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Note: et. Unfortunately, much of this is unproven and/or incorrect, based upon speculation, faulty reasoning and wishful thinking. Nevertheless, it continues to be repeated and accepted. Some of the most egregious examples are 1) that William's first wife was "Amelia Farrar", 2) that he served in the Revolutionary War as an Ensign [sometimes Captain] from Caroline Co., Maryland and 3) that he was assisted by Gen Francis Marion in obtaining land in Mississippi. All of these statements are probably false. William Causey's history is elusive and continues to be a work in progress - little can be proven or disproven prior to his move to Mississippi Territory about 1805. BIRTH: Birthplace and date are family tradition only. No proof of date or place of birth has been found. In the 1880 census, some of his children [by his second wife] stated he was born in South Carolina, some stated Georgia, one stated Mississippi and one stated Maryland. Ireland is not mentioned. MARRIAGE: (1) Various names have been proposed for the first wife of William Causey, the most popular being "Amelia Farrar". A descendant, Ardee Causey, stated that he speculated this name as a possibility to another researcher in 1962 and some descendants eagerly embraced his "speculation" as "fact". There has been nothing found that even suggests the name of William's first wife. The marriage would probably have been prior to the birth of the oldest child, presumed to be Solomon, in 1772/73. (2) Family Bible names second wife and states marriage was 2 Sep 1805. However, marriage license shows marriage was 2 Sep 1806 rather than 1805. [Marriage Book A, p 174, Wilkinson Co. Circuit Clerk, Woodville, Mississippi.] CHILDREN: 1) The will of William Causey names his children, though some may have been deceased and/or not named. [Probate Court Will Book 1, pp 77-79; Amite Co. Chancery Clerk, Liberty Mississippi]; 2) William Causey Bible names children from wife # 2; 3) A grandson, William Isaiah Causey, claimed William had eleven children in South Carolina before coming to Mississippi; only seven can be identified from his will. [1790 census suggests 7 (5 sons, 2 dtrs); 1800 census suggests 10 (9 sons, 1 dtr)] [Mary Causey, born abt 1787, married Eleazer Bell in 1805, has been speculated to be a daughter of William. However, she was not named in William's will and the 1800 census of William shows but one female aged 10-16, in all probability Elizabeth (born abt 1784, md 1811). Mary and family moved to Amite Co in 1810 and later to Yazoo Co about 1823 at the same time as William's son, Solomon. Her daughter, Ann Eliza, also married Solomon's son, James. Since Mary's maiden name was "Causey" and her family closely associated with and lived near William's family, I suspect she was related, but I question that she was William's daughter - possibly a niece or cousin. She is not mentioned in the Booster Jackson papers.] DEATH-BURIAL: Family record; William Causey Bible (photocopy in Genealogical Files; Causey Family; Miss. Dept. of Archives, Jackson, Mississippi) states "William Causey died the third day of July 1828." William's will is not dated, but it was written prior to the birth of his son, James Malcolm (born May 2, 1828) as James Malcolm is mentioned as an "unborn child". A tombstone marker was placed by SAR and Colonial Dames about 1970, probably at the wrong spot and inscribed with what is probably incorrect military service. The site chosen was the Causey Family Cemetery in Amite Co, behind his original house, but not necessarily at William's grave site. Family tradition states that William is buried in this cemetery, but no marker for him or his wife existed. The memorial marker was placed at an unmarked grave that had been enclosed with an iron fence, but this may not be William's grave. Matilda (Aunt Tillie) Causey, daughter of William Isaiah Causey and the oldest surviving descendant at the SAR/Colonial Dames dedication, stated at that time that William and his second wife, Susannah, were buried in this cemetery, but the actual gravesites were not known. MILITARY: No specific military service record has been located, though he was paid by South Carolina for 301 days service in the militia during 1779-82. He has been incorrectly identified by some as the William Causey (Ensign) from Caroline Co., Maryland, but this service is unlikely as there were two other William Causeys in Caroline Co. at that time. Why choose a William Causey of SC instead of other eligible William Causeys who lived in Caroline Co.? This mis-identification (still accepted by the DAR) appears to have been done initially by ladies who wanted to join the DAR and claimed William of South Carolina and William of Maryland was the same man based on nothing but the name. [From Journal and Correspondence of the Council of Maryland: Saturday 14 Aug 1779 - Commissions issued to ..... William Cawsey Ens. of Capt. Richard Andrews Co. belonging to the 14 Battalion of Militia in Caroline County; Monday 17th December 1781 William Coursey Capt ... of Richard Andrews ... belonging to the 14 Battalion of Militia.] Note that subject William Causey (1744-1828) was in South Carolina during these periods (1779-1781). NOTES: Family tradition also states William was born in Grant's Causeway, County Galway, Ireland. There is no proof, however, that he was born in Grant's Causeway or even Ireland. It may be William's ancestors rather than William himself who came from Grant's Causeway. In the 1880 census, some of his children [by his second wife] stated his birthplace was South Carolina, some stated Georgia, one stated Mississippi and one stated Maryland; Ireland is not mentioned. (In 1998, the MapQuest Internet site identified a Grant's Causeway in County Galway as E. of Galway on the River Shannon, approx 5 mi N of Portumna and some 10 mi SE of Ballingsloe - at or near present-day Meelick, though the notation was removed from later MapQuest updates.) Some researchers place him as a son of Thomas Causey (d 1776) of Caroline Co, Maryland. While Thomas did have a son, William, this connection is highly unlikely as Thomas' son, William, remained in Caroline Co. and left a will there in 1783. [That William's son, William "II", left a will in 1794, also in Caroline Co., Maryland.] These facts are conveniently ignored by those who want William of Caroline Co., Maryland and William of South Carolina to be the same person. Nothing, including DNA evidence, has yet been uncovered that would connect William of South Carolina to Thomas of Maryland. (Some male Causey descendants who claim descent from said Thomas Causey have refused and others have simply neglected to furnish DNA tests for comparison. Such refusals would certainly cast some doubt on their claims.) According to the South Carolina Gazette, No. 1689, a William Cawsey arrived in Charles Town, South Carolina 10 Feb 1768 aboard the brigantine "St. Peter" from London. He is said to have continued aboard the ship, departing at George Town, SC on 1 Apr 1768. It is not known if this was our subject William Causey. A Philip Causey and his son, Philip II, were in Craven and Edgecombe counties North Carolina from 1760-1784. In 1773 and 1774, a William Causey was a witness to NC deed conveyances of Philip Causey, but it is not known if this was our subject William. In 1785-87 William used some of his pay (due from South Carolina for his Revolutionary War service) to assign 350 acres of land to Thomas [Moyes] or [Mays], 100 acres to Lucy Woods, 350 acres to Absolom Causey ( Beaufort Dist. adjacent to Orangeborgh Dist., "waters of the Savanah River", St Peters Parish Granville Co.) and 50 (60?) acres to Mich Fields. Relationships unknown, though Lucy Woods appears to have been the mother-in-law of Absolom Causey and deeding 350 acres to Absolom suggests a relationship between him and William. William also purchased over 1300 acres for himself in Beaufort Dist. (on Pen Branch) and Orangeburgh Dist. (on Marsh Branch) - all on "waters of the Coosawhatchie", in 1784-86. Research to determine to whom this land was subsequently deeded has not been done as Beaufort Co. deeds were destroyed in the Civil War. In the 1780's in Beaufort Co., South Carolina there was an Absolem (1) Causey, son of Philip Causey of Edgecombe, Craven and Pitt counties, North Carolina and an Absolem (2) Causey who married Elizabeth Wood(s), daughter of Solomon and Lucy Wood(s). This latter Absolem (2) appears to be the Absolom given land by William Causey and was deceased by 1807 [probably before 1800]. These "two" ABSOLEMS may be one and the same. The earliest that subject William (1744-1828) can be definitely identified is 1779 when he was in the South Carolina militia. A son, Solomon, was born ca 1773 and in South Carolina according to a daughter. Anything earlier is speculation at best - there were William Causeys in Maryland, North Carolina and South Carolina during and immediately preceding the Revolutionary War. William is shown in the 1790 [essentially 1792] and 1800 Beaufort Co., South Carolina census' and is later shown on the 1805 Adams Co., Mississippi tax roll. His first wife apparently died in South Carolina before his move to Mississippi Territory as he married 16 year old Susannah Jackson soon after arriving in the Territory and had eight more children before his death. A favorite story of Causey descendants is that William Causey acquired his land in Mississippi with the help of Gen. Francis Marion. However, Gen. Marion died in 1795, some ten years before William migrated to Mississippi. This is another spurious family tradition and reflects poorly on those "researchers" who report this as fact. MIGRATION TO MISSISSIPPI: David Thompson, "Thompson Family Records", WorldConnect Internet site (database <tthompsondth>) stated a Jackson family legend claimed the Jacksons came overland to Mississippi while the Causeys, being wealthier, came by sea route from South Carolina. There is no proof of this tradition. Freddie Shelton, a Causey descendant and family researcher who lived in the S. Mississippi / Louisiana area claimed William had settled in Virginia and migrated to Mississippi Territory down the Natchez Trace. Many East Coast emmigrants floated the rivers instead of crossing land occupied by unfriendly indians and the family tradition of the Thomas Jackson family (brother of Isaac) claims that in 1805 Thomas joined Henry Dunn and a group of settlers on a migration to present Amite County, MS. They built flat boats at Kingsport, Tennessee and floated down the Holston River to the Tennessee River then followed the Tennessee River through Kentucky to the Ohio River and then down the Mississippi River to Natchez. They purchased wagons and traveled overland to settle in Wilkinson County, Mississippi and then to Amite Co. and Feliciana Parish, Louisiana. This timeline coincides with the migration of William Causey to Mississippi and he and his family may have been included with the Thomas Jackson settlers. He is unlikely to have migrated through Creek Indian lands before 1812, though the Federal Horse Path (later Federal Road) was in use by 1806 essentially from Augusta, GA to Fort Stoddard, AL. thence to New Orleans. William is not mentioned in "Passports Issued by Governors of Georgia, 1785-1820". Religion: Baptist. William represented New Providence Baptist Church in Amite Co. at a number of meetings with other churches and apparently held strong Baptist beliefs. He was a member of Pipe Creek Baptist Church in Beaufort (now Allendale) Co., South Carolina ("South Carolina Baptists, 1670-1805" by Leah Townsend, 1935). According to the article the church was burned during the Civil War, has since been moved twice and there are no tombstones of the original members in the original churchyard. From T.C.Schilling, ABSTRACT HISTORY of the MISSISSIPPI BAPTIST ASSOCIATION FOR ONE HUNDRED YEARS (1806-1906); J.G. Hauser Press, New Orleans; p 27: "The following interesting biographical sketch of William Causey, the second treasurer, is furnished by W.I. Causey, a grandson and the present treasurer of the Association: William Causey was born in Ireland in 1744 and came to America about the year 1760. He settled in Maryland and lived there until the Revolutionary War, serving through the conflict under General Marion. After the war he moved with his family to South Carolina and remained there until his children were all grown, of whom there were eleven. His wife dying in South Carolina, Mr. Causey came to Mississippi and married again, his second wife being Miss Susannah Jackson. To them were born eight children, the late Ransom J. Causey being one of this number. Mr Causey was too old for military service during the was of 1812, but was a member of what was known as the "Silver Grey Reserves." He was one of the founders of New Providence Church and of the Mississippi Association, being one of the ten delegates in 1807. He was treasurer of the body until 1819. His death occurred in 1828, and he was buried where W.I. Causey now lives, Berwick, Amite county." Much of the Causey family information is taken from the Wallace (Booster) Jackson Papers. Booster was related to the family through both the Causey and Jackson lines. During the 1950's and 1960's he interviewed many, if not most, of the older living Causey descendants in S. Mississippi and Louisiana and much of what he recorded was based upon these interviews. Even though much of his information was simply "word of mouth", very little has been proven incorrect and the majority of his data has withstood the test of time. His work is invaluable since most of those interviewed are now long dead and many of the family connections, traditions and stories would have been lost without his research. TENTATIVE CONCLUSIONS (2012): From all the evidence, insufficient though it is, I SUSPECT THAT WILLIAM CAUSEY (1744-1828) TRACES BACK TO THE PHILIP CAUSEY FAMILY OF NORTH CAROLINA, though I would not hazard a guess at this time who his father was. This is little more than speculation, however, and subject to revision upon discovery of additional information. Philip himself may eventually trace back to Maryland. --------------------------------- Bible of William Causey [Family record pages - transcribed as written] [1] Marriages: William Causey and Susannah Jackson was married in the year of our Lord Sept 2 1805 Thomas N. Jackson and Mary Alice Causey was married in the year of our Lord April 7th 1869 William I. Causey and Hattie McLain was married in the year of our Lord Feb 23d 1881 T. Frank Causey and Florence Catching was married Nov 15th 1882 [2] Births: Elexandria Scot Causey was born June 28th 1812 Anna K. Causey was born April 30th 1816 Sebern Tarant Causey was born Oct 28th 1817 Ransom Jackson Causey was born July 25th 1819 Elexander S. Causey was born June 28 1812 Zachariah Causey was born in the year of our Lord Sept 16th 1822 EC Syntha Caroline Causey was born in the year of our Lord Sept 30th 1824 Amelia F. Causey was born 30th of March 1825 [William Causey Bible, page 2 of 2] [3] Births: James Malcom Causey was bornd in the year of our Lord May 2nd 1828 Mary Alice Causey was born Jan 28 1850 Wm I. William Isaah Causey was born November 24 AD 1852 Thomas Franklin Causey was born December 16 1855 Johnie Causey was born Nov14th 1867 Julia Josiphine Causey was born in the year of our Lord the 9th January 1845 Sarah Elizabeth Causey was born in the year of our Lord the 16 of December 1845 James Albert Causey was born Dec 1 1857 [4] Deaths: William Causey died the third day of July 1828 Susannah Causey died the 20th day of July 1855 James Malcom Causey died April 8th 1883 ------------------------
Note: CAVEAT: Information on William Causey is widely disseminated, both in print and on the Intern
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