Updated December 25, 2023
Background
Wake was formed in 1771 from Johnston, Cumberland and Orange. The act became effective March 12,1771. It was named in honor of Margaret Wake, wife of William Tryon. It is in the east central section of the State and is bounded by Johnston, Harnett, Chatham, Durham, Granville and Franklin counties. The present land area is 831.92 square miles. The first courthouse was erected at what is known as Bloomsbury. It was called Wake County Court House until 1792, when Raleigh was established and was made the capital of the State. Raleigh is the county seat.
Overview
The family of Harris Gilliam, son of William Gilliam and Agnes left a Will in Wake County. Harris married Elizabeth Jordan daughter of George Jordan. It appears that Elizabeth predeceased Harris as throughout his Will, Harris, refers to goods that he possessed before his marriage to his present wife, Mary. It is possible that Mary is a Skelton or a Stephens as they witnessed Harris’ Will and neither is a son-in-law, etc.
Census
1800
Harris Gillum
Township: Hillsborough
Free White Males 45 and Over : 1
Free White Females 45 and Over : 1
Number of Slaves: 14
Number of Household Members Over 25 : 2
Number of Household Members: 16
Deeds
30 Mar 1797
Harris Gillium (Gilliam) of Wake Co, NC deed of gift to his son, Harbert Gilliam of the same place for land in Granville Co, March 30, 1797
Granville County, NC, Deed Book Q, page 154
31 Mar 1797
Harris Gilliam of Wake Co, NC deed to John Jenkins of Granville Co, March 31, 1797
Granville County, NC, Deed Book Q, page 159
Military
Muster Rolls of Soldiers, War of 1812
Detached Militia
4th Regiment
Fourth Regiment Wake County
First Regiment
John Bell, Captain William Battle, Lieutenant Zenas O'Kelly, Ensign
| Joel H. Lane | John Perry | Reddick Masssey
|
| Wm. W. Mason | Henry Culpepper | Jedemiah Pulley
|
| William Wiggins | Robert B. Williams | John Jones
|
| Dennis Wilson | Seth Jones | Isaac Massey
|
| William M. White | Hinton Pugh | Benjamin Marriott
|
| Charles GILLIAM | John Leopard | Willliam Reddish
|
| Thomas Hill | Aeli Alford | Jerred Chamblee
|
| Thos. R. Cooke | Samuel Landiford | Budd Bunn
|
| John Vandigriff | Bennet Perry | Joseph Shaw
|
| John Terry | William Clark | Johnson Britt
|
| Hardy Dodd | William Reaves | Samuel Jones
|
| Charles Stewart | Thomas Garrett | David Slawson |
| Benjamin Brantly | Josiah Battle | William King
|
| Charles Johnson | Brittain Acock | Thomas Spiar
|
| Williams Damsell | Thomas Alston | Wm. Philips
|
| James Reddish | David Williams
| |
| John Luced | Simon Williams
| |
| John Smith | Peter Porter
| |
| John Andrews | James Williams
| |
| John Cooke | Samuel Sugg
| |
| Isham Mcgee | Acril Wyatt
| |
| Wm. Buffalo | Ephraim Messer
| |
| Thomas Neal | Wm. Rand
| |
| Lewis Bunn | Wm. Roads
| |
| Harris Liles | Hardy Mcguffe
| |
| Robert Hicks | Willie Pollard
| |
| Bennet Brown | Wm. Canwadd
| |
| Reuben Mitchell | Samuel Slaughter
| |
| Thomas Williams | Jacob Baltin
| |
| Micajah Wall | Henry Smith
| |
| Charles Horton | Osborne Jordan | |
| William Searcey | Bryan Ferrill
| |
| Berry Ambrous | Hardy Lewis
| |
| John Butter | Ansel Price
| |
| Hardy Peane | Brittain Deloch
| |
| William Boyakin | Bennet Bawcom
| |
| Budd Bagwell | David Hutchins
| |
| Dickson Jordan | William Todd
| |
| Burwell Fowler | Jesse Hanson
| |
| William Hopkins | John Traywick
| |
| Mark Cole | Simon Stephens |
Wills, etc.
17 Sep 1794
George Jordan
Acct current
Paid: John Pollard, Amy Walle, Harris GILLUM, James Moor, Wm Pollard, Nancy Pollard, Peter Coffee, Micajah Ferrell. Note of Tomlinson.
17 Sept 1794.
Admr.: Micajah Ferrell
Commissioners: Charles Briggs, John Humphries, D Delk
Rec: 16 Aug 1797
page 327
Wynee, Frances Holloway. "Abstract of Record of Wills, Inventories and Settlements of Estates,1771-1802 Wake County, NC," 1985, Book D, page 136.
18 Oct 1803
Will of Harris Gilliam
In the name of God Amen, I Harris Gillum of the county of Wake in the State of North Carolina now weak of body but of a sound disposing mind and memory do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following,
Imprimis, I give and bequeath to my loving wife Mary Gilliam, my three Negroes Judah, Aley and Isaac and the cattle she possessed at the time I married her and all such we purchased since our marriage, half the plantation utensils, her choice of them, one sorrel mare, called Polly and a mare colt which came last spring, all my hogs and all my sheep, all my crops in and out of doors of every sort and kind and the use of all my negroes to finish completely any crop on the ground for which she must pay all my just debts,
I lend to my said wife Mary Gillum, during the term of her natural life, the use of my chair and harness and grindstone.
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Susanna Cole, the sum of twenty shillings to be paid her out of my estate by my executors, hereafter to be named
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah Ross and her heirs all the property that I have hereafter lent her
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Amy Gillum the bed and furniture I let her take hereto fore
Item I give and bequeath to my son Jordan Gilliam my two Negroes Ben and Winny
Item I give and bequeath to my son Harbert Gillum and his heirs all the property I lent him heretofore and all the money he owes me, one negro girl called Gilly, one walnut chest one cross cutt saw and half my coopers and carpenters tools and one half o the household and kitchen furniture. I had before I married my present wife.
Item I give and bequeath to my son Joshua Gillum and his heirs all the property I lent him when he married and all the money he woes me, one negro boy called Jim one bay horse called Dick and one bridle and saddle, one walnut table, one currying knife one half of my coopers and carpenters tools and one half o the household and kitchen furniture I had before I married my present wife
I give and bequeath to my son William Gillum and his heirs the bed and furniture he had of me at his marriage, one negro boy called Davy, one negro man named America one walnut desk one gun and all my ammunition and my silver shoe and knee buckle
I tem I give and bequeath to my daughter Patsy Self and her heirs all the property I lent to her when she married, one _____, and all the furniture contained therein
Item I give and bequeath to my granddaughter Betsey Self one bed and furniture
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Cooper and her heirs all the property I lent her at her marriage
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Abigail MeGehee and her heirs all the property I lent her at her marriage
Item I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Pierce and her heirs the bed and furniture I had lent her heretofore and my Will is that my give mare called Sis with her increase all the cattle I possessed before I married my present wife with her increase and one half of my plantation tools be immediately sold by my executors at six months credit and the monies arising thereby to be equally divided between my four daughters, Mary Cooper, Abigail McGehee, Elizabeth Pierce, and Patsey Self and that after the death of my wife, my executors must sell on the same credit all the property I lent her during her life and the money arising of this last mentioned property to be equally divided between my two sons Herbert Gillum and Joshua Gillum or their children if either or both should die before my wife,
And lastly I hereby constitute, nominate and appoint my beloved wife Mary Gillum, Executrix and my worth friend Joseph Taylor, of Granville, County and my son Joshua Gillum Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all other Will and Testament by me heretofore made, ratifying and confirming this only to be my last
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 18th day of October 1803
Signed, sealed, pronounced published and declared to be the last Will and Testament of Harris Gillum
Sig: H. Gillum
In presence of Dukey Skelton, Jurat
Joseph Stephens, Jurat, Agnes [her X mark] Stephens Jurat
Wake County
November Sessions 1803
The within Will was in open Court duly proven by the oaths of Dukey Skelton, Joseph Stephens and Agnes Stephens, subscribing witness hereto ordered to be recorded
S. Turner CC
Family Search. North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, Wake, Wills, Inventories, Settlements, 1802-1804, Vol. 06, Image 98 of 194
Wake County, NC, Will Book 6, page 170
17 Dec 1803
Account of the Sales of the Estate of Harriss Gilliam, Deceased, of Wake County, December 17, 1803
| £ | S | P | ||
| Two weeding hoes | To Allen Temple | 7 | 6 | |
| One plow how, 1 coulter, 1 weeding hoe | Allen Temple | 8 | ||
| Three hilling hoes | Allen Temple | 4 | ||
| One plow hoe, & one bull dog | Jesse Kemp | 4 | ||
| One greebing hoe | William Mabry | 7 | ||
| One pair iron wedges | John Martin | 10 | ||
| One greebing hoe | Allen Temple | 5 | ||
| One weeding hoe & one plow hoe | Jesse Harris | 7 | ||
| One ax | Jesse Harris | 10 | ||
| One scythe & cradle, one scythe blade | Young Allen | 2 | 6 | |
| One pair iron traces | James Nance | 1 | 1 | |
| 3 books | Joshua Gilliam | 5 | ||
| Three razors, one strap one ink stand | Jesse Kemp | 12 | ||
| One hackle | Mary Gilliam | 1 | 6 | |
| One pair spoon molds & 1 pr nippers | Herbert Gilliam | 16 | 6 | |
| One pair sheep shears & brush | Mary Gilliam | 3 | ||
| One cow | Joshua Gilliam | 4 | ||
| One cow | Jesse Kemp | 3 | 10 | |
| One heifer | Mary Gilliam | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| One ditto | Joshua Gilliam | 2 | ||
| One ditto | Joshua Gilliam | 1 | 19 | 6 |
| Two heifers | Walter Self | 1 | 10 | 6 |
| Two s[t]ears | Walter Self | 1 | 16 | 6 |
| One yoke of stears | Giles Nance | 17 | 5 | 6 |
| One mare | Walter Self | 82 | 10 | |
| 123 | 18 | 6 |
Joshua Gilliam, Executor Amount
Wake County February Session 1804
The within amount of sales was by Joshua Gilliam the executor returned unto Court and ordered to be recorded.
S. Turner CC
North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, Wake County, NC, Wills, Inventories, Settlements, 1802-1804, Vol. 06, page 239, Image 132 of 194
Sources
- Family Search. North Carolina Probate Records, 1735-1970, Wake, Wills, Inventories, Settlements, 1802-1804, Vol. 06, Image 98 of 194
- Granville County, NC, Deed Book Q, page 154 and 159
- Wynee, Frances Hollowoay. "Abstract of Record of Wills, Inventories and Settlements of Estates,1771-1802 Wake County, NC," 1985, Book D, page 136.