William Broadwater, son of Cornelius Broadwater and Mary (Piper) Broadwater, arrived in western Maryland about 1805 or 1807. He married Rebecca Green who was born 7/31/1792, daughter of the western Maryland family headed by Robert Green and first wife, Barbary.

William and Rebecca's first child was born in 1813. The family lived for a time on Laurel Run, on the east side of Big Savage Mountain.

William served in the American army for serveral months during the War of 1812. He was a private in Capt. Mclaughlin's infantry company from 8/11/1814 to 10/13/1814 and in Capt. Lowrye's infrantry company from 10/14/1814 to 1/10/1815. Both companies were part of the First Regiment of Maryland Militia. His rate of pay was $8 per month. He returned home on foot from Baltimore.

About 1821, his nephew Amos Broadwater moved his household from "the Laurel Run Bottom House" to a property on Savage River, near the mouth of Poplar Lick Run. It was probably here that William had the first sawmill on Savage River. This mill was built for him by "William and Jesse Tumbleson" (probably Tomlinson).

William Broadwater received warrants for three adjacent properties on Savage River: "Panama Mission" (17 3/4 acres) in 1825; "Father Son and Brothers"--which he obtained in partnership with his father-in-law Robert Green--(310 7/8 acres) in 1826; and "Turkey Lodge" (177 1/8 acres) in 1826. In 1834, William bought out his father-in-law's interest in the tract called "Father Son and Brothers."

Rebecca died 10/18/1854. William died during the 1860s. Grandson Cephas Moore wrote of him, "He thought that he would be 84 years old if He lived to See March." William was buried in the small cemetery on his "Homeplace on Savage," later known as the Gregg Cemetery.

Children of William and Rebecca: Nancy Ann Broadwater (born 11/10/1813), Henry Broadwater (born 1/13/1817), Robert Broadwater (born April 1819), Jefferson W. "Jeff" Broadwater (born in April 1822), William W. "Hill Bill" Broadwater (born 6/1/1824), Barbara Ellen "Ellen" Broadwater (born 4/2/1826), Hester Broadwater (born 5/8/1828), Salem Broadwater (born 10/1/1830), and Roseanna Broadwater (born in 1833).

This page was revised November 26, 1999. For more information about western Maryland family history, visit Walt Warnick's Western Maryland Family History Home Page.