The Williams family has been extensively researched by Betty Williams Steele, and subsequently published in her books, "Williams and Weaver Ancestors: Williams Ancestors in Virginia, Volume I," ca. 1991, and "Williams-Weaver Ancestors: Williams Ancestors - Midwest Pioneer, Vol. II," 1994. We are indeed fortunate that Betty has so diligently traced our Williams lineage, and that this Williams family left church records in Middlesex County, VA, in the 1600's.

Because the early lineage is lengthy, the chart above will begin with the Revolutionary War veteran, Rev. James Williams. However, the entire pedigree which Betty has researched will be reported below.

James Williams, son of Elias Williams and Agatha Moseley, was christened on 21 June 1761 at the St. James Northam Church, Goochland County, VA. Not much is known about his early life, but he enlisted in the Fluvana County, Virginia Regiment in May 1776.

His application for a Revolutionary War pension states that he served in the 13th Virginia Regiment, the Virginia companies of Captains Holman Rice (Virginia Militia) and Edward Heren / Herndon, and in the Virginia Regiments of Colonels Francis Taylor and Fountaine. He was in the battle at Dickson's Bridge, about four miles from Baltimore, MD; at the battle of Cowpens; another engagement at Guilford, NC; and the engagement at Jamestown. He was at the siege of Yorktown and capture of Cornwallis under the command of General Washington. He was discharged in January 1783, having served five and one-half years. James received a Revolutionary War pension, and after his death, his widow, Mary, received a pension. James was a farmer and a Methodist minister.

After James Williams was discharged from the Revolutionary War in January 1783, he married in Mary Updegrove in 1784, and he and his father were soon found "in debt" for not paying taxes from 1783 to 1786 in Goochland County, VA. The family went to Rowan County, NC, at about that time, where James Williams' only sister, Jean, married David Hillard on 7 Feb 1786.

James Williams was enumerated three times in the 1790 federal census. James and his father, Elias Williams, were both enumerated in Southampton County, VA, and Currituck County, NC. Additionally, James Williams was also enumerated in Rowan County, NC, (with his parents in the household). They must have moved around a lot!! James Williams was also enumerated in Rowan County, NC, in 1800. His father, Elias Williams, made his will 14 October 1799, and it was proved in May 1800 in Rowan County. Elias mentioned his wife, and two children: a son, James Williams, and a daughter, Jean Hillard.

The only evidence we have for the maiden name of James Williams' wife, Mary Updegrove, comes from the pension application of their aged and impoverished daughter, Mrs. Rachel H. Williams Peckinpaugh. When Rachel was 96, she thought it might be possible to claim a pension, based on her father's military service. This document was signed by W. E. Ward, City Poor Master, City of Galesburg, Knox County, IL. It is not known whether Rachel told him how to spell her mother's maiden name. It appears on the original document that the "Updegrove" name has a line over it, as though Mr. Ward intended to cross a "t." On the other hand, it also looks like he wrote a skinny "d" for the surname. Some researchers spell this family name as Uptegrove.

Isaac Uptegrove lived in Rowan County at the same time as did James and Mary Williams. It is generally believed by Uptegrove researchers that he was the son of Edward Uptegrove, whose wife was reputed to be Sarah Lewis, of Albemarle County, VA. After the War, three of the sons of Edward and Sarah Uptegrove went to Rutherford County, NC. They dropped the "Upte" prefix of the name and started using "Groves" for their surname. It seems likely that Mary Updegrove was a relative of Isaac Uptegrove. They were of the age that they could have been siblings.

James and Mary's son, James D. Williams married Ruth Peckinpaugh, whose family has been meticulously reconstructed by Ruth Peckinpaugh Brace of El Campo, TX, in her book, "Peckinpaughs, Pickenpaughs, Beckenbaughs, Peckinpahs, and Peckenpaughs," 1984.

Following is the pedigree which has been researched by Betty Williams Steele:

Richard Williams, b. ca. 1644 England/Wales, d. ca. 1700 Middlesex, VA + Margaret Cocke

Thomas Williams b. 22 Sep 1760 Middlesex Co, VA, d. 20 Apr 1722, Middlesex Co., VA. + Elizabeth

Robert Williams b. 10 Aug 1707, Middlesex Co, VA, death unknown + Mary Brooks 6 May 1737 Christ Church, Middlesex Co, VA.

Elias Williams b. 9 Feb 1739, Middlesex Co, VA, d 14 Oct 1799 Rowan County, NC + Agatha Moseley 10 March 1757, St. James Parish, Goochland County, VA.

(Rev.) James Williams (a Methodist minister, farmer, and Rev. War vet), b. 24 May 1761, Goochland Co, VA, d. 19 January 1837, Vermillian County, IN, + Mary Updegrove 19 July 1784 in VA.

James Douglas Williams b. 3 October 1800 Rowan County, NC, d. 19 Oct 1872 Cherokee County, KS, + Ruth Peckinpaugh 7 Sept 1829, Crawford Co, IN

Alfred Riley Williams, b. 26 Mar 1848, Vermillion Co, IN, d. 20 Jan 1917, Two Buttes, Bacca Co, CO + Rebecca Ann Hardwick 26 Aug 1866 Grundy Co, MO