Kirklands in the U.S. Southern Colonies

Date: 29 Jul 2020 [unknown]
Location: United States
Surnames/tags: Kirkland Kirklin US_Southern_Colonies

This is to research those with the Kirkland surname that lived in Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama (and their descendants that migrated to other states).

Most present-day Kirkland family researchers are aware of two popular reference aids: Kirkland Source Book of Records, Vol. I and Vol. II. These were published in 1977 and 1988 respectively. Both works are a compilation of Kirkland records accumulated from both independent research and submissions from correspondents. They total over 1,000 pages of typescript records and family traditions. One would think the availability of so many records would pemit the development of a written report on any line of this family with minimal additional research. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Unresolved problems have plagued searchers on all lines of this family for decades.

Enter Dr. Jimmie Peacock . . . His Kirklands traced to Henry County, Alabama. It was common knowledge that the Henry County family descended from a man known as Snowden Kirkland. Dr. Peacock spent over two decades researching the Henry, Alabama Kirklands tracing them back to Virginia. He poured through available records in Maryland, Virginia, North/South Carolina, Geogia, and Alabama. His resulting book, Kirkland Family Roots, is the 'bible' for anyone tracing their ancestors from brothers Richard Kirkland and Robert Kirkland. of Virginia.

Dr. J.R. Peacock is no longer with us. Darlene Athey Hill corresponded with him during the research and writing of his book and provided sources for her ancestor to be included in the book. Since his death, she has taken on the task of working to get rid of all of the 'junk' ancestries with incorrect Kirkland connections. And now we have this Kirkland One Name Study Team.

Recommended Sources

The following sources were published privately. Copies are available in numerous libraries.

• Kirkland Source Book of Records, Volumes I and II (aka KSBR). A group of Kirkland researchers published these, transcribing thousands of records they located in various state and local archives as well as family bibles. I was able to purchase a CD with these back in the early 2000s.

• 'Kirkland Family Roots', by Dr. J.R. Peacock, publ. 2002. Dr. Peacock spent two decades traveling to the various states to peruse records at local, state, and national archives to try and put together an accurate record of four generations of descendants of Richard Kirkland who died in Virginia in 1743. The source then shifts to his descendants who were among the early settlers of Henry County, Alabama. This is the definitive source for those that trace their Kirkland ancestors to Richard and/or his brother Robert.