Nicholas Gillington (1676 - bef. 1773)

Born 1676 in Tunstall, Lancashire, England

Descendants

Died before 16 Dec 1773 before age 97 in Amelia County, Virginia

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Nicholas Gillington resided in the Southern Colonies in North America before 1776. Join: US Southern Colonies Project Discuss: southern_colonies

Disputed Origins

Nicholas Gillington is commonly said to the son of John Girlington of Thurland Castle and Hornby. There is no actual evidence that this is true. Furthermore, the will of John Girlington does not give him a son Nicholas, and his daughter Magdalen was the eventual sole heiress of his estates. Nicholas Girlington is being detached as a son of John Girlington until contemporary evidence can be found showing a relationship.

Biography

Nicholas Gillington is commonly said to have been born in 1676 in Tunstall, Lancashire, England, the son of John Girlington and Margaret Duckett. ^[1] There us no evidence this true, and good reasons to think it is incorrect.

The children of Nicholas Gillington and Eleanor Echols are:

1. Nicholas Gillington
2. John Gillington
3. Catherine Gillington - married Goran Brown
4. Ann Gillington - married Matthew Hillsman.
5. Ellender Gillington - married John Chisum.
6. Elizabeth Gillington - married Joseph Collins.

Will

In the Name of God, Amen. I, Nicholas Gillington of Halifax Co., being weak in body but in sound and perfect sense and memory, thanks be to God for same, Calling to mind that men must die and after that must come to judgement, do consider that what of our affairs are not settled in this life cannot be settled hereafter, do make and ordain this, my last will and testament, acknowledging this to be my last will and testament, disannulling all other wills whatsoever, and to proceed, I shall give my estate as followeth, to-wit:

I give to my daughter Catherine Brown one feather bed, to her and her heirs;

to Elizabeth Collins I give one feather bed, to her and her heirs;

to Elizabeth Chisum, daughter of John Chisum, I give one feather bed, to her and her heirs;

to my son John Gillington I have given 400 acres of land which I intended should be his full portion, nevertheless, to take matters out of dispute, I give to his heirs five pounds cash.

To John Chisum I give the land and plantation which I now possess in Amelia Co., containing 300 acres, to be at his own disposal for which reason he is to pay to Catherine Brown or to her heirs, -20. current money; to Elizabeth Collins or her heirs, -20.; to Ann Hillsman or her heirs, -20.; to Eleanor Chisum or her heirs, -20.; to Priscilla Hendrick, my granddaughter, or her heirs, -20.;

and as for my negro woman Rose, she shall choose her mistress among my daughters, and they that she shall choose shall pay -20. to be equally divided among all my children now living and my two granddaughters, which is Elizabeth Chisum, wife of John Estes, and Jerushea, daughter of John Gillington, deceased.

I therefore make and ordain John Chisum my whole and sole executor of this, my last will and testament, made in the year 1772, and on the 21st day of October.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

Nicholas Gillington

Witnesses:
John Dyer
John Templeton
Elizabeth Lack"

"One of the earliest of my family to come to the Americas, he married [Mary] Eleanor Echols and I believe Eleanor's mother's line was already in Virginia before Nicholas got here. His name has been alternately spelled Guillentine or Gillington.

Nicholas Gillentine, born in 1676 at Thurland Castle was the son of John Girlington and Margaret Curwen. John Girlington later re-married to his first wife's cousin Margaret Duckett. Nicholas was most likely born in the left wing of Thurland Castle after the destruction of the castle by Cornwall's forces. Since the Girlington's were staunch Catholics, the coming of Protestant William and Mary to the throne in 1689 was a possible cause for the move to America.

Nicholas was decribed by Milner Echols in his book, "History of Echols Family", as 'outlandish'. It is possible that Nicholas was illegitimate, and that his parents wed after his marriage (as his father was married once before). This could also explain his not inheriting any of his father's estate and his decision to migrate to the Americas.

Nicholas and Eleanor had 5 children:

John Gillington b: 1722 d: 1763 m: Rachel Hendrick Eleanor b: 1716 m: John Chisum Catherine b: 1724 m: Goran Brown Ann b: 1730 m: Matthew Hillsman Elizabeth b: 1720 m: Joseph Collins

Nicholas' 2nd wife was Elizabeth Ricketts."^[2]

Sources

1. ↑ Remains, historical & literary, connected with the palatine counties of Lancaster and Chester Author: Chetham Society, Manchester, England 1844. Page 119-120.
2. ↑ "Nicholas Gillentine." The Salmons. Accessed Dec. 9th, 2017. http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/family/nick1.html.

See also: New link LVA - https://www.lva.virginia.gov/public/

• Library of Virginia LVA Catalogue Will Book No. 2, 1771-1780 (Reel 29). Gillingtine [Gillentine], Nicholas. p. 227, Inv. & Appr. dated 29 Nov. 1773.
• thehennesseefamily.com Nicholas Gillington (contains records as sources)

See also:

• "Nicholas Gillentine." Geni. Accessed Dec. 9th, 2017. https://www.geni.com/people/Nicholas-Gillentine/6000000003645997838.
• "Nicholas Gillentine." The Salmons. Accessed Dec. 9th, 2017. http://www.thesalmons.org/lynn/family/nick1.html.
• "Nicholas Ducket Gillintine." Family Search. Accessed Dec. 9th, 2017. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L613-3KM.
• http://www.thehennesseefamily.com/getperson.php?personID=I20049&tree=hennessee Names listed as both Gillentine and Girlington