Updated November 24, 2022
Background
The Council Minutes of Richmond during the Civi War have been published by the University of North Carolina.
Overview
George W. GILLIAM, the son of William Richardson GILLIAM and Judith Woodson, his wife, was born in Buckingham in 1821. He married Sarah E. Anderson, the daughter of David J. Anderson and Martha H. Marshall. Martha married secondly John Robertson GILLIAM, the son of John Richardson GILLIAM and Judith Robertson. John Robertson GILLIAM and George W. GILLIAM are first cousins.
George owned a Tobacco Warehouse in Richmond that became a Hospital during the Civil War. In 1860 Robert H. GILLIAM, age 21 and Mary A. GILLIAM, age 19, are living with uncle George and Sarah. Robert H. and Mary are the children of Charles Woodson GILLIAM and Caroline S. GILLIAM, that daughter of Isham Richardson GILLIAM and Sarah Johns. (Charles W. is the brother of George, and Isham is the brother of William Richardson GILLIAM and John Richardson GILLIAM.) Robert and George are both listed as Tobacconists in the Census.
George and Sarah had two children Hester and Lelia.
March 9, 1863 Monday
At a monthly meeting of the Council of the City of Richmond held on the 9th day of March 1863.
PRESENT: David J. Saunders, Esquire, President. Messrs. Denoon, Wynne, Grattan, Richardson, Epps, Glazebrook, Crutchfield, Hill, Burr, Scott, Griffin, and Haskins.
The proceedings of the last two meetings were read and approved and then signed by the President.
On motion of Mr. Denoon the regular business of the meeting was passed over, when he offered the following, which was adopted by the Council.
Resolved, That the following persons be appointed Commissioners and Conductors, to superintend the Charter Elections to be held on Wednesday the first day of April next, 1863. The elections will be held at the following named places.
Jefferson Ward: Commissioners: Joseph Brummell, Ed[ward] A. Smith, John J. Wilson, A. F. Picot, and John A. Lucey.
Conductor: Reuben T. Seal.
Place for holding the election: Hall over the First Market.
Madison Ward: Commissioners: R. R. Howison, George W. GILLIAM, Elisha Shepperson, G. W. Randolph, and James H. Grant.
Conductor: E. H. Chalkley.
Place for holding the election: City Hall.
Monroe Ward: Commissioners: Thomas M. Jones, Thomas Boudar, [Colonel] Thomas Barham, Felix Matthews, and Francis J. Smith.
Conductor: W. N. Kelly.
Place for holding the election: Lacey's Shop, corner of Broad and First streets.
Mr. Scott offered the following which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Chamberlain of the City be instructed to prepare a correct abstract from the tax ordinance and have it published in such paper or papers as he may select.
April 4, 1863 Saturday
In the Council Chamber. April 4, 1863.
PRESENT: David J. Saunders, Larkin W. Glazebrook, Samuel D. Denoon, Fleming Griffin, from Monroe Ward; George K. Crutchfield, David J. Burr, James A. Scott, George [Wythe] Randolph, Richard F. Walker, from Madison Ward; and Nathaniel B. Hill, W. Holt Richardson, Richard O. Haskins, Allen Y. Stokes, and Edwin A[ndrew] J[ackson] Clopton, from Jefferson Ward; recently elected members of the City Council for the ensuing year, each of whom qualified as such by taking the oath of office before Richard D. Sanxay, Esquire, an Alderman of the City.
On motion of Mr. Hill, Richard O. Haskins was appointed chairman of the meeting. Mr. Haskins took the Chair and called the Council to order.
Mr. Glazebrook, thereupon, nominated David J. Saunders, Esquire, as President of the Council for the ensuing year. There being no other nomination, Mr. Saunders was unanimously elected and took the Chair, returning thanks to the Council for their confidence again reposed in him and the distinction they conferred upon him.
The President announced the first business in order to be the examination of the returns of the recent Charter Election. Mr. Burr moved that a committee
of three be appointed for that purpose and to report the result of such examination to the Council. The motion being carried, Messrs. Burr, Glazebrook, and Denoon were appointed to compose the committee. The committee retired, and after a short absence returned, and through Mr. Burr submitted the following report:
The special committee appointed to examine the returns made by the Conductors of the election held April 1, 1863 report the following gentlemen elected:
MAYOR: Joseph Mayo, Esquire
CITY SERGEANT: Thomas U. Dudley
CITY ASSESSOR: Dabney M. Miller
CITY COLLECTOR: Julius A. Hobson
HIGH CONSTABLE: George A. Freeman
SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER WORKS: James L. Davis
SUPERINTENDENT OF GAS WORKS: John J. Fry
SUPERINTENDENT OF POOR HOUSE: John Pearce
CITY GAUGER: Richard Fox
GRAIN MEASURER: Henry Davis
CAPTAIN OF THE NIGHT WATCH: James B. Pleasants
FOR ALDERMEN:
JEFFERSON WARD: William Taylor, Richard D. Sanxay, Dr. A. F. Picot, John H. Pleasants, [and] James A. Inloes.
MADISON WARD: James K. Caskie, James Bray, George N. Gwathmey, George W. GILLIAM, and William B. Smith.
MONROE WARD: John F. Regnault, N. C. Lipscomb, Adolphus Gary, William W. Timberlake, and Thomas M. Jones.
Respectfully submitted,
DAVID J. BURR, Chairman, Committee.
October 19, 1863 Monday
At a called meeting of the Council of the City of Richmond held on the 19th day of October 1863.
PRESENT: David J. Saunders, Esquire, President. Messrs. Hill, Scott, Clopton, Walker, Griffin, Haskins, Denoon, Stokes, Burr, and Glazebrook.
The reading of the proceedings of former meetings being dispensed with, the President stated that the meeting had been called by request of Mr. Scott and others, who would state its object. Mr. Scott responded by stating that he had requested the meeting of the Council to consider an application for the use of Military Hall by the Richmond Fayette Artillery for the purpose of giving a ball on the 29th instant for the benefit of the indigent families of the men, that at a previous meeting of the Council it had resolved not to grant the use of the hall for such purposes in future; and that certain members of the Council, notwithstanding the resolution, having signed an application giving their assent to the use of the hall on the present occasion, he thought it best that the Council should act in this matter, and had therefore asked its call for that purpose. After explanations by members who had signed the petition, Mr. Walker moved to re-consider the vote by which the resolution of prohibition was adopted, but afterwards withdrew the motion at the request of Mr. Hill, who, thereupon, moved that the prayer of the petition, the same having been previously read, be granted. The motion was adopted unanimously and the prayer of the petition granted accordingly.
Mr. Denoon, Chairman of the Committee on the Water Works, offered the following resolution, the Thirteenth Rule was suspended, and the resolution adopted:
Resolved, That the additional sum of three thousand five hundred dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated to pay for finishing the putting in of the gates of the City Water Works, &c, as ordered by the superintendent, Mr. James L. Davis.
Mr. Scott offered the following, which he read. The same were then unanimously adopted, to wit:
The committee appointed to take charge of the proceeds of the entertainment given by the management of the theatre for the benefit of the poor of the City beg leave to report, that the proceeds of the entertainment amount to $3,387., and offer the following resolution:
Resolved, That the thanks of the Council be tendered to the management of the Richmond Theatre for the substantial result of the entertainment given for the benefit of the poor of the City, and that the amount of $3,387. be placed to the credit of the Overseers of the Poor to be disposed of as they may think best.
JAMES A. SCOTT, Chairman.
Mr. Denoon offered the following, the Thirteenth Rule being suspended, the same was adopted, to wit:
Resolved, That the sum of three hundred dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated to pay for pipe and repairs of furnaces and stoves for first and second primary schools for Monroe Ward.
Mr. Scott read to the Council a communication from Captain M. C. Macon of the Richmond Fayette Artillery upon the subject of some missing uniforms furnished by the City for his company, which he asked to have filed with the report of the special committee on that subject made to the Council on the 12th instant.
Leave was granted accordingly and the paper filed.
Mr. Glazebrook offered the following, which was adopted:
Resolved, That the Chamberlain be and he is hereby authorized to pay to the widow of B. P. Pryor, deceased, the amount due him at the time of his death as one of the Night Watch of the City.
Mr. Scott moved to reconsider the vote of the 12th instant adopting an ordinance to amend the 5th and 11th Sections of the ordinance concerning markets. The motion was carried, and the ordinance taken up and recommitted to the Committee on Markets with leave to the committee to sit during the session of the Council. The committee thereupon retired and after a short absence returned and reported an amendment to the ordinance striking out the word "fish" where it first occurs in the 11th Section and inserting after the word "articles" when that word first occurs in the same section the words "except fish and oysters," and striking out what immediately follows to the word "City" inclusive, and inserting "or" after the word raised in the next line, and striking out the words "or caught" in the same line. The amendments were all adopted by the Council and the ordinance again passed.
Mr. Hill offered the following which was adopted, Messrs. Saunders and Burr being excused from voting thereon:
WHEREAS a bill is now pending in the Legislature of Virginia to regulate prices, and believing it will be agreeable to our representatives therein to know the wishes of their constituents on that subject:
Be it resolved by the Council of the City of Richmond, That they will cause a poll to be opened in the City on Thursday next the 22nd instant to take the vote of the citizens in favor of, or in opposition to, the said bill.
The Council then made the following appointments of commissioners and conductors to superintend the taking of the said poll in the several wards, viz:
Jefferson Ward: Joseph Brummell, W[illiam] S[ears] Wood, E. A. Smith, John A. Lacey, and John C. Page, Commissioners; and Reuben T. Seal, Conductor.
Place for holding the poll: Hall over the Old Market.
Madison Ward: Gustavus A[dolphus] Myers, R. R. Howison, George W. GILLIAM, Elisha Shepperson, and James H. Grant, Commissioners; and E. H. Chalkley, Conductor.
Place for holding poll: City Hall.
Monroe Ward: R. H. Dibrell, Thomas Boudar, Thomas Barham, Felix Mathews, and Francis J. Smith, Commissioners; and William N. Kelly, [Conductor].
Place for holding poll: Lacey's Shop, corner of Broad and First streets.
The Council then adjourned.
DAVID J. SAUNDERS, President.
April 9, 1864 Saturday
In the Council Chamber-April 9, 1864.
PRESENT: David J. Saunders, Larkin W. Glazebrook, Fleming Griffin, Thomas C. Epps, and Samuel D. Denoon, from Monroe Ward; James A. Scott, George K. Crutchfield, and Richard F. Walker, from Madison Ward; and Richard O. Haskins, Allen Y. Stokes, Nathaniel B. Hill, William Holt Richardson, and E. A. J. Clopton, from Jefferson Ward; recently elected members of the City Council for the ensuing year, each of whom qualified as such by taking the oath of office before Richard D. Sanxay, Esquire, an Alderman of the City.
On motion of Mr. Scott, Richard O. Haskins, Esquire, was appointed Chairman of the meeting.
Mr. Haskins took the Chair and called the Council to order. Mr. Denoon, thereupon, nominated David J. Saunders, Esquire, as president of the Council for the ensuing year. There being no other nomination, Mr. Saunders was unanimously elected. He, thereupon, after returning thanks to the Council for their continued trust and confidence, took the Chair, and announced the first business of the meeting to be the appointment of a committee to examine and report upon the returns of the late Charter Election.
Mr. Scott moved that a committee be appointed for that purpose. The motion being adopted, the President appointed Messrs. Scott, Glazebrook, and Haskins to compose the committee.
The committee retired, and after some time returned and submitted through their chairman the following report:
The special committee to whom was referred for examination and report thereon, the returns made by the several conductors of the Charter Elections held on the 6th instant, having performed that duty, respectfully report that it thence appears that the following persons have been elected, viz:
MAYOR OF THE CITY: Joseph Mayo, Esquire
CITY SERGEANT: Thomas U. Dudley
CITY ASSESSOR: Dabney M. Miller
HIGH CONSTABLE: George A. Freeman
SUPERINTENDENT OF WATER WORKS: James L. Davis
SUPERINTENDENT OF GAS WORKS: John J. Fry
MANAGER OF THE POOR HOUSE: John Pearce
CAPTAIN OF THE NIGHT WATCH: James B. Pleasants
GAUGER: Richard Fox
MEASURER OF GRAIN: Henry Davis
ALDERMEN FOR JEFFERSON WARD: Richard D Sanxay, William Taylor, John H. Pleasants, Robert J. Christian, and L. T. Chandler.
ALDERMEN FOR MADISON WARD: George N. Gwathmey, Andrew L. Ellett, George W. GILLIAM, James K. Caskie, and Charles E. Wortham.
ALDERMEN FOR MONROE WARD: James C. McCarthy, James T. Williams, Thomas M. Jones, John F. Regnault, and Adolphus Gary.
Sources
- Richmond at War, Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1966