Person:William Ralston (15)

Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Land Grant Surveys in Virginia:

• Land Grant Survey: Page 10 - Mathew and William Ralston, 20 acres, Mossy Creek. Adjoining their own land. March 27, 1761. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 4].

• Land Grant Survey: Page 119 - William Ralston, 110 acres, Mossey Creek. Adjoining Samuel McFeeters, and his own land. June 16, 1768. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 43].

Will of William Ralston

• Page 32.--19th March, 1810. William Ralston's will--"Infirmities natural to old age"; to wife; daughter, Betsey, and sons, William and David; to daughter, Eleanor; sons, James and Mathew; daughter. Sally; to son, George; to Betsey Williams and David; daughter, Betsey. Teste: James A. McCue, Samuel Ralston. Executors, wife; sons, James, William, David. Proved, 24th June, 1811. William and David qualified.

[Note: some sources claim that William's wife was named Elizabeth "Betsy", but after close examination of his will (listed below), it does not name her, but she is named as "Rosanna" in other Augusta County records].

Records of William Ralston in Augusta County

• 1758. John Elliott complains, 4th November, 1758, that he suspects Rosanna Ralston, wife of William Ralston, of having stolen from him.

• Land Grant Survey: Page 200 - Samuel Rolston, 168 acres, Mossey Creek. Adjoining John McCoy, William Rolston. July 17, 1772. [Abstract of Land Grant Surveys, 1761-1791, Augusta & Rockingham Counties, Virginia, by Peter Cline Kaylor, pg. 72].

• Page 376.--(18th August, 1778.) On the Wet Stone Draft of Mossey Creek. Teste: Jas. McVey, Moses Sample, William Ralston.

• Page 363.--20th September, 1786. John Brooks, Jr., and Ann ( ) to John Emmett, of Pennsylvania. Delivered: John Emmett, 21st January, 1790, part of plantation John Brooks, Sr., now lives on. Page 367.--Teste: William Ralston, William Henry, William Houston.

• Page 453.--Broad Spring Branch. Teste: John Gardner, Wm. Ralson, Richard ( ) Cairn.

• Page 362.--15th September, 1789. John Ralston, of Fayette County, Kentucky, appoints his brother William Ralston his attorney to receive demand and sue for debts and give receipts and sell a tract of land. Teste: Wiliam and Henry Ralston, Wm. Hind.

Information on William Ralston

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~bloxsom/ralston%20family/ralgen1-.htm

6. William Roulston b. c. 1740, Augusta Co., VA, m. Nov 01 1761, in Augusta Co., VA, Rosanna (?) _____. William died c. 1811, Augusta Co., VA. Rosanna: On March 1758: "William Ralston required to give bond to provide sufficiently for his family." On Nov 04 1758: Rosanna Ralston, wife of William Ralston, is suspected of stealing." On Nov 16 1758: Rosanna Ralston and her husband William Ralston, being persons of ill-fame, are bound to peace." - [Src: Augusta Co. VA Court Records, 1745-1800, Vol. 1, p 324+] (Not a positive identification, but worth considering.-KBW).

Children:

i Betsey Rolston. Altho' Betsey is named in her Father's will, she is not one of the children named in the Grantor Records. May have died prior to 1829.

ii William Rolston.

iii David Rolston m. Elisabeth _____.

iv Elenor Rolston m. Jul 14 1788, in Augusta Co., VA, James Rutledge. Marriage information may not be for this Elenor, but the years/dates seem to fit, and there is no other information for her.

v James Rolston. Rockingham Co. Tax List - 1787, List B shows a James Ralston: 1 wh male +16,-21; no blacks; 7 horses, mules,etc.; 24 head of cattle; and son Robert. [Staunton Public Library]

vi Matthew Rolston.

vii Sarah ("Salley") Rolston m. 1803, John Herdman. Named in will of William Roulston (Sr.) dated Mar 19 1820; referred to as "Sarah Hirdman." [Src: Augusta Co., VA Wills, Staunton VA.]

viii George Rolston.

From Ancestry.com post:

ARMSTRONG, RALSTON, RUTLEDGE posted by Eileen Worthington on Wednesday, January 28, 1998

Looking for the following family: Edward RUTLEDGE, b. 1725 Tyrone Co., Ireland-migrated to Augusta Co., VA and believed to have died there Feb 18, 1787. His wife was Sarah ARMSTRONG, b. abt. 1730, August Co., Va. Their son was James Enos RUTLEDGE, b.1768, August Co., VA, mar. Eleanor RALSTON, dau. of William RALSTON. Eleanor was born 1770, Augusta Co., VA. James and Eleanor later migrated to Fulton Co., IL. Other siblings of James include George, Sarah, Rebecca, Rosanna, Lucy, and Mary, all born in Augusta Co., VA.

1758. John Elliott complains, 4th November, 1758, that he suspects Rosanna Ralston, wife of William Ralston, of having stolen from him.

1761. William Preston's entries, 18th February, 1761: three tracts of 400 acres each between David Cloyd, James Johnson, William Ralston, a survey for John Mills and David Miller, William Ermstrong and said Preston's land, whereon Rentfro formerly lived; also 400 on a branch of Craig's Creek, above Jacob Patton's old place, known by the name of the Mill Place.