William A. Armistead (1762 - 1842)

Ancestors Descendants

Contents 1 Biography 2 Conflicts 3 Conflicts 4 Research Note 4.1 Will 4.2 Slaves 5 Sources

Biography

I adopted this profile from what I recall, and agree that William Armistead likley was not born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina. This maybe an error in confusing old Elizabeth City County, Virginia with Elizabeth City, NC (given his 2nd marriage was in Warrenton, NC, but Warrenton is about 125 miles west of Elizabeth City, Co., NC). Old Elizabeth City County, Virginia existed until 1776; so it would have been around when William Armistead was born. My Miller's in the 1600's and 1700's had ties to the Armistead's in Elizabeth City County, Virginia.^[1]

I am changing Westwood A. Armistead's mother to Elizabeth Westmoreland based on the estimated marriage dates of William A. Armistead's wife's; I am not comfortable changing the other two children's mother given I do not manage their WikiTree profiles- Jim Miller

There is an issue if William Armistead was born in Jan., 1762 if his brother, Robert Armistead was born 6/27/1761 since he would have been born only 7 months after his brother. Not sure if one or both birth dates are incorrect. It is possible they were not brothers I assume.

Private William Armistead served with 2nd Virginia State Regiment, Virginia State Troops during the American Revolution.

William Armistead is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A003056.

William Armistead is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: P-100822
Rank: Private

Biography:Captain William Armistead Revolutionary War Soldier Born ca.1762 is a book that states he married 1790. She was born in 1764 and died at age 33,in 1797. It states he was an old school gentleman, wearing knee buckles and retaining English tastes. He was also related to President Tyler.

Captain William Armistead’s grave stands alone, neatly enclosed with rocks and pickets on a hill near Amity church in the family burial ground, on the plantation bequeathed by him to his son-in-law, Dr. Neal Smith, about eight miles from Grove Hill. There is but a solitary grave that is encompassed on all four sides by a 2-foot high wall of rocks upon which was built a fence of heart pine. Although in disrepair, the wall and fence still remain. The four corner posts once supported a roof but no sign of the roof is to be found. From U.S. Hwy. 84 in Clarke County, AL proceed North on County road 35 for 2.4 miles thence East .6 miles through a locked gate to the site. Lat. N31degrees 40.181′ Long. W87degrees 39.279′. This grave is on private property.

The following is a copy from the marble slab: IN MEMORY OF CAPTAIN WILLIAM ARMISTEAD a soldier of the Revolution, a native of Virginia, who departed this life March 1st, 1842, aged 80 years.

The Revolutionary services of Captain William Armistead copied from archives at Washington, D. C. Record Book E, vol 8: He entered the U. S. service at Williamsburg, Va., under Captain Spiller Dent, 1777, Virginia State Troops; marched to Valley forge, joined Muhlenburg Brigade; pursued the British on their retreat through Jersey; was in the battle of Monmouth; afterwards detached from Muhlenburg Brigade and attached to troops under command of General Wayne and Major Llewry; marched to Hudson river; stationed between West Point and Stony Point for some time; was at the storming of Stony Point, 1779. After long service marched to New Brunswick on Raritan river; remained in Philadelphia some time. After serving three years, marched back to Williamsburg, Va., and was there with the other troops regularly discharged.”

He was on the pensions list for Clarke County , Alabama,1840.

After the Revolution, he moved to Warren then Randolph county, North Carolina. He married Rebecca Kimbell near Warrenton. The family Bible, (according to his descendant Mrs. Sallie Jones Featherston of Rome, GA.) gives authentic information for the births of their children.^[2]

Bowling’s 67-acre tract was part of 750 acres owned in the late 1700s by William Armistead Sr., a wealthy planter and merchant who died in 1791. In the swampy areas such as Bertie County, roads were slow to be constructed and difficult to travel. Waterfront property was the prime land to own even with the swamp that surrounded it, Hicks explains, because the owner had water access to move goods to market. The swampy Armistead land could be built up to create a road to a landing on the water.

The original Armistead property currently has two landings, one at Bowling Farm and another at what is today called Blanchards Landing. Hicks believes Blanchards Landing was constructed before 1769 because of descriptions contained in a deed for 20 acres. The description of William Armistead’s Landing in the deed best describes Blanchards Landing, which has a high hill directly behind it that slopes down to a swampy cove. While the Bowling Farm is situated in front of a high land, it is much higher than the swamp land surrounding it.

Documents indicate that Armistead owned 33 slaves and that the property contained 200 barrels of Indian corn and a number of horses, cattle, vessels, boats, furniture, china and tools. The reference to vessels is intriguing, Hicks says, because it might indicate that he transported his goods to Edenton or dealt with vessels that came up the Cashie to collect goods. It also could mean that Armistead dispatched his own vessels on coastal trading trips.^[3]

Conflicts

William Armistead is using the same Find A Grave source as William Armistead

Captain William Armistead, born 1762, brother of Anthony, Robert, Westwood, and Alexander Carver. Captain William served as a Drummer Boy in the Revolution. He had at least two brothers, killed during the Revolution. He saw his brother Westwood killed at the Battle of Brandywine. He had two sisters who died young. (more at Find A grave Memorial# 17954050.

Burial at AL, Clarke Co., Amity Church Cem.

Conflicts

William Armistead is using the same Find A Grave source as William Armistead

William was one of the Early Mason's of Bute County,North Carolina. Blanford Bute Lodge. Johnson-Caswell Buffalo Blanford -Bute No.10 Warrenton 1787 W. Armistead^[4]

Benjamin Kimball was William's father-in-law. Nov. Ct. 1794. Inv, Est. of BENJAMIN KIMBELL, dec'd.,, by BENJAMIN KIMBELL, Jr. Lists: crops on plantation on Roanoak & notes on WM. GIBBS, BENJA. JOHNSON & WM. ARMISTEAD late of Warren Co. with LEN KIMBELL & JORDAN HARRIS security.

Research Note

Is this the William Armistead Senior that should be listed as the father,and not Anthony?Look below:

Burgess for the Assembly of 1702/3-1705: Elizabeth City: Anthony Armistead, William Armistead Essex: James Baughan, Richard Covington Gloucester: Peter Beverly, James Ranson Henrico: William Randolph, Frances Epps King and Queen: William Leigh, William Bird [15]1705-1706. King and Queen: William Bird, James Taylor p. ix. 1710-1712. King and Queen: William Bird, John Holloway p. 7. March 22, 1702. Resolved that Coll. William Leigh and Mr. William Bird and returned Burgesses to serve in the present Gen. Assembly for the County of King and Queen according to law. [16] Nov. 29, 1705. Ordered that Mr. Robert Beverley, Mr. Hill, Mr. Harrison, Mr. Barber, Mr. Bland, Mr. William Armistead, Mr. Bird and Mr. Thomas West carry to the council copies of the said resolves together with an order of ye house for payment of 6.17.6 unto William Byrd Esq. and desire their honours concurrence thereto.^[5]

William was born in 1762. Enlisted as a musician at the age of 15. He was at Valley Forge and the storming of Stony Point. ^[6]

From Alabama Revolutionary War Soldiers: "The grave of this soldier is described in Ball's Clark County, Alabama, pp. 475-6. We learn that a Capt. William Armistead of Virginia and three sons, Robert, Westwood and John, became citizens of Clarke. The father was a man of strong peculiarities, a gentleman of the old school, wearing knee buckles and retaining English tastes. He was twice married and had three sons and three daughters. One daughter married John Morriss, in North Carolina, and moved to Alabama; another daughter married Edmund Waddell, in North Carolina; the third married Dr. Neal Smith, a gentleman of prominence in his day. The grave stands alone, neatly enclosed with rocks and pickets on a hill near Amity church in the family burial ground, on the plantation bequeathed by him to his son-in-law, Dr. Neal Smith, about eight miles from Grove Hill. The following is a copy from the marble slab: In memory of CAPTAIN WILLIAM ARMISTEAD, a soldier of the Revolution, a native of Virginia, who departed this life March 1st, 1842, aged 80 years.

He resided in Clarke County, June 1, 1840.--Census of Pensioners, 1841, p. 149.--Mrs. P. H. Mell, in Transactions of the Alabama Historical Society, vol. iv, pp. 529-533, has an extended sketch, with genealogical notes, etc." ^[7]

He passed away in 1842.

Will

In his will, William Armistead, Clark County, Alabama named the following heirs. The will was signed June 11, 1841 and proved March 15, 1842^[8]

• Sam'l Forwood, grand son in law, executor
• Westwood Armstead, son, executor
• William W Armstead, grandson
• Thos Borroughs, grand son in law
• John A Waddle, grandson
• Edmund Waddle, son in law
• Julia A E Forwood, great granddaughter
• John Amos Forwood, great grandson
• Martha Waddle, daughter
• Sam Smith
• Jane Smith, daughter
• Robert S Armstead, son
• John K Armstead, son
• Elizabeth Morris, daughter, dec'd

Slaves

See: Slaves of William Armistead, Clarke County, Alabama

In 1830, William Armistead held 18 slaves in Clarke County, Alabama.^[9]

In 1840, William Armistead held 20 slaves in Clarke County, Alabama.^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uva.x000236562&view=1up&seq=92
2. ↑ https://www.alabamapioneers.com/biography-captain-william-armistead-revolutionary-war-soldier/,
3. ↑ https://ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/previous-issues/2010-2/summer-2010/people-places-hidden-history-cashie-reveals-backwater-wharf/
4. ↑ http://www.ncgenweb.us/ncstate/historical/Bute/other/com-safety.htm#masons
5. ↑ Journals of the House of Burgesses of Virginia, Edited by H. R. McIlWaine 975.5, Burg. V. 4 p. vii, viii.
6. ↑ Family History Or Pedigree:"North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000"
   Book Title: Lineage Book : NSDAR : Volume 059 : 1906
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 61157 #2297238 (accessed 11 July 2022)
   Spouse: Rebecca Kimball; Gender: Male; Death Date: 1842; Birth Date: 1762; Birth Place: Elizabeth City, VA; Name: William Armistead; Death Place: Clarke County, Ala; Child: Westwood Armistead.
7. ↑ Military:"Alabama Revolutionary War Soldiers"
   Alabama Department of Archives and History. Revolutionary Soldiers in Alabama. Montgomery, AL, USA: The Brown Printing Co., 1911
   Ancestry Record 4237 #12 (accessed 11 July 2022)
8. ↑ Probate: "Alabama, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1753-1999"
   Probate Records, 1818-1911; Probate Minutes, 1850-1939; Author: Alabama. Probate Court (Clarke County); Probate Place: Clarke, Alabama
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8799 #9558578 (accessed 10 October 2022)
   William Armsted signed on 11 Jun 1841.
9. ↑ 1830 Census: "1830 United States Federal Census"
   Year: 1830; Census Place: Clarke, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 2; Page: 226; Family History Library Film: 0002329
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8058 #1824107 (accessed 10 October 2022)
   William Armistead in Clarke, Alabama.
10. ↑ 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
    Year: 1840; Census Place: Clarke, Alabama; Roll: 2; Page: 250; Family History Library Film: 0002332
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #1426061 (accessed 10 October 2022)
    Wm Armistead in Clarke, Alabama.

• Lucy Middlebrook, Armistead family bible., Date of Import: Jun 24, 2001.

• The Heritage of Clarke County Alabama, pp 293

• Notes of William P. Hand. http://www.clarkemuseum.com/html/william_armistead.html

• Find A Grave Memorial# 17954050, Originally Created by: mulder
• Source: Garber, Virginia Armistead "The Armistead Family (1635-1910)." Whittet & Shepperson, Printers, Richmond 1910. The original was full of errors due to its poor organization. It has been [reorganized and corrected] by: Douglas E. Zimmerman, 2002-2004.

• Lucy Middlebrook, Armistead family bible, Date of Import: Jun 24, 2001

• Find A Grave [Memorial# 17954050] Originally Created by: mulder
• 1830 Census: "1830 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1830; Census Place: Clarke, Alabama; Series: M19; Roll: 2; Page: 226; Family History Library Film: 0002329
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8058 #1824107 (accessed 11 July 2022)
  William Armistead. (18 enslaved)
• 1840 Census: "1840 United States Federal Census"
  Year: 1840; Census Place: Clarke, Alabama; Roll: 2; Page: 250; Family History Library Film: 0002332
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 8057 #1426061 (accessed 11 July 2022)
  Wm Armistead. (20 enslaved)
• Family History or Pedigree: "U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970"
  Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970. Louisville, Kentucky: National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution. Microfilm, 508 rolls
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 2204 #938113 (accessed 11 July 2022)
  SAR Membership: 88082; Application Date: 25 Mar 1962; Role: Ancestor; Spouse: Rebecca Kimbell; Birth Date: 14 May 1762; Birth Place: Elizabeth, Virginia; Name: CAPtain William Armistead [Capt. William Armistead]; Death Place: Clarke, Alabama; Children: Westwood Armistead; Death Date: 1 Mar 1842.
• Military: "Alabama, U.S., Revolutionary War Residents, 1776-1783"
  Alabama Revolutionary War Residents, 1776-1783. Alabama Department of Archives and History, Montgomery, Alabama
  Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry Record 60921 #48 (accessed 11 July 2022)
  Death Date: 1 Mar 1842; Residence Age: 80; Birth Date: 1762 [1762 14 May]; Birth Place: Elisabeth City, Virginia; Name: William Armistead; Death Place: Clarke County, Alabama; Number of Cards: 9; Residence Place: Clarke, Alabama, USA.
• Burial: Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/17954050/william-armistead: accessed 22 October 2022), memorial page for Capt William Armistead (14 May 1762–1 Mar 1842), Find A Grave: Memorial #17954050, citing Smith Cemetery, Grove Hill, Clarke County, Alabama, USA; Maintained by Robert S. Griffin (contributor 47532305) .