William McCORMACK

  General Notes:

Moved to Smith County, Tennessee by 1830.

Betty Ravenholt: On to Tennessee The court actions cited above clearly indicate that William McCormack, husband of Judith, died prior to 1842 . It is likely, however, that he died prior to the 1830s because signs of the removal of Judith and at least some of her children from Franklin County, Virginia, to Smith County, Tennessee, appear by 1830.

Family tradition has it that William, son of William and Judith, drove wagons or led parties "west" to Tennessee and beyond. Often-repeated family stories also tell of Mary McCormack, daughter of William and Judith, coming "down the river" or sometimes "in a wagon" from "ole Virginny" to Smith County with her child or children. Perhaps William came first to Tennessee as part of a group of migrating settlers and then returned to Virginia to bring his family west to lands in Smith County.

A William "McOrmac" is listed with five slaves in the 1820 census for Smith County, Tennessee ; but it is not likely that this is William, son of William and Judith. The William AMcCormick@ listed in the 1830 census of Smith County is, however, likely William son of Judith. He is listed as head of a household containing one male under 5 years of age [Tilman, son of Mary?], one male 10-15, one male 20-30 [William?], two females 15-20 [William's wife and Nancy?], one female 20-30 [Mary?], and one female 40-50 [Judith?].

The McCormacks seem to have settled on and around Buffalo Creek. In September 1839, William McCormack and John N. Rhodes of Smith County, Tennessee, deeded 68 1/2 acres to "Judy McCormack." A deed dated January 1, 1840, indicates that Judith McCormack purchased land from Samuel McClellin on Buffalo Creek. Nancy McCormack was one of the two witnesses to this deed. Also on January 1, 1840, a deed was recorded in which William McCormack transferred 5 acres "on Buffalo Creek" to Andrew McClellan. Deed Book 1, page 170, (November 6, 1848) records a transaction in which Abraham McCormack "of Indiana" sells to Mary Woodcock [Mary McCormack] of Smith County, Tennessee, 68 1/2 acres on Buffalo Creek bounded by land of Judith McCormack.

On the 29th of April, 1846, "a decree was rendered in the Circuit Court of Smith County in favor of Mary Woodcock [Mary McCormack], Abraham McCormack, Norris Rodes[Rhodes] and wife [Nancy McCormack], Michael Hutts & wife [Judith McCormack, daughter of William and Judith], Right [Wright] McCormack against William McCormack, Alfred Cauld & William Craighead for three hundred and seven dollars 0/100 after which decree applies & motion upon & from said Court on 15 January 1847 which on the same day came to the hand of John Bailey, Sheriff of Smith County, and was there livered in all the right title & interest of said William McCormack in and to a tract of land lying in Smith County on the waters of Buffalo Creek containing one hundred & fifty one acres more or less...."

When it came to land and to settling estates among themselves, the McCormacks appear to have been a rather litigious group. Law suits over land and debts to each other occurred through several generations.


Later Years No record has yet been found which indicates the date and place of death of Judith McCormack, wife of William McCormack. A Judea@ McCormack listed as head of a household in the 1840 census of Smith County is too young (30-40 years of age) to be the mother of William, Mary, Nancy, Abraham, Judith, Wright, John, and Frances. It is likely that Judith died during the 1840s since she does not appear as a principal in any McCormack land transactions after that time.

While it seems clear that William, Mary, and Nancy accompanied their mother Judith McCormack to Smith County from Virginia , William appears to have moved on from Smith County during the 1840s. Perhaps his several sales of land in the early 1840s indicate his preparation to move. Family tradition says that he went "west to St. Louis." In any event, he wrote a letter during the Civil War to his sister Mary in which he said that he had three sons and good crops.