Am searching for any information about William E. Ford, who we know was born in 1763. A letter written in 1900 by one of his descendants, says he was born in northern Ireland, but that takes in quite a bit of territory. We know he died on August 17, 1826, in/near Stillwater, Saratoga Co., New York, and is buried in the Stillwater Baptist Churchyard there in Stillwater, Saratoga County, New York. He married Nancy Edmonds in about 1790, after he had come to the colonies.
According to the letter, he immigrated sometime before 1776.
He is supposed to have bought land first in Saratoga County around Bemis Heights probably in about 1785.

I have a William Ford born 1792 in New Hampshire. Married in Highland County OH. Burried In Rd Head Twp. Any children listed under the William E. Ford your searching? Might this be a son?

I just happened to be looking for a William Ford in Albany County today at the library and came across a listing in the 1790 Census of the State of New York...

Name: Ford, Wm.
Town: Stillwater
Free White males 16 or older -- 1
Free White males under 16 -- 2
Free White females -- 2


I also came across a citation in the "Genealogical Data from Administrative Papers from the New York State Court of Appeals in Albany" book (Abstracted by Dr. Kenneth Scoll)--

...there were no wills for any Fords, but in a case regarding the estate of Warner, John, of Easton, Washington County, 5 Aug 1817, there was mention of an affidavit of a William C. Ford who was testifying that the deceased had a cousin in Stillwater.

I don't know if any of this is helpful to you or not, but I thought I'd at least share what I have discovered....

I myself am tryng to find a William Ford in the Albany area who was born circa 1820 so it is really too early for me to know if there is a connection between these people and the one I'm looking for....

D.

William E. Ford (born in 1763) died in Stillwater, Saratoga Co., NY on August 17, 1826. He and his wife Nancy Edmonds had the following children (that we know of): John Ford born in about 1793. He moved to Ohio with his own family of about 10 kids. Timothy Ford born in about 1795. He drowned in the Hudson River sometime before 1856, unmarried. Was coming home one night from a tavern, and fell in. William E. Ford Jr. (born April 9, 1797 and died Aug 8, 1869 in Vineland, Winnebago co., Wisconsin). Samuel E. Ford born in about 1799. Thomas W. Ford born in about 1800 and who died in about 1870 in Yankton, SD. Elizabeth Ford (Stratton) who was born sometime btween about 1792-1802) and who married Stephen Stratton. Had several children. Edward Ford, born in about 1805. All of this information comes from a family letter written by one of William E. Ford Jr. and Eliza Ann McBride's sons. I don't know if any of this helps you or not.

From the old family letter, I understand that William E. Ford (born in 1763)(died Aug 17, 1824) had only two sons who had issue... the eldest son John Ford who had a very large family of about 10 kids and who went to the Painersville (?sp) Ohio
area in about 1840...; and William E. Ford Jr. (born April 9, 1797 Stillwater, NY)( died Aug 8, 1869 in Vineland, Winnebago Co., Wisc). I've got all of the kids accounted for, I think, from William E. Ford Jr. and Eliza McBride...
From the letter, it sayd that "Uncle Timothy" didn't have any children, and "Uncle Samuel" didn't have any, and it does not indicate that "Uncle Thomas" had any. The youngest was "Uncle Edward" and no mention of him was made.
The letter chatters about Thomas W. Ford running a ferry and later a lumberyard, and later dealing in real estate. One of them ran a hotel in Troy. But it appears that the "kids" all scattered between about 1830-1856. The old mother (Nancy Edmonds){Ford} died August 25, 1856, and she had all of the land and money, so it seems logical that all of her children
scattered at about that time. Don't know if this OH connection helps you or not.

Date: 4 May 2002 10:16 PM GMT

I was at the Stillwater cemetary this weekend and have found the following Ford's. I hope this is of some help to you all.

Plot #1
John Ford
Died Mar 12, 1865
Ae 66 yr

Elizabeth
wife of John Ford
Died April 15, 1878
in her 78 th yr

Warren
Son of John & Elizabeth Ford
Died June 7, 1858
Ag 14 y 10 mo 6 dy

Plot #2 next to John and Elizabeth
Ephraim Ford
1820 - 1905
His wife
Elizabeth Cartwright
1833 - 1919

On the same stone:
1859 Walter C. 1863
1862 Wallace C. 1867
1856 Warren E. 1890
1869 Edward M. 1905
1866 Fannie L.

seperate stones:
WalterC.
Son of Ephraim & Elizabeth Ford
Died Oct. 5, 1863

Warren E. Ford
D. Dec 11 1890
ae 34 yr

Plot #3
Stephen Stratton
Died Jan 10, 1881
Ae 76
Elizabeth (Ford)
Wife of Stephen Stratton
Died
Feb 6, 1886
Ae 78

Elisa Stratton Died Apr 30, 1905 ae 78
Francis W. Stratton Died Apr 7, 1913 ae 70
Louise Stratton Died Sep 9, 1906 ae 77

Plot #4
Edward Ford
1869 - 1905
Mary Homes his wife
1867 - 1915
Irene Ford
1897 - 1904

Jane Alice Dau of CE & M Ford
1923

Plot #5
Spencer Ford
Mar 5, 1846 - Dec 3, 1910
Lenna Davis His wife
May 31, 1854 -

Plot #5

My Line is from Thomas and Sarah.
They had two children George W. and Esther
Esther married a Henry C. Force (plot is in Stillwater cemetary)
Thomas's stone is not in great shape
From the rubbings I was able to get:
In memory of (could be a marker)
Thomas Ford
Who died April 22 1851 (7)
In his 53 (2) year
There was other writing on it but I couldn't get a clear reading.

Next stone (his wife):
Sarah A.
Died April 02, 1867
ae 61

Date: 4 May 2002 10:16 PM GMT

I was at the Stillwater cemetary this weekend and have found the following Ford's. I hope this is of some help to you all.

Plot #1
John Ford
Died Mar 12, 1865
Ae 66 yr

Elizabeth
wife of John Ford
Died April 15, 1878
in her 78 th yr

Warren
Son of John & Elizabeth Ford
Died June 7, 1858
Ag 14 y 10 mo 6 dy

Plot #2 next to John and Elizabeth
Ephraim Ford
1820 - 1905
His wife
Elizabeth Cartwright
1833 - 1919

On the same stone:
1859 Walter C. 1863
1862 Wallace C. 1867
1856 Warren E. 1890
1869 Edward M. 1905
1866 Fannie L.

seperate stones:
WalterC.
Son of Ephraim & Elizabeth Ford
Died Oct. 5, 1863

Warren E. Ford
D. Dec 11 1890
ae 34 yr

Plot #3
Stephen Stratton
Died Jan 10, 1881
Ae 76
Elizabeth (Ford)
Wife of Stephen Stratton
Died
Feb 6, 1886
Ae 78

Elisa Stratton Died Apr 30, 1905 ae 78
Francis W. Stratton Died Apr 7, 1913 ae 70
Louise Stratton Died Sep 9, 1906 ae 77

Plot #4
Edward Ford
1869 - 1905
Mary Homes his wife
1867 - 1915
Irene Ford
1897 - 1904

Jane Alice Dau of CE & M Ford
1923

Plot #5
Spencer Ford
Mar 5, 1846 - Dec 3, 1910
Lenna Davis His wife
May 31, 1854 -

Plot #5

My Line is from Thomas and Sarah.
They had two children George W. and Esther
Esther married a Henry C. Force (plot is in Stillwater cemetary)
Thomas's stone is not in great shape
From the rubbings I was able to get:
In memory of (could be a marker)
Thomas Ford
Who died April 22 1851 (7)
In his 53 (2) year
There was other writing on it but I couldn't get a clear reading.

Next stone (his wife):
Sarah A.
Died April 02, 1867
ae 61

I'm from William E. Ford Sr. and wife Nancy Edmonds, both of whom are buried in the Stillwater Baptist Churchyard. They had a large family, including Elizabeth Ford who married Stephen Stratton. I'm from son William E. Ford Jr. and wife Eliza Ann McBride.
Don't know if you are interested or not, but some relatives located the original Stillwater Baptist Church "ledger" or record book and it has been microfilmed. Dates to 1700's as I recall, and ends in about 1836. Gives a lot of information about who joined the congregation, dates of baptisms, and if someone transferred -- where they transferred from. Also, indicates if someone was dismissed and the reasons why.

From the 1790 census for Saratoga, there are three Fords listed. Could they be brothers? The dates for William would be inline with your information

http://www.rootsweb.com/~nysarato/1790fbl.htm

Ford, Thomas 3 0 3 0 0 Stillwater
Ford, Timothy 1 1 1 0 0 Stillwater
Ford, Willm. 1 2 2 0 0 Stillwater

The letter which I have from 1899, states that "Grandpa Ford"
and his two brothers came to Stillwater from Northern Ireland. But this was simply the written version of what had been passed down orally. It would not surprise me that they
were brothers.