Francis Gildart (1758 - 1814)

Born 2 Dec 1758 in Liverpool, Lancashire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sophia (Starke) Gildart — married 8 Jan 1792 in Frederick, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 23 Aug 1814 at age 55 in Washington, Mississippi Territory, United States

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Biography

Captain Francis Gildart served with British Legion during the American Revolution.

Francis was born in 1758. He was recorded as Cornet in 1779, then Lieutenant and finally Captain in Col Tarleton's British Legion.^[1] He married Sophia Starke at Frederick, Virginia, in 1792. He passed away in 1814.

From Gildart, Charles R., The Gildart - Geldart Families, Chapter 8, Captain Francis Gildart: ^[2]

Francis Gildart, Capt. Tarleton's British Legion, 1775-83; b. Liverpool 2 Dec. 1758. (See later chapter, pages 35 - 39, in which his life is treated in detail) d. Miss. 23 Aug. 1814; buried at Washington, Adams Co., Miss.: m. 1st Anne Martin, ^[3] dau. Col. Thomas Bryan-Martin, nephew of Lord Fairfax, Frederick Co., Va. 7 Nov. 1785; she d. 1786, supposedly at Alexandria, Va., s.p.; m. 2d Sophia ^[4], dau. Col. Robert Stark of S.C., a Revolutionary officer, in Frederick Co, Va., 8 Jan. 1792; she b. Jan. 1775 in S.C.; d. 27 Oct. 1830 at Ashley plantation, Warren Co., Miss.;

Issue: ^[5]

1. Thomas Martin, 3d Lt., 2d U.S. Inf., War of 1812; served at Ft. Bowyer, Mobile Bay; d. unmd. [named for the father of Francis Gildart's first wife, Ann Martin]
2. Horatio Nelson, drowned, Liverpool harbor, Eng., 1828; m. Mary F. Stark, 8 Feb. 1827 (Woodville, Miss. marriage record).
3. John Wormley, q.v.
4. Francis, b. 30 Apr., 1797 q.v.
5. Robert, d. unmd.
6. Frances, b. 1798, d. 1821, m. William Ruffin of Va.; he was son of Robert, son of John, son of Robert, son of Robert, son of William. William Ruffin "Went in the early eighteen hundreds to Ft. Adams, Miss. with $40 and two shirts in his saddle bags, and is the only one of the name (ever known) to_make a fortune by trade. He got it as soon as he could, planted cotton and raised horses and cattle in Wilkinson Co., Miss.
7. Mary Jane, d. 1878, m. 1st Wm. Starke (d. 1823); 2d Lemuel Pitcher, (d. 1881), collector of customs, New Orleans, La.
8. Sophia, m. John Fox, on staff of Gen. Houston, s.p. Elizabeth Starke, m. # Richard Hardway Eggleston, MD. 6 Nov. 9, 1805.

Will

Will of Francis Gildart. Adams Co., MS, WB H, pp. 117, w. 2 Jun 1812, p. 5 Oct 1814. ^[6] Digital image at Ancestry.com - http://bit.ly/FrancisGildart

wife Sophia
all my children
“... should I die before I move from Tennessee which I now intend...”
Exrs: “the said Sophia,” Theodore Stark her Brother
Wit: H Tooley, (Jane?) Tooley

It is recorded in the Pitcher Family history, compiled by Charlie Holcombe Pitcher, that when Francis Gildart was 34 years old, he was in the United States fighting for the British during the Revolutionary War. His unit held as prisoner Colonel Robert Starke, a colonial officer. The prison was in the Exchange in Charleston, SC (now the old post office). While Colonel Starke was held prisoner, his daughter, Sophia, came to visit him frequently and during the visits made the acquaintance of Captain Francis Gildart who was posted at that location. Sophia and Francis fell in love and despite the fact that they were on opposite sides of the War, were married on January 8, 1792. ^[7]

Chronology

8 Jan 1792, Frederick, VA - Francis Gildart married Sophia Stark(e). ^{[8] [9]}

2 Jun 1812 - Francis Gildart writes his will naming wife Sophia and all my children. ^[10]

5 Oct 1814, Adams Co., MS - Francis Gildart's will was proven in Adams Co., MS. ^[11]

13 Aug 1819, Wilkinson Co., MS - Sophia Gildart, widow of Francis Gildart, formerly a half-pay captain in Tarleton's Dragoons (British Legion) filed for pension in Wilkinson County, Mississippi. She was married to Gildart on 8 January 1792 by Rev. Alexander Balmain, Rector of Frederick, Virginia. ^[12]

5 Jun 1823, Wilkinson Co., MS - Francis Gildart's daughter, Elizabeth, marries. ^[13]

MARRIED,

At Ashley, the seat of Mrs. Sophia Gildart, near Woodville, on the 5th inst. by the Rev. Mr. Ester, Doct. Dick H. Eggleston to Miss Elizabeth S. Gildart.

Feb 1827, Wilkinson Co., MS - Francis Gildart's son, Horatio Nelson Gildart, marries. ^[14]

Married,

In February last, at Ashley, in the state of Mississippi, America, Horatio Nelson Gildart, Esq. grandson of the late James Gildart, Esq. of Whiston, in this county, to Mary, daughter of Colonel H. Stark, of the United States Army.

October Term 1840, MS - Stark v. Gildart et al. Lawsuit over the Ashley tract of land in Wilkinson Co., MS, owned by Francis Gildart. ^[15] Names mentioned in this lawsuit:

• Francis Gildart, son of Francis Sr.

• Sophia Gildart and Theodore Stark, exec. of Francis Gildart Sr.

• Robert S. Gildart, heir of Francis Gildart Sr.

• “one Eggleston and wife” had an interest in land; they conveyed 1/8 part of Ashley plantation, lately owned by F. Gildart, deceased. The wife was one of the heirs…

Continuation of the Ashley tract lawsuit in the Mississippi Supreme Court. ^[16] This names Francis Gildart's heirs:

This was an action of ejectment instituted in the circuit court of Wilkinson county.

This appears to be an appeal based on evidence introduced in a chancery case.

The court said, “The language employed, so far as it is material to consider of it, is this; ‘that said Theodore Starke, the appellee, do have and recover of and from the said John W. Gildart, Francis Gildart, John B. Fox and Sophia his wife, Lemuel Pitcher and Mary Jane his wife, Dick H. Eggleston and Elizabeth his wife, Moses Liddell, guardian of Francis G. Ruffin, and Dick H. Eggleston, administrator of Horatio N. Gildart, deceased, …’ “

Sources

1. ↑ Captain Francis GILDART, Taken Prisoner 19 Octr. 1781, in Muster Roll of Capt. GILDART’s Troop of Light Dragoons belonging to the British Legion Commanded by Lieut. Colonel TARLETON from the 24th of October 1781 to the 24th of December following: http://www.royalprovincial.com/military/musters/britlegn/blgild1.htm
2. ↑ Gildart, Charles R., The Gildart - Geldart Families, Chapter 8, Captain Francis Gildart. PDF At Seeking My Roots
3. ↑ * Marriage: "Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800"
   Original data: Dodd, Jordan, comp.. Virginia Marriages to 1800. Electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Virginia
   Ancestry Record 3002 #13547 (accessed 29 March 2024)
   Francis Giltart marriage to Ann Martin on 7 Nov 1785.
4. ↑ * Marriage: "Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800"
   Original data: Dodd, Jordan, comp.. Virginia Marriages to 1800. Electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Virginia
   Ancestry Record 3002 #14227 (accessed 29 March 2024)
   Francis Gildhart marriage to Sophia Starke on 8 Jan 1792.
5. ↑ Gildart, Charles R., The Gildart - Geldart Families, Chapter 8, Captain Francis Gildart. PDF At Seeking My Roots
6. ↑ Mississippi, Adams County Probate Records; Author: Mississippi. Chancery Court (Adams County); Probate Place: Adams, Mississippi Probate Packets, Box 48-49, 1805-1851. Ancestry link to the actual handwritten will page
7. ↑ Genealogy Records of Charlie Holcombe Pitcher, an accomplished attorney in Baton Rouge, LA, wife of Sargent Pitcher Jr., who compiled extensive documentation of the Pitcher family history in the early 1960s. Unfortunately her original records (birth certificates, etc.) were lost, but the data, stories and pictures she compiled are preserved.
8. ↑ PRO /WO 42/60 War Office- Selected "Very Old Series and Old Series Papers- Certificates of Birth, etc. Loyal American and Canadian Corps - 1776-1881. Found in the Virginia Colonial Records Project-Survey Report 05576
9. ↑ * Marriage: "Virginia, U.S., Compiled Marriages, 1660-1800"
   Original data: Dodd, Jordan, comp.. Virginia Marriages to 1800. Electronic transcription of marriage records held by the individual counties in Virginia
   Ancestry Record 3002 #14227 (accessed 29 March 2024)
   Francis Gildhart marriage to Sophia Starke on 8 Jan 1792.
10. ↑ Will of Francis Gildart. Adams Co., MS, WB H, pp. 117, w. 2 Jun 1812, p. 5 Oct 1814. Digital image at Ancestry.com - http://bit.ly/FrancisGildart
11. ↑ Will of Francis Gildart. Adams Co., MS, WB H, pp. 117, w. 2 Jun 1812, p. 5 Oct 1814. Digital image at Ancestry.com - http://bit.ly/FrancisGildart
12. ↑ PRO /WO 42/60 War Office- Selected "Very Old Series and Old Series Papers- Certificates of Birth, etc. Loyal American and Canadian Corps - 1776-1881. Found in the Virginia Colonial Records Project-Survey Report 05576
13. ↑ The Mississippi Free Trader, Natchez, MS, Thursday, 19 Jun 1823, p. 3, col. 3. Digital image at Newspapers.com
14. ↑ The Liverpool Mercury, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, Friday 15 Jun 1827, p. 7, col. 2. Digital image at Newspapers.com.
15. ↑ Howard, Volney E. (Reporter to the State), “Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Errors and Appeals of the State of Mississippi,” Vol. 5 (December Term, 1840, and January Term, 1841), E Morgan and Company, Cincinnati, OH, 1841. Digital image at Google Books.
16. ↑ Howard, Volney E. (Reporter to the State), “Reports of Cases Argued and Determined in the High Court of Errors and Appeals,” Vol. IV (December Term, 1839, and January Term, 1840), E. Morgan and Company, Cincinnati, OH, 1840. Digital image at Google Books.

• Genealogy Records of Charlie Holcombe Pitcher, an accomplished attorney in Baton Rouge, LA, wife of Sargent Pitcher Jr., who compiled extensive documentation of the Pitcher family history in the early 1960s. Unfortunately her original records (birth certificates, etc.) were lost, but the data, stories and pictures she compiled are preserved.