The Willey families of western North Carolina , and southwest Virginia, ca. 1800.

We are rounding up members of this family to further the genealogy on the origins of this family. We are sure that all the families are related, but we aren't quite sure how. Here is what is known so far:

Andrew Willey

Andrew Willey Sr. was born about 1792 in Virginia. He was probably in Grayson County, VA in 1810 because he appears, with 2 polls, on a tax list. His name appears in 1811 court records in Grayson County. He next appears in the adjoining county of Surry, NC in a 1814 Muster list. He appears from 1816-1822 in Surry County tax lists, but owned no property. He lived in the Allen settlement of Surry/Wilkes County. It is thought that he married first, Mary Wolfe ca. 1814, then Rachel Isaacs, ca. 1832.

Andy, as he was known, may have lived in Russell Co. VA in 1840. Andrew sold 100 acres of land to Chesley Cheek in Ashe Co. NC in 1846. He and wife Rachel were in the 1850 Ashe Co. NC census living near his son Ambrose Willey. Andy & Rachel moved to Russell County, VA to Bickley's Mill and are in the 1860 census record. Andrew Willey Sr. died in Russell Co. VA in 1864. His profession was that of a wheelwright. His wife Rachel survived him many years.

Andrew's children Ambrose(1821), Hezekiah(1815), and possibly Elizabeth Willey(1824), stayed in North Carolina in the counties of Surry, and Alleghany, while his son Andrew Jr.(1837), and daughter Mary(1831), resided in Russell Co. VA. The whereabouts of daughter Margaret (1838)are unknown. To see a list of Andrew's descendants, click here. Andrew

Christley Willey

In Surry Co. NC census records, Christley indicated that he was born about 1796 in VA. It is thought that Christley was a younger brother of Andrew Willey. Christley also lived in the Allen Settlement and married Margaret Snow in 1821. He appears on the 1822 Surry Co. NC tax list. Christley & Margaret had several children, and as far as known, Christley's family remained in Surry County, NC.

Click here for Christley's known descendants. Christley

Mary Willey Spurlin

It is thought that John Spurlin's wife was named Mary Willey. Mary was born 1785-1795 and married John Spurlin about 1809. She died in Ashe County, NC about 1841.

If in fact she was a Willey, and not a Wiley, she was very likely a sister to the Willey men of Ashe & Alleghany County . John & Mary Spurlin's children were:

Nancy Jane Spurlin born 1810-1820. Married 1. Bill Blevins, 2. Josiah Blevins

Andrew Jackson Spurlin born 1817 married Nancy Crouse.

Daniel N. Spurlin born about 1825, married Nancy Whitehead before 1846.

William Spurlin born about 1830, married Frances Toliver before 1851.

Kessiah Spurlin born about 1834.

Parmelia Spurlin born about 1840, married 1. Senter Fender, 2. Nicholas McKnight.

Eli Spurlin born 1841, married Charity Moxley.

Samuel Willey

Samuel Willey is first found in the 1840 Ashe Co. NC census records. He was born about 1803 in North Carolina, and married Sarah Crouse. Samuel had several children with Sarah, then after her death, Samuel married Matilda Waggoner Holbrook, with whom he had several more children, 14 in total.

Samuel lived in Alleghany Co. NC, and is buried there. Click for Samuel's descendants. Samuel

Levi Willey

Levi is also found in the 1850 Ashe Co. NC census, and is thought to be a brother to Samuel. Levi was born about 1811/1812 in NC. He married Nancy Billings in 1850 in Ashe County, but he had been married prior to 1850 because he had 3 daughters born in the 1840's, still at home in 1850. After Nancy's death, Levi married the widow Martha Fender Choate. Levi was prosperous and had vast land holdings, and recorded many deeds and loans to family and neighbors. Levi resided in Alleghany Co. NC. Click here for Levi's descendants. Levi

??? & Katherine Willey

A family tradition within Samuel's family is that Samuel's father, was a Hessian soldier, who was captured at the Battle of Georgetown ( Yorktown ?), in the Revolution. He joined the struggle for freedom as a soldier for the Americans, after taking the oath of allegiance. He is said to have fought for 7 years against his former comrades, the British. After the War, he spent 7 more years fighting Indians on the frontier. He married Catherine , a young woman who had been captured by Indians, but later freed, and raised by the Pennsylvania Dutch in Pennsylvania.

No records can be found on Samuel's father, but Levi Willey's marriage license states that his mother was "Katie" and indeed , Katie lived with Levi's family until her death. Her tombstone in Alleghany Co. NC, states that she was 111 years old at her death.

The only marriage record found so far in Pennsylvania for a Katherine occured in Christ's Church, PA in 1786 between Robert Willey and Catherine Dean.

There was a James Willey of the KY Volunteers that served on the frontier of KY for many years. His pay vouchers still exist, but no land grants or other information has been found. The KY Volunteers were so named because they were defending the new territory of Kentucky. Many resided in the counties of Virginia that bordered the new territory. Russell County, VA was one of those counties.

Please e-mail us if you have any information on these families ! We are also actively seeking other descendants...mailto:Spencetop@aol.com..