Caleb V Kirkland (abt. 1795 - 1875)

Born about 1795 in Edgefield, District 96, South Carolina, United States

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 20 Jul 1875 at about age 80 in Henry, Alabama, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Kirkland Name Study.

He married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of Nathaniel Jones and Philadelphia Pines.

A sizeable amount of information has been developed on this family, researched and compiled by Dr. J.R. Peacock with contributions by Ed and Cathy McCarthy and Betty and Davis Shull, Junior.

Caleb V. Kirkland married Elizabeth Jones in South Carolina. Both families lived in the area where the South Edisto River has its origin. Davis and Betty Shull have shared Jones Family research that reports the bride was a daughter of Nathaniel and Philadelphia (Pines, Pinzes, Pynes, etc.) Jones. The Jones and Pynes Families also relocated to Alabama and are present in records of Henry County and Barbour County. Nathaniel Jones is reported to have been a son of Thomas and Catherine/Martha (Braxton) Jones. His wife was a daughter of Wheaton and Catherine (Hartley) Pynes.

The issue of Caleb V. Kirkland is not proved by the type of records normally sought for that purpose, that is wills, probate records, deeds, or Family Bible Records. However, family tradition, an unusual court case, good census records, and an unexpected estate record combine to provide acceptable identity of the children of this family. Mr. and Mrs. Shull shared an oral family tradition that had been recorded in a written format. The information was from Bolivar Lemuel Kirkland, a grandson of Caleb V. Kirkland, through his son George Washington Kirkland. The report said Caleb had sons with the given names of George Washington (born 1818), Wilson, Johnny and Tillman. A court record will be cited later that will prove Tillman and Wilson were brothers, and sons of Caleb. The same record will prove the wife of Caleb was named Elizabeth, and she had a Jones family background. This serves to verify the accuracy of the information from Bolivar Lemuel, and in some part, the Jones family origin for the wife of Caleb. Other family information from the Shulls reports Caleb had an additional child named Nancy Kirkland. The U. S. Census return for Houston County, Georgia in 1850 listed Caleb and Elizabeth Kirkland with children named Nancy, Caleb and William. A two-year-old John Love Vann Kirkland was also in the household, who will be identified later. Assurance is given that the correct family is in focus. Caleb was listed with his in-laws named Wheaton Jones, Senior, Wheaton Jones, Junior and Nathan Jones. A Hartley family was also nearby. Proof of the relationship of Caleb V. to the young Caleb in his household in 1850 is found in Henry County, Alabama probate records dated 23 October 1863, Orphans Court Record Book N, page 596. The senior Caleb served as guardian for Alexander Kirkland, who was the orphan son of Caleb Kirkland, deceased. More will be offered on this record and the persons involved, later. For now, note is made of the support for the claim that the young Caleb, in his household in 1850, was a son of Caleb V. Kirkland. The claim is also made that the William Kirkland on the Georgia census return was also a son of Caleb V. He is the only child reported here who is not confirmed by other records. He was not born until about 1840, so probably did not register in the memory of Bolivar Lemuel. He was not old enough to be recognized in the court case. Information to follow will show William did move on to Alabama with the family and married there. He is reported here as a son of Caleb V. Kirkland. Census records indicate there was another daughter, born 1825-1830, not recognized in available records.

There is evidence that the relocation of Caleb V. Kirkland, and some of his family, to Alabama, was influenced by legal problems. Wilson V. Kirkland, son of Caleb V. Kirkland, worked as an overseer on the plantation of Martin Posey in Edgefield District. Posey induced one of his slaves, named App, to kill Mrs. Posey. After the crime was committed, Posey encouraged Wilson Kirkland to kill the slave, without success. Posey performed the act, with the knowledge of Wilson. Posey was, subsequently, convicted for the murders. Wilson was charged as an accomplice to the last crime. Mrs. Posey was killed 16 February 1849, App was killed on 01 March. Wilson was arrested on 07 April 1849 and remained in jail until after the trial. He may have remained in jail until after the appeals were exhausted. Martin Posey was executed 01 February 1850. Reportedly, an attempt was made to kill Wilson, by adding poison to his food, while he was in jail. This was reported to have been an attempt by supporters of Martin Posey to prevent the testimony by Wilson for the State. He almost died, and remained in jail for his protection, until he fled from South Carolina. This story may be correct, because testimony by Wilson reported he was in jail nearly six months, when the trial was held. He related that he was near death at one point during this interval. The case was appealed to the South Carolina Supreme Court by Martin Posey. It has been considered a prominent case because of complications involving the rights and responsibilities of slaves and masters. The case was brought to the attention of the writer by Ed and Cathy McCarthy. They located the record at the Coleman Koresh Law Library at the University of South Carolina, Cases at Law, the Court of Appeals, November and December Term 1849, pages 103-167. There is another version that resulted from the study of this case by a law student in 1859.

Children

• George Washington - born c 1818
• Tillman - born c 1820
• Wilson V. - born 03 January 1825
• unknown daughter - born 1825-1830
• Nancy - born ca. 1832
• John - born ca. 1835
• Caleb - born ca. 1837
• William - born ca. 1840.

The Henry County Register of 23 July 1875 reported that he died on 20 July 1875 near Abbeville.^[1]

Sources

1. ↑ Kirkland Family Roots, by Dr. J. R. Peacock, publ. 2002, pp. 331-335

• 1850 US census; Census Place: District 5 (Upper), Houston, Georgia; Roll: 74; Page: 309a
• https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=1898&h=151242&ssrc=pt&tid=116305457&pid=352020672116&usePUB=true