William and Elizabeth DeCoursey/DeCourcey
1756-1841
From material submitted by Annette DeCourcy Towler to the Campbell County Historical & Genealogical Society in Alexandria. Updated June 5, 2009
William DeCoursey Sr. was born 24 May 1756 in Baltimore
County Maryland. This is according to
William's
military pension. Apparently he moved to Rowan County North Carolina,
because in the Land Entry Book 1778-1817 for Rowan County North Carolina, the
LDS film #019917 Entry #949 states-
"John Irwin enters 100acreas of land in Rowan County on the Fork of the Yadkin
bounded on the south side by Hunting Creek on the east by the Entry of said
Irwin on the North by Vacant land on the West by Lands of William Decouse
beginning at the Red Oak Corner at the West End on the Creek Bank" June 19 1778.
Also entry no. 2166 reads "William DCouse Enters 100 acres of Land in Rowan County in the forks of the Yadkin lying along on the North Side of an Entry made by Said DCourse April 23 1779."
He enlisted as a militia man in the North Carolina Militia at Rowan County, and then received Kentucky land as payment for his services. He first shows up in Campbell County on the 1795 Property Tax Index.
DNA results indicate that this William DeCourcy
has no connection to the DeCourcy family of Maryland or Denis Racer/DeCourcy
family of Harlem, NYC, NY/Dansville, PA. Spellings for DeCourcy in
Campbell County according to Campbell County Court
Records are both DeCoursey and DeCourcy. Kenton County & Pendleton Co.
DeCoursey's are related and use the spelling, DeCoursey. Hamilton Co. Ohio Dr.
DeCourcy's clinic are related and use the DeCourcy spelling as do the
Minnesota DeCourcy's.
William married Elizabeth Irvin about 1785 and had a son
William Jr. who was born 26 July 1786 in Kentucky. William married Martha
Frances Spillman, the daughter of
Frank Spilman
and Rebecca Erskine, on April 8, 1808 in Alexandria, Kentucky. William Jr.
died 29 May 1858 and was buried in the Old Licking Baptist Church Cemetery in
Cold Spring, but have not found the tombstone. This is according to the
Church records. William Sr. died in 1841.
Children of William DeCoursey and Martha Frances Spilman
1. Francis Orlando de Lile DeCoursey-1808 m-Mary Ann Holmes 27 May
1828
2. Oliver Miles
Decourcy-12 Jan 1811 m-1st Elisabeth Shaw, daughter of Robert Shaw and Margaret
Morin on 26 Oct 1837; m-2d Isabella ___ about 1845; m-3d Adelia Hamilton Ball,
daughter of Edward Porteus Ball and Janetta Davis on 23 Nov 1865; Oliver died 9
Dec 1889 and is buried in the Grandview Cemetery in Mentor; Adelia was born 12
July 1830 in Campbell County and died 11 Nov 1901 at the DeCoursey Farm and was
buried in the Grandview Cemetery.
3. Thomas W W DeCourcy-1812
4. Rebecca Ann DeCourcy-1814 m-Benjamin T Stiles 29 Oct 1831
5. Joel Henry Spilman DeCourcy-19 Jan 1817 m-Mary Ann Pierce 23 Feb 1848; became a
doctor; died 22 Aug 1856
6. James A DeCourcy-1820; m-Margaret Stillwell
7. Margaret I DeCourcy-1823 m-William Stillwell 25 Feb 1847
8. Hasseline DeCourcy-1831
9. Martha Frances DeCourcy-1835; d-1904 in Missouri
Children of Oliver Miles DeCourcy and
Elizabeth Shaw
1. Marsilla Gertrude -born 1842 m-Presbyterian Minsiter Rev. Garnett Adrian
Pollock, IL both buried in Milwaukee, WI
2. Elisabeth S (Maude) -born 1844 m William Henry Brownback, IL both buried in
Taylorville, IL
No children of Oliver Miles DeCourcy and Elizabeth Belt.
Children of Oliver Miles DeCourcy and Adelia Hamilton Ball (h1-Thomas L
Young)
1. Oliver Miles Jr.-born 11 May 1872 on the Ellis Farm in California Ky.
m-Catherine Emma Ellis 18 Oct 1896 and died 12 Nov 1952 in Redwood Falls,
Minnesota and both are buried in the Redwood Cemetery in Redwood Falls.