Updated November 24, 2022
Overview
It has been stated that Dorothy Gilliam, the daughter of Charles Gilliam and Mary (Polly) Manry who married on the 3 April 1788 in Sussex married the John Southard/Southworth/Southward who left a Will dated 14 Dec 1827 in Orange County, NC. John’s Will does not mention a wife, but does mention a son named Gilliam. The above Dorothy Gilliam does marry in Sussex a John Southard, on 9 Sep 1817. This John appears to be the son of Charles Southard of Sussex and Southampton Counties. The Gilliams and Southards served as god parents for each other in Albemarle Parish in the mid to late 1700s. These Gilliams and Southards appear to be indigent as they are both on the Parish levy as recorded in the Albemarle Parish Vestry.
There is likely a connection between the Gilliams and Southards that is the basis for John Southard of Orange County, NC naming a son Gilliam. This connection has not yet been discerned.
Below are some of the deeds relating to the children of Charles Gilliam and Mary Manry. Included among the deeds is one from John Southard and Dorothy to Charles Gilliam, the younger.
John and Dorothy Southard to Charles Gilliam
3 Jan 1822
This indenture made this third day of January in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and twenty two between John Southward and Dorothy his wife of the county of Sussex of the first part and Charles Gilliam of said county of the other part
Witnesseth that the said John Southward and Dorothy his wife for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred dollars by him the said Charles Gilliam to him the said John Southward in hand paid the receipt whereof them the said John Southward doth hereby acknowledge and thereof acquits and discharges the said Charles Gilliam his executors and administrators, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff and confirm unto the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns all the rights, title, interest, claim and demands which he the said John Southward has or may have as the husband of said Dorothy and which she the said Dorothy has or may as one of the heirs in and to a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Sussex, containing one hundred and thirty acres more or less and bounded by the lands of Edward Tatum, Elizabeth Clanton, Henry Felts, Henry J. Harrison, and Isaac Andrews’ estate, which tract of land Charles Gilliam died signed and possessed of leaving five children of whom the said Dorothy was one, the said Charles dying intestate, the said land has not yet been divided amongst the heirs and devisees but remains in the possession and occupancy of Polly Gilliam the widow, and Martha Gilliam the said Dorothy’s grandmother and widow of her father’s father from whom the said land originally descended to her said father Charles Gilliam decd both of which widows that is to say the grandmother and the mother of the said Dorothy, now hold said tract of land in right of dower in their respective husbands’ estates, their real dowers having never been laid off and allotted to them and all houses, outhouses, woods, gardens, fences, waters, profits, and advantages whatsoever to the said tract or parcel of land belonging or in any wise appertaining and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits, claim and demands whatsoever of them the said John Southward and Dorothy his wife in and to the said tract or parcel of land and premises or to any part whereof unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with the appurtenances unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behalf of him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns forever and the said John Southward and Dorothy his wife for themselves and their heirs do covenant to and with the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns that the said tract or parcel or parcels of land which all and every their appurtenances hereby granted and sold unto him the said Charles Gilliam and his heirs that they the said John Southward and Dorothy his wife and their heirs will forever warrant and defend unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns against the claims of every other person or persons whatsoever lawfully claiming of to claim the same
In witness whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto set their hand and affixed their seals the day and year first alone written.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of
Sig: John [his X mark] Southward, Dorothy [her X mark] Southward
Sussex County, to wit
We Wm Parham and Henry Brown justices of the peace in the county aforesaid do hereby certify that Dorothy Southward, the wife of John Southward, parties to the within deed bearing the date on the third day of January 1822 personally appeared before us in our county aforesaid and being examined by us privily and apart from her husband, and having the deed aforesaid fully explained to her, she the said Dorothy Southward acknowledged the same to be her act and deed and declared that she had willingly signed, sealed and delivered the same for the purpose of conveying her right of inheritance in said land and she wished not to retract the same, given under our hands and seals the dates above.
Wm Parham
Henry Brown
On the 3rd day of January 1822, this indenture was acknowledged by John Southward a party thereto to be his act and deed and it appearing from the annexed certificate of William Parham and Henry Brown two of the justices of this county that the same had been duly acknowledged before them by Dorothy Southward another party thereto to be her act and the said indenture together with the said certificate is recorded in the Clerk’s office of Sussex County, Court
Examined.
Teste J. C. Bailey, Clk.
Sussex County, Deed Book N, pages 300-302.
4 Sep 1826
Martha Gilliam to Charles Gilliam
This indenture made this 4th day of September in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and twenty six between Martha Gilliam of the county of Sussex and State of Virginia of the first part and Charles Gilliam of the county and state aforesaid of the other part
Witnesseth that the said Martha Gilliam for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty dollars good and lawful money of Virginia by him the said Charles Gilliam to her in hand paid the receipt whereof she the said Martha Gilliam doth hereby acknowledge and thereof acquits and discharges the said Charles Gilliam his executors and administrators, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff and confirm unto the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns all the rights, title, interest, claim and demands which she the said Martha Gilliam has or may as one of the heirs in and to a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Sussex, containing one hundred and thirty acres be the same more or less and bounded as follows, that is to say, by the lands of Edward Tatum, Williamson Clanton, Henry Felts, Henry F. Harrison, and Isaac Andrews’ estate, which tract of land Charles Gilliam died seized and possessed of leaving five children of who the said Martha was one, the said Charles dying intestate, the said land has not yet been divided amongst the heirs and devisees but remains in the possession and occupancy of Polly Gilliam the widow, and Martha Gilliam the said Martha’s grandmother and widow of her father’s father from whom the said land originally descended to her said father Charles Gilliam decd both of which widows that is to say the grandmother and the mother of the said Martha, now hold said tract of land in right of dower in their respective husbands estates, their real dowers having never been laid off and allotted to them with all the right, profit, claim or interest therein to him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever and the said Martha for herself her heirs, exors, administrators, and assigns doth covenant to and with the said Charles Gilliam, his heirs etc forever that she has full right, good power and lawful authority to grant, sell, and convey the same.
Hereby warranting and forever defending the legal title thereof to the said Charles Gilliam his heirs, executors, administrators and assigns not only against herself, her heirs, etc but against all and every other person whatsoever.
In witness whereof she has hereunto set her hand and affixed hers seal this day and date first above written.
Sig: Martha [her X mark] Gilliam
Signed, sealed, acknowledged and delivered in presence of
Sussex County to wit
We Henry J. Harrison, and George Blow justices of the peace in the county aforesaid do hereby certify that Martha Gilliam a party to the within deed bearing date fourth of September 1826 personally appeared before us in our county acknowledged the same to be her act and deed and desired us to certify the said acknowledgement to the Clerk of the County Court of Sussex aforesaid in order that the said deed may be recorded. Given under our hands and seals this fourth day of September in the year of one thousand eight hundred and twenty-six.
H. J. Harrison,
Geo Blow
On the 2nd day of November 1826, this indenture was presented for record and it appearing from the annexed certificate of Henry J. Harrison and George Blow two of the magistrates of this county that the said had been duly acknowledged before them by Martha Gilliam a party thereto to be her act and the said indenture together with the said certificate is recorded in the Clerk’s office of Sussex County, Court
Teste L. Lanier, Clk.
Sussex County, VA, Deed Book P, pages 9-10.
Howell and Mary Porch to Charles Gilliam
4 Sep 1826
This indenture made this 4th day of September in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand eight hundred and twenty six between Howell Porch and Mary his wife of the county of Greenville and State of Virginia of the first part and Charles Gilliam of Southampton county of the other part
Witnesseth that the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife for and in consideration of the sum of one hundred and twenty dollars by him the said Charles Gilliam to them the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife in hand paid the receipt whereof them the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife do and each of them doth hereby acknowledge and thereof acquits and discharges the said Charles Gilliam his executors and administrators, have granted, bargained, sold, aliened enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents do grant, bargain, sell, alien, enfeoff and confirm unto the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns all the rights, title, interest, claim and demands which he the said Howell Porch has or may have as the husband of said Mary and which she the said Mary has or may as one of the heirs in and to a certain tract or parcel of land lying and being in the county of Sussex, containing one hundred and thirty acres more or less and bounded by the lands of Edward Tatum, Williamson Clanton, Henry Felts, Henry F. Harrison, and Isaac Andrews’ estate, which tract of land Charles Gilliam died seized and possessed of leaving five children of who the said Mary was one, the said Charles dying intestate, the said land has not yet been divided amongst the heirs and devisees but remains in the possession and occupancy of Polly Gilliam the widow, and Martha Gilliam the said Mary’s grandmother and widow of her father’s father from whom the said land originally descended to her said father Charles Gilliam decd both of which widows that is to say the grandmother and the mother of the said Mary, now hold said tract of land in right of dower in their respective husbands estates, their real dowers having never been laid off and allotted to them and all houses, outhouses, woods, gardens, fences, waters, profits, and advantages whatsoever to the said tract or parcel of land belonging or in any wise appertaining and the reversion and reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits, claim and demands whatsoever of them the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife in and to the said tract or parcel of land and premises or to any part whereof unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns to have and to hold the said tract or parcel of land with the appurtenances unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behalf of him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns forever and the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife for themselves and their heirs do covenant to and with the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns that the said tract or parcel or parcels of land which all and every their appurtenances hereby granted and sold unto him the said Charles Gilliam and his heirs that they the said Howell Porch and Mary his wife and their heirs will forever warrant and defend unto him the said Charles Gilliam his heirs and assigns against the claims of every other person or persons whatsoever lawfully claiming of to claim the same
In witness whereof the parties to these presents have hereunto set their hand and affixed their seals the day and year first alone written.
Signed, sealed, and delivered in presence of
Sig: Howel [his X mark] Porch, Mary [her X mark] Porch
Sussex County, to wit
We _________________________ justices of the peace in the county aforesaid do hereby certify that Mary Porch, the wife of Howell Porch, parties to a certain deed bearing the date on the ______ day of _________ 182__ and hereto annexed personally appeared before us in our county aforesaid and being examined by us privily and apart from her husband, and having the deed aforesaid fully explained to her, she the said Mary Porch acknowledged the same to be her act and deed and declared that she had willingly signed, sealed and delivered the same and that she wished not to retract it, given under our hands and seals this fourth day of September one thousand, eight hundred and twenty-six.
H. J. Harrison,
Geo Blow
On the 2nd day of November 1826, this indenture was acknowledged by Howell Porch party thereto to be his act and deed and it appearing from the annexed certificate of Henry J. Harrison and George Blow two of the magistrates of this county that the said had been duly acknowledged before them by Mary Porch a party thereto to be her act and the said indenture together with the said certificate is recorded in the Clerk’s office of Sussex County, Court
Teste L. Lanier, Clk.
Sussex County, VA, Deed Book P, pages 7-8.
Sources
- Sussex County, VA, Deed Book P, pages 9-10.
- Sussex County, VA, Deed Book P, pages 7-8.
- Sussex County, VA, Deed Book N, pages 300-302.