Nicholas Gillintine

Notes:

In the Fall of 1772, Nicholas Gillintine, of Halifax County, Virginia, composed his last will and testament. He wrote “... being weak in body but in sound mind & perfect sence & memory... do consider that what of our affairs are not settled in this life cannot be settled hereafter... “ He then went on to describe how he wished his earthly property to be distributed among his heirs. Nicholas must not have been living in Halifax County very long because he had written a will in Amelia County 2 November 1771. It was recorded there but not probated. He was evidently an old man for some of his granddaughters had married.
According to Milner Echols, the nineteenth century Echols family historian, Nicholas was an “outlandish” Englishman who married a daughter of John Echols, Yet no record reveals her name. They were the parents of five known children he named in his will.

Records spelled “Gillintine” different ways including “Gillenton,” “Gillington,” “Gillinton,” “Guilintine,” “Guillintine,” etc. The name may originally have been the French “Guillotin.” By 1782 the Gillinton name had disappeared from Virginia. Nicholas received a patent for land in King William (later Caroline) County on 16 June 1714. It was 200 acres “about a mile back in the woods from Rowells Ford.” Nicholas's name appeared often in the Caroline County order books. He obtained a patent for 997 acres next to Abraham Echols on Flat Creek in Amelia County 28 December 1736. On 17 June 1743, he gave a 397-acre portion of this land to his son John. The deed of gift described the land as on the upper side of Flat Creek, called the “Great Bent.” The same day Nicholas lent 200 acres of land on the upper side of Flat Creek to John and Eleanor Chisum, his son-in-law and daughter, for the rest of their natural life. The three appear to have sold this land to John Cook for £100 on 19 November 1754.
Almost exactly ten years later, a nearly identical deed was recorded. On 10 September 1764, Nicholas transferred 200 acres of his original patent to John Cook of Amelia for £100. They recorded this deed among others of 1766. This land was owned by Nicholas, daughter Eleanor Chisum, son-in-law John Chisum, all of Amelia County, and James Chisum of Halifax County.

Early Amelia County court records reported few crimes. Then, in 1743, Amelia County arrested Lodowick Ferguson for suspicion of felony. The court records included the reports of witnesses including Gillintines. The county alleged that Lodowick stole about £22, mainly of gold coins, from a trunk belonging to Catherine Whitworth, the daughter of Thomas Whitworth. Sadly, it seems Ann Gillintine, Catherine's friend, had earlier shown Lodowick where the gold was. Ann would later marry Matthew Hilsman. On 25 July 1743, they brought Ferguson into the courtroom. In front sat the eight justices of the peace: Edward Booker, John Burton, William Clement, William Booker, Richard Booker, Samuel Tarry, Hezekiah Ford, and Wood Jones. According to depositions, John Gillintine had seen Lodowick at his father's house helping harvest wheat Wednesday, June 29. Ferguson owed John money but declared that he then did not have any. Two days later, Ferguson arrived at the Whitworth home while Thomas was away helping others harvest wheat. He told Catherine he had work to do at Whitworth's with Samuel Martin, who was on his way. While she was on the porch sewing with her mother, Catherine heard Ferguson go to her trunk and then saw him leave the house. The next day, Saturday, the militia mustered at Scott's Ordinary. While the men were waiting about, Ferguson asked John Leonard to change a doubloon for him, claiming he owed James Scott some money. Both James Scott and Dennis Reagan also exchanged doubloons with Ferguson. After Church Sunday, John Gillintine ran into Ferguson who repaid his debt to John with some gold and silver coins he took from a purse. Additionally, Wednesday, Ferguson bought a horse from Gillintine for £3:14:0 that he said he had borrowed. Ironically, the same day, Samuel Martin arrived at Whitworth's to work yet denied he was to have met Ferguson the previous Friday. Ferguson evidently began to realize he was in a bind. He took Martin aside and asked him to rearrange his story to say that he did not arrive at Whitworth's because he lost his horse. He also convinced Martin to come with him to Warwick, Virginia. Martin later reported that Ferguson had much money on hand and made several purchases from merchants. Martin's forthrightness in the court was presumably because they had charged him with a felony and he was going to distance himself from Ferguson. The evidence was sufficient to arrest Ferguson. Fearing they would hang him, Ferguson anxiously offered to become a witness for the King and impeach Samuel Martin for the theft. This failing, he hired a lawyer, who he was clearly able to pay. John Gillintine even said in court he saw Ferguson give money to the attorney. Apparently Ferguson and his father and brother tried to negotiate a settlement with the Whitworth's. One scenario had John Gillintine, an unwitting beneficiary of the crime, helping with restitution. Although theft is common today, in Colonial Amelia County, Virginia, it was not. Nine different citizens helped guard Lodowick in the prison and the county paid them 18 pounds of tobacco per day. Lewis Vaughan got 36 pounds for two days of jailer service. The Ferguson trial directly cost the county 1,368 pounds of tobacco, more than 7% of the annual county budget of less than 19,000 pounds. Things must have looked bleak for Ferguson. A volunteer jailer reported that Lodowick tried to escape, breaking down a door and taking up several bricks from the hearth and chimney. The evidence overwhelmed the justices and they ordered Lodowick Ferguson to be taken to Williamsburg and tried at the next General Court on October 4. The Ferguson's put up a bail bond for Lodowick. To ensure they personally appeared at the court, the witnesses were bound to the King for £20. We do not know the disposition of the case because of the loss of General Court records. We do know Lodowick was back in Amelia County in May 1744 when Justice Edward Booker was awarded a judgement against him for £0:41:11 and court costs. Lodowick failed to appear in court. Perhaps his experiences there were sufficient justification to stay away. Amelia County set aside 1,288 pounds of tobacco - 322 pounds each - in its November 1744 county levy to pay John Gillintine, Thomas Whitworth, Thomas Whitworth Jr., and Catherine Whitworth.

In 1754 Nicholas became guardian of John Hurt Jr. Surety on his orphan bond was George Booker. George was guardian of John's brother, Joel Hurt, and Nicholas was his surety. Nicholas was a good citizen who served on several juries while in Amelia County. Serving with him at various times were William Craddock , Benjamin Clement, Edward Osborne, Henry Robertson Sr., William Hudson, John Gillintine, Lodowick Tanner, Jacob Seay, John Clement, and William Ligon.
Nicholas died in Halifax County about 1773 (will dated 21 Oct. 1772 , recorded 16 Dec. 1773) at ninety-seven years of age. He still had one black slave in Amelia County appraised at £36:0:10 on 29 November 1773. Nicholas appointed Thomas Mumford Sr. and George Booker coexecutors of his will, which Matthew Hilsman, James Garrett, and Robert Willson witnessed.

Nicholas married Eleanor Echols in 1714 in , , Virginia, USA. Eleanor (daughter of John Echols and Mary Cave) was born in 1698 in , King and Queen, Virginia, USA; died on 2 Nov 1771 in , Halifax, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Ann Gillintine, the daughter of Nicholas Gillintine and his Echols wife, inherited £20 from her father. She married Matthew Hillsman [208].

Ann married Matthew Hillsman in 1746 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA. Matthew was born in 1715 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA; died on 29 Dec 1780 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: John G GILLINTINE

Notes:

John Gillintine, the son of Nicholas Gillintine and his Echols wife, did not inherit anything in his father's will because his father had already given him 397 acres of land. Nevertheless John's heirs got £5 cash so they would not dispute the will. John appeared himself on a tithe list beginning in 1738, soon after receiving the land from his father.
John was often assigned to jury duty in Amelia County. On 19 August 1745, the churchwardens bound out William Allen, an orphan, to John Gillintine.
Researchers believe John married Rachel Hendrick, the daughter of Adolphus Hendrick. Adolphus secured a patent for 490 acres in King William County 20 February 1719/20, and 1,000 acres on 28 September 1728. Hans Hendrick, Adolphus's father, appeared first in Virginia first on 25 April 1701 when he received a patent for 594 acres in King and Queen County for the importation of twelve persons including himself and his wife, Jane. A year later, on 28 October 1702, Hans obtained a patent for 175 acres “in sight of Hance's old plantation.”
Later, on 24 March 1725/6, Hance Hendrick Sr. patented 200 acres in St. John's Parish of King William County. On this same day Hans Hendrick Jr. patented 100 acres nearby. The latter was the Hans Hendrick who appeared later in Amelia County records. This Hans Hendrick wrote his will in Amelia County 30 January 1773.
On 20 March 1746/7, John Gillintine deeded an acre of his Amelia County land to William Echols [838.3] and Joseph Collins [838.7.8/S] “for love and affection he bears for his friends”. John disappeared from the Amelia County tax rolls the same year and moved to Lunenburg County. He disposed of his land next to his father's property in three transactions.
On 20 March 1748/9, John Gillintine, “of Lunenburg County,” made two deeds in Amelia County. One was for 100 acres to Nicholas Gillintine for £8 and the other was for 50 acres for £5 to John Hill, of Raleigh Parish. He later sold Moses Estes 240 acres on 7 October 1749, for £40. On 3 November 1750, John Guillintine held 204 acres on the south side of the Staunton River in Lunenburg County.
John Gillintine appeared as a single tithable on Lunenburg County lists in 1748, 1749, and 1750. When they created Halifax County, his land fell in the new county. From 1752 until 1756, he was a member of the Vestry of Antrim Parish in Halifax County. Among the other first vestrymen of Antrim were Richard Echols [838.5], Paul Carrington [862.3.1], and William Wynne.
John was in a mess of trouble in 1753. Clement Read, then the king's prosecutor, accused John of passing counterfeit coins. A few months later they charged him the cost of a trial because he wrongly accused Nathaniel Terry of riding a stray horse.
John left no will and they returned the inventory of his estate on 20 January 1763.
Children of John Gillintine:
William Gillintine [418.4.1] was identified as a son of John Gillintine in the original will of his grandfather, Nicholas. On 10 July 1762, William Gillintine made a deed of gift to his father “for love, good will & the better maintenance of sd John.” The tract was 102 acres in Halifax County next to Edward Booker. Witnesses to this deed were Richard Murphy and Joseph Echols [838.4].
We know that three years earlier Edward Booker was farming land John already owned. This suggests that John could not farm his own land but was supporting himself on rent. William died before 7 October 1786 when three Halifax County citizens inventoried his estate. Two Gillintine women married in Halifax County and we have placed them as daughters of William Gillintine - the only known male Gillintine.
Elizabeth Gillintine [418.4.1.1] married Isaac Martin in Halifax County 5 October 1791. He was the son of Isaac Martin of Halifax County who originated in Caroline County.
Susanna Gillintine [418.4.1.2] married Benjamin Hubbard [234.H1.5] in Halifax County 7 April (bond) 1786. Benjamin's father was married to Hannah Martin, another child of the elder Isac artin.
Priscilla Gillintine [418.4.2] was Priscilla Hendrick in the will of her grandfather. She married Nathaniel Hendrick, her first cousin once removed. Nathaniel died in Pittsylvania County (will dated 25 Jan. 1793 , recorded 19 June 1797).
Mary Hendrick [418.4.2.1] married John Craddock [412.5].
Sarah Hendrick [418.4.2.2] married a Dews.
Ezekiel Hendrick [418.4.2.3].
Jerusha Gillintine [418.4.3] was identified as a daughter of “John Gillington, decd.” in the original 1772-will of her grandfather, Nicholas.

John married Rachel Hendrick in 1743. Rachel was born in 1722 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Catherine Gillintine, the daughter of Nicholas Gillintine and his Echols wife, married a Brown. Her father left her one feather bed in his will.
Catherine may have been the wife of Daniel Brown. Daniel lived in the same tithable district as the Echols and both a Daniel and Catherine Brown witnessed a deed in Amelia County between George Marchbanks [838.7/S] and Thomas Foster on 17 September 1748.
The Marchbanks and Gillintine families were related. Amelia County listed Daniel as a tithable until 1753 and appointed him a surveyor in 1741. Amelia County listed Daniel Brown head of a household of two whites and four blacks in 1782. He was then living in the same census district with the Hillsman and Clement families. Yet no deeds appeared in Amelia County for Daniel Brown throughout 1786. Daniel and his wife may have moved to Halifax County because it was here in 1771 that Daniel witnessed the will of Catherine's uncle William Echols Sr. [838.3].

Other Events and Attributes:

• Name: Elizabeth GILLINTINE

Notes:

Elizabeth Gillintine, the daughter of Nicholas Gillintine and his Echols wife, married a Collins. Her father left her one feather bed in his will. Her husband was probably James Collins.
On 15 July 1743, James Collins conveyed to William Hutchison 100 acres on the upper side of Flat Creek. Elizabeth, his wife, relinquished her dower right. This land was part of James's 400-acre land patent of 14 October 1736. James and Elizabeth sold another 100-acre portion of his patent to John Compton of Louisa County 24 September 1743 for £10.
They continued to live in Amelia County until 20 November 1747 when they sold their last 200 acres to John Compton for £60. The Collins's disappeared from Amelia County about 1748 and probably moved to Lunenburg (now Halifax) County with the Marchbank, Gillintine, and Hubbard families.

Family/Spouse: James Collins. James was born in 1722 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA; died in 1766 in , Halifax, Virginia, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Joseph married Elizabeth Moore on 17 Dec 1790 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA. Elizabeth was born in 1770 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA; died in 1858 in , Smith, Tennessee, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: 1850, , Knox, Tennessee, USA

John married Catherine Fornwalt on 24 Oct 1801 in , Knox, Tennessee, USA. Catherine was born on 21 Oct 1779 in , Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA; died in 1806 in , Knox, Tennessee, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Rebecca Thrasher in 1807 in , Knox, Tennessee, USA. Rebecca was born on 8 Jul 1776 in , Amelia, Virginia, USA; died on 28 Jan 1864 in Knoxville, Knox, Tennessee, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]