His wife Lydia is buried at the Union Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery, 8 miles east of Dobson on the Siloam Road, Surry County, NC. William is buried at Weston, Oregon where he died. Their son Lewis owned the land that the church is built on.

Daniel Jenkins gives a year of death for Lydia as Nov 30, 1896, I do not think this is correct as William Keys Will settlement was made on Jul 12, 1912 which fits in with the DOD of Apr 8, 1912 given by Kenneth Key. The settlement should have been made shortly after her death.

William bought 300 acres of land in 1848 from his father-in-law, Rev. Johnny Jones, on Bull Run Creek (in what is now the Eldora Community). He built his home near the creek (a great-grandson, Rev. Davis Key, now owns the home, which has been remodeled, and is a part of the original farm). He also continued the tradition of milling and built a mill on the upper end of the creek. One of the millstone has been engraved as a tombstone for Hoyt Badgett, a great grandson. It is located in the Union Church Yard Cemetery. The stone came from Sheffield, England.

In 1857, William bought 350 aces of land from Robert S. Gilmer on Bull Run Creek.

The Civil War brought hardship to Surry County and to William's family. Two of his sons, Lewis and Achillis, joined the Confederate Army in 1861. They participated in Jackson's Campaign of the Shenandoah Valley in VA May 1865, where Achillis was wounded. The brothers deserted in June following the battle and apparently returned home. According to family legend, the two brothers hid out in a room under their father's mill or in a cave on the creek which could only be entered by wading upstream.

Whenever the home guards came looking for the deserters, neighbors would pass the word and the brothers would go into hiding. When it was safe for the boys to come out, Lydia would hang a certain piece of clothing on the clothes line. Once, as their father started to the hideout with the boy's supper in a bucket, he ran into one of the home guards. When asked where he had started, William said he was going to grind grain all night and was carrying his supper and a snack. This satisfied the guards who let him continue.

Williams personal wealth declined during the war, with the value of his real estate declining from $1800 on the 1860 census to $1000 on the 1870 census, and his personal property going from $1500 to $500.

In the 1840 Surry County Census, they were shown as William head of household with one male 0-5, one male 20-30, one female 20-30.

The 1850 Surry County, NC census finds the family as William 30, a farmer with $300 of real estate, wife Lydia age 28, 6 children: John age 10, Killis age 8, Lewis age 7, Augustin age 5, Russell age 3, and David age 2.

The 1860 Eldora Township, Surry County census finds the family as William a farmer age 41 with real estate of $1800, wife Lydia age 40 years, children John age 20, Killis age 17, Lewis age 16, Augustine age 14, Russell age 12, King age 8, Sarah age 8, Rosianna age 7, Gabriel age 6, Samuel age 5, Lydia age 3, and Mahala age 2

The 1870 Eldora Township, Surry County, NC census finds the family as William age 51, wife Lidda age 49, children King age 22, Gabriel age 16, Lidda age 14, Emely age 12, and Mary age 8.

On Jan 7, 1846, William sold 45 acres of land for $90, on Mar 10, 1848 he sold 136 acres for $300. Both times it was purchased by Jacob Fulk.

In 1888, at the age of 68, William left his home and family and headed west. According to family legend, William had several cousins who had gone out west and struck it rich, so he decided to follow. Why his wife and family stayed behind is unknown. He traveled by train to Weston, Oregon where a cousin, Hezekiah Key lived. He spent Thanksgiving with Hezekiah and his family, where he developed pneumonia and died on Dec 6, 1888. He was buried at Weston, Oregon. A picture was made of him and his casket, and was sent back home to his widow and many of his brothers and sisters. Some of his children may have went to Oregon at the same time or later as Kenneth Key states that his daughter Mary and her husband Thomas Hickman died and were buried in Oregon.

His widow continued to live in Surry County, NC. On October 22, 1895, her children signed an agreement for her son G. O. Key, who was the administrator of his father's estate, to pay out of the estate, board and other expenses for their mother. The amount was to be four dollars per month if she was up or five dollars per month if she was confined to bed. Any extra expense should be paid in addition to above. On July 12, 1912, the final settlement of William S. Key's $1650.92 estate was made. After expenses the amount for distribution among his children was $871.59.

• Married:

1. Augustine S (Gus) KEY b: 29 APR 1845 in Eldora, Surry County, North Carolina
2. Lewis Jones (Kapp) KEY b: 2 SEP 1843 in Eldora, Surry County, North Carolina

1. Author: Richard Denney
   Title: Denney Web Site
   Text: MyHeritage.com family tree
   Family site: Denney Web Site
   Family tree: 0153783-9
   Page: William S. "Bill" Key
   Date: 31 MAR 2011
   Text: Added by confirming a Smart Match
   Quality: 3