William Calvin "W C" Rousseau, Sr. is the son of William Rousseau and Sarah Witherspoon, married on 23 May 1814 in Wilkes County, NC.

W C Rousseau has a very distinctive and clear signature, but unfortunately it is often butchered. Here is what we have been able to piece together of W C's life so far:

W C is born about 1823 in Wilkes County, NC, where the Rousseau family at large has large holdings, and are wheeler dealers. At some point W C's parents decided to move on with their family, further West to Tennessee. Some time after his brother John Harvey "Harve" Rousseau is born on 13 Jan 1826 in Wilkes County, NC, the family made their move. Their next son Alexander Hamilton "Sandy" Rousseau will be born in Tennessee, about 1828.

The 1830 U.S. Census has the family in Maury County, TN. Their next son Charles Walter Rousseau will be born there later that same year on 12 Nov 1830. He will be followed by their second daughter and final child Sarah Elizabeth Rousseau in Apr 1834, also in Maury County, TN. By 1840 the family was living in Wayne County, TN.

In 1848 W C Rousseau pops up in the Georgia Property Tax Digest in the Deen's Military District #572, of DeKalb County, GA. W C is in also on the Georgia Property Tax Records in 1849 and 1850.

W C's first known wife is Elizabeth "Eliza" Southerland Martindale, Martindale being her married name. She was a widow with two young daughters. W C and Eliza married on 4 Feb 1849 in DeKalb County, GA.

Eliza's parents are John Southerland and Sarah "Sally" Hobbs Southerland of Greene County, GA, both formerly of South Carolina. Sally won one of the Land Lotteries in Georgia. Eliza first married Westley Martindale on 1 Dec 1838 in Greene County, GA, her hometown area. Their wedding was performed by her maternal Uncle Nathaniel "Nathan" Hobbs. Westley died in 1841, leaving her a widow with a young baby and another one barely on the way.

The 1850 US Census reflects two children living with W C & Eliza in DeKalb County, both with the last name Martindale, both born preceding their marriage. They are:

1.) Sarah E P Martindale m. George W Parker
2.) Eliza F Martindale

It also appears that W C's occupation is listed as Stone Mason, which is perfect for the area.

At some point in 1853 or before, W C was either a bondsman, good friend, or all of the above. The townspeople of DeKalb County certainly vouched for him:

Acts Passed by the General Assembly of GA
Private & Local Laws Relief
An Act for the Relief of William Crowell & William C Russeau(sp)of the County of DeKalb, GA
No. 444
Approved 17 Feb 1854

In 1854 William C Rousseau purchased property in DeKalb County, GA, next to Stone Mountain. The Land Lot can be found here:

DeKalb County, Georgia Land Records

Name: William O RUSSEAU [William C Rousseau]
Book: O
Page: 158
Date: 1854
Grantor Surname: MILLICAN
Grantor Given Name: James
Grantee Surname: RUSSEAU
Grantee Given Name: William O
Price: 4.25
District: 18
Land Lot: 127
Description: N 1/2

In 1855 William C Rousseau bid on and won a four year U.S. Mail Contract from Stone Mountain, DeKalb, GA to Lawrenceville, Gwinnett, GA and back, six days a week, on a 2 horse hack for $550 a year. He was expecting another child later that year so the timing could not have been better.

William C Rousseau 1855 U.S. Mail Contract
Route 6416
1 Jul 1855 - 30 Jun 1859

"Untamed" by James Wilsey is a perfect song for this trek, especially considering it is by W C's Great Great Grandson James Calvin Wilsey. Add to that the perfect quote reminding us of W C hauling the mail back and forth 6 days a week between Stone Mountain, DeKalb, GA and Lawrenceville, Gwinnett, GA:

Pioneer citizens' history of Atlanta, 1833-1902
Pg: 18 - Chapter IV - Marthasville - 1843

"One of the Characters of Those Days, the Mail Carrier

One of the institutions of the times, before the advent of the railroad, was the mail carrier. This man was almost worshipped by the people, since it was he who, in the fierce wintry blast or 'neath a scorching sun "rode the mail" (on a mule generally), the nearest point being Madison, in Morgan county.

When the first whistle of the locomotive was heard in Marthasville, this hitherto popular being became a rather uninteresting fellow. Like Othello, his "occupation was gone"."

Unfortunately another war is around the corner. It will knock out all those bridges and destroy all those railroads. The homes too will soon be seen burning for miles. The railroads will become "Sherman's Neckties". Stone Mountain Village will become a casualty in many respects. Some would live through it, many will not. Where there were houses and buildings there will soon become crumbled piles of past lives with maybe a chimney or two still standing sentinel. Any houses remaining would become a hospital to take care of the many wounded, or lodging, for any and all who needed it. Many will be buried right there in the Stone Mountain Village Cemetery.

W C is believed to be the father of two step daughters and at least nine biological children with two wives. His first two biological children are with wife Elizabeth "Eliza" Southerland Martindale Rousseau:

1.) William Calvin "Will" Rousseau, Jr. m. Lelia Azona Downs
2.) Mary Virginia Rousseau m. Nathan John Bowles

Rousseau Family in the 1860 US Federal Census

Name: W C Rusaw (different source, different name)
Age: 38
b. abt 1822
BP: SC
Home: Decatur District, DeKalb, GA
Gender: M
PO: Decatur
Occ: Farmer
Real Estate Value: $3,500
Personal Estate Value: $1,700

Household-Gender-Age-BP

W C Busam-M-38-SC
Elizer Busam-F-41-GA
Francis A Busam-F-16-GA
W M Russaw-M-5-GA
Mary V Russaw-F-3-GA

This Census was taken 6 Jul 1860. W C will marry again very shortly in Oct 1861. W C's second wife is Caroline S "Carrie" Calder. Her father is Captain Nathaniel Mann Calder, Sr. (1809-1865). W C and Carrie married in Fulton County, GA:

Marriage License of William C Rousseau and Caroline S Calder
8 Nov 1861

The whereabouts of W C's first wife Elizabeth "Eliza" Southerland Martindale Rousseau, the mother of his first two children, William Calvin "Will" Rousseau and Mary Virginia Rousseau, and her two Martindale daughters, are unknown.

Carrie helped raise W C's first two children and added seven more to the family. Carrie and W C's children are:

1.) Charles E Rousseau m. Katherine C "Katie" Murphy
2.) Katherine Calder "Kate" Rousseau m. Lewis Washington James
3.) Sarah H "Sallie" Rousseau - never married
4.) Martin Rousseau
5.) Nathaniel Green Rousseau, Sr. m. Ruth Starratt
6.) Carrie Lou Rousseau m. William Edwin "W E" Matheson
7.) Julia S "Dollie" Rousseau m. Percy Alden White

According to the Confederate Citizens Files, in September and October of 1861 W C is contracted as a Mail Carrier for the Confederate States of America and to provide large quantities of beef to feed the Confederate Army at Camp Kirkpatrick near Decatur, DeKalb, Georgia, while they were in training. W C sold beef to the Wright's Legion and Stephen's Regiment.

Land For Sale by W C Rousseau
Posted in the Southern Confederacy
6 Nov 1862
page 3

In 1866, W C was appointed a U.S. Postmaster for the same Post Office mentioned in:

Life in Dixie During The War
by Mary A. H. Gay
CHAPTER XXIX.
POSTAL AFFAIRS

Name: Wm C Rousseau
Post Office Location: Decatur City, DeKalb, Georgia
Appointment Date: 27 Feb 1866 - 12 Feb 1867

Receipts for his Post Office can be found online.

In 1869, W C is found with property in the Buckhead Militia District.

Georgia Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892
Name: W C Rouseau
Yr: 1869
Age: 47
Dist: Buckhead Mil Dist
District No: 722
Loc: Fulton County, Georgia, USA

Notes: 3 children between ages 6 and 18 (Wm, Mary & Chas).

Rousseau Family in the 1870 US Federal Census

During the period 1873-1877, W C is also listed in the Georgia Property Tax Digest as Agent for a very influential man in Buckhead history, Henry Irby.

Buckhead: Henry Irby, John Whitley and the Buck That Made History

Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1793-1892

Name: W C Rousseau
Agent for: Henry Irby on Find A Grave
Co: Hall County, Georgia, USA
Year: 1873-1877
District: Polksville
District No: 810
Place: Hall, Georgia, USA

Henry Irby is said to have stashed gold on one of his properties.

Will This Ever Actually Happen

"The land beneath Buckhead Village is among the most valuable in the Southeastern United States. It went from small town to bar crawl to crime scene to ghost town—and it might still become the place to buy a $20,000 crocodile handbag.

Buckhead and Lenox Square

Heritage Society Developing History Storytelling Sites for Buckhead

In 1881, W C is listed with 400 acres valued at $1k in Jefferson, Jackson, GA. Plus $350 dollars in other cash and material goods. Total value $1,350. His son, William C Rousseau, Jr. is listed immediately below him with 0 across the board. At that time, men were required to be added to the Tax Rolls at age 18.

Georgia, Property Tax Digests, 1881

Name: William C Russeau Senior (sp)
Year: 1879-1883
Post Office: Jefferson
Militia District: Jefferson
Militia District Number: 245
Place: Jackson, Georgia, USA

We have been able to locate and trace all of the Rousseau children, except for Sarah E P Martindale Parker, Frances A Martindale Rousseau and Martin Rousseau.

W C's date of death is still a mystery, but it is believed to be after 1885 and before the 1900 Census, when his wife Carrie is listed as a widow. He was buried in Austell, Cobb, GA, along with his second wife Carrie, three of their daughters, and an infant grandson: Julia S "Dollie" Rousseau White and her second son, infant Julian Percy White, Carrie Lou "Lou" Rousseau Matheson, and Miss Sarah H "Miss Sallie" Rousseau.

Some dates may be estimates.