Updated November 25, 2022
Background
Rowan was formed in 1753 from Anson. It was named in honor of Matthew Rowan who was a prominent leader before the Revolution and who for a short time after the death of Governor Gabriel Johnston was acting governor. It is in the central section of the State and is bounded by Davidson, Stanly, Cabarrus, Iredell and Davie counties. Its present land area is 511.31 square miles. The county seat was first called Rowan Court House. It has been called Salisbury since about 1755.
Overview
The Gilliams of Rowan County, trace their roots to Albemarle Parish, Surry County, VA. It is believed that Sarah Gilliam married Jesse Regan. Also settling in Rowan is a John Gilliam who married Jerusha Morris. It is likely John also has roots in Albemarle Parish. Another Gilliam family is that of Drury Gilliam.
Yet another is that of Jesse Gilliam who owns land on Rich Fork of Abbott’s Creek. Later a Solomon Gilliam and his wife Sarah are found on Abbott’s Creek. It is believed Solomon is a near relatives of Jesse.
The Gilliams of Abbotts Creek should not be confused with the children of Abraham Gillean and wife Mary who lived on Second and Third Creeks.
The family of Abraham and Mary included John, Jesse, Jane, Betty, and Peggy.
Census
1790
Conrad Gillim
Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females: 3
Number of Household Members: 5
Drury Gillim
Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
Number of Household Members: 1
Jesse Gillim
Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females: 1
Number of Household Members: 2
John Gillim
Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 16: 4
Free White Persons - Males - 16 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females: 2
Number of Household Members: 7
1800
Conrod Gillem
Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 1
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 4
Conrod Gillom
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 16 thru 25: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 1
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 4
Drury Gillom
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 3
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 5
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 7
John Gillom
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Males -10 thru 15: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 16 thru 25: 2
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 6
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 10
1810
Drury Gillam
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 26 thru 44 : 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 26 thru 44: 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 2
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 4
Conrad Gillom
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 1
Number of Household Members Over 25: 2
Number of Household Members: 3
Ann Gillum
Free White Persons - Males - Under 10: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Number of Household Members Under 16: 2
Number of Household Members Over 25: 1
Number of Household Members: 3
1820
John Gillen
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Over 25: 1
Total Free White Persons: 1
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 1
Nancy Gilliam
Salisbury, Rowan, North Carolina
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 15: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Under 16: 1
Free White Persons - Over 25: 1
Total Free White Persons: 2
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 2
1840
John Gillen
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - Under 5: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 1
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 2
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 4
Total Slaves: 1
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 5
Ann Gilliam
Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 2
Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 6
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 7
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 7
Court of Pleas
22 Dec 1824
Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Session, ordered that Jacob Clinard act as overseer of the road from Abbotts Creek to brushy Fork and that the following hands work on said road to wit Daniel Clinard, Peter Mock, Jacob Clinard, William Hayworth, Barnett Wire, John Wire, Brooks Worthington, James Parsons, Jesse Green, Joseph Green, John Green, Benjamin Green, Jonathan Levengood, Solomon Gilliam, Jacob Tice, John Richards, Jesse Proctor, Benjamin Osborn, Charles Brown, Isaac Henderson, William Osborn and William Wear.
[A Solomon Gilliam is among the hands that work on the road from Abbotts Creek to Brushy Fork. In 1782 Jesse Gilliam owns land on Abbott’s Creek. It appears that this Solomon is the Solomon Gilliam that later appears in the census records of Davidson County, NC after Davidson was cut off from Rowan. In 1850 Solomon’s widow, Sarah is listed on Abbott’s Creek.]
Deeds
30 Sep 1782
Hugh McCreary to William McCreary for £10 specie, 198.5 acres on Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek bought from John Danby, part of land lately surveyed for Jesse Gillem.
Wit: Charles Wilson, Henry Davis
Rec: Aug Court 1783
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 9, page 301
16 Aug 1783
Philip Fishburn & Henrietta Maria Fishburn of Salisbury to Robert Gillam & William Gillam for £18.12 to Phoebe Gillam on behalf of these her children the afsd Robert & Gillam infants, lots 23 and 31 W Sq of Salisbury.
Wit: Isaiah Scudder [German]
Rec: Nov Court 1783
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 9, page 314
10 Oct 1783
State Grant #323 at 50 sh the 100 acres to Jesse Gilliam, 400 acres of Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek, adj William Botinghammer & Hugh Lusk.
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 10, page 124
13 Feb 1790
Jesse [ his X mark] Gillem to John Gillem for £20, 173 acres on Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Jesse Gilem, now Joseph Sutlive. It was part of a State grant to this Grantor (Deed Book 10, page 124)
Wit: James Regan, Henry Davis, W. Bodenhamer.
Prvd: by Bodenhamer at Feb Ct 1808
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 21, page 150
20 Aug 1795
Frances McIntire to Jacob Hollshouser, weaver for £43, 100 acres of South fork of Crane Creek adj Frederick Mower and John Phillips. Part of a state grant to William Temples Coles on 4 Nov 1784 who conveyed it to Frederick Mower on 31 Aug 1785, and from him to George Holmes on 23 Mar 1786 (Deed Book 22, page 128) who sold it to this Grantor on 23 Jan 1795 (Deed Book, 22, page 104).
Wit: Robert Linn, Conrad Gilliam
Prvd: at May Court 1811
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 22, page 100
19 Dec 1807
John Gillam to Jarratt Ball for $140, 75.5 acres on Brushy Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Henry Barkshire. Eastern part of conveyance from Jesse Gillam to his son, this Grantor.
Wit: Jno Rendell, Ezekiel Collatt Jesse Tagart
Prvd: by Tagart at Aug Ct 1814
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 23, page 175
24 May 1808
John Gillam of Rowan to Isham Regans of Surry County, NC for $315, 105 acres on Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Jared Ball, Charles Pidgeon, Thomas Cecil, Gillam Regan, Jonathan Cooper and Ezekiel Colett. (It was where this Grantor lived)
Wit: Gilliam Regan, Jeremiah Kimbrough
Prvd: Gillam Regan at Feb Ct 1814.
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 23, page 97
20 Mar 1811
Drury [his X mark] Guilam to Abraham Farrington for $298, 99.25 acres on both sides of Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Salathiel Stone, Charles Pidgeon, and this Grantee. Part of a aconveyance form Joseph Ross of Guilford County, NC to this Grantor on 18 Jan 1809.
Wit: Britain Js. Heymoore, Allen Cecil
Prvd: by Heymoore at May Ct 1817
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 24, page 220
21 Sep 1812
James Regan to Melchoir Tarr for $500, 200 acres on Ridge Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Richard Feadon [?] Mitchel, and William Bodenhamer. Part of state grant to Jesse Gillem (Deed Book 10, page 124) who conveyed it to this Grant on 1 Feb 1791 as registered in Deed Book 12 page 711.
Wit: J. W. Kerlet [?] [German]
Prov: Adam Grims, Nov Court 1812
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 20, page 334
29 Sep 1812
Drury Gillum to James Regan, both of Rowan. Both sides of Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek and joining John Gillum’s and James Regan’s old place and others. Pain’s line. 153 acres.
Sig: Drury [his X mark] Gillum
Wit: Gilliam Regan, Amil/Anvil [sic] Regan
[Abstract reads Signed Drury Regan]
Rowan County, NC Deed Book ____, page 12
26 Sep 1815
Jonathan Cooper to George Myers on waters of Rich Fork and Hunt’s Fork of Abbotts Creek. Land conveyed him by James Gorden. Jesse Gillum’s line and corner to Wm. Bodenhamer’s lot. Richardson Oyens line, 114 acres.
Wit: Silas Peace, Amos Kersey
Rowan County, NC Deed Book ____, page 177
24 Aug 1819
Drury Gillum of Orange County INDIANA, to Robert Killion for $555, 162 acres and 25 perches on Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek adj Saml Welborn, Tise, Henry Ledford, and Ross
Wit: Ezekiel Brown, Jaen (his X mark) Jones.
Prvd: by Brown at May Ct 1820
Rowan County, NC Deed Book 25, page 810
[The above was taken from a published abstract. Does the original say Indiana or Virginia?]
Land Entries
Land Entries 1778
16 Sep 1778
Jesse Gillum enters 400 acres in Rowan County on Rich Fork of Abbotts Creek, bordering Hugh Lusk’s S. line and runs down both sides of Creek.
Page 227
Marriages
2 Apr 1816
Jerushe Morris and John Gillom
Bondsman: Amos Regan
Witness: Geo Dunn
16 Jun 1821
Andrew Gilliam and Elizabeth Helser
3 Jul 1823
William Gillam and Theresa Mathieu
Wills
1804
Will of Abraham Gillen
Rowan County, NC, Will Book G, page 57
1877
Will of Ann Gillian
Rowan County, NC, Will Book 1, page 402
Sources
- Rowan County, NC Deed Books
- Rowan County, NC, Will Books
- Southern Campaign American Revolution Pension Statements, Pension application of John GILLIAM S6889 fn13NC. Transcribed by Will Graves. www.southerncampaign.org