Ann Floating Cloud Vest and Phillip "Buck Spike" Williams were great-grandparents to my grandmother, Virgie Waugh Tryon (my grandfather, Clyde Fisher, was my grandmother's first husband).

I would love to share information with you, Jules. In my research, I have Ann Floating Cloud Vest and Phillip Buck Spike Williams as having four children.

Those children were:
1) Mary Williams 1781
2) Robert Sanford Williams 1788
3) Lurana Susannah Williams 1799
4) George W. John Williams 1800

Robert Sanford Williams is my ancestor. His son, Rev. Hardin (Hardy) Williams, had a child named John Harvey Williams. John Harvey Williams married Susan Todd Williams. She gave birth in 1883 to Sophia Catherine Williams, who married Troy Clark Adkins - my grandparents.

Which of the four children of Ann and Phillip was your ancestor?

Thanks,
Jan

Hi askjules... My 4th greatgrandparents were Anne Floating Cloud Vest and Phillip Williams. Your grandmother Virgie was my Aunt. I never knew Clyde. She was married to my Uncle Carl Tryon as long as I remember. My dad Fred Waugh was her brother. For Jan, we ascend from George Washington Williams. I just happened on this site after googling Anne Floating Cloud. Had to sign in to comment. My question is...was Anne an Indian? I saw on another site that said she was 3/4 Indian and met Phillip while he was held captive. Another site has her listed as a child of William Tunwell Vest w/wife Lucretia. Was Vest part of her Indian name I wonder? The Vest family did have a Anna Vest listed as a child born in the 1770's. I just joined Ancestry and am working on my tree. Would love to have a correct entry for Anne Floating Cloud Vest. Thanks anyone...would appreciate the help. Wanda

Greetings, Wanda!

In my records Ann Floating Cloud Vest was a Cherokee princess. She was born in North Carolina in January of 1754 and died in 1840. She's buried in Old Indian Cemetery in Volga, KY, on Coal Stone Road. That is in Johnson County. (Findagrave has a picture of the marker.)

I've found sources stating Ann was 3/4 Cherokee. Others say 1/2 Cherokee. Here's a link you might want to view: https://www.wikitree.com/genealogy/Cloud-Descendants-190

Buckspike “Phillip” Williams b. 10 February 1753 SC d. 12 September 1848 Volga, Floyd, KY (Buried in Old Indian Cemetery.) His wife, aunt, and mother were all Native Americans.


Additionally, I've found some who say that Phillip's mother and aunt were also Cherokee.

Some sources have Ann Floating Cloud (Vest) Williams married to Phillip Williams AND James Densmore. If the dates in my research are correct, she died before Phillip, so I question this information.

I've also read that Ann Floating Cloud or her family were likely Cherokees who were sent west during the Trail of Tears. Since she's buried in Volga, KY, I wonder about that, too.

Jan

Thanks Jan...I have the same info on Phillip Williams but nothing on his parents. I didn't know that he was Indian too along with his relatives. I am stuck on Anne. I think somewhere along the line people are confusing her with the Anna Vest who had William Tunwell Vest and Lucretia as parents. I saw on another site that the Densmore man had married her but there was no mention of Williams as a husband. That link you provided doesn't jive with my info on my tree.Their son George Washington Williams on my tree was born in 1800 -1860 and married a Rebecca Blevins. The link has their son George born in 1780 married to an Elizabeth Pyle. The link also has them having 2 sons. My info has Phillip and Anne also had a daughter,not another son, Lourania Williams 1799-1887, who ironically married Nathaniel Pickelsimer, she was an ancestor on my mom's side. It all is so confusing lol George W Williams is my 3rd greatgrandfather on my dad's side and the Lourania Susanna Williams Pickelsimer was my 4th greatgrandmother on my mom's side. She is also buried at Volga...does any of this make sense? I believe I am going to delete the Vest family from my tree that I have as Anne's parents. Thanks for responding and please correct me if I am wrong about anything or can provide additional info. Thanks again...Wanda

Checking back in...sorry..I was mistaken on the Lourania being George's sister. According to Find A Grave...the 3 children Anne and Phillip had were George W, Robert Sanford and Margaret. Lourania could be a cousin or aunt but she is buried in Volga the Indian cemetery...

Here's what I have, Wanda.

Phillip Williams parents:

Father - Brig. Gen. James Henderson Williams 1730-1780
Mother - Kiziah Elizabeth Williams born Brooks 15 July 1735 - 16 Nov 1785 (Cherokee Princess)
She was born in Sullivan County, VA.

Phillip's Grandfather - John Williams 1715??

I do have a marriage license for Phillip Williams and Ann Floating Cloud Vest dated 18 ___ 1808; however, it doesn't list parents' names. (Catalog Record, 1780-1868. Film, Digital Note: Marriage Bonds, vol. T-Z 1780-1868.)

Ann Floating Cloud Williams' parents:

Father - William Tunwell Vest 1735 - 1812 Born in Colony of Virginia
Mother - Lucretia (Lucy) Vest born Alford 1737 - 1812

Lucretia Alford Vest's Parents:

Father - Salvator Alford 1730 - 1776
Mother - Elizabeth Alford born Reynolds 1717 - 1788

Children of Phillip and Ann Williams:
1. Mary Williams 1781
2. Robert Sanford Williams 1788
3. Lurana Susanna Williams 1799
4. George Washington (John) Williams 1800

Note...the marriage license was dated 1808, after the four children were born.

Thank you so much Jan...That is all the info I have also but I deleted the Vest family that I had for Anne's parents because the Vest family from my tree were from Germany from way back. William Tunwell and Lucretia Vest also had a daughter Anna born in the 1770's where Ann Floating Cloud was born in 1754. Doesn't make sense that they would have an Indian daughter. Do you have any proof that the Vest family were Indian? Brig. Gen. James Williams was born in Wales UK. died in Tennessee. So Lourania Susanna was a sister to George...small world that his sister would marry an ancestor of my mom's side and George would be an ancestor on my dad's side. wow Nothing new in my family though lol My dad and his brother married sisters. My dad was Fred Waugh and married Deloris Gumbert and his older brother Clayton Waugh married Marjorie Gumbert, my mom's sis. I so appreciate all your help!! Thank you thank you!! Wanda :)

Oh by the way...you wondered why they ended up in Kentucky from Virginia. You are probably right about the Trail of Tears. I was born in Kentucky and so were all my family on my dad's side going back to George W who died in Ky. after coming from Va. :)

I don't have proof that Lucretia or William were Native American. Let's just keep looking...and sharing!!!

Jan

Hi, Jan!

I'm currently researching my family tree and have found that Ann "Floating Cloud" Vest, Cherokee Princess is my 7th great-grandmother. When I was looking at ancestry, I found a message board where an abundance of people have stated that William Tunwell and Lucretia Vest are not Anne's parents.

This is very confusing and I can find nothing for Anne's parents. I have looked at the Indian census and it only lists Anne's name. The marriage certificate for Anne "Floating Cloud" and Phillip "Buck Spike" Williams lists no parent names as well.

However, it does list a bondsman by the name of Isaac Vest. I am curious if this was a relative of Anne's.

-Amber

It's always a mystery with as many thoughts as people researching. Unfortunately, records were often inaccurate, misspelled,or missing when you get back into the 1700s. All I have is in the message to Wandalee above.

So Ann Floating Cloud Vest and Phillip Buck Spike Williams are my 5th Gr. Grandparents...
via their son --- Hardin H Williams and Sarah Campbell
-- George Washington Williams and Louisa Campbell
--- Hardin Smith Williams and Mary Ann Dixon
--- Sophronia Williams and Jacob B Goss
--- Grace Bessie Goss and Savoy Dees
--- Dr. Herbert Leon Dees and Nancy Truby
--- River Dees (me)
-- Willoughby Quinn, Jubilee Montgomery(my girls)

I dont know much about this side of the family as my Grandmother Grace and brother Eugene were kidnapped by their dad Jacob Goss and alienated from her mother for all but the first 4 yrs of her life. My grandmother and her brother were lead to believe her mother was dead and was sexually abused by her father and uncle during her childhood. It wasnt until I began researching that side of the family that I learned Grace's mother was actually ALIVE and well until 1973!!!
Heartbreaking to think that Sophronia never saw her children again.

So like I said... I dont have much info on this side of the family and would be grateful for any input others may have.

My Grandmother Grace (Dad's Mom) claimed one of her grandmothers was Native but didnt know her name, just that she was Pottawattomie. I've not found anything in my research to solidify this however. Perhaps she was referring to Floating Cloud???

My Grandmother on my Mom's side is Cherokee/Choctaw and given her info, its doubtful that Floating Cloud was a "Princess" as the Cherokee Nation does not use any terms of "Royalty", etc in this way. Ann might have been Native... but just not a Princess.

I have Floating Clouds parents listed as William T Vest and Lucretia Alford
and grandparents as John Daniel Vest and Charlotte Rake

I questioned this also as I havent found any of the 4 on any of the Indian Rolls.

I show Phillip Buck Spike Williams parents as James Williams (1730-1785) and
Keziah Elizabeth Floating Cloud Brooks (1735-1785) born in Virginia and died in NC

I show Keziah's parents as Littleton Brooks and Elizabeth Walling

Littleton's parents as John Brooks and Elizabeth Wilson

John's parents as William Brooks (1640-1714) and Mary Eldridge

Williams parents as William Brooks and Susanna Dunham

Williams parents as Henry Brooks (1592-1683) and Grace Wheeler


No idea if any of this is correct... does anyone else know?

so ann floating cloud is my 6th great grandma married to phillip buck spike williams my 6th grandpa, on my paternal grandpas mothers side vernnie carroll, fisher

I started with Ancestry.com and Ann (Floating Cloud) Williams (Wright) is my 4th great-grandmother. She comes up in the Thomas Wright family line. Just haven't been researching for a while but, hope to start up again soon. Also, if she was a Cherokee Princess then she must have had a Chief for her Father.

One thing perhaps we haven't considered is that Ann was adopted. I have heard that in the 1700s, early settlers in Canada adopted some of the Indigenous children that had lost their parents. Perhaps she was a cherokee princess that was welcomed into the Vest family - explaining why she had a sister named Anna and why her parents weren't listed on her marriage certificate.

I have found conflicting reports since I started researching but what I have come to learn is that Ann Floating cloud is actually Phillip William's mother, and that his wife was another Indian woman by the name of Ann Running Fawn.