PEDIGO, William, of Barren Co KY

William Pedigo,[1] son of Levi Pedigo and his first wife, Mary Newland,[2] was born in Virginia, probably Henry County, before 1791. He died in Barren Co KY after 16 Jan 1845.[3] Family researchers state his nickname was “Swapping Bill.”

William is said to have married, circa 1810, probably in Kentucky, to Elizabeth Cliff.[4] She was born in Virginia in the 1790s and died in Barren Co KY before her husband. William may have married a second wife, Mary –?–, about 1835.[5]

There was an Ezekiel Newlin, nine houses from Levi Pedigo in Barren Co KY in 1810. Since the older children from Levi’s first marriage were not with him in that year (Barren Co KY: 21001/40010), it is speculation that some of those children were with a relative of their mother, possibly this Ezekiel. His family listing was 12110/000101. Only three sons’ names are known.

William’s first census as the head of his family was in 1820 in Barren Co KY, p 23: 400010/01010; the four sons were John W, William T, Jesse and one unknown, and the daughter was Sarah Elizabeth. He was in the same location in 1830, Barren Co KY, p 173: William Pedigo, 222001/100001; the four sons had been joined by George W and Elza D, while it is uncertain if the lone daughter at home was Elizabeth or Martha Jane. In 1840, he was in Barren Co KY: 01110001/0102001. Elizabeth and Martha J were at home, plus younger sister Louisa Jane. The three unmarried sons were Jesse, George W, and Elza D.

William was purportedly called by the nickname “Swappin’ Bill,” which indicates either a career in trade or what we modern folks might call a hobby.

Children of William and Elizabeth (Cliff) Pedigo were:

1. John Willliam PEDIGO was born on 6 Dec 1810 in Barren Co KY and died in Hart Co KY, on 28 Mar 1866. On 17 Dec 1834, he married Dicy SHIRLEY in Barren Co KY. She was born ca 1814 in KY. They had the following children:

1. Nancy Jane (1836-1863)
2. William T (1837-1912)
3. Sarah Elizabeth (1839-1895)
4. John H (1840-ca1931)
5. Benjamin Franklin (1842-1906)
6. George Washington (1845-1903)
7. Lemuel (1847-1918)
8. Mary Catherine (1848-1932)
9. Marion (1850-1894)
10. Virginia Frances (1852-)
11. Mariah Ann (1854-1940)
12. Harriet (1857-1942)

2. William Taylor PEDIGO. Born on 13 Aug 1814 in Barren Co KY. He died in Barren Co KY, on 23 Feb 1862. On 18 Dec 1834, he married Perlina DALE in Barren Co KY. Born on 20 Jun 1817 in Barren Co KY, Perlina died there on 24 Aug 1908; she was 91.

They had the following children:

1. Sarah E (Died as Infant) (1836-1838)
2. Mary Amanda (1838-)
3. Henry Marion (1840-)
4. George William (1842-1862)
5. James G (1844-)
6. John W (1845-)
7. Joseph W (1847-)
8. Sarah L (1848-)
9. Martha J (1850-)
10. Elizabeth S (1856-)
11. Isaac Alonzo (1858-)

3. Sarah Elizabeth PEDIGO was born in 1817 in Barren Co KY. On 21 Jan 1839 when Sarah Elizabeth was 22, she married James BISHOP in Barren Co KY. James was born ca 1810 in Barren Co KY. They had the following children:

1. Martha J (1841-)
2. George W (1843-<1900)[6]
3. Sarah Elizabeth (1845-)
4. John F (1848-)
5. James Henry (1855-)
6. Robert M (1857-)
7. Lucy A (1859-)

4. Jesse PEDIGO was born in Mar 1818 in Barren Co KY.

5. Elizabeth PEDIGO was born on 23 Nov 1824 in Barren Co KY and died there, on 2 Mar 1861. On 28 Nov 1843 she married Henry GOSSETT, son of Cavin GOSSETT & Mary PHIFER, in Barren Co KY. Born on 4 Dec 1818 in Martinsville, Henry Co VA Henry died in Hart Co KY, on 2 Jun 1912. They had the following children:

1. Peter (1844-1927)
2. Martha Jane (1846-1937)
3. John Calvin (1847-1910)
4. Mary E (1848-)
5. James T (1850-)
6. Judith Frances (1852-1936)
7. Permelia Catherine (1855-)
8. Lewis W (1856-)
9. Henry G (1857-1931)

6. Martha Jane PEDIGO was born ca 1825 in Barren Co KY. On 13 Aug 1844 she married James Harvey MANN, son of William MANN & Nancy WILCOXSON, in Barren Co KY. He was born ca 1826 in KY. They had twelve children, all born in Barren Co KY between 1845 and 1867.

7. George W PEDIGO was born on 23 Dec 1827 in Barren Co KY. George W may have died in Metcalfe Co KY, on 28 Apr 1900.[7] He was probably the same as the George W Pedigo in the 1850 census in Barren Co KY, p 435,[8] with a wife Mary, but not located later.[9]

8. Elzy D PEDIGO was born on 15 Apr 1829 in Barren Co KY.[10] Elza and Permelia had the following children:

1. Elisha T (1859-)
2. Barbry A (1866-)
3. Malina A (1871-)
4. Oca A (1873-)
5. Charles T (1879-)

9. Louisa Jane PEDIGO was born on 14 Apr 1832 in Barren Co KY. Louisa Jane died probably in Williamsburg, Georgetown Co TX, on 12 Apr 1918. On 26 Jan 1846 when Louisa was 13, she married Alexander Chapman MANN, son of William MANN & Nancy WILCOXSON, in Barren Co KY. Born on 16 Jan 1824 in Barren Co KY, Alexander died in Metcalfe Co KY, on 20 Oct 1908. They were the parents of ten children.

 

© 2008, Kathy Alvis Patterson

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[1] John Paul Grady, “William Pedigo-Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Cliff family group sheet,” supplied 11 Jan 1967 by Grady (1805 Western Drive, Midland TX). John Paul asked me to return his original, so all I have is my copy of the FGS. Also, C Ray Mahoney, “Levi Pedigo-Mary or Polly Newland family group sheet,” FHL, SLC 1992. This FGS lists “records of Harry H. Lee and  Letha Pedigo Palin” as references and adds “arrived in Barren Co. 1810.”

[2] Also occasionally spelled Nowland, Newland, Nowlin, etc.

[3] William Pedigo will (1845), Barren Co Will Book, 246, Clerk of Circuit Court’s Office, Glasgow KY: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT, Barren Co KY Will Book, page 246

I William Pedigo of the county of Barren and State of Kentucky being weak in the body but of usual good disposing mind and memmory wished to dispose of the worldly goods God has been pleased to bless me with, do make this my last will and testament in the manner and form following… ITEM 1st. It is my will after my death that my youngest daughter Louisa Jane Pedigo shall have when she arrives at the age of twenty one years or marries, Seventy five dollars in cash to purchase a horse bridle and saddle, Twenty dollars in cash to purchase a bed stead bed & furniture, Eight dollars in case to purchase a cow & calf, and Fifty dollars in cash. Also my two youngest sons George W. Pedigo & Elzy D. Pedigo when they arrive at the age of twenty one years or marry each one shall have seventy five dollars in cash to purchase a house bridle and saddle and fifty dollars in cash to be kept in money until the term or terms before named to them and their heirs and heirs forever.

ITEM 2nd. after my death it is my will that all my property both real and personal shall be sold by my executors and the ad. executor to make all lawful conveyance to the persons, and the proceeds of such sale together with the cash on hand, and all the cash that may be due me by notes or otherwise shall be collected by my executor if it can be done and after given off what is evised to my thre youngest children before named in the first item of this my last will all the balance of the proceeds of my estate shall be equally divided among all my chidren namely John Pedigo, Elizabeth Gossett, the wife of Henry Gossett, Martha Ann Mann, the wife of James Mann, George W. Pedigo, Elzy D. Pedigo and Louisa Jane Pedigo to them and their heirs forever hereby revoking all former wills by me make.

ITEM 3rd. I constitute and appoint Joseph Read my sole executor to execute and carry into effect this my last will and testament.

ITEM 4th. I direct the county court or any court this may come before not to demand any security whatever of my said executor Joseph Read his property standing bound for his faithful performance in executing this my last will and testament. In whitness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused my seal to be fixed this 16th day of January 1845.

ITEM 5th. Whereas my son Jesse acts disobedient with me at this and at otherwise believing he does not deserve an equal share with the balance of my children therefore my executor is to take fifty dollars out of the said Jesse Pedigo portion and divide it between my son John Pedigo and Sarah Bishop the wife of James B. Bishop twenty five dollars each witness this day and date in the fourth item.

[4] Lineage appliction, NSDAR, No. 578,804, Boles, Margaret Pedigo (Richey). Mrs. Boles provided family letters which named the wife of William Pedigo.

[5] I would like much more documentation on this ancestor. The existence of wife #2 is especially vague.

There is possibly information at the records of Barren Co KY Circuit Court, #1313; Elizabeth Pedigo v. William Pedigo 1845. This was part of a list of cases sent by Nancy Floyd, 1992, but a letter from Barren Co Court says these case numbers do not match their system.

[6] He married his cousin Frances Amanda Pedigo (1846-1929), a daughter of Elijah and Frances (Harper) Pedigo. Elijah was William’s half-brother.

[7] Several gedcoms at Ancestry.com appear to have confused him with cousins of the same name in Metcalfe and Warren Co KY. I believe this date is for a different man.

[8] 1850 Barren Co KY Roll Number 191. George W. age 23 Farmer. Mary age 21.

[9] Another man named George W Pedigo was the son of Thomas J and Lydia Elizabeth (Tanner) Pedigo, and married Lucy Cox. But according to gedcoms at Ancestry.com, he has same birthday as our George W. And a third George W Pedigo is also given the same birthday, but a few years later. Apparently the three men have been mixed up, and ours may have died before 1860. The death date given our George is the same as a George who died in Warren Co KY.

1870 Metcalfe Co KY, 44, with possible second wife, Lucy, 43, Mary B, 21, Marcella M, 19, William F, 18, Albert T, 16, Beedy A (f), 14, Tabitha A, 11, Robert S, 9, Emily F, 7, Ally G, 5, Eugenia E, 3, Lemuel H, 2 months. 1880, 53, with Lucy, 48, Robert S, 19, Emily F, 17, Alley E (m), 15, Eugene E (f), 14, Lemuel H, 11, Emil T, 6.

[10] Not Elzy Tanner Pedigo, another son of Thomas J and Lydia Elizabeth (Tanner) Pedigo, born 1833, died in Boone Co IN, 1914. He married first Permelia Shirley, 8 Apr 1858, Boone Co IN; she was born ca 1835 in Indiana. He next wed Jane Brandennberg (was she Moriah Jane Davis?). He also married third Artemesa Gill, 20 Oct 1903, Boone Co IN. In his 1900 census, Perry Township, Boone Co IN, Elza Pedigo was with Moriah Jane Davis; they said they had been married six years and that she was the mother of 12 children, eight of who were then living.

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