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I am attempting to prove my connection to the Haliwa-Saponi. I would appreciate any and all help.
Some of my family surnames include Richardson, Williams, Crane/Crain, Knight, Beckham/Bickham, Corkern, Smith, McCain, and McGee/MacGehee. There are stories of William “Choctaw Bill” Williams (believed to be related) escorting some of these families across GA to LA.
Additional details upon request.
Thanks,
Ralph
Welcome, Ralph,
Does your family have a story about being Saponi or of being of Indian descent? Could you put a date, location and first name to the surnames you listed? It might help someone connect.
Bill
Bill,
Rumors mostly. There has always been a distinct ‘appearance’ in my family, such as the brow/jaw/hair. Almost all branches seem to just inexplicably appear in VA/NC area in the late 1700’s. I don’t recall who in the family mentioned Haliwa-Saponi; i realize there were many fragmented/adopted tribes in the area during the period.
Here are just a few names/dates:
Elisha COLLINS b. 11/30/1759 in Halifax County, m. Francis MADISON
Dennis CRANE/CRAIN b. 1783 m. Nancy WHEELER
William BECKHAM b. 1729-1734 m. Ann or Nancy GREEN
Benjamin BECKHAM b. 7/9/1794 m. Elizabeth TONEY
Benjamin RICHARDSON b. 1740 NC m. Sarah MIZELL
William Walter “Choctaw Bill” WILLIAMS b. abt. 1770 m. Penelope RICHARDSON. Their daughter, Susannah, m. Charles KNIGHT b. 1785 VA
I have tons more (abt. 24,000 names in all). Feel free to e-mail if you wish to compare notes or get additional deails.
Thanks,
Ralph
Ralph,
Ministers’ Returns of Halifax Co., Va: Rev. Nathaniel Hall married
Elisha COLLINS and Frances MADISON on 21 Feb 1783.
Your COLLINS, WHEELER, GREEN, TONEY, RICHARDSON & MIZELL lines are of interest. Are these as far back as you have those particular lines?
Bill
I also have Richardson in my line. I also have family in the Haliwa- Saponi. I am currently doing the same as you. I have posted some of my family in the “hello everyone” in this forum. Maybe our paths will cross.
William “Choctaw Bill” Williams was my 5th great grandfather. He m. Penelope Richardson in 1802 Bullock County, GA.
It is rumored that he was a Guide across the Indian (Choctaw?) territories of the day.
I’m not certain where he was born or died, but Penelope died in Washington Parish, LA around 1840.
RS
Re: William Williams:
Source: “Passports of Sourtheastern Pioneers 1770-1823”, pg. 221; by Dorothy Williams Potter, c.1982, Clearfield Publishing by Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, Md.:
Georgia Passports:
” On recommendations of several respectable inhabitants from the county of Bullock
……..ORDERED
…..That Passports through the creek nation be prepared for William Williams and Benjamin Richardson….
….which were presented and signed.”
Same source, pg. 222:
“……………………………Executive Department
……………………Monday, 9th November 1807
………On recommendation
…….ORDERED
….That a passport through the Creek nation be prepared for James Taylor, John Lott Senr., William Williams, and Samuel Newton, with their families
……….which was presented and Signed.”
Same source, pg. 277:
“……………………………Executive Department
………………..Wednesday 30th January 1811
….On application
………ORDERED
…………..That a Passport be prepared for Mr. William Williams from Richmond county North Carolina to travel through the Creek Nation of Indians.
………Which was presented and signed.”
This book’s subtitle is ” Indian, Spanish and other Land Passports for Tennessee, Kentucky, George, Mississippi, Virginia, North and South Carolina”.
Ralph,
Your Elisha Collins, b.1759, is probably (actually, “thought to be”) the son of James, b.abt. 1710 King & Queen Co., Va (now in the area of Spotsylvania and Orange Co’s) of the line of Joseph jr/Joseph Sr/John.
“Capt.” Joseph Collins Jr, d. Aug 1757 in Spotsylvania Co., Va., his will lists James as his son.
James’ mother was Susannah LEWIS, dau of Zachary Lewis and Mary WALLEN/Waller, sister of Elisha Wallen/Waller, the Long Hunter and presumed mixed blood Indian.
You’ll see Mary Waller/Wallen listed as a “Walker” but that is certainly incorrect.
James Collins and several siblings moved to NC where
“Jany 8, 1759 – James Collins of NC, eldest son and heir at law of Joseph Collins, late of Spotsylvania Co., dec’d, to Thomas Collins. L20 curr. Interest in landed estate of the sd. Joseph Collins dec’d. Witnesses: William Collins, John Collins, Ann Collins. May 1, 1759.”
Because several of James, William and John’s children married in Halifax Co., Va., I assume they lived there and/or just south of there in NC, which is proven in James’s case.
I have the children of Elisha Collins and Frances Madison as:
Joseph, b.1783 Va?
Richard, b.1785, Ky
Nathaniel Madison, b.1787 Ky
Meridith, b.1789 Ky
Gabriel, b.1791 Ky
Stephen, b.1793 Ky
John, b.1796 Ky.
Elizabeth, b.1799 Ky
Taliaferro (pronounced “Toliver”), b.1801 Ky
Josiah, b.1803 Ky?
Elisha Collins’ family lived in Kentucky Co., Va (now Fayette Co., Ky where most of their children were born), Greene and Sumter Co’s., Ala and Lauderdale Co., Ms.
Years ago I tried to see if there was a connection between Elisha Collins and my Meredith Collins as Elisha named one of his sons Meredith. I found no connection other than they were in many of the same places on or about the same time frame.
NOTES: taken from publication of Pauline Jones Gandrud, a professional Researcher
Vol 87 are matierials on Greene County Ala. with Deed Book “D”, Marriage Book “B”, Newspaper abstracts 1859, Supreme Court, and pensions.
The entry re Meredith and Marie is noted in my notes as vol 87-page22-P (public record)294 Deed Book “D”
“Deed of gift from Meredith Collins to James B. Mays. Legacy left by will of Robert Walker, desceased 9 Dec, 1830.”
I don’t know whether Robert Walker died in Montgomery County or perhaps in Greene Co. Ala. Maybe he was living with his granddaughter..but I doubt it. So if a search of the will of Robert Walker, or his estate Settlement is needed Montgomery Co would be my best choice.
By 1837, Meredith Collins of Ala remarried Sidney Gibbs, a widow AND it was her son John Gobbs by her first marriage who requested the help of Nathaniel M. Collins in establishing Meredith’s widow, now Sodney Gibbs Collins , in 1850 claim to land from his service in the war of 1812. As I recall from tracing this, she got the land, but it was up in Indiana or Wisconsin, far from Mobile where she was then liviing….so she sold it to the agent who had found the land.
Anyway, for your purpose,I think we have established that Meredith of birth 1798 was in the War of 1812 along with his brother Nathaniel Collins. That he had a wife name Marie who was the granddaughter of Robert Walker of Montgomery Co. Va. who died in 1830. Nathaniel M. Collins named his first son Elisha Madison Collins giving creditability that Nathaniel was indeed the son of Elisha Collins as genealogy usually reflects.
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