Some show the birth year as 1746. However, William Davidson was presented for baptism at Tinkling Spring Church (Beverly Manor, Virginia) by his father Samuel Davidson in 1747. He also has been given by some the middle name Lee, which most researchers agree is incorrect and most likely results from confusing him with General William Lee Davidson.
Only James Davidson has been confirmed as a child of the William Davidson of this entry. Other researchers show additional children: John Davidson (1779-1875); Matilda C. Davidson (1795-1871); Massieth Jones Davidson; Sally Davidson; and William Lee Davidson. Researchers should not repeat the names of these children blindly.
Historian F. A. Sondley states that:
[The Colonel William Davidson of this entry] was a relative of Gen. William Davidson, who succeeded Griffith Rutherford in the generalship when the latter was captured at Camden and who was killed on February 1, 1781, at Cowan's Ford of the Catawba River in attempting to prevent Lord Cornwallis from crossing with his army. Colonel William Davidson was also a relative of the Samuel Davidson who was killed by the Indians as above stated, and of Major William Davidson, a brother of Samuel and who with his brother-in-law, John Alexander, and his nephew, James Alexander, son of his sister Rachel, and with Daniel Smith, a son-in-law, became among the first settlers in Buncombe County. The portion of it where Major Davidson settled was then in Burke County at the mouth of Bee Tree. See: Asheville and Buncombe County, F. A. Sondley (1922) at 87.
Exactly how this Colonel William Davidson was a relative (some claim a cousin) of Major William Davidson (1736-1814) and General William Lee Davidson (1746-1781) is unknown.
Unconfirmed sources gives his father as a Samuel Davidson, and give his life dates as 1746/1747 (Augusta County, Virginia) to 15 April 1813 (Lancing, Morgan County, Tennessee, where he purportedly is buried in the Davidson family cemetery). Lancing was called Kismet until 1894. However, his grave marker shows a death date of 16 April 1828.
Colonel William Davidson, who lived on the south side of Swannanoa, just below the later town of Biltmore was a member from Rutherford County of the North Carolina House of Commons and introduced a bill to create the County of Buncombe. Afterwards that county was organized at his home and he became in 1792 its first State Senator. He was born in Virginia and was a cousin of Major William Davidson and General William Davidson. He became quite distinguished and influential in the State of Tennessee to which he removed, died, and is buried.
In 1792, while David Vance from the upper Reems Creek settlement was a member of the Legislature from Burke County, and Col. William Davidson, who lived on the south side of the Swannanoa, about two miles from Asheville, represented Rutherford County in the same body, the County of Buncombe was formed of the western portions of Burke and Rutherford counties, with its western borders fixed by the line of the territory which two or three years before North Carolina had ceded to the United States, and which was afterward created into the State of Tennessee. In April, 1792, there was organized at the residence of Col. William Davidson, which stood on the south bank of the Swannanoa, about one-half mile above its mouth, at a place subsequently called the Gum Spring, the County of Buncombe, in accordance with the provisions of the act creating that county. At this place was transacted for one year the business of the County of Buncombe, until in April, 1793, the county seat was fixed where it has ever since remained.
Source: A History of Buncombe County, North Carolina (Two Volumes in One) , F. A. Sondley (1930).
https://caswellcountync.org/getperson.php?personID=I41615&tree=tree1
