Kentucky Sams

William Sams, b. 1755 in Virginia, moved first to North Carolina, then (in about 1805) to Kentucky. He possibly settled first in Muhlenberg County (two of his sons married there), and then, possibly before the 1810 census, he moved on to Illinois. He and several of his sons moved back to Kentucky after the purchase of 1820 opened up the western part of the state for white settlement.
They bought land in Hickman County (part of which later became Ballard County).
William then apparently went back to Illinois, where he died in 1825.

Two of William's children are next ancestors -
Elizabeth, married John Deweese -
(their movements: North Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois - but probably not back to Kentucky)
David, married Nancy Smith -
(North Carolina, Kentucky, Illinois, Kentucky).

Elizabeth's grandson, Absalom, married David's daughter Elizabeth (at least that's the best guess at this time). They stayed in Kentucky until Elizabeth's death (after 1854), when Absalom moved to Indiana.

Ballard County formed 1842 from Hickman and McCracken; Carlisle formed from it in 1886
Ballard County 1850 census - transcription online thanks to Bob Kipke
137-137 J. Deweese 25 M Farmer Ky 1825
               L. 18 F Ky 1832
               R. 2/12 F Ky 1850
       I think this is Absalom's brother Isaac, who married Louisa Sams
210-210 E. Sams 29 M Farmer Ill 1821
              M. 28 F Ky 1822
              S. 10 F Ky 1840
             M. 6 F Ky 1844
             W. 3 M Ky 1847
             A. 10/12 M Ky 1850
             E. Deweese 20 M Farmer Ky 1830
             M. Deweese 12 F Ky 1838
     I think this is Eli Sams, who married Absalom's aunt, Mary Polly Deweese
     E Deweese is, I think, Elijah Deweese, Absalom's brother
     I think M Deweese is another sibling of Absalom's
211-211 D. Sams 61 M Farmer Nc 1789
              N. 40 F Ky 1810
              J. 22 M None Ill 1828
              N. 15 M Farmer Ky 1835
     I think this is David Sams, the father of Eli, AF, Uriah, Wiley, Garret, M Sams
     brother of Elizabeth Sams Deweese I ; probable father of Elizabeth Sams Deweese II
212-212 W. Sams 22 M Farmer Ill 1828
              M. 20 F Ky 1830
              J. M. 3 M Ky 1847
      I think this is Wiley Sams, son of David, brother of Eli and AF
329-329 G. Sams 20 M Farmer Ky 1830
               Mary 16 F Ky 1834
      I think this might be Garrett Sams, son of David, brother of Eli and AF
330-330 Wiley Sams 53 M Farmer Nc 1797
                Caroline 24 F Unk 1826
                Tolbert 18 M Farmer Ky 1832
                Wiley 14 M Ky 1836
                Sarah 12 F Ky 1838
                Hainworth 9 M Ky 1841
               Adonirem 7 M Ky 1843
               Hermon 4 M Ky 1846
               James Maberry 6 M Ky 1844
     I think this is Wiley Sams, brother of David (and Elizabeth Sams Deweese I)
335-335 James Deweese 30 M Farmer Ky 1820
                 Ann 19 F Ky 1831
                 Abijah 1 M Ky 1849
             Elizabeth 72 F Va 1778
            George Russle 22 M Farmer Ky 1828
      I think this is James Deweese, Absalom's uncle, with his wife Ann Oliphant and his mother Elizabeth Sams Deweese I (who married John Deweese)
336-336 Martha Masters 50 F Ky 1800
                  Jackson 31 M Farmer Ky 1819
                  Wilson 22 M Farmer Ky 1828
                  Faubin 19 M Farmer Ky 1831
                 Elizabeth 17 F Ky 1833
                 Sarah Masters 7 F Ky 1843
                 Jackson 5 M Ky 1845
     I think this is Martha Deweese Masters, Absalom's aunt, daughter of John and Elizabeth Sams Deweese I
337-337 Morgan Deweese 34 M Farmer Ky 1816
                 Elisa 30 F Ky 1820
                 Minerva 9 F Ky 1841
                Sarilda 7 F Ky 1843
     I think this is Morgan Deweese, son of John and Elizabeth Sams Deweese I, who married Elisa Harper.
343-343 A. F. Sams 25 M Farmer Ill 1825
              Jane 31 F Ky 1819
              Napoleon 3 M Ky 1847
              Leander 1 M Ky 1849
              Virgil Davis 9 M Ky 1841
              Sally 8 F Mo 1842
             Mary Gunn 59 F Nc 1791
             John Cooper 22 M Laborer Ala 1828
             Wm. Deweese 22 M Laborer Ky 1828
             Nancy Hunter 15 F Ky 1835
            Garete Deweese 18 M Laborer Ky 1832
      AF Sams is the son of David Sams; David Sams is the brother of Elizabeth Sams Deweese I..
      William Deweese is the son of Henry and Amelia Hudson Deweese, brother of Absalom.
      Garrett Deweese is also the son of Henry and Amelia.
669-669 Absalom Deweese 33 M Farmer Ky 1817
                 Elizabeth 34 F Ky 1816
                 Nancy 9 F Ky 1841
                William 5 M Ky 1845
                Ann 2 F Ky 1848
                Tolbert 14 M Ky 1836
                Nancy 15 F Ky 1835
     Son of Henry and Amelia. Husband of Elizabeth Sams - who may be daughter of David Sams. Tolbert and Nancy are his brother and sister.
678-678 Rice Sams 24 M Miller Ky 1826
               Catherine 23 F Va 1827
               Thompson 3 M Ky 1847
              Sarah 1 F Ky 1849
     Son of Wiley Sams (brother of David and Elizabeth Sams Deweese) Wiley = son of William and Martha.
765-765 Lewis Sams (black) 66 M Farmer Va 1784
        Tena (black) 66 F Va 1784
        Polly (black) 22 F Ky 1828
        Lewis (mulatto) 9 M Ky 1841
        Mary (mulatto) 5 F Ky 1845
        Elijah (mulatto) 5 M Ky 1845
        Samuel (mulatto) 2 M Ky 1848
        Jane (mulatto) 2 F Ky 1848
        Mike Leonard (mulatto) 52 M Laborer Tenn 1798
Elias and Lewis were slaves brought from Virginia and North Carolina by William Sams (b. 1755). Illinois was free state, but law was passed saying settlers could keep slaves until they were 35, then they would be free IF they agreed to indenture themselves.
Lewis was freed when he went to Kentucky with William (Hickman Co Deed Book - deed of Emancipation, Lewis Sams1824). He freed his wife Lena and their infant child Dolly - purchased them from Joseph Montgomery (stepson of William's son William) June 2, 1824. Lewis and Elias were the progenitors of the large black colony of Sams in Ballard Co, Ky.

Ballard County, Kentucky census of 1860 / Don Simmons. (Melber, Ky. : Simmons Historical Publications, 1987.)
      75-75 Sams, AF 33 farmer Il
                          Abergilla J 39
                          Napoleon B 13/ Andrew J/ Oliver W 8/ Henry 4/ Nancy V 3
                // Mary Guinn 66// Davis, Virgil 18 fh/ ann 16 - all Ky
      76-76 Sams, Elim 38 Il
                         Mary 36 In
                         Uriah 13/ Absalom 9/ Mary 6/ Garnette 5m/ Milla 1 all Ky//
                 Holder, James 28 fh NC/ Laura Ky
      80-80 Sams, Wiley Jr 24/ Catherine 24/ Leroy W 5/ Martha J 2/12 all Ky
      82-82 Sams, Hainsworth 29 fh/ Elizabeth 18/ Ven H S 9m - all Ky
      83-83 Sams, Wiley Sr 63 farmer NC/ Tolbert 28 fh/ AH m fh/ Cloths m 13 - all Ky
      85-85 Sams ZH 30 m farmer/ Mary 22/ Unsull Elisha 23/ Manerva 19/ Silvester C 9/12 - all Ky
                    Covey, Matthew 19 Ireland
     673-651 Sams, Lewis 85 b farmer Ky/ Tener 85 b Tn/ Dilly 30 b
                          Luke 18 mulatto/ Elijah 14/ Samuel 12/ Mary 14/ Jane 11/ John 9/ William 5/ Solomon J 3 / Thos M 1 - all mulatto, all Ky
      748-726 Rudd, Jesse C 65 Va/ Rody M 18/ Almedy Ky
Sams, Catherine T 32 Va/ Hesekiah 12 m/ Mildred A 11/ Eugenia A 8 all Ky?

Ballard County, Ky., cemeteries. (Wickliffe, Ky. : Ballard-Carlisle Historical & Genealogical Society, c1989)
               1904 Eddie Sams - Wickliffe, sec 2
               Fannie Sams, w/o George L 28 Sep 1870- 27 Sep 1879- Harrison Hughes Cem

Sprague, Stuart. Kentuckians in Missouri : including many who migrated by way of Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois. (Baltimore, Md. : Genealogical Pub. Co., c1983)
Ky county      name of Ky migrant       his birthdate parents dob/pob                     Ms county date
Ballard           Jehoida H Held             8 Sep 1852 Peter/Lurana Sams Switz/x      Pulaski 1856
Garrard         Alexander F Stevens      5 Aug 1828 John L/Mary Sams                 Monroe 1838

Butler County formed 1810 from Logan and Ohio
Butler County, Kentucky marriages, 1810-1865 ( Hopkins County Genealogical Society. Madisonville, Ky. : The Society, 1974.)
      p. 5 - Sep 7, 1814 David Sams - Nancy Smith 11 Sep 1814 R. Morrison
                                 consent male guardian Cader Arundell
Butler County, Kentucky : a history of Butler County, Kentucky and its people : Butler County, Kentucky history / [edited by Lois Russ] (Morgantown, Ky. : Butler County Historical andGenealogical Society, 1987)
        Daniel Reiner's 2nd marriage to Cassandra Sams 22 Jan 1850
               Cassandra b. 29 July 1829 - Ky d. 7 Aug 1855
               parents Uriah Sams and Sally

Christian Countyformed 1796 from Logan; Henderson, Livingston, Muhlenburg Counties formed from it in 1798; Todd (1819) and Trigg (1820) also formed from it.
Marriage records, Christian County, Kentucky / Cordelia C. Gary. ([Hopkinsville? Ky.] : C.C. Gary., 1970.)
          Sams, William - Margaret Tucker - lic 18 Aug 1814, marr 21 Aug 1814 - by Benjamin Lacy

Cumberland formed 1798 from Green; Wayne 1800, Monroe 1820, Russell 1825, Clinton 1836, Metcalfe 1860 formed from it.
Cumberland County, Kentucky, deed records : abstract and index / compiled by Laura Lee Butler and Randolph N. Smith.( Burkesville, Ky. : Leeran Publishers, c1975.)
        90 James Sams and wife Charlotte (Ware) 1821 May 23
        289 John E King comm to James H Neeley; J.H. Neeley v. children & heirs of James Sams, Gentry Sams & George Smith dec land 1852
        445 JM Boles comm for Susan Tweedy, Almarine Tweedy & Sarah Kerr, Elizabeth Sams, John Sams . . . to John Smith land on Mud Camp Creek 1866
Cumberland County survey records / compiled by Laura Lee Butler and Randolph N. Smith. (Burkesville, Ky. : Leeran Publishers, c1975)
      91 - John Hicks, assignee of John Sam, 50 a Sulphur Creek 14 Aug 1816 - A 430
           - Nicholas O. Murray, as of John Sams, ditto
      92 - Abraham Potter, as of James Sams, as of Warren Sams 100 a
      126 Seth Williams, as of James Sams . . . 50 a Balsey Branch 1820
      141 as of James Sams 1823
      163 as. of James Sams 1826

Hickman formed 1821 from Caldwell and Livingston; Calloway, Graves 1821, McCracken 1824, Ballard 1842, Fulton 1845 formed from it.
1830 census listings
      1830 Kentucky - Hickman 013 - John Deweese 011110001 // 0111 001 (m Elizabeth Sams)
      1830 Hickman -  Sams, David 21100001//012001
      1830 Hickman -  Sams Wiley 300001//01001
1840 census listings
     1840 Kentucky Hickman 344 - John Deweese 0001200001   010110001 (m Elizabeth Sams)
     1840 Kentucky Hickman 351/2 David 0121001 (40/50) 0101001
              1840 Kentucky Hickman 344 Absalom Deweese - 1m, 1f 20-30 - Absalom & Elizabeth Sams
              1840 Kentucky Hickman 351/2 ES Sams 00001 100100
      1840 Hickman - Sams Wiley 2231001//110101
Marriage bonds, Hickman County, Kentucky, 1822-1845 / collected and published by
Fulton Genealogical Society. ( Fulton, Ky. : the Society, 1977) Marriage Bonds - 1822-1846 - Hickman Co, Ky (two different pamphlets)
         Deweese, Polly - Eli Ely Sams 10 Nov 1838
         Sams Elijah - Luvanah (Lauranah) Hall - 27 Oct (28 Nov) 1834 - David Hall consenter?
                  Eli - Polly Deweese - 10 Nov 1838
                  Mary Ann - Henry P. Melton - 19 Oct 1840
                  Nathaniel - Malenda Elliott 11 (10) Oct 1836 Wiley Sams consenter
                 Sally - Thompson (first name) Stone 18 Aug 1828
                 Tolbert - Louvana Sams 12 May 1837
                 Arena - John P Broach 16 Mar 1840
Simmons, Don. Hickman County, Ky. tax lists 1825-26-27-28-29.(Melber, Ky. : Simmons Historical Publications, 1988)

Muhlenberg formed 14 Dec 1798 from Christian and Logan; McLean 1854 formed from it.
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, marriages, 1799-1836 / transcribed and typed by Brenda Collier Doss. (Utica, KY : McDowell Publications, c1987.)
      Sams, Rice - E. Biggerstaff - 6 Nov 1808 - 125 - 54
                Thomas - Sally Boren - Oct 1807 - 2 - 54
      Sands, Uriah - Sally Engler 30 Oct 1828 - 859-72

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page last updated 10 September 2004