Updated December 25, 2023
Background
Dinwiddie County was named for Robert Dinwiddie, lieutenant governor of Virginia from 1751 to 1758. The county was formed from Prince George County in 1752. Its area is 501.28 square miles, and the county seat is Dinwiddie. Dinwiddie is one of the Commonwealth's Burned Records Counties. County court records prior to 1833 were destroyed in 1865. One plat book, one order book, and one judgment book survive.Parishes
Bath Parish, 1752
Bristol Parish, 1752
Overview
The GILLIAMs of Dinwiddie County are well documented. See Southside Virginia Genealogies.
"Agreements"
26 Dec 1835
Agreement between Susan GILLIAM and Thomas Wilson
Bibles
The John W. GILLIAM Family Bible
Burnt Quarter
WPA Administration of Virginia Historical Inventory, Relics at “Burnt Quarter”
Civil War
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTEENTH ARMY CORPS, July 27, 1864-12.25 p. m.
Captain B. R. FISHER,
Chief Signal Officer:
A party is working in entrenchments at Farley's this morning. The officer reports that we are strengthening works at GILLIAM's farm, and that three companies of cavalry just passed the pontoons from this side.
C. L. Davis,
Captain and Signal Officer.
July 27, 1864-2 p. m.
Captain Fisher:
The enemy's signal officer has just reported the following:
Since yesterday p. m. the enemy has pitched an encampment of some extent on Maria GILLIAM's farm, and they are still at work on the fortifications there.
Chas. L. Davis,
Captain, &c.
The War Of The Rebellion: A Compilation Of The Official Records Of The Union And Confederate Armies, Page 508, Operations In SE. Va. and N. C. Chapter LII.
Correspondences
1 Mar 1833
Letter written by Joseph G. King to John W. GILLIAM, Esq.
Deeds
2 Sep 1847
Isham E. Hargrave, James H. Boisseau and John W. GILLIAM of Dinwiddie, County, VA. Power of Attorney to Joseph Turner of G. To sign security bonds for William H. Goodwyn as guardian of George W. Goodwyn infant sons of Albert T. Goodwyn deceased of G. and also of Charles F. Goodwyn and Junius A. Goodwyn infants of Peterson Goodwyn deceased late of G.
Rec: 6 Sep 1847
Att: 2 Sep 1847
The Southside Virginian, Volume 1, page 41, Oct 1981-July 1983.
[John W. GILLIAM married Mary Elizabeth Coleman GILLIAM, daughter of Col. Joseph Goodwyn and Mary Coleman, his wife.]
1815 Landowner's Directory
GILLIAM, Meriweather S., Chamberlains Bed, 1N
GILLIAM, James S., Estate, Hatchers Run, 10NE
GILLIAM, James S, Estate, High Street, Petersburg,
GILLIAM, Robert, Estate, Old Blandford, Petersburg,
GILLIAM, William, Estate, Old Blandford, Petersburg,
GILLIAM, Elizabeth, Reedy Branch, 12SW
[Directions and distances are measured from the Courthouse.]
Ward, Roger G. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer) Volume 1, Central Region. Athens, GA: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997.
Marriages
abt 15 Oct 1772
Married, Mr. Charles Duncan, Merchant in Blandford, to Miss Jenny GILLIAM, of Dinwiddie. No date.
Virginia Gazette, p. 2, c. 2, Thursday, October 15, 1772.
5 Mar 1833
Richardson H. Dance to Elizabeth C. GILLIAM
James Mason Jeter, Account Book, 1837-1841 (Library of Virginia: Jeter Family Papers, Accession 27517)
[R. H. Dance is listed as guardian of Thomas B. GILLIAM in 1846. Elizabeth C. GILLIAM is listed in the 1830 Dinwiddie Census, apparently she is the widow of Reuben GILLIAM.]
30 Dec 1840
Stanfield C. Wells to Mary GILLIAM
Dinwiddie County, VA, Deed Book, Vol. 3, Page 96
Military
Civil War: Prisoners of War
Point Lookout Prison, St. Mary's, Maryland
Gilliam, Mary E. C. from Dinwiddie County, VA captured in Leonardtown, MD on April 15, 1864
Interments, Point Lookout Prison, St. Mary's, Maryland
Gilliam, F. A., Company B, 18th Virginia
Last POW released, Point Lookout Prison, St. Mary's, Maryland
James Skelton Gilliam.
Obituaries
22 May 1908
GILLIAM’s Injuries Fatal
Dies in Petersburg Hospital Following Fall from Trestle.
Special to the Washington Post
Petersburg, VA, May 22—Samuel Y. GILLIAM of Dinwiddie County, died at the Petersburg Hospital this morning from injuries received yesterday by falling from a trolley car while it was passing over the bridge of the Virginia Passenger and Power Company across the Appomattox River in this city.
GILLIAM was a prominent citizen of Dinwiddie and one of the leading Republicans in the State. He married Miss Martha Cox, of Chesterfield County, who, with one child survives him. He also leaves two sisters and two brothers.
Washington Post, Ancestry.com. Historical Newspapers, Birth, Marriage, & Death Announcements, 1851-2003 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2006.
Personal Property Taxes
Dinwiddie Personal Property Taxes
Binns Genealogy. County Tax Lists of Virginia.
Research
Papers of the GILLIAM family [manuscript], 1802-1932.
Notes and Summaries:
Family of Dinwiddie County, Va.
Include legal and financial papers, 1802-1932, of the GILLIAM family, including a deed, 1802, for 174 acres in Surry County, Va., records, 1817-1827, of the estate of William GILLIAM, and miscellaneous accounts, receipts, bills, promissory notes, and rental agreements.
Also include officer's commissions, 1842-1851, of John W. GILLIAM for the Virginia Militia; slave records, 1828-1861, including accounts and correspondence regarding slave hires and purchasing; and political correspondence, 1873-1899, of Samuel Yates GILLIAM, regarding Virginia, especially Dinwiddie County, politics, the Republican Party, the Readjuster Party, and the African-American vote in the South.
Also include correspondence, 1844-1926, of the GILLIAM and Boisseau families, regarding family, legal, and financial matters, courtship, the tobacco market, Virginia social life and customs, Virginia politics, slave hiring, Civil War news, Reconstruction, race relations in the United States after the Civil war, and the GILLIAM family estate, Burnt Quarter. Correspondents include Samuel Yates GILLIAM, John W. GILLIAM and his son, John W. GILLIAM, Mary E. C. GILLIAM, Joseph P. GILLIAM, and Rosa Boisseau.
GILLIAM Family, Papers, 1802-1932, Accession #2608, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Papers of J. W. GILLIAM [manuscript], 1812-1884.
Notes and Summaries:
Farmer, originally of Dinwiddie County, Va., later of Harris and Polk counties, Tex.
The papers include deed, 20 February 1812, for 544 acres in Surry County, Va., sold by Henry Jones Howard and Sarah Howard to William GILLIAM; and a letter, 21 February 1836, from Thomas Ruffin, Surry County, Va., to John W. GILLIAM, Brunswick County, Va., regarding the transfer of a land deed, illness among GILLIAM's slaves, and family matters.
The papers also include a letter, 11 September 1852, from Ely Booth, Shenstone, Va., to the Misses GILLIAM, Amelia Springs, Va., regarding sensual pleasure and the spiritual restoration in public worship; and letters, 1859-1860, from John T. Foster to Joseph P. GILLIAM, regarding railroad construction in South America, Virginia social life, speculation, and purchasing land and slaves.
The papers also include letters, 1871-1884, from J. W. GILLIAM to his brother, Samuel Yates GILLIAM, and other family members, regarding family matters, Texas social life and politics, courtship, the weather's effect on and the market for his farm crops, livestock, buying and selling land, the theft of his horse and valuables by an employee, and Virginia politics, especially William Mahone.
The papers also include a legal notice, 10 July 1884, of a motion to appoint Joseph P. GILLIAM trustee of the estate of Mary E.C. GILLIAM; and notes, n.d., for speeches of John W. GILLIAM on the politics and history of Virginia and the United States and mentioning President Polk and the Mexican War.
J. W. GILLIAM, Papers, 1812-1884, Accession #3593-a, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
Wills, Estates and Inventories
Will of Robert Bolling, of Dinwiddie Co.
7 Sep 1789
In his will he names his wife Clara, his two children Robert and Susanna, and mentions lots at Broadway in Prince George Co. and five acres of land joining that of Theodorick Bland and Wm. Gilliam.
Wit: Susanna Meriton, Alex Bolling, and Robt. Walker, Jr.
Rec: 24 Feb 1791
[Susanna Bolling, the daughter of Robert married Samuel Gilliam, son of John Gilliam.]
Mary GILLIAM Tucker of Dinwiddie County, VA
Dated 28 July 1812
Legatee: Richard G. Tucker, son of Stith and Polly, my black horse Juba, 6 silver teaspoons marked RMT. All my household furniture not hereafter devised.
Legatee: Salley W. Tucker, daughter of Stith and Polley, 1 bed and furniture.
Legatee: Polley Tucker, wife of Stith 6 silver teaspoons marked MT.
Legatees: All plantation utensils and furniture to be sold and proceeds equally divided between Thos. GILLIAM Tucker and William Edmond Tucker, sons of Stith.
Legatees: All remainder of estate in this county to be equally divided between Richd. G. Tucker and his sister Elizabeth Gray Tucker.
Legatees: that part of my father’s estate which I inherit being in Southampton Co. I give to be equally divided between Salley GILLIAM, Susan GILLIAM, and Julia GILLIAM, daughters of my brother Thos. GILLIAM and his wife Salley, inhabitants of Tenn.
Legatee: My Va. Cloth cloths to be equally divided between my 3 maids servents [sic]: Lyda, Taba, Vina.
Legatee: My rideing chair and harnis to Polley Tucker.
Legatees: 2 men servents: Peter and Charles $3 each
Legatees: remainder of my clothing to Polley Tucker and Polley Green Tucker, wife and daughter, of Stith.
Witnesses, Stith Tucker, Coleman Tucker, John Raney.
Hart, L. H. Wills from Southampton County, Loose Papers, Southside Virginian. Volume 1, page 28
[Mary was the daughter of Thomas Gilliam and Mary Edmonds and widow of Robert Tucker]
Will of Samuel Yates GILLIAM
Sources
- Binns Genealogy. 1790/1800 County Tax Lists of Virginia.
- GILLIAM Family, Papers, 1802-1932, Accession #2608, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
- J. W. GILLIAM, Papers, 1812-1884, Accession #3593-a, University of Virginia Library, Charlottesville, Va.
- The Southside Virginian, Volume 1, page 41, Oct 1981-July 1983.
- Ward, Roger G. 1815 Directory of Virginia Landowners (and Gazetteer) Volume 1, Central Region. Athens, GA: Iberian Pub. Co., 1997.
- The War of The Rebellion: A Compilation of The Official Records of The Union and Confederate Armies, Page 508, Operations In SE. Va. and N. C. Chapter LII.