Mary (Jarrett) Gilliam (1721 - aft. 1774)

Born 10 Jul 1721 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Wife of William Gilliam Sr — married about 1740 in New Kent, Virginia [uncertain]

Descendants

Died after 1774 after age 52 in Bedford County, Colony of Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Thomas Dominick [send private message]

Biography

Mary Jarratt's birth was also recorded in the Gilliam Family Bible published in 1766 in London: "Mary Gilliam wife of William Gilliam was born 10 Jul 1721 in the County of New Kent the daughter of Devereaux Jarratt and his wife Elizabeth Wingfield." ^[1]

Research Notes

From: Charles Ward

Subject: William and Mary (JARRATT) GILLIAM, of Virginia

Date: Mon, 21 Feb 2000 21:42:15 EST

From Roots-Web

A great deal of erroneous information has been published regarding William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam, of Virginia. This has been inadvertently perpetuated by well-intentioned researchers, unaware of the inaccuracies contained in various published sources (example, Worth Ray's TN COUSINS).

William Gilliam's parentage is unknown to date, but it is very likely he belonged to the Gilliam family which resided in St. Peter's Parish in New Kent County, VA. Claims that he was a grandson of the Reverend Patrick Henry are false. Chronologically, this is impossible. A very good review of the Gilliam descendants of the Reverend Patrick Henry has appeared in print and confirms the fact that the William Gilliam in question does NOT belong to this family.

Richard and Margaret Gilliam were residing in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., VA as early as the 1680s and they had several sons. It seems highly probable that William Gilliam was a grandson of Richard and Margaret Gilliam.

Mary Jarratt, wife of William Gilliam, was born 5 May 1724 in St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co., VA the daughter of Devereux Jarratt and his wife, Elizabeth (Wingfield) Jarratt. This information is confirmed by the St. Peter's Parish Register and the Gilliam Bible which was published in 1766 in London.

William Gilliam was born about 1720, probably in New Kent Co., VA. William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam probably married in New Kent Co., VA and came to reside in Albemarle Co., VA near the Pedlar River. They are found in that county in deed records in the 1750s. Following the creation of Buckingham County, VA in 1761, Gilliam is then found in that county. Surviving land records mention William Gilliam as being deceased on 17 Oct 1792. It has incorrectly been stated that William Gilliam died in Hanover Co., VA, but again, this has been a perpetuation of false information.

[William actually died about 1772 in Bedford near the waters of Wreck Island. William Gilliam, Jr and widow Mary are William's executors in a suit brought by Walter Middleton and William Butler

Suit: Mary & Wm GILLIAM, Exors of Wm vs Walter Middleton

May 1774 • Bedford County, VA

Mary & Wm GILLIAM, Jr, Exors of Wm GILLIAM vs. Walter Middleton and William Butler, ^[2]

The estate of William Gilliam of the land records of Buckingham who was deceased by 1792 was in the hands of William Gilliam, Jr. on 4 Aug 1798. This precludes William Gilliam who married Mary Jarratt from being the William Gilliam of the Buckingham land records who was deceased by 1792 as their son William Gilliam, Jr was in Wilkes County, GA and deceased by 27 Jan 1798.]

References are made to the "widow Gilliam" in Buckingham Co., VA in 1794 and 1796. This is in reference to William Gilliam, deceased and we may deduce this is a reference to Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam. She appears to have died about 1796.

["Widow Gilliam" of Buckingham is actually Susannah Richardson Gilliam, the widow of John Gilliam]

Unfortunately, Buckingham Co., VA is a "burned county" so any will William or Mary Gilliam might have left was destroyed years ago. However, we can reconstruct their family using other means.

John Gilliam is referred to as a son of William Gilliam, deceased, in surviving Buckingham Co., VA land records.

William Gilliam and his his eldest son, William Gilliam, Jr. are found in a 1764 List of Tithables in Buckingham Co., VA with the father paying the tithe of the son.

Thomas Gilliam's family record lists him as the "son of William and Mary Gilliam."

William Gilliam, Jr. the eldest son of William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam died childless in Wilkes Co., GA. He bequeathed his estate to his brothers and sisters. Specifically, he bequeathed his estate to his brothers and sisters and the heirs of John Hood. No specific family relationship was indicated in regard to the heirs of John Hood, so we can't state definitively if they were related, based on the probate records alone.

The wording of the will is of particular significance. As he did not bequeath his estate to his brothers and sisters AND THEIR HEIRS, this effectively disinherited the children of his brothers who predeceased him. Of course, the heirs of John Hood were an exception, if their mother was indeed a sister of William Gilliam, Jr. as has been assumed by some Gilliam researchers.

At any rate, utilizing the above mentioned sources, we have an accurate picture of the children born to William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam. Their children were:

1. William Gilliam, Jr. (b.ca 1742; d. 1798); married Elizabeth Ellis. No children. They are found selling land in Amherst Co., VA in 1773, but were residing in Bedford Co., VA at the time. He later settled in Wilkes Co., VA where his will was written 27 Jan 1798 and proven 17 Feb 1798. The inventory and distribution of his estate shows payments were made to his surviving brothers: Devereux, Richard, Charles, John, Jarratt, and Archelaus Gilliam and to his sister, Sarah Williamson (as well as the heirs of John Hood). As previously mentioned, no provision was made for the children of his deceased brothers.

2. Sarah Gilliam (b.ca 1744); married Micajah Williamson. Resided in Wilkes Co., GA. A daughter was married to John Clark, Governor of Georgia. A grandson, John Campbell, served on the United States Supreme Court. A great-grandson, Lucius Q.C. Lamar, also served on the United States Supreme Court and was immortalized in John F. Kennedy's PROFILES IN COURAGE.

3. Devereux Gilliam (b.ca 1746; died 1809); married Edith Ellis, daughter of Charles and Susannah (Harding) Ellis, of "Red Hill," in present-day Amherst Co., VA. They were early settlers of Knox Co., TN where they established "Gilliam's Station." His will, written 2 May 1809, was proven the following October.

4. Peter Gilliam (b.ca 1748; d. 1798); Traditionally attributed as a son of William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam. He was married to Ann Heard and came to reside in Wilkes Co., GA where he was dead by 15 Jul 1794 when Jesse Heard was appointed administrator of his estate.

[It appears that Peter is actually the brother of Elizabeth Gilliam whose Will mentions sisters; Ann and Mary Gilliam; brothers; Peter and John Gilliam; and a brother Charles and a sister, Winnifred, who predeceased her. [2] John and Peter together witness a deed for the Hudsons, for who Peter was overseer. Peter names a son for his deceased brother Charles and daughters for sisters Elizabeth, Mary and Ann. William Gilliam Jr's Will mentions all of his siblings or their heirs. He does not mention Peter nor his heirs. ]

5. Thomas Gilliam (born 22 Oct 1750; died 25 May 1793); I discussed this couple in a previous posting and will not repeat the information here.

6. Richard Gilliam (b.ca 1752); he is listed as receiving a share of his brother's estate on 19 Dec 1799. A Richard Gilliam is listed as having his will proven in Bedford Co., VA on 22 Apr 1799, so it is impossible these could be the same individual due to the conflict of these two dates.

7. Charles Gilliam (b.ca 1754); received a share of his brother's estate on 12 Jan 1799.

8. John Gilliam (b.ca 1756; died 1821); married Mary Tooley, 22 Nov 1785, in Albemarle Co., VA. His will, written 1 Mar 1821, was proven 21 May 1821, in Amherst Co., VA.

9. Jarratt Gilliam (b.ca 1758; died 1833); married 24 Mar 1787, in Bedford Co., VA to Ann Gilliam. He married as his second wife, Theodosia Davis, in Bedford Co., VA on 18 Feb 1796, with her mother, Elizabeth Davis, of Amherst Co., VA giving consent. He did not remain in Bedford County and returned to Amherst Co., VA where his will, written 24 Dec 1832, was proven 17 Jun 1833.

10. Archelaus Gilliam (b.ca 1760; d. 1836); sometimes referred to as "Archer." He married Judith Tooley, 15 Dec 1781, in Albemarle Co., VA. An administrator's bond was granted to James Gilliam for Archelaus Gilliam's estate on 21 Nov 1836, in Amherst Co., VA.

11. Joyce Gilliam (possible daughter); married John Hood. The wife of John Hood is attributed as a sister of William Gilliam, Jr. and thus a daughter of William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam, based on the fact that William Gilliam, Jr. bequeathed part of his estate to the heirs of John Hood in his will. No further information.

I hope that this will help to clear up many of the inaccuracies regarding the family of William and Mary (Jarratt) Gilliam.

I have spent a great deal of time and effort researching the Gilliams and have plans of having my research published.

If anyone wishes to discuss this Gilliam family, please contact me directly.

Charles Ward

• Reference for Mary's Jarrett's mother - Charles Ward - [1] Surname forum]

Sources

1. ↑ RootsWeb
2. ↑ Order Book 5B, page 344

• RootsWeb William and Mary

• Rootsweb

• North America, Family Histories, 1500-2000 for Mary Jarrett

• "Virginia Births and Christenings, 1584-1917", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VRR4-FRL : 28 January 2020), Mary Jarrat, 1721.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #203709667

Acknowledgements

• WikiTree profile Jarrett-392 created through the import of garn.ged on Oct 25, 2012 by Dan Garnitz.