Key Facts

Snapshot:	British loyalist/sympathizer during the Revolutionary War; owned slaves
Parents:	1864John Douthit 1865Mary Scott
Born:	probably mid-1740's probably near Monocacy, Maryland
Died:	between 4 February and 26 March 1799 Rowan County, North Carolina
Buried:	unknown

932William Douthit is the son of 1864John Douthit1 and 1865Mary Scott. (Despite a lack of explicit evidence, one can confidently say that 1865Mary is 932William's mother, since 1864John and 1865Mary married in 17382 and remained married for many decades.1)

He was probably born in the mid-1740's (based on the dates of his parents' marriage in 17382 and of his own marriage in 17723), and thus was probably born near Monocacy, Maryland, since his family was living there at that time.2 (The book Here Come the Douthits on page 23 alleges that 932William was born on 27 December 1746, but the authors don't seem to cite a source,4 and I have found no such evidence.)

He relocated to North Carolina with his family circa 1750.2

In Rowan County, North Carolina on 31 January 1772 932William received a bond to marry 933Sarah Job.3 Three days earlier, 933Sarah's father 1866Thomas had written a note explaining that he approved of the marriage.5

1772: An excerpt from 932William's and Sarah Job's marriage bond. Full page.3

933Sarah's father wrote a note to show his approval of his daughter's marriage to 932William. Bigger copy.5

During the Revolutionary War, 932William seems to have been a British loyalist/sympathizer, judging from two Moravian records:

•

On 7 May 1776, 932William tried unsuccessfully to dissuade and interfere with a Continental Army captain who had come to forcibly conscript men into the Army. The record reads (translated), "Our Rowan County Brethren went to Muster, having been ordered to attend or pay £10: fine. Br. Tesch told Capt. Ekels that Col. Joseph Williams, who had been to Congress, had told him yesterday that no soldiers would be called from Rowan or Surry at this time, but he would not listen to him, nor to Billy Doughted, who brought the same as a verbal order from the Committee in Salisbury. [...] certain men and youths were drawn, [...] and they were ordered to appear next Thursday, ready to march, on penalty of £10: or £25. [...] This gave their parents the greatest concern, and they absolutely forbade their sons to go, and Adam Spach and George Hartmann resolved to set out that night for Salisbury and do their utmost to persuade the Committee to exempt their sons. In this they failed, but they did secure a written order to Capt. Ekels not to take them on the expedition set for the 9th." 6

•

On 22 November 1780, "William Douthit has expressed a desire to be Received into the Society, but it will be better to wait until he is cured of his affection for the Tory cause. Meanwhile he and Stephen Riddle may attend the Society meetings." 7

Not surprisingly, a 1786 will affirms that 466William was still married to 933Sarah Job.8 She must have died sometime thereafter, though, since 932William's own will, dated 1798, names a different wife, Zelpha,9 although I know nothing further about this second marriage.

In 1790 he was still living in Rowan County, North Carolina. The census shows that he had slaves, but also suggests that free black people were living with him, too. In any case, the numbers below represent: 5 white boys age 0-15, 3 white men age 16+, 3 white females, 2 other free people, and 5 slaves.10

1790: 932William's family in Rowan County, North Carolina. Full page.10

932William is mentioned in several deeds and related property records. These records inform us that he lived near his father, that one of his slaves was named Nat, and even briefly list some of his personal belongings. A summary of these records is below.

Description	Image	Citation
19 April 1770. John Douthit Sr of Rowan to William Douthit for £25, 200 acres on N side of Yadkin R whereon the said John Douthit now lives adj William Ellison. Wit: Adam Butner[?], Evan Ellis.	link	11
19 Feb 1796. Jacob Douthit to Phillip Hains for £300, 183 3/4 A on Linvilles Run on N side of Yadkn R adj William Douthit and Fry; part of a 640 A grant to John Douthit on 9 Feb 1761. Wit: Thomas Douthit, Jason Bleze [?], H Speak. Ack at Aug Ct 1796.	link	12
30 Jul 1796. Jacob Douthit of Stokes Co., NC, to Abraham Douthit of Rowan for £140, 145 A on Muddy Crk adj Phillip Hains, Martin Hains, and William Douthit; part of 640 A State grant to this Grantor on 9 Feb 1761. Wit: John Eccles, William Douthit. Ack at Aug Ct 1796.	link	13
29 May 1798. Bill of Sale. William Douthet to John Douthet for love and affection, a negro boy named Nat. Wit: John Eccles, Mary Eccles. Prvd by John Eccles at May Ct 1799.	link	14
26 March 1799. Quit Claim. Zelpha Douthit, widow of William Douthit, to John Douthit and William Douthit, exrs, for $46, a release for 40 bushels of corn, 12 bushels of wheat, one cow and calf, one bed and furniture, one chest, one loom, and other household furniture "too tedious to mention," and also 50 A of land, all of which she was given during her widowhood and natural life by the will of William Douthit dated about 26 Sep 1798. She also released any other claim or dower she might have in the estate of her husband. Wit: John Eccles, Thomas Douthit. Prvd by Eccles at May Ct 1799.	link	15

932William wrote his will on 26 September 1798, added a codicil on 4 February 1799,9 and died within a few weeks later (by 26 March 1799).15 His will names: wife Zelpha (She inherited the house "where my son [466]William now resides" and some personal effects. I know nothing else about her.); sons John, 466William, Joseph, Stephen, Jacob, Lary, Thomas, and James; daughter Mary Douthit; grandson Thomas (son of 466William) and another unnamed grandson ("the oldest son of Thomas Job Douthit by his present wife"); and slaves Cloe, James, Joshua, and Charles.9

The first few lines of 932William's will. Full page.9

Sources Cited:

1: Rowan County, North Carolina. Original wills, folder for John Douthit (1782), whose will is dated 28 December 1782. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9G4-3Y9B?i=493&cat=457207>, accessed 7 March 2021.

2: Adelaide Fries, ed., Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, Volume V: 1784-1792 (The North Carolina Historical Commission, Raleigh, 1941), pages 2408-2409.

3: Rowan County, North Carolina. Marriage bonds, volume D. A document dated 31 January 1772 pertaining to the marriage of William Douthet and Sarah Job. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QY1-DT?i=240&cc=1726957&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXF9F-ZQY>, accessed 13 March 2021.

4: Ruth Long Douthit and Davis Douthit, Here Come the Douhits: Coast to Coast Across Two Centuries (2nd printing, published by Jennifer Douthit Boget and Sue Douthit O'Donnell, 2003), page 23.

5: Rowan County, North Carolina. Marriage bonds, volume D. A document dated 28 January 1772 signed by Thomas Job and pertaining to the marriage of William Douthet and Sarah Job. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-6QY9-Z26?i=241&cc=1726957&personaUrl=%2Fark%3A%2F61903%2F1%3A1%3AXF9F-ZQ1>, accessed 13 March 2021.

6: Adelaide Fries, ed., Records of the Moravians in North Carolina, Volume III (The North Carolina Historical Commission, Raleigh, 1926), page 1113.

7: ibid., Volume IV: 1780-1783 (The North Carolina Historical Commission, Raleigh, 1930), page 1610.

8: Rowan County, North Carolina. Wills book F, pages 39-40, the will of Thomas Job, dated 16 May 1786. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:37SQ-298B-GT9?i=751&cc=1867501&cat=353379>.

9: Rowan County, North Carolina. Original wills, folder for William Douthit (1799), whose will is dated 26 September 1798. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9G4-3YJK?i=502&cat=457207>, accessed 13 March 2021.

10: 1790 U.S. Federal Census. Rowan County, North Carolina. Page 326, entry for William Douthit. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GYY8-377F?i=16&wc=3XTM-BD8%3A1584071002%2C1584071032%2C1584070607&cc=1803959>, accessed 13 March 2021.

11: Rowan County, North Carolina. Deeds book 7, pages 379-380. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898Q-3SM4?i=390&cat=328774>, accessed 7 March 2021.

12: Rowan County, North Carolina. Deeds book 14, pages 565-566, deed dated 19 February 1796 from Jacob Douthit to Phillip Hains. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-898Q-3SLK?i=586&cat=328774>, accessed 13 March 2021.

13: Rowan County, North Carolina. Deeds book 14, pages 547-548, deed dated 30 July 1796 from Jacob Douthit to Abraham Douthit. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G98Q-3SQX?i=568&cat=328774> et seq., accessed 13 March 2021.

14: Rowan County, North Carolina. Deeds book 16, page 555, bill of sale dated 29 May 1798 from William Douthet to John Douthet. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998Q-SCK2?i=573&cat=328774>, accessed 13 March 2021.

15: Rowan County, North Carolina. Deeds book 16, pages 630-631, quit claim dated 26 March 1799 from Zelpha Douthit, widow of William Douthit, to John Douthit and William Douthit. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-998Q-SCX6?i=648&cat=328774>, accessed 13 March 2021.