Priscilla (Davidson) King (bef.1755-aft.1810)

Priscilla King formerly Davidson

Born before 1755 [location unknown]

Daughter of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]

[sibling(s) unknown]

Wife of Barnabas King — married [date unknown] [location unknown]

Descendants

Mother of James King

Died after 1810 after age 55 in Rutherford County, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Tim Potter

[send private message]

Profile last modified 6 May 2024 | Created 10 Mar 2022

This page has been accessed 103 times.

1 Was her maiden name Davidson?
2 Marriage to Barnabas King
3 Biography
4 From the Orginal Profile
5 Sources

Was her maiden name Davidson?

No evidence or circumstantial analysis has been presented that Mrs. Priscilla King of Rutherford County, North Carolina was born Priscilla Davidson. If anyone can supply such information, please do so. There were men named Davidson at the same time Priscilla King lived there: Alexander, James, and Hezekiah Davidson but no connection has been found.

Marriage to Barnabas King

No marriage record has been located.

The images attached to this profile are taken from a research report prepared in the 1990s by a professional genealogist whose name and credentials are unknown. This report concluded that Priscilla was the widow of William King.

However, an article published in August 1994 in the Bulletin of the The Genealogical Society of Old Tryon County, Inc. (Volume XXII, Number 3, Pages 119-120), concluded that Priscilla was the widow of Barnabas King.

The researcher who concluded Priscilla married William King did not appear to be aware of the article concluding that Priscilla married Barnabas. Both authors base their conclusions on the same general evidence arising from land transactions in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War, but the article had access to a court case that the research report did not. The court case transcribed in the article makes clear that Priscilla was an heir to Barnabas King.

A review of the evidence:

On 1 May 1779, John King (a constable for Rutherford County^[1]) entered 200 acres (in the name of Anthony Medcalf) located on the south branch of Floyds Creek that included Chisholm's improvements.^[2] On that same day, he entered 150 acres (in the name of Jno Crawford) on both sides of Richardson's Creek.^[3] The next day, he entered 100 acres on both sides of Richardson's Creek adjoining John Scott.^[4]

By 28 May 1779, Barnabas King was already settled on Richardson's Creek in Rutherford County because his improvements were referenced in a land grant to William Nelson that day.^[5]

On 10 Jan 1780, Barnabas King entered 100 acres on Richardson's Creek (that was not granted until 28 Nov 1792)^[6]

On 28 May 1780, William King entered 150 acres on Richardson's Creek (that was not granted until 16 Nov 1790)^[7]

In January 1783, Barnabas King's and John King's properties were subject to confiscation as an enemy of the state.^[8]

At the October 1783 court held in Rutherford County, Priscilla King sued John King demanding that the local court officials produce the county's land entry records.^[9]

On 28 Nov 1792, Barnabas King entered 100 acres on Richardsons Creek subject to payment of fees.^[10]

In September 1793 (ten years later), Priscilla brought a suit in District Court alleging that after Barnabas King had paid the fees, the local official David Miller issued the warrant in January 1780 with instructions for it to be surveyed by Timothy Riggs and that Barnabas King died soon afterwards. Surveyor Riggs then erased Barnabas King's name in 1784 and replaced it with William Sharpe's name when in 1785 he surveyed and reissued the land to Sharpe, depriving the heirs of Barnabas King of his property.^[11]

On 14 Mar 1794, the grant was finalized of the 100 acres on Richardsons Creek entered in Nov 1792.^[12]

On 6 May 1795, she purchased from John Craford the land that was "certain original grant given to John King [on] 28 Sep 1785...150 acres...on a branch of Richardsons Creek...beginning at a post corner of Barney King's land..."^[13]

Biography

She has not been located in the 1782 Tax List for Rutherford County, North Carolina.^[14]

She is named in the 1785 Tax List.^[15]

Priscilla King had four males under age 16 and three other females living with her when the 1790 US Census was taken in Rutherford County.^[16]. She was in the same neighborhood (10th Company) as other families into which her grandchildren married.

When the US Census was taken in Rutherford County in 1800, she was over age 45 (and so born before 1755) and her household included two females born between 1774-1784, three males born between 1774-1784 and one male born in the 1790s.^[17]^[18]

Priscilla King is listed in the Rutherford County, North Carolina 1810 Census with three free white females in her household and no slaves. ^[19]^[20]There were five other King families.