David "Lonesome Dave" Williams

1776 - 1863  (87 years)

• Name	David "Lonesome Dave" Williams
  Birth	1776	Montgomery Co., VA
  Gender	Male
  Death	1863	Burial: Cirtsville, Raleigh Co., (West) VA
  Person ID	I6432	forneyclark
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2026

  
  

  Family	Elizabeth "Betsy" McGriff,   b. 1781, of Sinking Creek, VA d. 4 Oct 1858, Burial: Cirtsville, Raleigh Co., (West) VA (Age 77 years)
  Marriage	16 Nov 1801	Knox Co., TN
  Children	1. Lewis Williams,   b. 1812, Raleigh Co., (West) VA d. 1 Aug 1876, Raleigh Co., (West) VA (Age 64 years)
  Family ID	F2567	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	10 Jun 2026

  
  

• Notes

  ******** Source: SEE NYLA CREED DEPAUK'S SITE FOR COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES: http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nylasgenealogy/genepg1.html http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nylasgenealogy/WilliamsEtc.html Welcome to my Genealogy Room!: Copyrighted by Nyla Creed DePauk: Photo albums of Sebert Toney, Jr., and Nila Dubas: Name ******** Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvraleig/ http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvraleig/clippings/Williams1.html Part of WVGenWeb Raleigh County Coordinator: Gracie Stover Raleigh Co. Archivist: Jeannie Watts WVRALEIG-L Listowner: Gracie Stover WVGenWeb State Coordinators: Lesley Shockey, Valerie Forren Crook From the Beckley Herald Bicenteniel Edition, 26 Aug 1950 Contributed by: Nyla Creed DePauk: Dates & place ******** Source: SEE JAMIE WOOD'S SITE FOR COMPREHENSIVE INFORMATION AND REFERENCES: http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=jamiekwood&id=I00419 Jamie's Family - Paternal: Jamie Wood: ID: I00419 Name: David "Lonesome Dave" Williams Sex: M ALIA: "Lonesome /Dave"/ Birth: 1776 in Montgomery Co, VA Death: 18 SEP 1860 in Cirtsville, Fayette Co, VA (now Raleigh Co, WV) of dropsy Note: David "Lonesome Dave" Williams was born in Doe Creek, Giles County, VA and died in Cirtsille, WV. He was one of the first settlers of Upper Paint Creek. As a young man, Dave was a hunter and trapper. He served as an ensign in the Second Battalion of Augusta County, VA by the time he was 17 in 1793 and 1794. On 16 Nov 1801, he married Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" McGriff, the daughter of Thomas and Susan (Atkins) McGriff. When very young, Mary and two of her brothers were carried off by Indians. Dave found them in now Nickels County, WV and talked the Indians into giving them up to him. He returned them to their parents in Montgomery County, VA, now Sinking Creek, Monroe County, WV. He first settled on Maple Fork in about 1811 but later moved to Dothan near Mossy in Fayette County. He served in the War of 1812 and held many acres of land granted for his services. David and Mary lived in Giles County until about 1830 and then moved to Fayette County (now Raleigh Co), WV. Dave died of dropsy at the age of 84, and Mary of dropsy at the age of 77. They are buried in the Williams Cemetery at Cirtsville in Raleigh County, WV. At least two accounts exist of how "Lonesome" got his nickname. The first account is from Lara M. Blake, a Fayette County historian and school teacher. According to this account, "Lonesome Dave" got his nickname from the habit he had of continuously whistling some lonesome melody. He became so well know by this name that he used it himself. "Lonesome Dave" even placed his money in the bank under that name according to Mr. David Stewart. The second account of how the name "Lonesome" came about was Dave supposedly obtained the name during the Revolutionary War. According to this account, he was a healthy young man full of spirit, song and dry humor, and often when the soldiers would get "blue and low" he would boast in a loud voice, I guess the folks back home are lonesome for Dave". As a result, his companions called him "Lonesome Dave". Mr. James R. Pettry points out that this is misleading since Dave was born ca 1776, which was during the American Revolutionary War period. It is possible, if this event actually happened, it was during the War of 1812. Both accounts of how the nickname originated are interesting; however, we will probably never know the true origin of his nickname. Father: Jeremiah Williams b: 1750 in possibly Wales Mother: Mary Garst b: 1750 in Germany Marriage 1 Mary Elizabeth "Betsy" McGriff b: 1781 in Sinking Creek, Montgomery Co, VA (now WV) Married: 16 NOV 1801 in Knox Co, TN Children John Williams , Sr. b: 10 SEP 1802 in TN Thomas Williams b: 1804 in OH Mary "Polly" Williams b: 1806 in VA Elizabeth Williams b: 1808 Patrick "Padd" Williams b: 1810 in VA Lewis Williams b: 1812 in Raleigh Co, VA(WV) Sarah "Sally" Williams b: 1814 in VA Henry Daniel Williams b: 1815 in VA Margaret "Peggy" Williams b: 1815 in VA James Williams b: OCT 1817 Malinda Leanna Williams b: 1821 in Clear Creek, Logan Co, VA Allen Williams b: 10 MAR 1825 in VA Wilson Williams b: 1828 in Kanawha Co, VA ********