James Vickers, Montgomery County, AL

Others researching this line:
Bill Williams, bwjr@bellsouth.net

James Vickers, d. 1837

 Last Will and Testament} I James Vickers of the County of Montgomery and of State of Alabama James Vickers deceased} being of a sound and disposing mind memory and understanding do make this my last will and testament in mannor following to wit. I give will and devise to my son Thomas J. Vickers a negro boy named Houston and five hundred dollars in cash to him and to his heirs forever. I give will and devise to my son Davis R. Vickers, a negro man named Harry, a boy named Hiram, a woman named Shasty, a girl named Lizzy, a Boy named [?], a girl named Nelly and one half of the Land whereon I now reside to him to be allotted to such division to him and to his heirs forever. I give will and devise to my daughter Julia Ashurst a negro girl named Della, a negro man named James[?], a negro woman named Tude[?], a negro boy named Juby[?] a negro girl named Caroline to her and to her heirs forever. I give will and devise to my son Samuel Bryson Vickers a negro boy named Cyrus a negro girl named Lucinda, a negro boy named Cicero a negro boy named Larry a negro woman named Sarah and the remaining half of the land to be divided as aforesaid to him and to his heirs forever. I give will and devise to my wife Catherine Vickers a negro man named Daniel and his wife Claudia, a boy named Daniel a boy named January, a man named Ned and one half of the interest which I hold in the estate of John McGowan deceased and all the residue of my estate undisposed of by this will for the purpose of supporting and educating my son James B. Vickers to her during her lifetime and after her death to my son James B. Vickers forever. It is further my will and desire that all the property of any description should remain on the plantation until the land is paid for unless my Executors hereafter to be named should think it [?] for all the L[?] [?] the Land should be sold in which case the one half of the purchase money should be given to my son D. R. Vickers and the other half my son James B. Vickers. I do hereby nominate, constitute, and appoint my wife Catharine Vickers Executrix and my son in law Robert Ashurst Executor of this my last will and Testament hereby revoking and making null and void all will or wills by me heretofor made by publishing and declaring this my last will and testament. In witness whereof I now hereunto set my hand and seal this nineteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand Eight Hundred and thirty seven.

Signed sealed and published James Vickers {Seal} in the presence of the aforesaid executors of the Testator have witnessed the same in his presence and in the presence of each other:
Peter K. McMillan
Percy Coleman
N E Benson

The State of Alabama} Personally appeared in open court Peter K. McMillan and
 Montgomery County} Percy Coleman, two of the subscribing witnesses to the last will and testament of James Vickers dec'd and on oath say they saw the deceased execute the same and that he was at the time of a sound disposing mind and memory, that they together with N. E. Benson signed as witnesses at his request and in his presence and in the presence of each other. Peter K. McMillan, Percy Coleman Sworn to and subscribed before me Octr 30th 1837, B.S. Bibb, Judge. Approved and recorded B.S. Bibb, Judge. Recorded Dec. 28th, 1837.

Will of James Vickers, Probate Court, Montgomery County, Alabama, Wills 2 1820- 1845, pages 172-174.

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James Vickers mentions the following people in his will:

1. My son Thomas J. Vickers
2. My son Davis R. Vickers
3. My daughter Julia Ashurst
4. My son Samuel Bryson Vickers
5. My wife Catharine Vickers
6. My son James B. Vickers (minor)
7. My son-in-law Robert Ashurst

The 1830 Montgomery Co., AL Census lists James as being 40/50 years old, placing his date of birth between 1780-1790. His wife is listed as about 20-30 years of age, probably closer to 30. Catherine could be his second wife. We would assume the three children listed in the census would be the youngest: Julia, Samuel, and James B., still a minor at his father’s death 7 years later.

In the 1860 Tallapoosa County, AL Census, Davis R. Vickers is listed as 46 years old, placing his date of birth about 1814. Of note here is that he lists his birthplace as North Carolina. If this is true, then his father James could not have moved to Ga until sometime after 1814.

This cannot be the James in Burke Co., GA since that James had a daughter Sarah that married Henry Philip Jones.

James son, Thomas J. Vickers is mentioned in the 1840, Montgomery Co., AL Census as being born between 1800-1810.

There could be some confusion between the James of Laurens, the James--brother of Edwin in Pulaski in 1818, and this James in Montgomery Co., AL with wife Catherine. The James of Laurens and the James of Montgomery can’t both be Edwin’s brother. Evidence for the Laurens’ James being Edwin’s brother is that their brother-in-law was Nathaniel Mercer and the Laurens’ James puts out a reward for a Mercer in Laurens in 1836. He would have a personal interest here as the Mercer would be a family member or in=law (or out-law as the case may be). Evidence for the Montgomery Co., AL James as being Edwin’s brother is Edwin’s brother Thomas who married Piety Beaty in Laurens County and then moved to AL.

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Marriage Records of Montgomery Co., AL 1817-1850, Pauline Gandrud, 1973

James Vickers and Catherine McGowen, August 9, 1827 by N. E. Benson, Judge, C. C. (In 1830, he was 40-50, with family; next door was Joseph Vickers, 40-50; on next page was Edw’d. McGowen, 20-30, and wife.) C-35 & C-514.

Thomas J. Vickers and Martha A. Belser, March 24, 1846 by H. M. Caffey, J. P. E-318.

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The First 150 Years--First Baptist Church, Montgomery, AL, by Lee Norcross Allen, Dean of Arts and Sciences, Samford University, Birmingham, AL.

p. 1. “How It All Began--1829-1832” The Tavern owned by James Vickers was one of the few public buildings in the young frontier town of Montgomery. It was a log house with two rooms separated by a passage. Not only were libations for the weary traveler available here but also lodgings at the exorbitant rate of $3.00 a night. Any number of guests might be crowded into one room. When beds were filled, there was space on the floor. In 1817 when it was constructed, the only public meeting place in Montgomery was the Tavern. . . . The first sermon preached in Montgomery proper was by a Baptist named Pouncy. There being no house erected for the purpose of public worship, he preached, by invitation, in the passage of the Tavern."

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Kelly G. Vickers, 50 Trembly Bald Drive, Toccoa, GA 30577

Phone  706-886-0012      Email  kvickers@tfc.edu