From the Blue Ridges to the Sandhills: The History of 4 North Carolina Families

The Family of Ambrose &
Mary Andrews Willey of
Alleghany County,
North Carolina

Ambrose Willey was born in September of 1821 in Ashe County, North Carolina. His parents were Andrew Willey and Mary Wolfe.

Andrew Willey, Sr. was born about 1792 in Virginia. His occupation was wheelwright. In 1810 and 1811, his name appeared in Grayson County, Virginia court records. By 1814 he was on a militia muster list across the state line, in Surry County, North Carolina. Afterward, he was on Surry County tax lists, and lived in the Allen settlement on the border of Surry and Wilkes counties. He married Mary Wolfe around 1814. Their children were Hezekiah, Ambrose, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Andrew, Jr. Mary Wolfe Willey passed away before 1836.

Andrew and his second wife, Rachel Isaacs, married about 1836. In the 1850 Ashe County census, they lived near his son Ambrose. Rachel was the daughter of Elisha Isaacs and Sarah Gentry. She was born 1794 in North Carolina. In 1860 Andrew and Rachel were in the Russell County census, living at Bickley's Mill. At his death in 1864, Andrew still lived in Russell County, Virginia. Rachel died November 01, 1870 in Russell County.

Mary Andrews was born circa 1824, in North Carolina. Her parents were Alfred Andrews and Patsy Hatfield. Mary married Ambrose Willey around 1841 and had twelve children over the next twenty-five years.

In 1870, Ambrose and Mary, called "Pollie," were farming in the Glade Creek section of Alleghany, the next county east of Ashe. They had nine children, ages 3-24, and Anders Staten, age 22, a domestic servant, lived with them. By 1880, only the youngest child, Sarah, remained.

Mary Andrews Willey died between 1891 and 1895, and was buried at Woodruff Primitive Baptist Church in Alleghany County, North Carolina, with an unmarked stone.

In the census of 1900, Ambrose had been married to a woman identified as Nancy J. for four years. Mary and Ambrose's daughter Susan and her husband William Wolf owned the farm where they lived in Alleghany County. Ambrose died circa 1900/1910 and was buried beside his first wife at Woodruff.

Children of Ambrose & Mary Andrews Willey:

Andrew Willey Born 1842, Alleghany County, NC.

Allen Willey Born 1843, died in battle, 3 May 1863, Chancellorsville, Virginia.

Thomas Ambrous Willey Born 7 Sep 1846, Ashe County, NC, Died 19 Apr 1926 in Baywood VA. He married Martha J. Carpenter.

Hezekiah Willey Born 1847, Spouse: Mary (Polly.)

Martha Willey Born 1848.

Nancy Willey Born 1850 in NC.

Margaret Jane Willey Born 10 Oct 1853 or 1858 in NC, died 19 Feb 1934 in Surry County, NC. Married Robert T. Oakley.

Julia Ann Willey Born 3 Oct 1854 in NC, died 12 Apr 1925 in Alleghany County, NC. She married Joshua McCray Crouse.

Frances Susan Willey Born 14 Jan 1856 in Ashe County NC, died 23 Aug 1927 in Alleghany County, NC. She married first Creed Carpenter and later, William H. Wolf.

Cynthia Caroline Willey Born 23 Oct 1860 in Alleghany County, NC, died 19 Mar 1906 in Alleghany County, NC. Caroline married a Benge.

Adeline Willey Born 19 Dec 1862 in Alleghany County, NC, died 22 May 1917 in Sparta, Alleghany County, NC. She married a Hudson.

Sarah Ellen Willey Born 4 Mar 1867 in Alleghany County, NC, Died 10 November 1958 in Denver, Colorado.

Sources:

Census Records

1850 United States Federal Census, Ashe County, North Carolina, Roll M432_620, p. 247.

1860 United States Federal Census, Russell County, Virginia; Roll M653_1376, p. 210.

1870 United States Federal Census, Glade Creek, Alleghany County, NC, Roll M593_1121, p. 274.

1880 United States Federal Census Record, Gap Civil, Alleghany County, NC, Roll T9_951, p. 261.

1900 United States Federal Census, Cherry Lane, Alleghany County, NC, Roll T623_1181, p. 6B.

1910 United States Federal Census, Cherry Lane, Alleghany County, NC, Roll: T624_1096, ED 10, p. 5B.

Other Records

Will of Andrew Willey Sr., Russell County Courthouse, Virginia, transcribed by Charleen Johnson, Bristol, VA.

Websites

Carolyn Spence, "Grave Marker Pictures," http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~willspnc/willey/grave.htm, accessed November 14, 2007.

Carolyn Willey Spence, "Index," http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~willspnc/, accessed November 14, 2007.

Jeff Weaver, "Grayson Countians in the Civil War," http://www.ls.net/~newriver/grcws-z.htm, accessed October 4, 2000.

From the Blue Ridges to the Sandhills: The History of 4 NC Families/Ambrose & Mary Andrews Willey
© 2001 by Glenda Alexander, updated January 2009        Standard copyright restrictions apply.