Re: AVANT line of Marion County, SC
-
In reply to:
AVANT line of Marion County, SC
Carol Smith 4/14/00
Hello Carol,
I'm interested in the AMY ROURK & WILLIAM D. AVANT. I'm also related to JOHN W. WILLIAMS who married SABRY JONES in SC.
WILLIAM D. AVANT was born in 1774 in Marion County, South Carolina. He married AMY ROURK on 19 Feb 1804 in Willmington, New Hanover County, North Carolina. William died in 1840. He was the son of JOSHUA AVANT, The Elder. [Source: Jerri Sandra White] [Source: Raleigh Register, 12 March 1804 - included in marriage notices.]
AMY ROURK, I believe, is a sister or daughter of EDMUND ROURKor SAMUEL ROURK. Do you have any other info on the ROURK family that would clarify this? Thanks.
EDMOND (EDMUND) ROURK was born in North Carolina in about 1717. Bladen County was formed in 1734 from New Hanover County, North Carolina. In 1735, Edmond Rourk received a land patent for 640 acres in New Hanover County (Bladen County), North Carolina, from the Crown. Edmond Rourk was listed on the 1763 Tax List of Bladen County, North Carolina. Edmund Rourk (Rork) died in 1769—NC, GA, LA. La Vois Des Prairies Journal, Volumne 10, Number 36, January 1989 of the Evangeline Genealogical & Historical Society. $5.00 (includes postage & handling) to Evangeline Genealogical & Historical Society, P.O. BOX 664, Ville Platte, LA 70586-0664. Edmond’s Will was dated 15 May 1769, Probate Date: 16 Dec 1769, in Bladen County, North Carolina. "Parish of St. Martin’s in the County of Bladen. Son and Executor: Samuel. Daughter: Mary Addison. Other legatee: Henry McCoy. Wife: Dorothy. Witnesses: Mary Addison, David Morley. Proven before William Tryon." Edmond Rourk died at the age of 52 years, in 1769.
The earliest reference I have to the Orangeburg (Elloree) South Carolina family ROURK is to SAMUEL ROURK, SR. According to the 1830 Orangeburg, Orangeburg County, South Carolina U.S. Federal Census, Samuel was born between the years 1760-1770 and was between the ages of 60-70 years old. In the Will of RACHEL (BARROW) BALLARD, of Marion District, South Carolina, Dated 8 Nov 1807, Proved 12 Dec 1808, before Samuel Cooper Ordy, Esquire, Samuel was named as the second husband to ANN UNKNOWN BARROW. RACHEL BARROW, who married an UNKNOWN BALLARD, was the daughter of JAMES BARROW and ANN UNKNOWN BARROW ROURK. James Barrow died in 1804 in Catfish, Marion County, South Carolina. His wife, Ann Barrow, then married Samuel Rourk. RACHEL BARROW BALLARD died in 1841 in Catfish, Marion County, South Carolina. [Source: Film #0954525, Family History Center, Salt Lake City, Utah) Leonardo Andrea Collection, Folder No. 36, Ballard-Bullard.] Court of Ordinary, Petition of Samuel Rourk of James Barrow estate, Marion County, South Carolina, dated 1807.
SAMUEL ROURK is on the St. Matthews 1818 Tax List, South Carolina Magazine of Ancestral Research (SCMAR), Volume 1, Number 4, Fall 1973, Page 214, "Rourk, Samuel 289." However, I am not certain if this is the 1760-1770 born SAMUEL or the 1785-1794 born SAMUEL.
The next reference is in the 1810 United States Federal Census. S. [SAMUEL] ROURK, was born between 1785-1794, and was between the ages of 16-25, in Unknown Township, Orangeburg County, South Carolina. He was married to an UNKNOWN FEMALE, born between 1766-1784, and between the ages of 26-44. [Source: Year: 1810. Image: 228. Roll: M252_61. Page 135. [Note: In Ancestry.com on the 1810 US Federal Census, Samuel Rourk is on Image Page 22 of 25.] They had two children. UNKNOWN FEMALE ROURK #1, born between 1800-1810, and under age 10. And UNKNOWN FEMALE ROURK #2, also born between 1800-1810, under age 10.