Peter Williams, born c1772, probably in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, has been somewhat of a mystery to me for about 25 years.

Court cases have proven that he is a son of Captain Charles Williams, a soldier of the American Revolution, and Ann Wilson, who lived in Pittsylvania County.

Peter married Sally Hill, daughter of Isaac Hill and close friend of his father’s,  in Pittsylvania County on 21 November 1792.

In 1800, Peter Williams & family were living in Rockingham County, North Carolina. I am quite sure this is him because not only is his brother, Charles, a few doors away, but John Crouch, their brother-in-law, is living in between them.

Rockingham County, North Carolina, 1800 Census

However, all three families were gone by 1810. Charles Williams was back living in Pittsylvania County in 1820, but Peter isn’t there.

By 1830, Peter Williams was living in Maury County, Tennessee. A few doors away from Peter was his brother, Charles Williams, and next to Charles was Peter’s son, Isaac Hill Williams.

Sally, Peter’s wife, had died by 1826, as he married (2) Mary Beasley, about 1826-1827, Maury Co., TN with John H. Hill as bondsman. Marriage return was undated, but filed with the 1826-1827 papers.

Because of this marriage, it isn’t known whether the three males, aged 15-20 and one male, aged 10-15, are Williams or Beasley children.

He was last found in Marshall County, Tennessee in 1840. (Note: Marshall County was set off from Maury County in 1836.)

Peter and Sally (Hill) Williams had at least three children:

1. Isaac Hill, born c1794, Virginia; died after 1876, probably Marshall County, Tennessee; married Mary Scott, c1821
2. Son, born c1796
3. Son, born c1798

The lawsuit filed by Charles Williams against Peter Williams is dated 16 September 1834 and is not lengthy:

FamilySearch

Charles Williams vs. Peter Williams Motion

On motion of Plaintiffs counsel and (crossed out) to the satisfaction of the court by the by the production of the Docket of John Vincent Esqr. that Sundry Judgements have been confessed by the Defendant before said Vincent in favor of John McManus and that the said Charles Williams & Isaac H. Williams be court bound or (one of) the securities for said Peter Williams for the Stay of execution and it further appearing to the satisfaction of that court that the said John Vincent had resigned his office of Justice of the peace and that the Docket and the papers of the said Justice have been returned to the clerk’s office and that Executions have been issued by the Clerk against the said Peter Williams Charles Williams and Isaac H. Williams and it further appearing to the satisfaction of the court from the production of the receipts of the officer who collected the money on said executions that the said Charles Williams had paid and satisfied said executions as the security of said Peter Williams. It is therefore considered by the court that the Plaintiff Charles Williams recover of the Defendant Peter Williams the sum of six hundred and thirteen dollars & sixty cents being the amount of principle interest and costs by him paid and also the interest due thereon up to this date. and that execution issued also the costs in this behalf expended and that execution issued.

I’m not sure what all of this means except that Charles Williams was the security for Peter Williams and that Justice of the Peace John Vincent resigned his office and the papers were returned to the clerk’s office.

What is strange about all of this is that in 1836, Peter Williams was the Justice of the Peace and in 1840, Peter Williams recorded a deed of trust, selling a slave named Phebe to John Vincent for $5 because he owed money to Jeremiah Holt.

Peter left no will or probate record, unlike his brother, Charles, who died in Marshall County, Tennessee in 1844.