in Mecklenburg. What is unclear is whether James ever came to Mecklenburg himself. The land he owned on Long Creek, in the Hopewell section, was willed to his son Ezekiel, who lived there some time before moving to Tennessee. From the posting of James Alexander?s will, we know that he died before July 15, 1779 in Cecil County, Maryland, at the age of 89.

Buried:
Grave Location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52810996

James married Margaret McKnitt ca 1714, New Munster, Cecil Co. MD. Margaret was born 26 Dec 1693, Manokin, Somerset Co. MD; died 31 Jul 1736, Cecil Co. MD; was buried , Head of Christiana Church Cemetery Newark New Castle Co. DE. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Buried:
Grave location:
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52811051

Notes:

Immigrated from Raphoe, Donegal, Ireland to Manokin, Somerset County, MD on the ship "Welcome" arriving September 21, 1670.

Information from the Mint Museum of History in Charlotte, North Carolina:

Joseph Alexander was a tanner. Tradition has it that he arrived in America, the colonies, in the 1670's aboard the ship "Welcome", which anchored in the Delaware River, however to date there is no confirming evidence. The first documentary evidence of Joseph Alexander's presence in Maryland is in a deed dated May 18, 1714. Joseph Alexander, Tanner and his son, James were members of the group of Alexanders and other men of Cecil County, Maryland who in 1714 purchased from Thomas Stevenson a large tract of land on the Big Elk River. This land was part of a tract called "New Munster" which had been surveyed by George Talbot, Surveyor General in 1683, for "a certain Edwin O'Dwire and fifteen other Irishmen". It lay on both sides of the Elk River in the northeastern corner of Maryland and extended over into Chester County, Pennsylvania, for a short distance above the Mason-Dixon Line.

It is supposed that Joseph had been in the colonies for several years before his land purchase in 1714 and it is possible that he could have been one of the "fifteen other Irishmen" for whom Talbot surveyed the land in 1683. In the deeds Stevenson stated that the land had "for some years past been possessed and improved by them, and had been by them divided among themselves, each man according to his holden, and that he, the said Stevenson, being mind to sell the said tract of land, thought it most equitable, honest and right, that they, the said possessors thereof, should have the first offer to buy or purchase each man his holden or division of ye same."

From Joseph's will written December 13, 1726, we learn the names of several of his children, including, Sophia, the wife of Elias Alexander, who is referred to in the will as a son-in-law, Francis, Jane Mackey (her married name), Abigail Clapham (her married name) and James. Joseph left most of his estate to his son, James, as well as making him the executor of his will which was probated March 9, 1730. Joseph did not mention his wife in his will, so
it is presumed that she had died before 1726.

From Findagrave.comIn 1673 Joseph immigrated to Armaugh County, Ireland to gain religious freedom. In Ireland, the King, in an effort to subugate the Irish, divided the counties into parishes. He appointed Clergy of the Church of England and entrusted in them both civil and ecclestiastical authority to govern the people. The Presbyterian ministers were persecuted by the State Clergy and they retaliated by persuading their congregations to immigrate to America with them, where religious freedom was assured.

In 1676 Joseph Alexander and seven of his brothers sailed from Ireland on the "Good Ship Welcome" for America. They anchored in the Delaware River, off shore from the town of New Castle. They then migrated to the established Presbyterian settlement at "New Castle", now known as Christianna Hundred, in the American colony in 1714. Lord Cecil had received from the King of England, a land grand of several thousands acres in Maryland colony. Land speculators had purchased approximately 6,000 acres of Lord Cecil's tract, one part of which was located on the Big Elk River, which the early settlers named "New Munster".

Joseph Alexander and his brothers purchased land in New Munster and established the first homes of the Alexanders in America. The actual location of Joseph Alexander's first home is not known, however, a few of the houses have been restored and they are built of field stone and logs mortared with clay. The original land grant to Lord Cecil and Joseph Alexander's deeds can be seen at the Maryland Historical Library at Annapolis, Maryland. Approxiamately [sic], two hundred years later William DuPont purchased several hundred acres of the original Lord Cecil grant, including a portion of "New Munster" and built his estate "Fair Hill". He restored the old Presbyterian Church (now known as Christianna Hundred) and a few of the old houses. In the graveyard of the Church are buried many of the Alexander immigrants and their descendants.

Joseph Alexander's will was filed at Elkton, Maryland on March 9, 1726 which gives the names of his children and his bequests to them.

Children of JOSEPH ALEXANDER:

1. Sophie Alexander
2. Jane Alexander
3. Abigail Alexander
4. Francis Alexander
5. Abraham Alexander
6. James Alexander


Information of Find A Grave:

Joseph Alexander died in 1726 at New Munster, in the colony of Maryland.

In 1673 Joseph immigrated to Armaugh County, Ireland to gain religious freedom. In Ireland, the King, in an effort to subugate the Irish, divided the counties into parishes. He appointed Clergy of the Church of England and entrusted in them both civil and ecclestiastical authority to govern the people. The Presbyterian ministers were persecuted by the State Clergy and they retaliated by persuading their congregations to immigrate to America with them, where religious freedom was assured.

In 1676 Joseph Alexander and seven of his brothers sailed from Ireland on the "Good Ship Welcome" for America. They anchored in the Delaware River, off shore from the town of New Castle. They then migrated to the established Presbyterian settlement at "New Castle", now known as Christianna Hundred, in the American colony in 1714. Lord Cecil had received from the King of England, a land grand of several thousands acres in Maryland colony. Land speculators had purchased approximately 6,000 acres of Lord Cecil's tract, one part of which was located on the Big Elk River, which the early settlers named "New Munster".

Joseph Alexander and his brothers purchased land in New Munster and established the first homes of the Alexanders in America. The actual location of Joseph Alexander's first home is not known, however, a few of the houses have been restored and they are built of field stone and logs mortared with clay. The original land grant to Lord Cecil and Joseph Alexander's deeds can be seen at the Maryland Historical Library at Annapolis, Maryland. Approxiamately [sic], two hundred years later William DuPont purchased several hundred acres of the original Lord Cecil grant, including a portion of "New Munster" and built his estate "Fair Hill". He restored the old Presbyterian Church (now known as Christianna Hundred) and a few of the old houses. In the graveyard of the Church are buried many of the Alexander immigrants and their descendants.

Joseph Alexander's will was filed at Elkton, Maryland on March 9, 1726 which gives the names of his children and his bequests to them.

Children of JOSEPH ALEXANDER:

1. Sophie Alexander
2. Jane Alexander
3. Abigail Alexander
4. Francis Alexander
5. Abraham Alexander
6. James Alexander

Buried:
Grave location
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52843621

Joseph married Abigail McKnitt ca 1686, Somerset Co. MD. Abigail (daughter of John McKnitt, Sr. and Elizabeth Wallace) was born 1667, Manokin, Somerset Co. MD; died 23 Dec 1714, Cecil Co. MD. [Group Sheet]