Individual Details
William PICKENS
(Abt 1705 - Aft 19 Nov 1783)
This family remains in disarray. We do know that William Gabriel was a widower when he married Ann SCOTT. And through out the family records there is referrals to Nancy CRAIG. In REVEREND JOHN CRAIG, by Lillian Kennerly Craig, pb 1963 by Accurate Letter Company, New Orleans, LA, there is no mention of a CRAIG-Pickens relationship. It is very possible that William married Nancy in Pennsylvania had children and that Nancy may have died in Pennsylvania or Virginia. The dates for the children listed are mostly guessed as are the locations. It may be that Nancy was the undiscovered daughter of Taliaferro and Mary Hawkins CRAIG or it is possible the she with William CRAIG landed in Chester Co Pennsylvania.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks to researching this family is the name William. According to Nellie Pickens Anderson's, THE JOHN PICKENS FAMILY, pb 1951 and edited by Elizabeth SHUE, 1981. "In 1768 ABRAHAM PICKENS had a wife whose maiden name was ANN OLIVER;" This would lead us to believe that William Pickens, whose wife was ANN OLIVER used his middle name frequently rather than that of WILLIAM. Which would also mean that one of the reasons for the confusion and the loss by Sharp and DAY of William's family was because of William's use of the name Abraham.
We know by material from Day and Sharp that William Gabriel married a Ann Oliver. This was confirmed through other material from the Oliver line. What is not sure is WHY William Gabriel also used the name Abraham.
There may possible be a name confusion by different line researchers. There is a possibility that William Gabriel and WilliamAbraham are one in the same. OR! There stands a chance that William Abraham was a different person, of the same age, and probably born in Pennsylvania. If this line of thought is true, then William Abraham may very well be the son of Israel Pickens who stayed and raised his family in Lancaster Co Pennsylvania. jcp1997
There is more Craig information to pour through, but until that time arrives I will leave the connection between these two marriages.jcp1994
pg 128 PICKENS FAMILIES OF THE SOUTH E.M. Sharp, pb 1963 Memphis TN "WILLIAM PICKENS whose origin is at present unknown, obtained land in Mecklenburg County, N.C. in 1767. This is where the curtain raises on him. That he was closely related to the other Pickens outlined in this book we have no doubt. Various Genealogist in the family have made him to be the son of JOHN and ELEANOR PICKENS, SR. , others a son of JOHN PICKENS and JEAN SCOTT, others have stated his wife was NANCY CRAIG. None of these claims have been substantiated beyond question. He died in or about 1818 in Mecklenburg County. His will was signed on May 12, 1804, to which he added a codicil Feb. 2, 1810. There is no mention of his wife in the will. In his will he named: Son, ALEXANDER PICKENS...Son: SAMUEL PICKENS...: Son in law, JOHN MORRISON...mentions three daughters (not named) "Now single". The census of 1790 shows him with two sons under 16, and 3 females. His known children are:
1. Margaret Pickens -b. 1773 -m. John Morrison
2. Alexander Pickens -b. 1775 -m. Margaret McLarty
3. Samuel Pickens -b. 1777 -m. Eleanor Kirkpatrick.
4. Mary (Polly) Pickens =-b. 1778 -d. Jan 1854
5. Elizabeth Pickens -d. 1827, buried at Spears graveyard near Rocky
River.
6. Daughter mentioned, but not named, in his will.
1999 dec 22; I think that there may be a conflict here between a William Gabriel in Virginia and the William Gabriel in North Carolina.
One of the biggest stumbling blocks to researching this family is the name William. According to Nellie Pickens Anderson's, THE JOHN PICKENS FAMILY, pb 1951 and edited by Elizabeth SHUE, 1981. "In 1768 ABRAHAM PICKENS had a wife whose maiden name was ANN OLIVER;" This would lead us to believe that William Pickens, whose wife was ANN OLIVER used his middle name frequently rather than that of WILLIAM. Which would also mean that one of the reasons for the confusion and the loss by Sharp and DAY of William's family was because of William's use of the name Abraham.
We know by material from Day and Sharp that William Gabriel married a Ann Oliver. This was confirmed through other material from the Oliver line. What is not sure is WHY William Gabriel also used the name Abraham.
There may possible be a name confusion by different line researchers. There is a possibility that William Gabriel and WilliamAbraham are one in the same. OR! There stands a chance that William Abraham was a different person, of the same age, and probably born in Pennsylvania. If this line of thought is true, then William Abraham may very well be the son of Israel Pickens who stayed and raised his family in Lancaster Co Pennsylvania. jcp1997
There is more Craig information to pour through, but until that time arrives I will leave the connection between these two marriages.jcp1994
pg 128 PICKENS FAMILIES OF THE SOUTH E.M. Sharp, pb 1963 Memphis TN "WILLIAM PICKENS whose origin is at present unknown, obtained land in Mecklenburg County, N.C. in 1767. This is where the curtain raises on him. That he was closely related to the other Pickens outlined in this book we have no doubt. Various Genealogist in the family have made him to be the son of JOHN and ELEANOR PICKENS, SR. , others a son of JOHN PICKENS and JEAN SCOTT, others have stated his wife was NANCY CRAIG. None of these claims have been substantiated beyond question. He died in or about 1818 in Mecklenburg County. His will was signed on May 12, 1804, to which he added a codicil Feb. 2, 1810. There is no mention of his wife in the will. In his will he named: Son, ALEXANDER PICKENS...Son: SAMUEL PICKENS...: Son in law, JOHN MORRISON...mentions three daughters (not named) "Now single". The census of 1790 shows him with two sons under 16, and 3 females. His known children are:
1. Margaret Pickens -b. 1773 -m. John Morrison
2. Alexander Pickens -b. 1775 -m. Margaret McLarty
3. Samuel Pickens -b. 1777 -m. Eleanor Kirkpatrick.
4. Mary (Polly) Pickens =-b. 1778 -d. Jan 1854
5. Elizabeth Pickens -d. 1827, buried at Spears graveyard near Rocky
River.
6. Daughter mentioned, but not named, in his will.
1999 dec 22; I think that there may be a conflict here between a William Gabriel in Virginia and the William Gabriel in North Carolina.
Events
| Birth | Abt 1705 | Ireland |  | ||
| Death | Aft 19 Nov 1783 | Montgomery County, MS | |||
| Death | Aft Nov 1783 | Montgomery County, VA | |
Families
| Father | William Henry PICKIN (1670 - 1750) |
| Mother | Margaret PIKE (1672 - 1750) |
| Sibling | Israel PICKIN (1693 - 1749) |
| Sibling | Robert Pike PICKIN (1697 - 1793) |
| Sibling | Lucy PICKIN (1700 - 1762) |
| Sibling | Anne PICKIN (1702 - 1750) |
| Sibling | Colonel Andrew PICKIN (1707 - 1756) |
| Sibling | John PICKIN (1708 - ) |
| Sibling | Margaret PICKIN (1716 - ) |
| Sibling | Gabriel PICKIN (1720 - ) |
Endnotes
1. ourf.ged.
2. ourf.ged.