Updated November 25, 2022
Background
Barren County was founded on December 20, 1798, from parts of Warren and Green Counties. It was named for the Barrens, the meadowlands that cover the northern third.
Overview
Cornelius Gilliam was the son of John Gilliam of Albemarle County, VA and Elizabeth Murrell, his wife. Cornelius married his wife Sarah Wood on 5 FEb 1801 in Albemarle County, VA. Cornelius and Sarah did not have children. It appears Sarah was alive in 1830.
Also found in Barren County, KY is Callam Bailey who married Judith Gilliam, the daughter of John Gilliam and Sarah Faris of Goochland County, VA.
Census
1820
Cornelius Gilliam
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Slaves - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 2
Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 2
Total Slaves: 1
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 3
1830
Cornelius Gillham
Free White Persons - Males - 60 thru 69: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 60 thru 69: 1
Slaves - Males - 36 thru 54: 1
Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 4
Total Slaves: 2
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 6
Deeds
1821
Abr(aham) Twyman to Cornelius GILLIAM, 1821. Adjoining tract formerly occupied by Tho Musick as his headright and one in the name of Wm Nevile whereon Joel Yancy now lives, Richard Harris's line; G W William's line, John Nevilline's line, Gadberry's line and Dan'l Myers' line.
Barren County, KY, Deed Book I, page 46
25 Sep 1823
Frederick Smith to Andrew Beard, Wm Wood, Barnett Smith, 25 Sept 1823.
Wit: Cornelius GILLIAM
Barren County, KY, Deed Book J, page 220
[This is the establishment of a Baptist Church, no real description as to where.]
Cornelius GILLIAM to Daniel Myers, two tracts on the north side of Beaver Creek . . .
Barren County, KY, Deed Book, K, page 353
Daniel Myers to heirs of present wife of John Freeman, 1828 . . . land on Beaver Creek (this is in the Coral Hill area), mentions Cornelius GILLIAM's land.
Barren County, KY, Deed Book L, page 252
Power of Attorney
4 Aug 1807
Know all men by these presents that I Callam Bailey and Judy his wife formerly Judy Gilliam of the County of Barren and State of Kentucky have constituted and appointed and by these presents do constitute and appoint and ordain Jesse Bailey of the county and state aforesaid our true and lawful attorney for us and in our name and stead to apply, ask, demand, and sue for, all the part of the Estate of John Gilliam deceased of the County of Goochland in the State of Virginia which was or is legally due to, and coming to said Judy Callam or Gilliam and also receive the same in full as tho we or either of us were personally present and we hereby ratify the said transactions and superintendance of the said Jesse Bailey to be as valid as tho we or either of us were actually present and receiving the same into our own hands. In witness whereof we have hereunto set our hands and affixed our seals the 4th day of August, 1807."
Sig: Callam Bailey, Judy Bailey
Wit: Wm. Hall, Jesse Perkins, Michael Dougherty
Barren County Court, August the 4th, 1807
This power of attorney from Callam Bailey and Judy his wife to Jesse Bailey was proved to be the Act and Deed of the said Callam Bailey and wife by the oaths of Jesse Perkins and Michael Dougherty and a copy thereof admitted to Record and Certified.
W. Loganelt
Barren County, KY, Book. B, page 151
Wills
Will of Cornelius GILLIAM
12 Oct 1819
I Cornelius Gilliam of the county of Albemarle and state of Virginia do make this my last Will and Testament,
I desire that all my just debts be paid by my executors, the balance of my property both real and person with all other things I possess in life, should be left to my wife Sarah Gilliam, to dispose of at her death as she may think proper and
Lastly, my Will and desire is that John Wood and Jesse Wood, Senr and John Fields should act as executors to this Will and I do hereby empower my executors to sell any part of my property they may think best for the benefit of my interest of my wife which I leave them, fully empowered to do etc. as witness my hand and seal this 12th day of Octr 1819
Sig: Cornelius Gilliam
Witness present: Henry McLain, Jr., Samuel Wood, and Jesse Wood, Jr.
State of Kentucky, Barren County
The Commonwealth of Kentucky to
Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Albemarle in the state of Virginia Greeting whereas Cornelius Gilliam, lately decd and in his life time to wit on the 12th day of Octr 1819 did by writing purporting to be his last will and testament signed by said deceased in the presence of Henry McLain, Jr., Samuel Wood, and Jesse Wood, Jr., subscribing witnesses and whereas the witnesses aforesaid are residents of the state of Virginia and said witnesses came not conveniently come, before the court to prove said will we do therefore give unto you or any two or more of you power and authority to call and cause to come before you and diligently examine the witnesses afds. respecting the acknowledgement of the said writing, by said Cornelius Gilliam decd also to examine said other witnesses as may be produced to prove the hand writing of the said decedent or the hand writing of any of said subscribing witnesses if any one or more of them shall be decd.
The examination of the whole of the aforesaid witnesses that may be called before you and examined touching the proof said Will together with the aforesaid Will you do distinctly take and send and certify to our County Court at the courthouse in Glasgow
Witness
William Logan, Clerk of our said Court at our clerk’s office in Glasgow this 21st day of November 1831 and in the 40th year of the Commonwealth
W Logan, Clerk of Barren County Court.
State of Virginia, Albemarle County,
In pursuance with the annexed dedimus we Garrett White and Henry White two of the Justices of the peace of the County of Albemarle and State of Virginia proceeded to take the deposition of Henry McLain, Jr. and Saml Wood two the subscribing witnesses of the Last Will and Testament of Cornelius Gilliam deceased which is as follows to wit:
The Deposition of Henry McLain Jr., and Samuel Wood taken at County room of William A. Oliver in the said Sate of Virginia County of Albemarle on the 7th day of April 1832 being duly sworn deposeth and saith that they subscribed as witnesses to the will of Cornelius Gilliam which is annexed to the dedimus subscribed by the clerk of the county court of Barren County in the state of Kentucky and that the said will was acknowledged to be the said Gilliam in their presence to be his act and deed. They believed him to be in his perfect mind and memory at the time of acknowledging the same witnesses the day and date before written
Sig: Henry McLain, Samuel Wood.
The above deposition subscribed and sworn to in our presence on the 7th day of April 1832 in testimony of which we have hereunto set our hands and seals as Justices of the Peace for the county aforesaid this 17th day of April 1832
Sig: Garrett White, Henry White
Barren County
To wit May County Court
The within and foregoing writing purporting to the last will and testament of Cornelius Gilliam deceased with the dedimus and deposition of Henry McLain and Saml Wood and certificate of Garret White and Henry White the Justices before whom the aforesaid deposition was taken respecting the acknowledgement of said Gilliam to said writing was all produced in court and by virtue of said evidence the said writing was ordered to be recorded as true Last Will of the said Cornelius Gilliam deceased, which said writing and evidence hath been duly recorded accordingly.
Teste
W Logan, Clerk
Familysearch.org. Kentucky, Probate Records, 1792-1977, Barren, Will records, 1828-1856, Vol. 3, Image 50 of 249
Barren County, KY, Will Book 3 page, 72.
Will of Callam Bailey
4 Feb 1823
In the name of God, Amen. I Callam Bailey of the County of Barren and state of Kentucky . . .
I give to my beloved wife Judy Bailey during her natural life all my Negroes that I am possessed of, and further it is my will that my wife shall possess all my household and kitchen furniture, beds, cupboard, chests, trunks, etc. during her natural life, and it is further my will that my wife have all my stock of every description to wit horses, cattle, sheep, hogs, etc., during her natural life. After mine and my wife's deaths it is my will and desire that all the property that I am possessed of at my death I bequeath and devise in manner and form to wit: First, all my debts must be paid. I give to my son Callam H.Bailey one Negro man named John. It is my will and desire that my son William T. Bailey shall have the plantation and the land whereon I now live, it being in Barren County, Kentucky on the water of Fallen Timber containing 236 acres by survey. It is further my will and desire that my son William T. Bailey heir a certain Negro woman and her increase from this date named Louisa and her two children, to wit a boy named Randal and one named Wilson. It is further my desire that all the property I am possessed of at mine and my wife's death that is not given and devised to my sons, to wit Callam H. Bailey and William T. Bailey above and the property before named to be sold at a reasonable credit as soon as it is convenient by my executors and for it to be equally divided between my children hereafter named, to wit John G. Bailey, Jesse Bailey, Jacob G. Bailey, Elizabeth Slaton late Elizabeth Bailey, Sally F. Lane late Sally Bailey, Patsey T. Freeman late Patsey Bailey, Nancy Shipley late Nancy Bailey, Susan Lloyd late Susan Bailey, Polly Lloyd late Polly Bailey. And lastly it is my will and desire that John Glover and my sons Callum H. Bailey and William T. Bailey be my executors to this my last will and testament . . . this 4th day of February in the year of our Lord 1823.
Wit: Joseph Willis, Richard Nichols, Callam Bailey
Benjamin A. Snoddy, Philip M. Nichols,
Robert Burch, Daniel Spencer
Barren County Sct. February Term 1843
The foregoing writing purporting to be the will of Callam H. Bailey deceased was produced in Court and proven in the form of law by the oath of Philip M. Nickols, Robert Burch and Daniel Spencer subscribing witnesses thereto, whereof the same was ordered to be recorded as the true last will of the said Callam Bailey deceased.
Att. The. J. Helm
Rec: 7 Feb 1843
Barren County, KY, Will Book, pages 201-202
[Callam Bailey married Judith Gilliam, the daughter of John Gilliam and Sarah Faris of Goochland County, VA]
Sources
- Barren County, KY, Deed Books
- Barren County, KY, Will Books