Cornelius Whittington' s Wife Is not Rebecca Gilliam

Cornelius Whittington is my Great ( 7 ) Grandfather.

My connection starting with my mother is : (8) "Mom" (7) Myrtle Ruth "Nelson" Shepherd , (6) Hamilton Burton Nelson Sr, (5) Dora "Jenkins" Nelson, (4) Ira Allen Jenkins (3)Stacy "Whittington" Jenkins, (2)James Whittington (1)Cornelius Whittington.

Thankfully we know a good bit about Cornelius through some ample records. However in almost every genealogy I have encountered a major mistake regarding his wife , and thus that line of direct ancestors, is made.

Here is typical of what we encounter:
Cornelius Whittington (son of John Whittington, Jr. and Sarah Woodroffe) was born April 24, 1749 in Albemarle Parish, Sussex Co. Virginia, and died March 29, 1835 in Liberty, Amite Co. Mississippi. He married Rebecca Gilliam on 1774 in South Carolina, daughter of Burrell Gilliam and Anne Johnson.

We know for a fact he married a Rebecca.

In fact with all the Gilliams in the area it could have been a Rebecca Gilliam though I can't recall seeing that Gilliam name mentioned in documents.

I have to research this but I highly suspect this error might have started from the book  "Genealogy of Wilkinson and Kindred Families" which while containing some important information on various branches of  my family also contains some whoppers of misinformation as it gets further back up the various branches.

However the evidence shows that he could NOT have been married to a Rebecca Gilliam daughter of Burrell and Anne as they are shown in most genealogies.This online genealogy is typical of what we see.

Children of Burrell Gilliam and Anne Johnson are:

1. Patty Gilliam, b. November 25, 1746, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

2. Franky Gilliam, b. October 22, 1747, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

3. William Gilliam, b. October 11, 1749, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

4. Anne Gilliam, b. March 03, 1752, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

5. +Rebecca Gilliam, b. November 23, 1754, Albemarle Co. Virginia, d. 1831, Liberty, Amite Co. Mississippi.

6. Moses Gilliam, b. November 17, 1756, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

7. Miles Gilliam, b. February 21, 1759, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

8. Wyatt Gilliam, b. April 06, 1762, Albemarle Co. Virginia.

The following Will of Rebecca Gilliam's father  will show the above list of kids  is largely correct (besides Rebecca dying in Amite) and at the same time proves the Rebecca Gilliam mentioned cannot be the Rebecca married to Cornelius Whittington.

Will of Burrell GILLIAM 
(NOTE NANCY IS HIS SECOND WIFE)

Dated 13 Nov 1799, Presented Sep Court 1800

Lend my beloved wife Nancy GILLAM all my estate both real and personal, all debts due me and whatever money may be found belonging to me also my stock, household goods, etc. untill [sic] my son Adams GILLAM arrives to the age of 21. my sd son to be supported and educated out of the profits of sd. estate.to Adams

4 of my likelyest negroes at wife’s death or marriage, should sd. son depart this life under age or without issue sd. negroes to be sold and money divided between my sd. wife and Patty Folks, Franky Gale, William and Moses GILLAM, Nancy Norwood, Rebecca Alley, Wiatt GILLAM and my grandson Burrell GILLAM, the son of Wiatt GILLAM. my personal estate to go to my sd. wife and my children aforementioned.

Extrs. Benjamin Lashley and Benjamin Adams and Nancy GILLAM.

Wits. Benjamin Edwards, Richard P______, Isaac Edwards, Willis Maclin

Note: this Will being contested the Jury upon their Oaths do say it is a good Will.

Will Book 482, Page 207, Northampton County, NC

28 Jan 1807

Will of Miles Alley

In the name of God amen, I Miles Alley of the county of Brunswick in VA do make and ordain this my last will and testament and with what wordly goods it has pleased God to bestow on me in this life to dispose of in

manner and form following:

Item.. I give and bequeath unto my son Herbert the negroes and stock he has now in his possession and their increase to

him and his heirs forever.

Item.. I give and bequeath unto my son James all the land now in my possession to him and his heirs forever. Item..

I give and bequeath to my daughter Lucy the negroes and their increase to her and her heirs forever.

Item.. I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary two negroes namely Jim and Chloe and their increase to her and her

heirs forever.

Item.. I lend to my loving wife Rebecca three negroes namely Cate, Peggy and Harry during her natural life or widowhood also one bed lent her return to my children or their heirs.

Harry to my son Herbert, Peggy to my son James and Cate to my daughter Mary and the bed and furniture to James son Miles to them and their heirs.

Item.. I give and bequeath to James' son Miles one negroe girl Cinthy and her increase to him and his heirs forever...

I give and bequeath unto Herbert's son John one negroe girl Juley and his increase to him and his heirs forever.

Item.. I give and bequeath unto Dorothy Pearson thenty five pounds VA money to be raised out of my son Herbert's portion. If she dies without lawful issue of her body my desire is that the money return to my children and equally divided among them.

Item.. My wish and desire is that at my death all my stock or property that is not given or lent of every kind be sold and the money put out on interest and my wife to have the interest as neccisity reguires it and after be equally divided between four of my children namely Herbert, James, Lucy and Mary to them and their heirs forvever.

Item.. I have given my daughter Mason Williams on all___except five shillings___.

I do make this my last will and testament revoking all others by me before made. In witness where of I have herewith set my hand and seal this 28th day of January 1807

Sig: Miles [his X mark] Alley.

Brunswick County, Will Book, Page 265

[Miles is involved in several land transactions in Northampton County, NC with the Reavis family. It is believed that Edward Reavis first married Hannah Alley and then secondly Sarah GILLIAM.
Miles’ wife Rebecca is Rebecca GILLIAM, the daughter of Burrell GILLIAM. See Will of Burrell GILLIAM. Herbert Alley had out of wedlock a daughter Tabitha G. Alley with Dorothy Pearson, hence the provision in Miles’ Will. In 1850 Dorothy Pearson is living with Tabitha G. who has married Logan Gray. Among Tabitha’s and Logan’s children are Rebecca GILLIAM Gray and Miles Alley Gray.]

While no doubt the Whittington family  knew a Burrell Gilliam  ,since we know he is listed as a Godparent, it is clear that this Rebecca Gilliam cannot be Cornelius's wife.More research needs to be done here on his wife..


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