Descendants of James McPherson of Ulster, Ireland

Red Hand Flag of Ulster
(16th Century to 1922)

Generation #3

William (2William, 1James) McPherson, Jr.

Note: Evidence for the existence of a William McPherson, Senior and Junior, comes from the 1810 Laurens Co SC Census. Without the certainty of baptisms, wills, or probate proceedings, censuses and tax lists provide our primary documentation. 

William McPherson was born in about 1770 in Laurens Co SC. William's date of birth (1766-1774) is fixed by the 1820 Laurens Co SC Census where he is over 45 (DOB before 1775) and the 1810 Laurens Co SC Census where he is aged 25 to 44 (DOB 1766-1785).

The William McPherson Family is also enumerated in the 1810 Laurens Co SC Census. Family history states that around 1805 William McPhearson married Sarah Shirley born c. 1784 Laurens Co SC.

William is recorded purchasing property from the estate of John Shirley in 1816. And, William and Sarah are enumerated in the 1820 Laurens Co SC Census where Sarah would have had to have been born after 1776. William and Sarah are last documented by name in 1825 where they are named as participants in probate proceedings for Rebecca Shirley, Sarah's mother. And, the family is enumerated in the 1830 Laurens Co SC Census.

In about 1737, William and Sarah migrated with their extended family to Tuscaloosa Co AL. What would motivate a man in his late 60s to uproot his family and start a new life on the frontier? With the death of his parents and the death of Sarah's parents, were all ties to the homestead in Laurens Co SC severed? Did the promise of free land pull William to Alabama?

William and Sarah are last found in records in the 1840 Tuscaloosa Co AL Census. William and Sarah died sometime after 1840 in Tuscaloosa Co AL. Their place of burial is unknown.

Males  Born
After		 # McPherson  Females Born
After		 # McPherson
45+   0   45+   0  
25-44 1765 1 William, Jr. 25-44 1765 1 Sarah
18-25 1785 0   18-25 1785 0  
10-15 1795 0   10-15 1795 0  
to-10 1800 3 James
Lorenzo Dow
John B.		 to-10 1800 2 Unknown
Unknown
March 16, 1816 Letters of Adm. for the estate of John Shirley, deceased was given to Robert Shirley. Those listed as purchasers at the sale were: David Anderson, Jacob Niswanger, Birey Shirley, James McPherson, Samuel Freeman, John Shirley, Robert Shirley, Thomas Adkins, Wm. McPherson, Jonathon Forgey, James Watson, George Elmore, George Shirley, Aaron Shirley, Elizabeth Shirley, Ebenezer Starnes. Martin Shaw, Ransom Fuller, John Harvey, Wm. West, Wm. Redden. Appraisal of the estate was by: Jacob Niswanger, James McFerson and William Moore.
Males  Born
After		 # McFerson  Females Born
After		 # McFerson
45+   1 William 45+   0  
25-44 1775 0   25-44 1775 1 Sarah
18-25 1795 1 James 18-25 1795 0  
16-18 1802 0  
10-15 1805 2 Lorenzo Dow
John B.		 10-18 1805 2 Unknown
Unknown
to-10 1810 1 William to-10 1810 0  

Writ of Summons in the Case of Shubel Starnes vs. John Shirley...
May 2nd, 1825 ... Laurens Co. South Carolina

To John, Aaron, Beverly, Lydia, Jane, Easter, Polly, Sarah, Hulda and Edy -- legal heirs and legal representatives of Rebecca Shirley, who died intestate.

Greetings: You are hereby required to appear at the Court of Ordinary to be holden at Laurens Court House for the said District on the 6th day of June 1825 to show cause, if any of you can, why the real estate of Rebecca Shirley deceased containing ninety-six acres more or less, situate in the District and State aforesaid, being part of four hundred granted to Richard Shirley bounded by land of Jacob Newanger, Beverly Shirley and Shubel Starnes, should not be divided or sold attaining the same in equal porportion to the said John Shirley, Aaron Shirley, Beverly Shirley, Lydia Shirley, Jane Shirley, Elizabeth Shirley, Easter Shirley, Polly married to Graham Elmore, Sarah married to William McPerson, Rebecca married to Elijah Elmore, Hulda married to George Elmore and Edy Wright, widow.

Given under my hand and seal the 2nd day of May 1825.  David Anderson, Ordinary, Laurens District.
Laurens Co SC Deed book M, p. 85:
1827: The Wm. Moore estate sold 359 acres to Seth Moore and 212 acres to George Moore. There is a plat shown with the James McPherson property being between Reedy and Rabon Cr. [vic. Waterloo SC] with James' land lying along the road that runs down the ridge between Reedy River and Rabon Creek. Land to the west of James' property belonged to Wm. McPherson, to the south was the above Seth Moore property, and to the southeast was the George Moore property.
Males Born After # McPhearson Females Born After # McPhearson
100+   0   100+   0  
to 100 1730 0   to 100 1730 0  
to 90 1740 0   to 90 1740 0  
to 80 1750 0   to 80 1750 0  
to 70 1760 0   to 70 1760 0  
to 60 1770 1 William to 60 1770 0  
to 50 1780 0   to 50 1780 1 Sarah
to 40 1790 0   to 40 1790 0  
to 30 1800 0   to 30 1800 0  
to 20 1810 1 William to 20 1810 1 Unknown
to 15 1815 0   to 15 1815 0  
to 10 1820 0   to 10 1820 0  
to 5 1825 1 John to 5 1825 0  
Males Born After

#

McPhearson

 Females Born After # McPhearson
100+ 100+
to 100 1740 to 100 1740
to 90 1750 to 90 1750
to 80 1760 to 80 1760
to 70 1770 1 William to 70 1770
to 60 1780 0 to 60 1780 1 Sarah
to 50 1790 0 to 50 1790 0
to 40 1800 0 to 40 1800 0
to 30 1810 1 William to 30 1810 0
to 20 1820 0 to 20 1820 0
to 15 1825 1 John to 15 1825 0
to 10 1830 0 to 10 1830 0
to 5 1835 0 to 5 1835 0

    Children

    1. James McPhearson

    2. Lorenzo Dow McPhearson b. 1806 Laurens Co SC

    3. John B. McPhearson

    4. William McPherson III 

1860 Federal Census: Tuscaloosa County, Alabama
HN   FN   LAST      FIRST      AGE SEX  OCCUP.  BIRTH
======================================================
1053 1116 McFearson William     46  M   farmer  SC 
                    Nancy       38  F           SC 
                    Sarah E     18  F           AL 
                    Benjamin M  16  M           AL
                    Mary S      14  F           AL
                    Nancy J     12  F           AL
                    Rebecca W   10  F           AL
                    Melinda W    8  F           AL
                    William R    5  M           AL
                    Elizabeth F  1  F           AL

    5 -6. Two unknown daughters

Generation #4

Caveat
This site is provided for reference only. Except where specifically cited, information contained is conjecture and should not be considered as fact.
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