A Wiley Bunch

Biographies

A Wiley Bunch

By

©2004

The Story of Wiley Gilstrap and his descendants in White County, Georgia

Let's move. We're goin' to Georgia!

Maybe that's how it started. But what was his reason? I don't know, and there

is really no way to find out for sure, but I can't stop wondering - Why did

Wiley Rufus Gilstrap, son of Lewis Wiley Gilstrap and Elizabeth Maxwell

Gilstrap, decide to move from the Pendleton District of South Carolina to

Habersham County, Georgia? Why would he, at age 40, leave his home, with mother

and father and brothers and sisters nearby, to move some 100 miles away and

start over? Had he visited Georgia before? What was the talk in the Old

Pendleton District about this area of Georgia that would make it appealing?

After visiting Pickens County, South Carolina, the area of Pendleton District

where Wiley lived, I can tell you there is hardly any difference between that

area and the area of Habersham County to which he moved. They are identical in

both landscape and weather. The Pendleton Messenger, a newspaper in circulation

at the time in the Old Pendleton District, shows that there were some

connections between the two areas. For the period 1827 - 1836 the Pendleton

Messenger carried reports of news events, marriages, births, and deaths

occurring in Habersham County, Georgia, so interest and news were swapped

between the two areas. This exchange was aided by a stagecoach line that ran

from Greenville, SC, to Dahlonega, Georgia, bringing passengers and mail through

and between both areas twice a week.

Reports during 1834 in another South Carolina newspaper, the Camden Journal,

described caravans of movers leaving the middle part of South Carolina daily, as

many as 200 persons in a single day. The number leaving the District was "so

great as to make one melancholy." The following year, in one week as many as

800 persons passed through the town of Camden, South Carolina, heading west, one

company carrying 300 people. It was reported that "the old and the young are

preparing to emigrate and the inquiry is not whether you are going, but when do

you go." Another South Carolina source reported that "the whole country about

the Wateree and Congaree, including Columbia, is literally breaking up and

moving en masse to the west." I saw one account of a gentleman who said that

he caught "the Western Fever" and had to head for the new lands to the west. It

may be that Wiley caught the Western Fever.

Beginning in the early 1800s, the migration patterns started to swing from up

and down the east coast towards the West. The eastern states had historically

shown steady increases in population, due mainly to receiving all of the

immigration and the resulting increase in the birth rate. South Carolina

increased its population by 20.1 percent from 1800 to 1810, and 21.1 percent

from 1810 to 1820. But, from 1820 to 1830 the rate of population increase was

only 15.6 percent and from 1830 to 1840 it was only 2.3 percent. By contrast,

the population of Habersham County, Georgia, increased by 339 percent from 1820

to 1830. Historical accounts show several things affecting migration into north

Georgia during this period. New lands to the West were opening up, and people

had begun to migrate in that direction. Some accounts tell of game becoming

scarce and how the continuous growing of cotton was depleting the soils in long

settled areas like South Carolina. The virgin soils of the new areas to the

west were said to increase crop production by 50 percent.

Habersham County, Georgia, 100 miles west of Pendleton District, was created on

December 18, 1818, by an act of the Georgia General Assembly from lands ceded by

the Cherokee Indians in the 1817 Treaty of the Cherokee Agency. Additional

Cherokee lands were ceded to Georgia in the 1819 Treaty of Washington, and in an

act on Dec. 21, 1819, the legislature added some of the ceded land to the

western portions of Habersham and Hall counties. Remaining unallocated Cherokee

lands ceded in 1817 and 1819 were added to Habersham and other Georgia counties

in 1828 and 1829. At one time, the area occupied by the Cherokee Indians

covered almost all of north Georgia. The former Cherokee lands were distributed

to settlers by lottery. The lands available in the area that became Habersham

County had been included in the 1820, or third, Georgia Land Lottery.

Gold was discovered in the Nacoochee Valley of Habersham County along the

Nacoochee River, then known as Duke's Creek, in 1828-29 prompting America's

first "Gold Rush". The Gold Rush Belt was bound by Dahlonega on the west and

the Nacoochee Valley on the east. The heated up migration to the area resulted

in Habersham County's population increasing more than threefold from 1820 to

1830, from 3,145 to 10,671. The population has not increased that

significantly during any other decade. Following the removal of the Cherokee

Indians from the area in what is known as the Trail of Tears, the last of the

Cherokee territory was divided by the state into ten new counties and further

subdivided into land lots of 140 acres and gold lots of 40 acres. In 1832 there

was a Land Lottery/Gold Lottery for these lands in Georgia.

At the time of Wiley's move into Habersham County, the only chartered town in

the county was Clarkesville. It was previously considered a village, having

begun as a small settlement sometime prior to 1820. Clarkesville was chartered

as the permanent county seat in 1823. Farming began as a major activity in the

mountainous areas of the county after 1830, and the north Georgia area was

described as an area of economic boom in the 1830s.

Such growth and activity going on in north Georgia may help explain the

attraction of the area to Wiley. Wiley did not participate in the Cherokee land

lotteries because he arrived just after them. Wiley purchased his land after

moving to Habersham County, probably from owners who had won them in lotteries.

The Search

Wiley didn't leave many clues about himself, but I have pieced together as many

records bearing his name as I could find. The information is usually reliable,

but sometimes the dates and events don't add up exactly. I ask for your

allowances in this account for facts taken from records that may include

mistakes, faint writing, lack of the individual's literacy, and the antiquity of

the records and events they chronicle. In these records, I found Wiley's name

spelled alternately Wyly, Wyley, Wylie, and Wily, with Gilstrap as often spelled

with two "L"s as with one. Some of the other various spellings of Gilstrap I

have seen in reviewing records include - Gitstrap, Gilstrup, Gilshap, Gelstrop,

Gillstrapt, Gurlstrap, Gailstrap, and Guilestrap. For this writing, whenever I

am referring to a mention of his name in a specific document I have used the

spelling as it is in that document. In other more general uses of his name, I

have chosen to use the most often used version which is Wiley Gilstrap.

Wiley's middle name was Rufus, but he rarely used it. His headstone is engraved

with "W.R. Gilstrap" and his will has it reversed as "Rufus W. Gilstrap".

Because of the reversal of his names on the will, it was overlooked several

times during research. A typed copy of the will is Attachment 2 and will be

discussed a little later.

Wiley was illiterate, as indicated in the census records. All official

documents that required his signature are marked with the familiar sign of the

time for those who could not write, which looked like:

Every official record located in the courthouses and historical repositories

prior to the invention of typewriters was transcribed by hand. While many of

these documents appear to be signed, this is the transcriber's handwriting. The

transcriber is also the one responsible for most of the spelling variations.

Within one document in the Habersham County Courthouse I saw Wiley's name

spelled four different ways. When excerpts from documents are quoted or

referred to in this account the spelling and grammatical structure are shown

just as they appear in the documents.

Tracing Back

The surname "Gilstrap" is an old English name. As with most things Gilstrap,

origins of the name are imprecise. One account traces it back to an ancient

weapon of war know as a Galtrap. A Galtrap (sometimes Caltrap) was an ancient

military instrument with four points, arranged so that when it was thrown on the

ground, it always landed on three of the four points, with the fourth pointing

up. Galtraps were scattered in the path of an enemy to impede and endanger the

horses. A more civilized origin of the name points to Nottinghamshire, England

as far back as the late 14th century in relation to a place named "Gelsthorp",

or Village (Thorp) of Gold (Gels). Whatever the origin, the name has been

spelled and pronounced differently through time and has come to be its present

day self as Gilstrap, or occasionally Gillstrap.

The story of the first Gilstraps to come to America is not too clear and is also

subject to some speculation. The story has long been that four brothers

immigrated to colonial North Carolina from England (or Scotland) and settled in

the area around New Bern, North Carolina around 1750. Recent research has

revealed that there were two Gilstraps, James and Peter, living in Somerset

County, Maryland. James appears to have died without any children, but Peter

married Rachel Aydelotte (or Idolet) in 1731 and they were the parents of the

four brothers mentioned earlier. Their names were Peter, Jr., James, Idolet and

John. This changes the earlier belief that the four brothers had immigrated

here.

Peter Gilstrap, Sr., is estimated to have been born about 1705 in England. This

estimate is based on the knowledge that he signed an indenture with John Taylor

in London in 1726. Although the original indenture document no longer

exists, records of it indicate that it said Peter was bound for Jamaica. John

Taylor also had dealings in Maryland and it appears that Peter went on to

Maryland. It is not known how the family eventually got to the New Bern, North

Carolina area, but the first Federal Census, in 1790, identifies Peter Jr.,

James and Richard Gilstrap living in Craven County North Carolina; Henry, Idolet

and Isaac Gilstrap living in adjoining Jones county.

Wiley's grandfather was Peter Gilstrap, Jr. Peter Jr. was born in 1735 in

Somerset County, Maryland, and died in 1795 in Craven County, North Carolina.

He is buried in Wilmington, North Carolina. Peter Jr.'s wife was named Mary

Jane, but her maiden name is not known for sure. It was possibly Bright, which

shows up repeatedly in later generations as a commonly used first name. They

were married in 1764 in Craven County, North Carolina. Mary was born in 1743

and died sometime after 1803. Peter Jr. was a Revolutionary War soldier and he

has been well established in the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR).

His National DAR number is 358598.

According to his last will and testament, Peter Jr. was a planter and he

apparently did not have much affection for the state of North Carolina. When

Peter Jr. died in 1795 he appointed his wife Mary and son Lewis as executors of

his estate. Interestingly, in Peter Jr.'s will he left his land holdings in

North Carolina to his wife Mary, but with specific conditions attached. Peter

Jr. left her the plantation on which they lived containing 76 acres, and a

close-by tract containing 96 acres, "that is if she shall chuse to sell it and

go into the back country and carry the children with her, her deed shall be

good". The Pendleton District of South Carolina made up most of what was

referred to as the "back country". Peter Jr.'s will goes on to say that

"otherwise if she continues here, at her death the said land shall be sold and

the money equally divided betwixt these four children: Polly Gilstrap, Bright

Gilstrap, Welthy Gilstrap, and Winifred Gilstrap."

It appears that Mary took at least part of her husband's advice because on

October 19, 1796, Mary sold a tract of 65 acres and another tract of 93 acres

for £150 to Thomas Kent. The acreage shown on the deed transfers is a little

off from that described in the will, but this appears to be the land Peter Jr.

left her. She didn't move to the "back country" but she did move almost all the

way across the state of North Carolina. In 1797 Mary purchased 400 acres on the

waters of Crows and Abbotts Creeks, in Rowan County, North Carolina. Rowan

County is in the area around the current town of Salisbury, North Carolina.

This land was sold on August 9, 1803, by Mary, Richard, Hardy, and Bright, widow

and sons of Peter Gilstrap, to Lewis Beard for £400. Mary may have then moved

to the "back country" with sons Lewis and Hardy.

The children of Peter Jr. and Mary Gilstrap are as follows:

Charity Gilstrap b. 1762, Craven Co, NC; d. after 1850, Craven Co, NC

Nancy Gilstrap b. 1764, Craven Co, NC; d. unk. in KY

Richard Gilstrap b. 05/06/1768, Craven Co, NC; d. 12/18/1835, Salem, IN

Benjamin Gilstrap b. 1766, Craven Co, NC; d. 1805, Louisville, Jefferson, KY

Hardy Gilstrap b. 10/10/1766,Craven Co,NC;d.12/07/1829,Pickens Co, SC

Lewis Wiley Gilstrap b. 1770, Union Co, NC; d. 05/21/1854, Pickens Co, SC

Ellender (Nellie) Gilstrap b. 1772, New Bern, Craven, NC; d. 1832, Maury Co, TN

Polly (Mary) Gilstrap b. 1774, New Bern, Craven Co, NC; d. 1805, SC

Bright Gilstrap b. 1776, Craven Co, NC; d. 12/23/1835, Randolph Co, MO

Wealthy Gilstrap b. 1778, Craven Co, NC; d. 1825

Winifred Gilstrap b. 1785, Craven Co, NC; d. 08/15/1838, Lawrence Co, IN

Lewis Wiley Gilstrap, with his brother Hardy, migrated westward across the state of North Carolina and into the Pendleton District of South Carolina in about 1803 or 1804. After the death of their parents it seems that the children of Peter Jr. and Mary scattered in many directions. Lewis and Hardy moved to the "back country" area their father had mentioned in his will. Others headed on a more northwesterly track towards Kentucky, Missouri and Arkansas. Lewis married Elizabeth Maxwell (b. Oct. 20, 1771 in Duplin Co., NC, d. 1854 in Pickens Co. SC) in Duplin County, North Carolina on April 22, 1790. A copy of their marriage bond is still on file at the office of Duplin County Registrar of Deeds, in Kenansville, North Carolina. Lewis and Elizabeth Maxwell Gilstrap had nine children.

Wiley Rufus Gilstrap b. Dec 18, 1793(?) in NC d. Nov 22, 1879, White Co. GA

Eleanor (Nellie) Gilstrap b. September 10, 1795 d. unk

Zilpha Gilstrap b. July 1797 in NC d. unk

Bright Gilstrap b. 1799 in NC d. February 11, 1877

John Wesley Gilstrap b. Sept 17, 1802 in NC d. August 22, 1875

William Maxville Gilstrap b. Sept 10, 1805 in NC d. May 14, 1871 Forsyth Co, GA

Jennie G. Gilstrap b. 1807 d. <1859

Mary Elizabeth Ann Gilstrap b. 1809 in SC d. 1884, Pickens Co, SC

Sarah Gilstrap b. 1810 in SC

Wiley was born on December 18th, probably in 1793, and he died November 29,

1879. For some of the reasons noted earlier, there is some confusion about his

birth year, and he is shown in several places with his birth year ranging from

1792 to 1799. His headstone is clearly readable on the upper half but becomes

so deteriorated towards the bottom that it is unreliable. I made two visits to

his headstone about ten years apart and my notes from those visits show that I

deciphered the date differently each time, first as 1793 and then as 1799. The

reason I settled on 1793 as Wiley's birth year is because in the censuses where

Wiley is enumerated individually, he provides his own age and it always dates

back to 1793. Specifically, in the 1850 White County, Georgia census he states

his age as 57. In the 1860 census he states his age as 67, and 1870 as 77. The

1880 Census Mortality Schedule lists Wiley's age as 87 at the time of his death

just a few months before. Although Wiley was actually 86 at the time of his

death he was less than three weeks from his 87th birthday.

South Carolina did not require records of birth, death and marriage before 1915,

so our potential resources in those areas are limited to things such as

newspaper announcements, church records, or family bibles. Unfortunately, I

haven't had much luck in those areas. I contacted the Furman University Library

in Greenville, SC, which has a program to collect and microfilm records such as

membership rolls and minutes from old Baptist Churches in South Carolina. There

were no records on Wiley, but this is probably because he was a Methodist.

The Gilstrap family in early 1800s South Carolina attended Bethlehem Methodist

Church, which was established about 1803 in the area that is southeast of the

town of Pickens, South Carolina. I also contacted the Sandor-Texler Library at

Wofford College in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Wofford College is a Methodist

founded school and their library has a program preserving records of Methodist

Churches in South Carolina. I had no luck there either because their records

only date back to 1837. There are Gilstraps in their records, but Wiley moved

to Georgia before 1833. The Pitts Theology Library of Emory University in

Atlanta is the repository for the records of the North Georgia Conference of the

United Methodist Church. No records of Wiley there either. As I mentioned

earlier, Wiley kept a low profile.

I did find one record in the Maxwell Family Bible. This was the family Bible of

Wiley's maternal Grandparents, William Maxwell and Elizabeth Grayson Croom

Maxwell. Recorded in it are the births of four of the children of their

daughter Elizabeth Maxwell Gilstrap - they are Wiley Gillstrap, Nelle Gillstrap,

Zilpha Gillstrap, and John Gilstrap. Wiley's birthday is written as "December

the 18th day of 17**". The mystery continues because the last two digits of

the date are unreadable.

Probably the most relied upon type of record available to a genealogist is the

once per decade census. The first Federal census occurred in 1790. They give

us a snapshot of a household as it existed on that day and a set of facts we can

analyze. Prior to 1850, the census takers only listed the name of the head of

household and no one else. Other family members and guests were included in

columns categorizing occupants by gender and age ranges.

The 1810 Pendleton District of South Carolina census lists the household of

Lewis Gilstrap. Lewis had a total of five free white males and four free white

females in his house at the time. No slaves or free persons other than white

are indicated. The census categories show that there were two males between the

ages of 10 and 16 in the household. This gives us our first inkling of Wiley

Gilstrap. We can assume that one of these young boys is our Wiley since he

would have been 16 at the time the census was taken that year. The other male

in this age bracket is probably his brother Bright.

Luckily South Carolina did have some record keeping requirements, and Lewis

Gilstrap is known to have purchased 250 acres in 1812 in the Pendleton District

in what is now known as the Wolf Creek section of Pickens County, South

Carolina. The Wolf Creek area is just outside the city limits of present day

Pickens, South Carolina, on the southwest side. According to a descendant of

Lewis' brother Hardy Gilstrap, when Hardy came to this area he purchased his

land directly from the Cherokee Indians. Hardy's descendants still live on

some of this land.

Lewis Gilstrap continued living in South Carolina and is shown still living in

Pickens County in the 1850 Federal census, but in an area that is now known as

Little Eastatoe Valley, a little north of the Wolf Creek area. The Little

Eastatoe Valley area is off of SC Highway 11 near a Post Office community named

Sunset, South Carolina. It can be assumed Lewis was a farmer since he is shown

in the 1850 South Carolina Agricultural Federal Census as owning livestock and

having stores of oats, tobacco, and Indian corn. Lewis died on May 21, 1854.

It is believed that Lewis and Elizabeth are buried in a cemetery known in early

times as the Friendship Methodist Episcopal Church in the same area where he

lived.

In 1819, Lewis sold 146 acres of his land to his son Wiley. Wiley was at that

time a young man of about 26. In the 1820 census of the Pendleton District of

South Carolina, the household of Wiley Gilstrap is counted. The census lists

household occupants of two males and two females in the age group from 26 to 45,

one female over age 45, one female in the age bracket 16 to 26, and two males

under the age of ten. Because no names or relationships or any other

identifying facts are included for the individuals, we cannot say who the

individuals are. There are no slaves listed. Wiley would have been age 27 at

the time of this census. He may have had a wife and children, but the evidence

for it is confusing, and there is some evidence against it. It is, however,

believed by many that Wiley was married during this time in South Carolina and

that he had two sons, John J. and Hardy, who were born before 1820 and a third

son, Yancey who was born during 1820, probably after the census was taken. If

all of this is true then these individuals - Wiley, his wife, and two sons -

would all fit into the age brackets of the individuals listed in the census.

This, however, leaves one other adult male and three adult females unaccounted

for. Other later censuses show Wiley as having a number of relatives from his

extended family living with him, and this could have been the case here as well.

Wiley Gilstrap received a land grant of 411 acres on February 4, 1822. This

land was a grant from the state of South Carolina and is described in the survey

papers as being "situate(d) in Pendleton District on branches of Wolfe Creek

waters of 12 Mile Creek or River, bounded SW & SE by lands laid out to Abraham

Duke, SW & NW by lands belonging to William Cox, all other sides by John

Tatoms…" This land does not appear to be adjacent to the property sold to him

by his father in 1819. It would be assumed that Wiley sold this land and the

land he bought from his father, with its adjoining land described below, before

moving to Georgia. There is no record to show Wiley sold any property in the

time period surrounding his departure from South Carolina, around 1832. There

is one record, however, dated January 11, 1858, where Wiley signs a Release for

the 411 acres he received by the land grant in 1822. The Pickens County, South

Carolina record shows that Wiley Gillstrap signed the Release to T. Edwin Ware,

Trustee of Mary Ann Davenport. The likely answer for why this Release was done

is that Wiley sold the land to Ms. Davenport years before but the sale was never

recorded. For some reason, possibly her death, proper documentation of

ownership had to be obtained by the Trustee.

On January 25, 1825, Wiley is shown as one of the purchasers of land from the

estate auction of John Tatum. The account does not say how much property was

sold, but there were seventeen other buyers of portions of Mr. Tatom's land,

including Wiley's brother John Gilstrap. As noted above, John Tatom's land

adjoined the land Wiley obtained from South Carolina as a land grant, so Wiley

was probably extending his land some.

In 1826, Pickens County was formed from parts of Pendleton District and

Greenville District. Wiley is listed in the 1830 census of Pickens County,

South Carolina. His household includes one male in the 30 to 40 age group, one

male and one female in the 15 to 20 age group, and one male between ages 5 and

10. Comparison of this household with the one Wiley had in the 1820 census does

not show many similarities. Again, trying to fit these into a family situation

would have Wiley, age 37 at the time, being the male in the 30 to 40 age group.

There is no female in this age group as there was in 1820. A female of age 20

could be a wife, but not the mother of two sons ranging from 5 to 20 years old.

So, once again we just don't know.

To Georgia

We have now arrived at the point in time when Wiley made his decision to move to

Georgia. Looking at what we have thus far, we can only suppose his reasons.

Possibly his wife had died and he wanted to start fresh somewhere else. Maybe

the opportunity for more or better land was there. As explained earlier, land

was opening up in north Georgia at this time that was previously under the

control of the Cherokee Indians. This land was said to be more fertile than the

overworked land of the long settled areas.

Wiley moved to Georgia sometime between November 17, 1830, and November 8, 1832.

I established this time frame from the census records showing Wiley present in

South Carolina on November 17, 1830, when the census was taken, and information

taken from the 1850 census in White County, Georgia, that shows his son John M.

Gilstrap as having been born in Georgia. We know that John M.'s birth date is

November 8, 1832.

The first recorded indication of Wiley's presence in Georgia is contained in a

lawsuit found in the Habersham County Courthouse. Wiley filed a complaint on

May 8, 1834, against John Hefner alleging that a loan of $50.00 was made to

Hefner on January 12, 1833, and was not repaid as agreed. Wiley won the lawsuit

and restitution of the loan and interest was obtained through the Court. The

Court records also show that Vincent Hamilton had signed the note as security

for Mr. Hefner, and both were ordered to bring the money to the Judge at the

October session of the Court to be handed over to Wiley. Hefner paid the

$50.00 debt, interest of $5.12, and court costs of $19.25. I could find no

record of John Hefner either in the Georgia or South Carolina censuses in that

time period, so we don't know who he was or his relation to Wiley.

Next we find that Wiley has begun to purchase land. According to Court records,

Wiley eventually accumulates 625 acres in the Mossy Creek area of Habersham

County, as follows:

11/20/1833 - bought from Wm. Satterfield 150 acres in Land Lot 28, 2nd District for $300.00

07/28/1834 - bought from Wm. Satterfield 150 acres in Land Lot 28, Eastern half of 2nd District for $350.00

12/03/1836 - bought from James Smith 120 acres in Land Lot 45, 2nd District for $200.00

01/19/1844 - bought from John Ferguson 375 acres for $75.00

02/11/1845 - sold to John Ferguson 375 acres known by Lot No. 69, 52 & 63, 2nd District, no price

02/18/1847 - bought from Wm. O'Kelley 250 acres in Land Lot 46, 2nd District for $250.00

03/28/1848 - Sold to Cary Cox 50 acres in Land Lot 46, 2nd District for $25.00

01/05/1854 - bought from John M. O'Dell 5 acres in Land Lot 45, 2nd District for $25.00

While these purchases and sales add up to 625 acres, Wiley lists his acreage in

several places as being 470 acres. In the 1860 Agricultural Census, he

delineates his acreage as 100 acres of improved land and 370 acres unimproved.

Any sale of the difference of 155 acres is not indicated in White County

records. It is possible that the first two purchases from Wm. Satterfield were

the same piece of land. The descriptions showing the "butting and bounding"

points appear identical, but there are separate dates and differing prices. It

would make things match, though, if we could take away one of the 150 acre

purchases and the 5 acre purchase of 1854, which is in a different Land Lot and

not connected to the other tracts.

Wiley followed the Gold Rush in Georgia by 4 or 5 years, so it is doubtful that

gold was his goal. Also, the Gold Belt was several miles north of the Mossy

Creek area of Habersham (later White) County where he settled. He is always

shown in the census records as a farmer.

Wiley was apparently a member of the Mossy Creek Methodist Church, located just

south of Cleveland on Post Road. The Church was established in 1821 and met in

a building of hewn logs until 1878. There are no membership rolls that go back

that far, but Wiley and other members of his family are buried in the oldest

section of the cemetery there. When Wiley died, his will indicates that his

property included a piece of land inside the Mossy Creek Campground. The Mossy

Creek Campground is nearby the Mossy Creek Methodist Church and was used mostly

by the Methodists in those days as a religious meeting area for their annual

Camp Meetings. The original deed for the campground is dated 1833, just about

the time Wiley settled nearby.

Annual Camp Meetings were scheduled usually in August because the crops were in

by then and a week of rest could be scheduled. Within the campground property

were lots that were used only during the annual Camp Meeting. Families who had

camp ground lots would stay there for the duration of the meeting, which lasted

for about a week. Most lots had a tent or simple cabin with primitive

facilities on them where families would stay. This was the practice because in

those days it would take most families more than a day by wagon to get to the

Camp Meeting. It was not possible to travel back and forth each day, so camping

there was a necessity. Tent holders brought with them furnishings and ample

food supplies, including coops of chickens and maybe even a cow to milk. I

contacted one of the current trustees of the Mossy Creek Campground and he

explained that the original deed of the camp ground from 1833 shows that it

contains 35 acres, but there is no provision for actual ownership of lots inside

the camp ground , so Wiley's claim to property there was probably based on

eldership or longevity in the church. In his will, Wiley leaves the campground

lot to his wife to use for her lifetime, and then it would pass to his grandson,

M. H. Gilstrap.

Habersham County court records contain several other mentions of Wiley Gilstrap.

As usual, the spellings vary and will be shown here as it is written in the

records. Entries found there include:

Minutes of Superior Court, October 1842 term - Wyly Gillstrap drawn to serve as

a Grand Juror at the next term. Court session of April 10, 1843, Judge Junius

Hillyer enters a fine of $10.00 against Wily Gillstrap for not reporting for

jury duty.

Minutes of Superior Court, April 1850 term - Wiley Gillstrap drawn to serve as a

Petit Juror at the October term. Minutes of October 14, 1850, Judge James

Jackson swears in Petit Jury #1, which includes Wiley Gilstrap as juror #2.

Court lasted one week.

Minutes of Superior Court, April 1852 term - Wiley Gillstrap drawn to serve as a

Grand Juror at the October term. Minutes of October 11, 1852, Judge James

Jackson swears in the Grand Jury, which includes Wily Gillstrap as juror #10.

The Grand Jury issues a report at the end of the session called a Grand Jury

Presentment detailing some interesting facts about conditions in the county at

the time with recommendations for improvements. A copy of their report, signed

by all the jurors including Wiley, is Attachment 4.

Minutes of Inferior Court, January 1855 term - Wyley Gilstrap drawn to serve as

a Juror at the July term. Court session of 2nd Monday in July, 1855, Wiley was

not chosen to serve.

I found one other mention of Wiley in court records around this time, though it

was back in South Carolina. The October 1837 jury list of Pickens County, South

Carolina indicates Wiley Gilstrap as "NF". This notation means that he was on

the jury list from previous times but was "Not Found" in the District for the

current session. He had obviously moved to Georgia by this time. In the same

record book are found entries for Wiley's brothers Bright (served on Grand Jury

October 1845), John (served on Petit Jury of Common Pleas October 1840, March

1847, and October 1848), and William (served on Petit Jury March and October

1840, and Grand Jury October 1845).

Changes in the area

White County was created in 1857, with changes in the boundaries being made up

until 1874. The county seat of Cleveland did not exist until that time. Almost

on the same spot was the village of Mount Yonah. Mount Yonah is described in

1845 in the Statistics of the State of Georgia as having three stores, one

blacksmith's shop, one tailor, one hotel, one distillery, one school and one

church, with a population of about seventy. Things organized fast for the new

county, and the site for the courthouse was determined first. Property for the

courthouse and the downtown area of Cleveland was purchased from local families

by the new county. Land surrounding the Courthouse site was surveyed off in one

quarter acre lots and sold to local businessmen and merchants for $300 each.

Next the county was organized into districts known as Militia Districts. White

County, probably more than any other county, thinks of itself in terms of these

districts. They are District 427, Nacoochee; District 558, Tesentee; District

721, Blue Creek; District 836, Town Creek; District 861, Mount Yonah; District

862, Shoal Creek; and District 426, Mossy Creek.

Wiley's land was in the southern part of White County to the west of Highway

129, with Westmoreland Road now passing through the middle of it. The land is

mostly in the Mossy Creek District, but partly in the Shoal Creek District. As

shown earlier in the land purchases and sales, Wiley's place had at least 470

acres. I have visited the area, and while certainly in different uses now than

all those years ago, it is pretty hilly and would be hard to farm. In the 1860

and 1867 Agriculture Censuses, Wiley indicates only 100 acres of improved land

and the rest as unimproved land.

First there was Letticia, and then there was Letticia

Wiley was married at least twice, and possibly three times. As discussed

earlier, the 1820 census indicates two males and two females in the age group

from 26 to 45 in Wiley's household. We can assume that he is one of the males,

being age 27 at that time, and that one of the females could be his wife since

there are also children present. Being at least age 26 would have her (wife)

born no later than 1794. As noted earlier, the 1830 census doesn't indicate a

female member of Wiley's household in this age bracket. If Wiley did have a

wife before then, she may have died before that time.

Wiley is buried in the old section of the Mossy Creek Methodist Church Cemetery.

Buried next to him is Letticia Gilstrap. Her gravestone shows that she was born

February 2, 1802, and died October 9, 1858. So, she is about 9 or 10 years

younger than Wiley and would not have been one of the females in the age range

from 26 to 45 shown in the 1820 census. She does however, fit into the 1820

census of Wiley's household as the female in the age range 16 to 26. She would

have been 18 at the time, and this leaves a possibility of her being Wiley's

wife at the time. However, if that were so, she could not be the mother of

those thought by some to be Wiley's older children, and it would also not

explain her absence from the 1830 census.

Back to the graveyard. Buried on Letticia's other side at Mossy Creek is

Margaret Hamilton (b. 12/20/1786, d. 10/17/1856). In the row before and in

front of Wiley, Letticia, and Margaret respectively are J.C. Hamilton (b.

2/14/1782, d. 3/26/1874), Ellender, Wife of J.C. (b. unk, d. 1/26/1861), and

Nancy, daughter of J.C. (b. unk, d. 3/14/1878). This situation of the graves

leads me to believe that Letticia was a Hamilton and possibly the daughter of

J.C. and Ellender Hamilton.

The 1840 census for Habersham County shows the household of "Wiley Gilshap".

This misspelling in the index books is apparently there because of the

handwriting mistake of the census taker. On the census sheets the census taker

did not cross the "t". That along with the uncrossed "t" being close in

proximity to the following letter "r", gives the appearance of an "h", and

therefore Gilshap happens. The census information for this year shows Wiley's

household containing eight people. There is one male in the age range from 40

to 49 years old. Wiley would have been 47 at this time so this individual is

most likely him. Other males include one in the age range from 15 to 19, one in

the age range 5 to 9, and one under 5 years old. The females listed include one

in the age range 30 to 39 years old. This is probably Letticia as she would be

37 at this time. Other females included are one in the age range 50 to 59, one

in the age range from 15 to 19, and one slave in the age range 10 to 23. I feel

certain we have identified Wiley and Letticia, and two sons later identified as

John M. and William H. account for the two males in the under 5 and 5 to 9 year

old categories. The others, except for the female slave, are unaccounted for.

The 1850 census for Habersham County includes the household of "Wyley Gitstrap".

The handwriting of the census taker shows that this time a long line crosses

both the "l" and the "t" and makes the name appear as "Gitstrap". It is listed

this way in the census index books. We can be sure this is our Wiley because of

his age at the time, 57, and his birthplace listed as NC. His occupation is

shown as Farmer. Beginning with this census we get a lot more detailed

information about household members instead of just their gender and age range.

Wiley has listed a wife, L.M., at age 47 with a birthplace of SC. Her age here

matches the headstone information of Letticia Gilstrap in the Mossy Creek

Cemetery. The census goes on to list a male, J.M., at age 18, and a male, W.H.,

at age 15, both born in Georgia. Also listed is Matilda Hamilton who is called

an "inmate" in Wiley's household. Inmate does not indicate any type of

confinement and just means houseguest. Matilda is 27 at the time and her

relationship to Wiley's family is unknown. However, her presence further backs

up the assumption that Letticia was a Hamilton. Also, because of Matilda's age

she could be the female in the 15 to 19 age group listed in Wiley's household in

the 1840 census discussed previously. I have found no further record of Matilda

Hamilton.

Based on the above, Letticia is most likely the first wife of Wiley and the

mother of his two sons born in Georgia. Letticia died in 1858 at the age of 56

of unknown causes.

Now for the most puzzling name involved. White County Probate Court records

show that after Letticia's death in 1858 Wiley married again, on April 28, 1860.

Who was the lucky lady? Why, it was Letticia Hamilton. Although her name is

spelled Letysia in the Marriage License book, it shows up elsewhere and later as

Letticia. This Letticia is not such a mystery and is known to have been born

sometime around 1826-1827. She is the daughter of James C. Hamilton and Nellie

Gilstrap Hamilton. Nellie (sometimes Mellie or Millie) Gilstrap was a daughter

of Hardy Gilstrap and Anna Carlton Gilstrap. Hardy, mentioned earlier, was the

brother of Wiley's father, Lewis Wiley Gilstrap. These relationships,

therefore, show that Letticia is Wiley's first cousin once removed.

The 1860 census of White County shows Wiley at age 67 and Lethy (Letticia) at

age 34. Wiley's birthplace is again NC and Letticia's is SC. Wiley states he

is a Farmer with real estate valued at $2,500 and a personal estate value of

$11,675. This is a very large amount and makes Wiley one of the wealthiest

people in White County. Other information on this census form indicates that

Wiley and Letticia have been married less than a year, and that both Wiley and

Letticia cannot read or write. Also in the household then were John M.

Gilstrap, age 26, and William H. Gilstrap, age 24. John M. does not list any

real estate, but he does give a personal estate value of $1250. Also living

with Wiley at this time is Elender Glaze, age 64. She is Wiley's sister who

married David Glaze, b. c1788, and probably deceased at this time. Also there

are John R. Youngblood , listed as a Day Laborer, and Jane Youngblood. John

Robert and Jane E. Youngblood were the children of Jennie Gilstrap Youngblood,

who was another of Wiley's sisters. Jennie died in 1859 and Wiley apparently

took the two children in. John was 21 years old and Jane was 18 in 1860.

Letticia was 33-34 years younger than Wiley and it does not appear they had any

children together. Some earlier researchers have speculated that Wiley and

Letticia had ten or eleven children, but that appears to have come from

misinterpretation of the 1870 census records by those researchers. For some

reason they seem to have credited Wiley and Letticia with having as their

children James and Elizabeth Gilstrap and their six children, ages 9 years to 5

months at the time of the 1870 census. James was descended through the line of

Hardy Gilstrap, Wiley's uncle, and according to later censuses he had moved his

family to Georgia in 1869. He and Elizabeth are present in Pickens County,

South Carolina in 1860 with no children. They went on to have eleven children

and they show up in subsequent censuses with their children in White County.

When Wiley died he left a portion of his estate to his wife. In the list of

items he names for her, one of the things he specifically mentions is "the

clothing that belonged to my first wife". It is because of this statement from

him that I believe Wiley was only married twice, to the Letticia Hamiltons.

After Wiley's death in 1879 Letticia is in the 1880 White County census. Living

with her are nephews Harrison Hamilton (20) and David Payne (12), and niece

Ellen Payne (17). After that I have found no mention of her again in any

records. Many of the Hamiltons of White County moved to Arkansas in the late

1800s. Letticia may have moved there with them.

Slaves

Yes, Wiley owned slaves. Beginning with the 1850 census, a separate census

record known as the Slave Schedule was kept for each county. Prior to that

time, the census form itself included a column for slaves, noting their number

along with their age and gender. No records indicate that Wiley owned slaves

prior to 1840 in Georgia or while he lived in South Carolina. In the 1840

census Wiley's household included 8 people. Because there are no names listed,

I'm not sure who they all are, but for the purposes of this section, there is a

column showing one slave. She was female and in the age bracket of 10 to 23

years old. The 1850 Habersham County Slave Schedule lists Wyly Gilstrap and

shows him the owner of three slaves: one male, age 25; one female, age 22; and

one male child, age 1. Because no names are listed we don't know if this

female slave in 1850 is the same one shown in 1840, but her age makes it a

possibility.

The 1860 White County Slave Schedule again shows Wiley Gilstrap with slaves,

four this time, but these do not appear to be any of the ones from the 1850

report. The 1860 schedule shows one female, age 30; and three male children,

ages 9, 8 and 7.

No other information has been found regarding these slaves. We can assume they

were freed during or after the Civil War and moved away. The 1867 Voters'

Registration book for White county contains a Freedmen section. Nothing can be

derived from the records to tie back to Wiley's slaves.

As a matter of reference for the value of slaves at the time, the estate

inventory of a White Countian in April 1859 includes several slaves with their

estimated value. It lists a 20 year old female with a $1,000 value, and children

ranging in age from eight to eighteen months with values from $600 to $200 each.

Wiley's Later Years

We don't know much about Wiley's later years other than what we can gather from

census records and a few other records.

Under the Reconstruction Act of 1867 all voters in the former "Rebellion States"

had to register and swear allegiance to the United States before they were

allowed to vote again. In the Microfilm Library of the Georgia Archives are the

Oath Books and the 1867 Voter Returns. Wiley Gilstrap signed, with his mark as

usual, his oath on August 1, 1867. The 1867 Voters' Registration book for

White county shows Wiley is registered and approved to vote with reference to

his Oath by book and page number.

Wiley continued on as a farmer according to the census records. He had a farm

of 470 acres but only 100 acres are improved land that can be farmed. In 1860

Wiley has two sons, one nephew, and four slaves to tend to the farm work, but

after the Civil war these are gone. It is apparent that he was able to continue

to farm from information in the Agricultural Census of 1870. Wiley was known to

have other family members live with him from time to time and they could have

contributed to the farm labor.

Wiley Gilstrap last shows up in public records in the 1880 Mortality Census. It

shows his death as being from Dropsy (a heart ailment) after an illness lasting

45 days. Wiley's will was written on March 31, 1879, and was probated in White

County on January 5, 1880. C. H. Kytle, a name not familiar in relation to

Wiley other than in this instance, is the Administrator of the will. As

mentioned earlier, Wiley's name in the probated copy of the will is shown as

Rufus W. Gilstrap. For that reason I overlooked his will for several years

before correctly identifying it. I cannot explain why his name was shown

reversed that way unless he was commonly called by his middle name but used his

given first name on most documents. I doubt that due to a reference in the

Minutes of the White County Board of Education on August 8, 1899 that refers to

the possibility of a school "being established near Wiley Gilstrap's old place

in Mossy Creek district". The most likely reason would be a mistake by the

transcriber into the county records. I am sure that this is his will because of

his bequeaths to his wife Letticia and Grandson Milton H. Gilstrap.

An inventory of Wiley's assets was not taken to settle his estate. This was not

done at his request. Wiley's will contains a pretty good inventory of the major

items as he lists them and his wishes for who they are to go to. There are only

two people to whom Wiley leaves his estate, his "beloved wife Lettica" and his

"beloved Grandson Milton H. Gilstrap". Wiley divided the property and household

items between his wife and grandson. Wiley added the stipulation that at

Letticia's death everything he had left to her would then go to his grandson,

thereby making his grandson the eventual heir to his entire estate.

Some events that happened during Wiley's lifetime Just to put into perspective

the time period during which Wiley lived, consider the following things that

occurred during his lifetime.

Presidents who served: George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James

Madison, John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin van Buren, William Harrison,

John Tyler, James Polk, Millard Filmore, Zachary Taylor, Franklin Pierce, James

Buchanan, Jefferson Davis (CSA), Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Johnson, Ulysses Grant,

William Wheeler.

The following states were only territories before, but became states during his

lifetime: Tennessee (1796), Ohio (1803), Louisiana (1812), Indiana (1816),

Mississippi (1817), Illinois (1818), Alabama (1819), Maine (1820), Missouri

(1821), Arkansas (1836), Michigan (1837), Florida (1845), Texas (1845), Iowa

(1846), Wisconsin (1848), California (1850), Minnesota (1858), Oregon (1859),

Kansas (1861), West Virginia (1863), Nevada (1864), Nebraska (1867), Colorado

(1876).

Famous people who lived during his lifetime: Ludwig van Beethoven, Napoleon

Bonaparte, Charles Dickens, Edgar Allen Poe, Hans Christian Anderson, Leo

Tolstoy, Mark Twain

Events:

Louis & Clark Expedition 1804 - 1806

War of 1812 against England

1827-1833: Davy Crockett served as a member of Congress from the state of Tennessee

1833: The telegraph was invented

1835: Trail of Tears - Cherokee Indians driven from Georgia and their land distributed by lottery.

1836: The Battle of the Alamo

1839: The first bicycle was invented

1842: The settlement of six buildings and 30 inhabitants gets a name change,

from "Terminus" to "Marthasville". The town became know as Atlanta in 1845.

1849: California gold rush

1860-1865: Forming of the Confederate States of America and Civil War. Wiley

loses his sons during the war, serving for the Confederacy.

1869: Transcontinental railroad completed.

1876: Battle of Little Big Horn

1879: Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb

Wiley's Children

Wiley has been credited over the years as having had as many as six children;

however, the research I have done on Wiley indicates to me that he had only two

children. These were sons John Milton and William Harrison, both born in White

County, Georgia. I also feel certain that their mother was Letticia (b. 1802,

d. 1858). Other children often attributed to Wiley are Lewis (b. 4/20/1825 d.

2/07/1906), John J. (b. c1824 d. 1866), Yancey (b. c1820 d. 5/06/1864), and

Hardy (b. c1820 d. unk). Even though I do not consider these to be Wiley's

children I have included a brief description for each one.

The reasons I feel certain about the father/sons relationship between Wiley and

John M. and William H. are because of the continuous family situation evident in

the censuses of 1840, 1850 and 1860. John M. and William H. are evident as the

children of Wiley and Letticia. In addition, Wiley acknowledges John M's only

child, Milton Harrison Gilstrap, as his Grandson in his will. He also makes his

grandson the eventual heir to his entire estate, with the exception of a few

personal items specifically left for his wife, and subject to possession of a

portion of the property by his wife until her death (see Attachment 2). Wiley

mentions no other descendants, either children or grandchildren in his will.

Because I am sure that the two youngest on the list are his children, and less

sure about the others, I will start with the youngest.

William Harrison Gilstrap

Father: Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Probably Letticia #1

Born: 1834 GA. Died: May 7, 1865 Baltimore, Maryland

Buried: Mass grave at Loudon Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland

Married: No Children: None

William H., as I will call him, was Wiley's youngest son. Born in Georgia, he

grew up in the Mossy Creek area of Habersham/White County on his father's farm.

He shows up as a member of the Wiley Gilstrap household in the 1840, 1850 and

1860 censuses. From all indications he lived there on the farm his entire life

until going away to war. Public records do not show that William H. ever owned

any land. His profession is unknown and it is curious that the 1860

Agriculture Census lists his father and brother, John M., as farmers, but does

not list William H. at all. The regular 1850 and 1860 censuses also leave a

blank next to his name in the profession column, although he is an adult.

Again, his brother John M., only two years older, and his father have farmer

listed as their profession. Beyond this the only information we have about

William is one entry in the records of White County and what we can gather from

his military records from the Civil War.

William H. was chosen during the February 1860 term of the White County Inferior

Court to serve as a juror in the June 1860 term. William appeared, answered to

his name and was sworn in as a juror on June 25, 1860.

William H. enlisted in Company G of the 24th Georgia Infantry Regiment on

August 24, 1861, ahead of his older brother by a little over three months.

William was not married and it seems he was more eager to get to this great war

than his brother, John M. Military records obtained from the National Archives

indicate William H. was enlisted in White County, Georgia, by Captain Leonard

for the duration of the war. William H. started his military service as the

drummer for Company G. Oddly enough, military records obtained from the

National Archives indicate that William H. was sick in the hospital from his

enlistment date of August 24th to October 31st of 1861. The next records

available show Private William H. Gilstrap present on the muster roll of Company

G for the periods March & April 1864, and May & June, 1864. William H. is

promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on August 24, 1864, by Brig. Gen Wofford. A copy of

Special Order No. 58 announcing the promotion is included in the National

Archives records. The muster roll shows that 2Lt. W. H. Gilstrap was present

with the company in July & August 1864. Also included in the records is a

payroll statement for William H. for the period September 1 to October 31, 1864,

showing he received two months pay at $80.00 per month on December 7, 1864.

William H. fought through almost the entire war. The remaining records I

obtained from the National Archives relate to his having been wounded, captured

and his death. William H. was first wounded on August 19, 1864, at Farmesville,

Virginia. The nature of his wound is not shown, but events surrounding it may

have led to his promotion to lieutenant a few days later. The history of the

24th Georgia Regiment shows that it was engaged in a campaign known as

Sheridan's Campaign in the Shenandoah Valley, where Farmesville was located,

from August 7th through November 28, 1864.

The 24th Georgia fought in numerous other battles during which William H. was

present. Some of the more well known ones were the siege of Yorktown, VA; the

Seven Days Battles; Second Bull Run (or Second Manassas); Fredricksburg, VA, the

24th being positioned behind the famed stone wall at Mayre's Heights;

Chancellorsville, VA; and Gettysburg, PA. The records then show that William H.

was wounded at a battle known as Sailor's Creek (or Saylor's Creek) on April 6,

1865. This was one of the final battles of the war and Robert E. Lee's last

major battle. After being bested on the battlefield the Confederate army

retreated and nearly one-fourth of the infantrymen were captured. This battle

was considered the death knell of the Confederate army and upon seeing the few

survivors straggling down the road, Lee is reported to have said, "My God, has

the army dissolved?" There were 9,980 combined casualties from this battle.

William H. received a gunshot wound in the middle one-third of his left leg that

fractured both bones. He was captured and admitted to the 2nd Division of Depot

Field Hospital at City Point, Virginia, where splints were applied to his leg.

He was transferred via U. S. A. Hospital Steamer Connecticut to U. S. A. General

Hospital, West's Building in Baltimore, Maryland on April 21, 1865. The

transfer record lists him as "W. H. Gilstrap (Reb), 2Lt", hospital patient

number 3617. West's Buildings consisted of a row of six large warehouses. They

were located on Union Dock along which steamboats and other vessels could

unload. As indicated, William was transported there by steamer. 2Lt. W. H.

Gilstrap died on May 7, 1865, "from debility and effects of his wound". He was

buried May 8, 1865, in a mass grave in Loudon Park Cemetery in Baltimore,

Maryland.

General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox,

Virginia Courthouse on April 9, 1865, ending the conflict. After fighting in

many of the major battles of the war, William H. received his mortal wound only

three days before Lee's surrender.

John Milton Gilstrap

Father: Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Probably Letticia #1

Born: November 8, 1832 GA. Died: December 2, 1863, Monroe County, Georgia

Married: Martha Camilla Pascoe Date: August 2, 1860

One child - Milton Harrison Gilstrap b. 1862 in White County, GA

The picture to the left is thought to be John M. Gilstrap, taken around 1860.

John M., as I will call him, was born in Georgia. He also grew up in the Mossy

Creek area of Habersham/White County on his father's farm. He shows up as a

member of the Wiley Gilstrap household in the 1840, 1850 and 1860 censuses.

From all indications he lived there on the farm his entire life until going away

to war. Public records do not show that John M. ever owned any land. In 1860

he is 28 years old and the census indicates he is a Farmer, the same as his

father. His profession as a farmer is made more evident by an inventory in 1865

of his possessions, which include many farm related articles. The Georgia

Agriculture Census of 1860 lists Wiley Gilstrap and John M. Gilstrap in

succession under the columnar heading of "Owner, Agent or Manager of the farm".

Wiley lists 470 acres of land, 100 acres improved and 370 acres unimproved.

John M. doesn't list any land. Wiley lists livestock on hand as 1 horse, 2

mules, 3 milch (milk) cows, 2 other cows, 12 sheep, and 35 pigs. John M. only

lists one mule. Under columns showing produce on hand Wiley lists 500 bushels

of corn, 30 bushels of oats and 25 pounds of wool. John M. lists 600 bushels of

corn and 40 bushels of oats, so he must have been working with his father and

sharing the produce.

John M. was elected as Constable of District 862 (Shoal Creek) for 1853. He

would have been 20 years old when elected. His term ran the calendar year and

he was required to post a Constable Bond of $500. His bond was guaranteed by

Andrew Hamilton (or Hambleton), John Modell, and his father, Wiley Gilstrap.

There are no duties for the Constable position included in the appointment

records, but other research indicates it was not a law enforcement position.

Rather, the Constable served as the legal representative of the Justice of the

Peace and performed such duties as serving summons and warrants. Their

jurisdiction is limited to militia districts within respective counties. Each

Militia District had one Justice of the Peace and one Constable elected

annually. John M. served this one year and county records do not show anything

further on him.

We are fortunate to have a handwritten letter from John M. to his girlfriend

Martha Camilla Pascoe. The letter is dated April 4, 1860, and gives a brief

glimpse of a few of his thoughts as he pursues this romance. Before getting

into the letter, I will explain that John M. and Martha met during the wedding

preparations of John M.'s cousin, John Louis Gilstrap (b. 3/4/1833, d.

9/21/1862), and Martha's next younger sister Grace Elizabeth Pascoe (b.

10/2/1840, d. 1/2/1930). John M. and Martha were both attendants at the

wedding. John Louis and Grace Elizabeth were married on April 7, 1859, in

Forsyth County. John Louis lived in Cherokee County, Georgia, and his father

was William Maxwell Gilstrap, younger brother by 10 years of Wiley. The Pascoe

family also lived in Cherokee County. John Lewis died of illness while serving

in the Confederate Army. They had one daughter, Mary E. Gilstrap (b. 1860,

married John W. Hawkins) and one son, John L. (Bud) Gilstrap (b. August 1862).

Grace Elizabeth apparently did not remarry, as evidenced by a letter she wrote

on September 1, 1926, to her niece Josie Bowen Simmons, one of Martha's

daughters, which she signs "your Aunt, G. E. Gilstrap". She did apply for and

receive a widow's pension based on John L.'s Confederate service.

A study of the John M/Miss Martha letter shows some interesting facts. John M.

is apparently well enough educated for the time given the fact that he can write

at all. Even through misspellings and mid-nineteenth-century dialect his

thoughts and feelings come through to the reader. John M. states in his letter

that he has written Martha three prior letters and this letter is in response to

her second letter to him. He and Martha had known each other for a little over

a year at this time. It is obvious from the letter that John M. is very much in

love with Martha and has pretty much decided on marriage. Throughout the letter

he recalls her beauty. He mentions that she is the only thing on his mind and

he is reminded of her "turns and actions he likes so well" and tells her that he

cannot stop thinking about her to the point of dreaming she is there with him.

They have apparently not visited each other many times, but living about 50

miles apart at the time makes this understandable. After all, travel was by

horseback or wagon over dirt roads. Long distance relationships like this were

not uncommon and correspondence went a long way towards building the

relationships. John M. mentions that he had visited Martha's area before and he

apparently knows some folks in her area. He may have gone to that area before

due to his cousins and uncle living in the same area. Towards the end of the

letter, and after dancing all around the subject of love and marriage, he writes

to her that should she wish to keep company with any other young men then she

should do so. But, if she was to slight these other young men they should think

that she has slighted them for him. He adds, "Especially those hoo are

acquainted with me".

John M. states that there was a wedding "in our neighborhood last tuesday night"

and he adds that the bride was "the girl that I used to fly around with". We

can assume that this means she was formerly his girlfriend. The Tuesday prior

to the letter would be either April 3, the day before, or March 27, eight days

before. Review of the marriage records in the White County Probate Office shows

only one wedding during that week. William K. Wilkerson married Sarah Ann Nix

on Sunday, April 1. Because the date does not match the letter's description

this may not be the wedding John M. is referring to. An interesting phrase he

has used here is "in our neighborhood" which doesn't seem to fit in a rural

setting. John M. also mentions in the part about his dream that Martha is there

"with me at our house" and "we were all setting a round". This tells us that he

was not living alone and was probably living at the house of his father with

other family members, including his younger brother William. He also gives some

descriptive clues about Martha. Aside from the fact that she is "as swete as

ever" he mentions she has blue eyes, rosey cheeks and a clear voice. We have

some additional description of Martha at age 21 from another source as "a

beautiful woman, an artist who made her own clothes" , and as "raven haired".

At the end of the letter he comes as close to a marriage proposal as he could

without actually saying it. I get the feeling he is looking for some indication

of her willingness before he takes that step, and that he does not want to ask

her in a letter. As he says, "I cannot right to explain myself as if I could

se(e) you". John M. and Martha Camilla Pascoe were married on August 2, 1860,

only four months after this letter. Who would disagree that on his next visit

to see Miss Martha that he asked her to marry him?

About their wedding we know nothing. There is no record of a marriage license

in White County and the County Courthouse in Cherokee County, where Martha was

from, was burned by Union troops in 1865 so we don't have any records from

there. Of the marriage itself we also know nothing.

John M. joined up to serve the Confederacy on December 1, 1861. He followed

younger brother William and cousin John R. Youngblood, who joined the same unit

on August 24, 1861. Their unit was Company G of the 24th Georgia Infantry

Regiment. Company G was mustered in Gainesville in Hall County even though a

lot of its recruits were from White County. The roster of Company G shows that

most of the unit mustered in on August 24, 1861. A second and smaller group

joined on December 1, 1861. We don't know exactly why John M. did not join up

with his brother and cousin in August, but seeing as how his only son, Milton

Harrison Gilstrap, was born in April 1862, the month of August 1861 had a

significant outcome over time and I, for one, am glad he did not hurry his

enlistment.

The official military records of John M. also show that he was admitted to the

Chimborazo Hospital No. 2 in Richmond, Virginia on February 21, 1863. He is

also on the hospital register on February 22nd and the reason for his admission,

his "complaint", is shown as diarrhea. Diarrhea was one of the most common

illnesses for Southerners during the war due to their lack of proper food

supplies and the poor sanitary conditions. It was also the most common cause of

death due to disease during the war. A soldier from Company C of the 24th

Georgia, E. H. Sutton, put in his personal recollections of the War that in late

1862 "Many of us were afflicted with diarrhea, which had become chronic and was

wasting us away until we were so weak we could barely keep going". John M.'s

name on the February 22nd record shows his last name as "Gilssap". He remained

at Chimborazo for about two months and he was transferred on April 18, 1863, to

the CSA General Hospital at Danville, Virginia, suffering from the same

complaint. He was returned to duty on August 18, 1863. After that there is no

other mention of John M. in military records. His recovery must not have been

to a state of good health because he died less than four months later in another

hospital, and not as a result of battle.

The story most often told about the circumstances of the death of John M. is

that he died at the Forsyth County Courthouse. His wife, Martha, and her father

are said to have driven a horse and wagon there to retrieve his body and bring

it home for burial. Forsyth County is but two counties south of White County

and only about 30 miles away. This seemed a plausible story until while doing

research I saw one mention that John M. died at the "Forsyth Courthouse" in

Monroe County, Georgia, the city of Forsyth being the county seat of Monroe

County. Further research into Monroe County revealed that the county was

selected as a suitable and safe place by the Confederate States of America to

become a hospital care center for the sick and wounded. As the war grew more

fierce in battle and in the conditions to foster illness, what started as only a

few sick and injured grew to an estimated 20,000. The hospital sites set up in

Forsyth included the Courthouse, the Lumpkin Hotel, the Monroe Female College

(later Tift College), the Hilliard Institute, the Hardee Hospital, the Clayton

Hospital, and several temporary hospitals in the Confederate Hospital Camp which

was set up in a grove of trees. Even stores, churches and private homes were

used at times to house the patients. I found information about a soldier named

Daniel Stevens of Co. C, 66th GA which indicated he became sick while in Dalton,

Georgia and was sent to the Fair Ground Hospital in Forsyth, Georgia. Based on

what I found out about the Forsyth Courthouse in Monroe County, I believe this

to be the most likely place where Miss Martha and her father came to get John

Milton and bring him home.

Whether John M. died in Monroe County or later, after being brought back home

from the hospital there, is not known. There are stories both ways. He died

from the effects of illness brought on by his exposure as a soldier. Personal

accounts from the 24th Georgia are few, but one soldier from Company E recalled

that most of the unit's time was spent around Richmond, VA, and that during his

3 years and 2 months in the 24th he never slept in a bed.

When John M. died as a result of the war he left a wife and one year old son.

He also left a father and a brother with whom he had lived and worked all his

life. Life continued for those left behind and Martha and son continued to live

on the Wiley Gilstrap home place until the war ended. It was in 1865 that

Martha married Helum Bowen and moved to live with him. It must have become

evident at that time that John M.'s personal possessions had to be separated

from Wiley's and passed on in some way to his heirs. Helum Bowen took over as

head of their new family and because John M. had died without a will (intestate)

Helum had himself appointed by the County Ordinary as Administrator of John M.'s

estate on May 7, 1866. Helum had to take an oath and post a $300 bond for this

position. In order to settle an estate there were specific steps to follow

under the law and Helum took those steps and documented his actions.

First a Warrant of Appraisement on the estate was filed on October 27, 1865.

The appraisal was done by three disinterested persons who concluded the estate

was worth $393.38. Next a sale or auction was held and a copy of the Bill of

Sale was filed on August 5, 1866. See Attachment 5 for a listing of the items

sold and the purchasers.

One of the hardest things to get over when reading the sale record is seeing

Martha and Wiley among those purchasing the possessions of their husband and

son. But, that is how an estate without a will was settled in those days.

Everything was sold and the proceeds divided among the heirs. Those heirs were

allowed to purchase items from the estate and the money they paid was later

returned to them, at least in part in that they were heirs, at the division of

the proceeds. The appraisal list shows a desk, bookcase and one lot of books,

but these do not show on the Bill of Sale. Looking at the list of possessions

sold it is clear that John M. was educated, a farmer, and pretty well off. It

is interesting to see among the household items a spinning wheel. Also, three

overcoats, one selling for over $10.00. He must have been a pretty sharp

dresser to have a coat like that. There is a shotgun, a rifle, and a revolver

pistol. Among the list of livestock and farming related items is a curious list

of something called "Bee Gums", seven of them with sale prices ranging from $.35

to $2.10.

John M. was apparently keeping bees for their honey. My research found that Bee

Gums were a method of bee keeping peculiar to the South for over 200 years.

Bee gums were made from sections of hollow trees and were used as bee hives up

until the 20th century. They were called "gums" because they often were sections

from red gum trees. A farmer would pick out a section of a decayed tree trunk

and saw off two foot sections. He would then clear out the decayed wood from

around the hollow section with a long chisel, and near the middle bore four

holes through which two sticks would be inserted at right angles to each other.

These horizontal sticks acted as supports from which the bees suspended their

brood combs. Sections of the hollow trees were set upright in "bee yards" or

apiaries.

The sale brought a total of $383.48, very close to what the appraisers

estimated. After payment of fees and costs of conducting the sale, on July 6,

1867, the remainder of $337.16 was divided evenly between Martha and her son.

On July 10, 1867, Helum Bowen was appointed guardian for Milton Harrison

Gilstrap. Helum kept the child's portion of the estate in trust until Milton

Harrison reached age 21. He filed annual returns with the county detailing any

transactions during the year including the interest earned on the estate and

costs of board, clothing and schooling for the child. In reviewing the annual

returns it is interesting to note that every year the amount of interest earned

was exactly what it cost to feed, cloth and educate Milton Harrison. In 1884

the final return was filed by Helum and it showed the estate was handed over to

its rightful heir.

John Milton's grave is in the Mossy Creek Methodist Church cemetery in the old

section. He is buried at the feet of his father and mother, his grave sunken in

over time but clearly marked. The original headstone was readable but beginning

to reach the point of deterioration where it would not be readable, so in 1987 a

new headstone was ordered from the Veterans Administration, based on his

Confederate Service, and placed back to back behind the original stone.

Lewis Gilstrap:

Father: Possibly Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Unknown

Born: April 20, 1825 SC. Died: February 7, 1906, White County, GA

Married: Sarah A. Smith December 8, 1844 in Pickens District, SC

Children:

1. William Jackson Gilstrap b: 1845 in South Carolina

2. Louisa Gilstrap b: 1848

3. John L. Gilstrap b: Abt. 1850

4. Susannah Gilstrap b: Abt. 1852

5. Hardy Ransom Gilstrap b: Abt. 1854

6. David Perry Gilstrap b: September 1856 in Cleveland, White County, GA

7. Thomas Gilstrap b: Abt. 1859

8. Rufus Wiley Gilstrap b: 25 May 1861 in Georgia

9. Robert Harrison Gilstrap b: 18 February 1864 in Rome, Bell, GA

10. Peter Calvin Gilstrap b: 20 October 1866 in White County, GA

Second Marriage: Tennessee Jackson

No children.

Lewis Gilstrap has been thought to be a son of Wiley. It is doubtful to me that

Lewis is Wiley's son; however, some circumstances point to Lewis being a son of

Wiley. Lewis was born in SC in 1825. Wiley was approximately 32 years of age

and living in South Carolina at that time. The 1830 census included in Wiley's

household a male of at least 5 years and less than 10 years. This could have

been Lewis who would have just turned 5 years old at the time of the census.

Lewis later lived in White County, Georgia, close to Wiley, and they apparently

attended the same church.

However, Lewis is married in South Carolina in 1844 at the age of 19. The

marriage announcement in the newspaper, the Pendleton Messenger, describes the

bride and groom as both being lifelong residents of Pickens District, South

Carolina. Wiley is known to have moved to Georgia no later than 1832. These

facts would have Wiley leaving an 8 year old son to live in South Carolina until

sometime after 1844. It does seem clear that Lewis and Wiley were close because

in White County they lived in close proximity and attended the same church.

Lewis named one of his sons Wiley, but so did a lot of other Gilstrap families.

It seems more probable that Lewis was Wiley's nephew.

Lewis and Sarah A. Smith were married in South Carolina before coming to

Georgia. They were married by Rev. William G. Mullinnix and it was announced in

the December 20, 1844, edition of the Pendleton Messenger.

Lewis served in Co. E, 11th Ga Calvary during the Civil War. He returned to

White County to live as a prominent citizen and businessman. Along with Wiley,

Lewis signed an oath to the Union in 1867. He farmed in the Mossy Creek

District and was also involved in the business community in Cleveland. In 1881,

he founded a store on the square in Cleveland with a partner, James A. Nix. The

store was called "Gilstrap and Nix" and the legal description of the lot in the

White county land records places it on the east side of the square facing the

courthouse. This is now the site of Nix Hardware store. Lewis' daughter Louisa

married a member of the Nix family, Joseph Nix.

Lewis shows up numerous times in the White County Courthouse records. Numerous

loans, property transactions and civic duties were noted. Lewis' property was

in the south part of White County close to Hall County. Some of the promissory

notes contained descriptions of Lewis' possessions he had put up as collateral

for the loans. These included stores of crops and farm animals indicating he

was a farmer as well as a businessman.

Two of the items in the Courthouse records were these:

Lewis Gilstrap was chosen during the December 1860 term of the White County

Inferior Court to serve as a juror in the June 1861 term. His name is drawn

along with H.H. Bowen. Lewis and H.H. Bowen were seated as jurors on June 24,

1861.

Inferior Court, June Term 1861: A petition submitted by Lewis Gilstrap on May

6, 1861, was heard by the Court. The petition asks that a new road be made by

way of Lewis Gilstrap's and John Payne's. It states that "Gilstrap's Meeting

Road is stopt up. Said Gilstrap has notified A. W. Smith to open the road and he

refuses to do so." The Inferior Court approved the new road request.

An item in a book about Hall County, Georgia, also pertains to Lewis. It shows

a part of Lewis' industrious and business side. This story was contained in a

book named, The History of Hall County, Volume I, 1818-1900, by James E Dorsey.

The operation of private "distilleries" was not a new thing to the mountains of

Georgia, but after the Civil War was over the revenue laws were more strictly

enforced by law enforcement officials, or "revenuers". This newspaper report in

1878 described the arrest of some White County distillers who were brought to

Gainesville after their arrest:

A gentleman who arrived in this place from Gainesville Wednesday informs us that

Marshall Gaston brought to that city from White County, on Tuesday, eight

revenue prisoners - four white and four colored. The white men whose names were

Lewis Gilstrap and son, and Joseph Cooley and son gave bond, but the Negroes

whose names we did not learn, were remanded to jail in default of bail. Two

barrels of whiskey and three stills were also captured. The parties were

arrested while at work in their distilleries.

Later in his life Lewis applied for and received an Indigent Soldier's Pension

based on his service in the Civil War. The pension was granted showing - "cause

for which pension is granted, Age and Poverty". His service was witnessed by

three others and he received annual payments of $60 from 1896 through 1906.

Lewis marries again after the death of his first wife. He marries Tennessee

Jackson Gilstrap (b. 06/10/1854, d. 02/25/1903). She is buried in the Cleveland

City Cemetery. They did not have any children.

John J. Gilstrap:

Father: Possibly Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Unknown

Born: about 1822-24 SC. Died: 1866

Married: Louisa Jenkins b. 1824 in GA

Children:

1. William D. Gilstrap b: September 5, 1845 in Georgia

2. Mary A. Gilstrap b: 1848 in Georgia

3. Martha Gilstrap b: November 20, 1849 in Georgia

Wiley's wife Letticia would have been about 20 at the time John J. was born.

However; as with Lewis, John J. did not move to Georgia with Wiley in 1832.

John J. would have been about 8 or 10 years old at the time and it seems

unlikely that he would have been left behind like that, especially if Letticia

was his mother. John J. apparently stayed in South Carolina until he moved to

Georgia in time for the 1850 census. Other than being in close proximity to

Wiley in 1850 there is no indication that John J. was a son of Wiley. As in

Lewis' case, it seems more probable that John J. was Wiley's nephew.

John J. is listed in the 1850 White County census as the head of household. He

is 28 years old and his birthplace is shown as SC. That would have him born in

1822. John J. died in 1866, but we don't know where or why. He is not listed

as a soldier in any Georgia units and there are so many John Gilstraps in

military units of other states that it cannot be determined if he served in any

of them.

His wife, Louisa, was a nurse and in 1880 she was living in Sacramento,

California, with her son-in-law Levi A. Stokes and daughter Martha and their

children.

Yancy B. Gilstrap:

Father: Possibly Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Unknown

Born: about 1820 SC. Died: May 6, 1864, Spotsylvania, VA

Married: Nancy E.? March 7, 1839

Six children:

1. Sarah A. Gilstrap b: 1839 in South Carolina

2. Ann W. Gilstrap b: 1842 in Pendleton, SC

3. Delilah A. Gilstrap b: 1843 in South Carolina

4. Rufus Wiley Gilstrap b: November 29, 1844 in Cass County (later Bartow), GA

5. Mary J. Gilstrap b: 1846 in White, Bartow County, GA

6. Andrew Gilstrap b: 1849 in White, Bartow County, GA

7. William Gilstrap b: 1853 in White, Bartow County, GA

Yancey is also thought by some to be a son of Wiley. Yancey B. Gilstrap was

born about 1819-20 in the Pendleton District of South Carolina (Called Pickens

Co. after 1830). Yancey is attributed as one of Wiley's sons based on ages and

proximity, but there is no definite proof. The 1820 census records of Pendleton

District, list four Gilstrap families - Lewis Gilstrap, Hardy Gilstrap, John

Gilstrap, and Wiley Gilstrap. In the 1830 census of Pickens, County SC., the

families of Lewis, Bright, William, Wiley, John and James were listed. The

census records for these years showed names of only the heads of the families,

number of males & females by age categories, and number of slaves. In all

probability, Yancey was one of the children in one of these households.

Wiley's wife Letticia would have been about 18 at the time Yancey was born so

she was of an age where she could have been his mother. However; as with Lewis,

Yancey did not move to Georgia with Wiley in 1832, when he would have been 12

years old. It seems unlikely that he would have been left behind like that,

especially if Letticia was his mother. Yancey apparently stayed in South

Carolina until 1843, after he was married. As in other cases, it seems more

probable that Yancey was Wiley's nephew.

Yancey moved around a lot, beginning with a move to Cass County, Georgia in

about March 1843. Yancey apparently spent some time in the Habersham County

area because he witnessed the signature of Wiley Gilstrap on October 6, 1845, in

a court document at the Habersham County Courthouse.

I also found items in the Habersham County Courthouse mentioning Yancey. The

first was in the minutes of the Superior Court showing that at the October 1847

term he was drawn to serve as a Grand Juror at the next session. There was no

indication that he served in the next session which was in April 1848.

In the Georgia census records, Yancey first appears in the 1850 census of Cass

County (later Bartow Co.). His profession is shown as a farmer, he is 30 years

old, born in South Carolina, and married to Nancy, age 34, also born in South

Carolina. They list seven children ranging in ages from 5 months to nine years.

They were married on February 7, 1839, in South Carolina.

In Habersham County records I found that Yancy B. Gillstrap had a complaint

(lawsuit) filed against him by three others in April 1852. There was no

explanation for the basis of the suit but the end result was that Yancey was in

the wrong and had to pay the following items:

Former Cost $59.62 ½

Jury Fee 3.00

Clerk 2.50

Sheriff 1.25

Witnesses 25.50

Fifa .62 ½

$92.50

In the minutes of the White County Inferior Court, July 1855 term, Yancey

appears again back in Habersham County. Yancey was chosen during the July 1855

term of the Habersham County Inferior Court to serve as a juror in the January

1856 term. His name is spelled in the record as "Yansey Gillstrapt". He was

not selected for any jury during the term.

In 1860, Yancey was back in Cass County, Georgia. In the 1860 census records of

Cass County, Yancy was 41 years old, Nancy is listed as 42, Delila 17, Mary J.

15, Willy 13 & William, seven. In the 1870 census of Bartow County, Nancy was

52, Delila A. 28, Mary J. 23, and William 18. It's interesting to note that

Yancey's family members aged at differing rates in the ten years since the 1850

census. Yancey has aged eleven years while Nancy has aged only eight years.

Daughter Delilah aged eight years as did son Rufus Wiley. Son William was the

slowest, aging only three years between censuses.

Yancy B. Gilstrap enlisted in Co. H, 18th Regt. of Georgia, Hood's Brigade of

Northern Virginia on June 13, 1861, in Bartow County, Georgia. He was killed in

battle on or about May 6, 1864, at Spotsylvania Courthouse in the state of

Virginia.

Nancy E. Gilstrap applied in 1890 for a widow's pension based on Yancey's

service in the Confederacy. In the application Nancy stated that she married

Yancey on February 7, 1839, and the family had lived in Georgia since March

1843. Nancy applied for the pension each year, using different lawyers in

Cartersville, Georgia, as her power of attorney and making her mark "X" on the

application. The last claim was Jan. 11, 1900 and it is believed she died about

1903 in the town of White, Georgia.

Hardy Gilstrap:

Father: Possibly Wiley Gilstrap Mother: Unknown

Born: about 1820 SC. Died: unk

I am unable to find any information that this Hardy Gilstrap lived. The

information that I came across which suggested Wiley had a son by this name was

vague and usually only included the following statement:

Hardy Gilstrap was born and died in South Carolina. He owned a large plantation

in that state and was a wealthy man and a slave owner.

I located a Hardy Gilstrap who was born in 1818 in Pickens County, South

Carolina, and died there in 1882. He was the son of John and Susan Sargent

Gilstrap. He was married three times and had nine children from those

marriages. This was definitely not a son of Wiley.

Back at home during the War

While the soldiers were away, White County attended to its business of becoming

a part of the new country of the Confederate States of America. Taxes were not

a favorable thing but they were the only way the county could raise the needed

funds. White County appointed Commissioners in June 1861 to "open books of

subscription to raise $1214, this county's apportionment of the million dollars

for the support of the Army of the Confederate States. At the same time White

County dedicated much of its attention and resources to helping the families of

soldiers away or killed in service as much as they could. On August 7, 1861,

the record of the Inferior Court states:

"Whereas a state of war exists between this government and that of the United

States, the hostile forces on the latter having invaded our soil for the avowed

purposes of subjugating and reducing to the conditions of a conquered province,

this fair and goodly land; and whereas many of the good citizens of this county

have, and will, volunteer their personal services to fight the battles of

liberty, who have families at home who are entitled to the fostering care of

this Court, it is therefore, ordered by the Court that a tax of twenty five

percent upon the state tax of White County be levied, and collected by the Tax

Collector thereof to be distributed to the families of absent volunteers under

the supervision of the Inferior Court. Ordered by the Court that an election be

held at the various precincts in this county on the first Tuesday in December

1861. At which election the voters shall endorse on their tickets 'tax' or 'no

tax' and if a majority of the legal votes in said election be for 'tax' then

this order to be in force, otherwise void.

There was apparently no time to wait for a vote because in September 3, 1861,

the minutes state:

Ordered by the Court that the Tax Collector of this county be authorized to

collect the twenty five percent on the state tax for the support of the families

of those who have gone to defend our liberties".

Occasionally, an individual would come forth and offer help. On July 12, 1862,

Dr. John W. Lewis donated $100 to the county to be distributed to the needy

wives and children of soldiers that were in service of their country.

Another program was initiated by the State called the Salt Ration. Because salt

was scarce, Gov. Joseph E. Brown came up with a plan to help the families of

soldiers by supplying them with salt. Under his order, once a year the widows

of soldiers and those who had lost a son in the CSA were entitled without charge

to one half bushel of salt. One half bushel could also be purchased for one

dollar by the immediate family of a current soldier. Gov. Brown's distribution

orders came at various times from 1862 to 1864. In order for the distribution

to be done in a fair and equitable manner the counties were given the

responsibility for registration of the recipients, transporting the salt supply,

and making the distributions. The details of the job fell to the Inferior Court

of the counties. Committees were appointed in April 1862 for each Militia

District to investigate the standing of soldier's families and report their

findings to the Court. The wives, widows and families were required to

register as they received their salt ration. Luckily, these registers survive

and offer up a little information for us.

Distribution Order of December 16, 1862 - Salt distributed to families of John Gilstrap, W. Gilstrap (William?), and L. Gilstrap (Lewis?)

Distribution Order of July 24, 1863 - Salt distributed to wives of soldiers now in service, included Mrs. M. Gilstrap (Martha?)

Distribution Order of September 26, 1864 - Salt distributed to Mrs. Martha Gilstrap

Distribution Order (undated) - Salt distributed to wives of soldiers, included Mrs. Martha Gilstrap

The White County Inferior Court was also in charge of public assistance to

soldiers' families provided by the State of Georgia. The minutes of March 7,

1863, show an agent was appointed to distribute the funds appropriated by the

State Legislature for soldiers' families. This was for monetary support and was

in addition to the Salt Ration mentioned above. [Also on that date, five

individuals were appointed to be Quarantine Police to suppress the introduction

of small pox to the county.] The minutes of June 3, 1863, show an agent was

appointed to receive and distribute the corn for soldiers' families. In the

minutes of August 2, 1864, an account of funds for distribution to soldiers'

families is detailed. The minutes show:

Funds from the 3rd year draw for

Soldiers' families for distribution $3,090.30

County tax raised 127.60

Money raised from sale of corn 608.00

Making in the aggregate $3,897.90

Amount paid to 683 beneficiaries at $5.50 each ($3,756.50)

Amount paid to 26 beneficiaries at half pay (71.50)

Back pay to 7 beneficiaries at $5.00 each (35.00)

On hand $ 34.90

There was no list of beneficiaries along with the minutes so we do not know that

the Gilstraps received distributions, but we can assume they did. In 1863 the

county purchased $5,529.50 worth of corn to distribute for the relief of

indigent soldiers' families. White County's actions in supporting the families

of its soldiers by distributing food and other items to families in need was

extensive to the point that more detailed descriptions of it would be too

lengthy to include here.

Wiley suffered terrible loss as a result of the Civil War. As described above,

Wiley lost both of his sons in service from battle wounds or disease. It's hard

to say how much wealth Wiley lost, but the possessions he names in his will at

the time of his death show that he was still prosperous and not poor. His land

was not directly affected by enemy soldiers, but the loss of his sons, who

helped run the farm, and his slaves, made it necessary for Wiley to get others

to help.

After the War

After the war, our Miss Martha was left in a disadvantaged state - Her husband

dead and a young son to take care of. Martha had lived with her father-in-law,

Wiley, and his new wife on the family farm in White County during the war. This

would explain the closeness of Wiley and his grandson Milton Harrison that is

evidenced in Wiley's will. It is possible Martha could have lived some of the

time back at her family home in Cherokee County, but all of the distributions of

assistance from White County to her during that time would indicate she was

living in White County. Also, her daughter Neela Bowen recounts that when Helum

Bowen was home on furlough toward the end of the War he passed by the Gilstrap

home in Mossy Creek and talked with Martha. There is nothing left of the old

Wiley Gilstrap place now, so we cannot see how the living structure was set up.

It is doubtful, however possible, that John M. and Martha had their own house on

the family farm. That possibility is based on the household goods and furniture

that was part of John M.'s estate. Included were kitchen items and several

pieces of furniture that if they were living with Wiley would not have been

necessary. Martha married Helum Hunt Bowen on March 26, 1865 . The War was not

quite over yet, but Helum Bowen was home on furlough due to illness (fever).

There are a couple of accounts of how Martha came to marry Helum and both are

given by Neela Bowen, daughter of Martha and Helum, in newspaper articles. In

these articles Ms. Bowen is passing along a story she had heard as she grew up

in the Helum Bowen household, where the oldest brother has a different last name

from everyone else. The story begins in 1860 with John M. and Martha being

newly married and visiting Shoal Creek Church. John M. and Martha were probably

members of the Mossy Creek Church since that is where John M. is buried. Neela

explains, "Well, they being acquainted now, Gilstrap brought his new wife over

to the church in Shoal Creek. The Bowens asked Mr. and Mrs. Gilstrap home for

dinner." Helum Bowen was about 35 years old at this time, a confirmed

bachelor and he still lived at home with his parents. "At supper that night

Helum Bowen said he didn't wish Gilstrap no harm, but said 'I wish I had his

wife.' " When chastised by one of his sisters, he added, " 'Well I do, that is

the prettiest woman I ever saw in my life. If I'd seen her before Gilstrap, I'd

have proposed marriage and she'd have had one of us to refuse.' " In one

account Neela Bowen says that when news of the death of John M. reached Helum

Bowen he worried over his remarks at dinner that night. He must have gotten

over that pretty quickly because it is also attributed to Helum as saying "if I

live through the war, I'll propose to his widow and she'll have to refuse me or

accept me". When Bowen was home on medical furlough towards the end of the war,

he passed by the Gilstrap home on his way to join the Masons and talked with

Martha. They were married soon afterward.

In another account, Neela says that before they went away to war, John M. and

Helum Bowen made an agreement that if anything happened to John M. during the

war that Helum would take care of his wife and their as yet unborn child. I

have doubts that this story is true.

Martha applied for and received an Indigent Widows pension before she died. She

applied on the service of Helum Bowen and not that of her first husband, John M.

Gilstrap. She received eight annual payments before her death. She received

$60 each year from 1912 to 1916, $70 for 1917, $80 for 1918 and $90 for 1919.

Helum Bowen died on September 2, 1907. Martha Gilstrap Bowen died on April 27,

1923. Both are buried in the Shoal Creek Baptist Church cemetery.

*********************************************************

Part 2

"Beloved Grandson"

My research has told me that Wiley died having only one direct descendant, that

being the only son of Wiley's son John Milton Gilstrap and his wife Martha

Pascoe Gilstrap. Milton Harrison Gilstrap was the "beloved Grandson" of Wiley

Gilstrap. Named after both his father and uncle, he went by the name of

Harrison and usually spelled his last name Gillstrap. Harrison grew up in the

household of Helum Bowen and he had seven siblings, two half brothers and five

half sisters. There was one other half brother who died an infant. I had

assumed Harrison was somewhat isolated from the Gilstrap family by growing up in

the Bowen family, but I now believe he remained close to his Grandfather Wiley.

As mentioned earlier, I think that when Harrison's father, John M., went off to

war, Martha continued to live with Wiley and his second wife. Harrison was born

April 10, 1862, and he and Martha continued to live in Wiley's house until

Martha married Helum Bowen in 1865. Wiley would have been the only father

Harrison knew up until then and I feel certain this is where the close

attachment between Wiley and Harrison came from. We do not know if Harrison and

his father, John M., ever saw each other.

After marrying Martha Gilstrap, Helum Bowen took Harrison in to raise as his

son. Helum did not, however, adopt Harrison or change his last name to Bowen.

I believe this is more evidence that Harrison was Wiley's only living

descendant. Had Helum Bowen adopted Harrison and changed his name to Bowen the

Gilstrap line through Wiley would have ended, at least in name.

As explained earlier, Helum was appointed executor of John M.'s estate and

handled the sale of his assets and settlement of the estate. Harrison's part of

his father's estate came to $168.58. Because Harrison was only four years old

at the time, Helum petitioned the Court in White County to be the legal guardian

of Harrison and held his portion of the estate in trust until Harrison reached

the age of 21.

Harrison was seventeen when his Grandfather Wiley died. According to Wiley's

will, Harrison immediately inherited part of Wiley's land. Wiley's wife,

Letticia, was given a life estate on the other part of the land. Her part

included the 150 acres first purchased by Wiley in 1833. We can assume that

Wiley built his house on this parcel and Letticia continued to live in the

house. Wiley also left Letticia a portion, although we don't know how big, of

the 120 acre tract he purchased in 1836. Harrison inherited the other portion

of this 120 acre tract, plus 200 acres that Wiley had purchased in 1847. He

and Letticia each also received half of Wiley's money and notes (money loaned

out at interest) and various other articles listed in the will. We don't know

how much this inheritance totaled up to, but it appears that Harrison had a good

financial head start on life.

There is nothing to show when Letticia died or if she moved away. There is also

nothing to show when or if Harrison inherited the other portion of Wiley's

property. Letticia just disappeared and Wiley's land suddenly belonged to

others. The White County property records lack any indication of what happened.

There comes a point around 1885-90 when Helum Bowen owns and sells portions of

Wiley's lands. Harrison also begins to buy and sell land in this time period,

but it is all in other areas of the county, mostly in the Shoal Creek area. We

could assume that Harrison and Helum did some trading of land and those trades

were never recorded at the courthouse. It is also possible that as Harrison's

legal guardian, Helum had control of these assets until Harrison reached the age

of 21. Whatever the real story is, there are a lot of land transactions

recorded in White County under Harrison's name. So many that is it difficult to

draw any conclusions from them as to what his land holdings were and what he did

with them. The first purchase I have found was on March 11, 1887. Harrison

purchased 40 acres from John C. Martin for $100.00. He had apparently learned

something about real estate from Helum Bowen because a month later, on April 12,

Harrison sold the 40 acres to Mary E. Logan for $150.00. Mary Logan was a very

wealthy land owner in White County. It is also interesting to note that in 1899

the White County Board of Education discussed establishing a school site "near

Wiley Gilstrap's old place in Mossy Creek". This was never approved

apparently because some of the Shoal Creek district did not want the school to

be on the other side of the mountain. Harrison had school age children at this

time and may have been involved in the recommendation to build near his

Grandfather's land. Harrison was appointed as a Trustee of the Shoal Creek

School in 1900 and again in 1911.

On September 9, 1883, Harrison married Emily A. Martin. Emily was born on May

22, 1864. We are fortunate to have a set of pictures of them that were taken

around the time of their marriage.

Milton Harrison Gilstrap - 1883 Emily Martin Gilstrap - 1883

The children of Harrison and Emily, as recorded in Harrison's family Bible are as follows:

Homer Marlow Gillstrap b. Dec. 29, 1884, d. October 1, 1931

Flora Daisey Gillstrap b. Dec. 26, 1886, d. September 4, 1958

Grover Gordon Gillstrap b. Feb. 16, 1891, d. January 22, 1966

Edker Millard Gillstrap(twin) b, June 17, 1894, d. July 23, 1894, age one month, 16 days

Osker Dillard Gilstrap(twin) b. June 17, 1894, d. July 23, 1984,

Comer Wiley Gillstrap b. Aug. 7, 1899, d. April 25, 1973

Fannie May Gillstrap b. Aug. 15, 1900, d. April 2, 1924

John Oliver Jennings Gillstrap b. May 1, 1903, d. February 25, 1983

Harrison was a carpenter and brick mason. In fact, he was known as the "best

carpenter in White County". He built many prominent buildings in White County

and the surrounding area, including the Shoal Creek Baptist Church, Shoal Creek

School, the Westmoreland House, many commercial use buildings, and many more

houses. It has been said that he would drive a nail by setting it with a tap

and then driving it home with one blow of his hammer. Two of Harrison's sons,

Marlow, the oldest, and Johnnie, the youngest, also became carpenters. They

worked with their father on many of the White County projects. In 1885, at the

age of only 23, Harrison completed building the Shoal Creek Baptist Church. He

completed the entire building for $100. When he was paid for the job he gave

back $25 to the church. This building stood until 1957 when it was torn down

and replaced by the current brick structure.

Harrison also made some furniture. He and Emily were married under a Walnut

tree in White County and Harrison was able to salvage the wood from the tree

when it came down. He made a bedstead, dresser and dining table from the wood

and these were used in their house. He also made a broach for Emily from brass

inlaid with some of the wedding tree's walnut wood. Harrison owned and operated

at least two saw mills. One of them was located in Lumpkin County, Georgia, but

the exact location is not known. White County records indicate that Harrison

operated this saw mill in the time period of 1889 - 1891, but he wasn't able to

make a success out of it. White County records show that on January 11, 1889,

Harrison, S.G. Martin and J.C. Martin borrowed $100.00 from Marion C. Smith for

one year. Things did not progress well from that point and by January 1890

Harrison and the Martin's had paid only $8.00 towards the loan. Smith sued for

the remaining $92.00 and the Court ordered the debt paid and placed a levy on

Harrison's saw and other equipment. This matter continued to progress for

several years as Harrison and the Martins filed for injunctions. In 1895

Harrison sued Smith for fraud.

The other saw mill that Harrison started was located in Alabama. The exact

location of this saw mill is also not known; however, a letter written by

Harrison's business partner in the mill gives some clues. A. O. LaPrade was

Harrison's brother-in-law, the husband of Harrison's half sister Emma Bowen. On

May 17, 1906, Laprade writes, "I rec'd a letter from Harris just a little bit a

go stating that his machinery, Tools and all had arrived there last Tues. eve.

and for me to come at once." Soon after, LaPrade, Harrison, and son Marlow

were in Alabama setting up the saw mill and getting ready to open for business.

On June 2, 1906, LaPrade wrote to sister-in-law Josie Bowen responding to her

letter in which she informs them of the imminent death of her father, Helum

Bowen. The letter is postmarked from Enterprise, Alabama; however, further

research into the location muddies the water. According to the Historical Atlas

of Alabama - Historical Locations by County, Vol. I, there have been four

communities in Alabama named Enterprise. The northern most one was a flagstop

along the Alabama-Chattanooga Railroad about 5 miles west of modern day Gadsden.

It no longer exists and probably did not have a post office. The second was

directly west of there and was an earlier name for the modern day town of

Bremen. The third Enterprise is a current place directly in the middle of the

state, about 6 miles south of the town of Clanton. The fourth is also a current

town and just west of Dothan. The mystery is solved by another letter from

LaPrade to Josie Bowen in which he states he and Gilstrap are going to Ozark to

run a saw mill. Ozark is just northeast of the Enterprise, Alabama, that is

close to Dothan.

LaPrade states in his next letter that "Our saw has not come yet but we expect

it Monday or Tuesday". He adds that "we are all ready for business if it was

here". Harrison and Marlow are mentioned as being there, and it seems that

Marlow has brought his wife and family also. There is also mention of another

person, Joe, who has been cutting logs for them. What we do know from oral

history and documentation is that this saw mill was also a failure. According

to family stories, the saw mill was destroyed soon after it started operating by

a deliberate fire set by a competitor. Harrison returned to White County having

lost his entire investment. LaPrade writes in 1909 from Oklahoma City,

Oklahoma, where he has moved his family to, that he has managed to pay back the

rest of the money he borrowed on the mill that "broke Gillstrap and myself".

LaPrade and Harrison also worked together on the building of a new power dam on

the Wahoo Creek in north Georgia. Harrison seems to have done some farming, too.

According to a letter he writes to his half sister Josie Bowen Simmons on

September 29, 1911, "we are in the fodder business now … have up some of the

finest fodder I ever saw. Our bottom corn is sure fine. The Wilkey &

Richardson corn is the corn for me." Around this time Harrison also ran a

Grist Mill outside of Cleveland with his son-in-law, Fed West. Regardless of all

of his other business ventures, Harrison was foremost a carpenter and a builder.

In 1922 he contracted with the School Board to build a new Shoal Creek School

building. The contract called for Harrison to build a two story building 40

feet by 52 feet for $500, a lock and key job. The Cleveland Courier newspaper

reported on May 19, 1922 that Mr. Gilstrap and his son John began work on the

new Shoal Creek School building. Johnnie would have just turned 19 at the time.

On October 30, 1922, a rally and picnic was held at the new school building with

speeches and dinner on the grounds. The building stood for over 50 years and

almost defied destruction, according to those who tore the building down in the

early 1970s. It was purchased from the County by one of Harrison's grandsons,

Lester West, who lived next to the school . The building was torn down by a

later owner.

Harrison wrote to his son Johnnie on September 24, 1928, and said "your Ma is

not any better & I don't think she will ever be any better with out a great

change. I think she is gradually getting worse all the time. She has got so

she cant eat mutch & she has to set up in a rocker & doe the most of her

sleeping at night as she cant lie down & sleep to doe any good. I don't think

she is going to be here long if she don't get better soon & I don't see no

chance for that." Emily died October 2, 1928, 8:45 pm at age 64 from Heart

Dropsy. Harrison married again on January 5, 1931, to Harriett White. Miss

Harriet, as she was known, always addressed Harrison as Mr. Gilstrap. She was

from an area known as Wahoo and she had never been married before. After

Harrison died Miss Harriet is reported to have moved to Gainesville. Details of

her after that we don't know. Described in his later years as a "Country

Gentleman", good natured but stubborn as an ox, tall with a heavy build, bald on

top, with a heavy mustache that was always neatly trimmed. He loved to hear

music played. He had an organ in his house but he could not play. He didn't go

to church a lot but he always went to the Camp Meeting, usually at Loudsville

Campground north of Cleveland.

Harrison died April 15, 1944, at his home in Cleveland from complications from diabetes and possibly influenza. On the day he died he wrote a letter to his son Johnnie. The letter describes in great detail his condition and suffering. Better than to describe the letter is to include it here in its entirety as written:

Cleveland, GA. April the 15, 1944

Dear son a few lines to let you hear from us. We are boath in very bad shape

with the flue. One not able to wait on one or & other. Neither one of not able

to to wait on one or another. Fed went down to Clermont yesterday & brought Dr

Williams up here to see me & carried him back home & Paid the bill. He said I

had a bad case of sugar diabeties & incuriable disease. & I met up with Dr

Philips from Helen down here in town & he talked with me a good while & he said

what ailed me was diabetis & it was & incuriaable disease. But it could some

times patch up. Dr Williams instructed me to go to see Dr Cheek at Clermont as

soon as I could get able to go & consult him. He said he knowed more than all

the Doctors in the state put together a bout diabetis. As he went up to new

york & staid there 3 month & studied that one course & he was the best up on

that one course of any one Dr in Ga. So as soon as I can get able I wan to go &

see him & see if there is any thing he can doe for me.

I cant walk a round in the the house with out holding to sumpthing & harriett is

a bout as bad. Fed brought Wilda up to stay with a few days & wait on us. I

cant eat one bight of nothing. I just gag at anything. Water, sosage,

chicking, aples, oranges, nothing I can think of is fit to eat. I haven't eat a

hand full this week. Nor harriet neather. Cant get up a thing that is fit to

eat & my mouth stays as drye as a chip & haft to take a little water every once

& a while to keep my lips from getting to drye. You can call Osker if you want

to as I cant set up long enough to wright him. M H Gillstrap As you can see,

for all of the head starts Harrison received early in his adult life he received

about an equal number of setbacks. Such that at the end of his life he was

about even. He died owning no property, only his carpentry tools. His will

required that his possessions be sold and the proceeds given to his wife. The

Notice of Executor's Sale listed his possessions as consisting of "every kind of

household furniture together with the finest selection of Carpenter's tools of

every kind and description, there being about $400 worth of said Carpenter's

tools and a fine set of extension ladders". Of course, family got first

opportunity at buying and many of his tools were purchased by family members and

remain treasured today.

The Next Generation

Harrison and Emily's children were all born in White County, but they and their

descendants mostly migrated away from White County. Current day descendants are

4 and 5 generations along and number over 100. Following is a summary

descendant chart with some detail, excluding details on the living generation:

Homer Marlow Gillstrap was born December 29, 1884, in White Co. Georgia. He

went by the name of Marlow or used the initials H.M. Marlow married Ethel

Redmon on October 2, 1904, and they had two children; he married Mary Lou Parks

on June 24, 1924; and then married Omie Canaday May 1927. Marlow was a

carpenter and was said to be the kind of person everyone wanted to be around.

Marlow died October 1, 1931, of Acute Indigestion.

Ruth Gilstrap b. 7/18/1905 d. 9/1973, m. (1) unk, (2) Harold Dreeben b. 9/29/1902 d. 2/1984

John Henry Gilstrap b. 6/4/1910 d. 7/30/1993, m. 12\10\1936 Gertrude Johnson b. 2/10/1910 d. 4/29/2003

Living Daughter

Flora Daisey Gillstrap was born December 26, 1886, in White Co, Georgia. On

December 18, 1904, she married Fernando (Fed) West b. 7/2/1880 d. 10/7/1963, and

they lived in White County. Fed, a miner and carpenter, was the son of Rev.

James F. West and Edith Nix West. Flora died September 4, 1958. They had five

children, who lived beyond infancy.

Baby West died in infancy

Chester H. West b.1/13/1907 d.7/6/2000, m. April 12, 1937 Pauline Brown b.10/24/1909 d. 10/9/2001

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Lester West b. 8/27/1910 d. 6/__/1984, m. Myrtle Anderson b.12/17/1916 d.2/__/1980

Wayne West b. 2/6/1932 d. 10/21/2002 m. Frances Eller

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Willa Nell West m. Paul J. Gilliland b. 6/21/1914 d. 5/26/1991

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Living Son

Rhonda West m. James Chapman d. 2004

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Hazel West m. Louis Carder b. 10/10/1916 d. 9/4/1990

Living Daughter

Twin sister of Hazel died in infancy

Grover Gordon Gillstrap was born on February 16, 1891, in White Co. Georgia.

Gordon married Nannie Belle Smith (b.10/12/1897; d. 3/14/1968) on August 15,

1915. They had one child that died as an infant. They raised Neva Belle

Gilstrap, daughter of Gordon's brother Osker (or Oscar). Gordon purchased what

was known as the Old Home Place of Thomas Bowen from the estate of his

grandmother, Martha Pascoe Gilstrap Bowen in 1923. Gordon died January 22,

1966, of Coronary Occlusion.

Osker Dillard Gilstrap (twin) was born on June 17, 1894, White Co. Georgia. His

name was usually spelled Oscar. Oscar married Montie Campbell on August 13,

1916, and they had three children. Montie died shortly after the birth of their

third child.

Elkin Gillstrap b. 9/5/1917. He died the same day.

Maude Lenora Gilstrap b. 3/10/1919 d. 2/25/1984 m. (1) 1/3/1938 Carl Young b. 1/31/1906 d. 9/7/1987; (2) Paul Ballard

Living Daughter

Ruth Young b. 6/14/1943 d. 10/17/1959

Minto Geoffrey Gilstrap b. 11/2/1920 d.3/2/2000, m. Frances Rebecca Rolader b. 5/4/1924 d.5/23/1998

Living Son

Oscar then married Nancy Leola (Ola) Morris Gilstrap (b. 3/25/1897 d. 10/23/1936) on December 2, 1922, and they had three children.

Mary Marie Gilstrap m. (1) 1/14/1950 Robert Lee Langley (2) 6/28/1980 John Sherman Wilcox b.7/25/1928

Living Son

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Living Son

Living Daughter

Emily Aileen Gilstrap m. (1) 1/29/1944 Charles Jesse Nix; (2) 10/15/1954 William Richard Wheeler

Living Son

* Living Step-Daughter

* Living Step-Son

Neva Belle Gilstrap m. Russell Pruitt

Ricky Pruitt b.5/2/1960 d. Jan. 1968

Living Son

Oscar had no further children, but continued to marry. His other wives were

Mary Cash, Canarie Bowen Shellnut, and Zora Boggs. Oscar died on July 23, 1984,

of Diabetes complications.

Edcar Millard Gillstrap (twin) was born on June 17, 1894, in White Co. Georgia,

and died July 23, 1894, age one month & 16 days.

Comer Wiley Gillstrap was born on August 7, 1899, in White Co. Georgia. Comer

married Zola Smith on December 24, 1922, and they had three children. Comer was

a career civil servant working at the U. S. Mint in Washington, D.C. Comer

died April 25, 1973. His widow, Zola was born on September 27, 1904, and lived

to be 99 years old. She died on January 21, 2004. They had three children who

lived to adulthood. One son, David, died at three years old.

Gloria Gilstrap m. 7/1946 Chester Uselton b. 10/11/1923 d. 2/2/1980

Living Daughter

Comer Wiley Gilstrap Jr. m. Mary Ann Ellis

Living Daughter

Living Daughter

Living Son

Harold E. Gilstrap b. 8/14/1929 d. 3/4/2004 m. 1976 Clara Rolen

No children

Fannie May Gillstrap was born on Aug. 15, 1900, in White Co. Georgia; died at

Grady Hospital, Atlanta, Georgia on April 2, 1924 at 4:20 pm. Married Arthur

Payne on December 23, 1923. They did not have any children.

John Oliver Jennings Gillstrap was born on May 1, 1903, in White Co. Georgia; d.

February 25, 1983 at West Paces Ferry Hospital in Atlanta, Georgia. He married

Cleo Morris on September 25, 1926, in Smyrna, Georgia. She had grown up in the

Shoal Creek area of White County also, but moved around some with her family.

She died February 9, 1991. John (usually called Johnnie) was also a carpenter

and worked with his father on many jobs in White County. They had two children.

Joe Neal Gilstrap m. Tommie Ernestine Corbitt

Living Son

Living Son

Living Daughter

Raymond Duell Gilstrap m. Patricia Collier

Living Son

Attachment 1

Will of PETER GILSTRAP, Jr.

Craven County, North Carolina

In the name of God, Amen, the 10th day of November 1795, I, Peter Gilstrap of

the county and state aforesaid. Planter, being in perfect mind and memory,

thanks be given to God therefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and

knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die, do make and ordain this my

last will and testament, that is to say:

Principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hands of God

that gave it, and for my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a

Christian like and decent manner at the discretion of my Executrix and Executor,

nothing doubting but at the general resurrection I shall receive the same again

by the mighty power of God, and as touching such worldly estate wherewith in

this life, I give and dispose of the same in the following manner and form:

Imprimis, it is my will and I do order that in the first place all my just debts

and funeral charges be paid and satisfied.

Item, that in this manner I lend to my well beloved wife, Mary Gilstrap, the

plantation whereon I now live, the same containing 76 acres, that is if she

shall chuse to sell it and to go into the back country and carry the children

with her, her deed shall be good, otherwise if she continues here at her death

the said land shall be sold and the money equally divided betwixt these four

children: Polly Gilstrap, Bright Gilstrap, Welthy Gilstrap, and Winifred

Gilstrap.

Item, I lend in like manner as before mentioned to my well beloved wife, Mary

Gilstrap, 96 acres of land on the gum pewson to be disposed of as the land

before mentioned, the same lying near and adjoining the land I now live on.

Item, I give to my beloved wife, Mary Gilstrap, during her natural life all the

household furniture that I have and then to be equally divided between my

children before mentioned, the three girls each to have a feather bed in their

parts. Also I leave all my cattle, horses, and plantation tools for the same

purpose before mentioned.

Item, I give to my beloved son Benjamin Gilstrap - 5 shillings. Item, I give to

my beloved son Richard Gilstrap - 5 shillings. Item, I give to my beloved

daughter Ellender Johnson - 5 shillings.

Item, I give to my beloved son Lewis Gilstrap - 5 shillings whom I likewise

constitute, mark, ordain and appoint my executor with my beloved wife executrix

of this my last will and testament.

In witness whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal the day and year above

written, signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us. NOTE: Peter

Gilstrap made his (X) mark on his will Witness: Thos Pryor, Ephm Swann Owen

This was the foregoing last will and testament of Peter Gilstrap proved in open

court by the oath of Thomas Pryor, one of the subscribing witnesses, thereto,

agreeable to law and Mary Gilstrap, the executrix therein named qualified as

such. Ordered that letters testamentary issue. Attest.: Samuel Chapman, CC.

Record of Wills - Craven County Courthouse, Volume A, Page 361 Estates of Craven

County, North Carolina Department of Archives and History, Raleigh, North

Carolina

**************************************************

June 11, 1796 A true inventory of the estate of Peter Gilstrap, deceased:

Money in hand, £27, a note against Frederick Lane for £27, 10 shillings. A book

of account against William Johnson for £4, 18 shillings; a book of account

against Frederick Lane £4, 5 shillings; a book account against Lewis Gilstrap

for £6; a book account against Daniel Striand(?), 25 shillings; a book account

against Thomas Green for 600 shillings. Two horses and one mare, 2 saddles and

bridles, 14 head of cattle and 12 barrels of corn and 200 weight of bacon and 40

weight of hogs lard and 3 feather beds and furniture - 4 bedsteads and cords(?).

1 loom, 3 slays(?), 1 harness and 2 chests and 3 tables, 9chairs and 1 case and

bottles and 5 club bottles and 2 jugs and 1 pitcher; 1 gun and 2 cotton wheels,

2 flax wheels, 2 pair cotton cards and 1 pair wool cards, 13 oak barrels and 4

pine barrels, one hogshead, 2 watering tubs, 1 pail, 1 juggin, 1/2 bushel, 1

churn, 1 keelein, 1 keg, 1 fruiten dish, 2 basins, 5 fruiten glasses, 13 spoons,

1 earthen dish and 13 plates; 4 earthen bowls, 1 coffee pot, 1 tea pot and 2

milk pots, 8 cups and saucers, 6 teaspoons and 4 mugs, 1 canister, pepper box, 8

knife and forks, 3 iron pots, 2 pot hooks, 1 tea kettle, 1 frying pan, 1

skillet, 1 pr. Tongs, 1 flat iron, 1 tray, sifter, 2 stocks of beafs, 9 head of

geese, 1 crosscut saw, 1 hand saw, 1 drawing knife, 3 augurs, 1 hammer, 1

gimblet, 3 planes, 2 weeding hoes, 2 grubbing hoes, 2 vises, 1 hatchet, 11

jointer, 1 jack plane, 2 carpenter adzs, 1 fro, 1 iron wedge, 1 halter, 4 bells,

1 slate, 1 Bible, 1 testament and 5 small books, 1 grindstone, 1 cart, and 2

sides of leather.

Mary Gilstrap (signed)

Attachment 2

Will of

RUFUS W. GILSTRAP

State of Georgia |

White County | In the name of God, Amen. I Rufus W. Gilstrap, of said

state and county, knowing it is appointed for all men once to die, deem it right

and proper as regards myself and family that I should make a disposition of the

property with which a kind providence has blessed me. I therefore make this my

last will and testament, hereby revoking and annulling all others heretofore

made by me.

Item First: I desire and direct that my body be buried in a decent and

Christian like manner suitable to my circumstances and condition. My sole I

trust shall return at rest with God who gave it, as I hope for eternal salvation

through the Blessed Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Item 2 Second: I desire and direct that all my just debts be paid without delay

by my executor, hereinafter made as I am unwilling my creditors be delayed of

their rights - especially as there is no necessity for delay.

Item Third: I give and bequeath to my beloved wife Lettica during her life time

the Home place consisting of all that tracts and parcel of land known as part of

Lot of Land number (28) Twenty-eight and also part of Land Number (45) forty-

five being the North part of said lot joining lot No 28 and bounded on the South

side by a conditional line beginning on the east side on the public road leading

from Hensley Paynes to the Camp Ground at a rock corner, thence along the fence

on the south side of the open field, thence along the cross fence leading rather

southwest across the bottom. Thence to the corner of the swamp thence west the

original line to O'Kelly's corner. Both parcels of land being in the second

district of originally Habersham, now White county, for her to have the use of

so long as she lives, and at her death to belong to my Grandson, Milton H.

Gilstrap. The following property and effects I give and bequeth to my wife

Letticia to do with and dispose of as she wishes, all the property owned by her

at our marriage, the largest trunk, and bed stead, lace, and clothes for it.

The largest chest, one cooking stove, and the clothing that belonged to my first

wife in my possession. All of my __ and one loom, and one hundred and twenty

five dollars for one year's support for her after my death. And I desire that

she have all the land in the Camp Ground so long as she lives and at her death

to belong to my Grandson Milton H. Gilstrap. And I give her one table.

Item forth: I give and bequeath to my beloved Grandson Milton H. Gilstrap, the

remainder of my lands not heretofore mentioned, consisting of part of Lot of

Land number (46) forty-six, known as the O'Kelly lot, part of Lot of Land number

(45) forty-five, known as the Smith lot bounded on the north by the conditional

line mentioned above as the southern boundary of the land given to my wife.

Those parcels of land on parts of lots being in the second district of

originally Habersham, now White county. I also give to my grandson the smallest

trunk, the best bed stead, the smallest chest, and one __, and all of my lands I

give and bequeath to my grandson at the death of my wife Letticia and also the

land at the Camp Ground at her death. I desire that all of my property not

heretofore mentioned and disposed of to be sold by my Executor with out the

intervention of any Court and without any appraisement on the part of at a sale.

And after taking out of such the one hundred twenty five dollars given to my

wife for her year's support the proceeds then to equally divide between my wife

Letticia and grandson Milton H. Gilstrap. I also desire and direct that my

money and notes be equally divided between my wife and grandson Milton H.

Gilstrap. I desire that my wife have absolute control of all given her by me

except the land. Once and hereby appoint Calvin H. Kytle as my Executor to this

my last will and testament. In witness my the said Rufus W. Gilstrap To

this my last will consisting of the three foregoing pages of paper I have set my

hand and seal this 31st day of March 1879. his

Rufus W. Gilstrap

Mark

Signed, sealed and published and declared by the said Rufus W. Gilstrap as his

last will and testament in presence of us who have in his presence once at his

special request he gives the same as witnesses once in the presence of each

other.

W. C. Cantrell

W. R. Sargent

G. W. Fields

Georgia

White County| Before me came in person on the 5th day of January 1880, in open

court for the purpose of proving the Last Will and Testament of Rufus W.

Gilstrap, the witnesses to said will, (to wit) W. C. Cantrell, W. R. Sargent,

and G. W. Fields. And the Will having been before that time brought before me

for probate by the Executor C. H. Kytle who has filed a petition for probate for

the same. They, the said witnesses now dispose of the same that they saw the

said Rufus W. Gilstrap sign and publish the same as his last will on the day and

year herein stated as the Executor by him. That the witnesses the same at his

request once in his presence and in the presence of each other that the same was

voluntarly executed by him while he was of sound and disposing mind and memory.

Sworn to and subscribed before me this 5th day of January 1880

Isaacs Oakes W. C. Cantrell

Ordinary W. R. Sargent

G. W. Fields

Attachment 3

Letter from John M. Gilstrap to Martha Pascoe

First is the actual letter as hand written by John. Following that is the typed

version as best as I can determine it. The actual letter is in my possession

having been given to me by my father Joe Neal Gilstrap. He received it from his

father and had it preserved in onionskin paper by the State Archives in the

1950s. The letter is in exceptional condition. Compared with other writings of

common folk of this time period, John's writing is impressive. He appears to

have been schooled to a fairly high level for someone not in a profession. Even

though his spelling is not the best he has a large vocabulary. John's

handwriting, though graceful and beautiful penmanship, takes some concentration

to read. If a word does not seem correct, try alternate pronunciations of it.

For example, "now" may be written as "know". Some words used in the letter had

meanings at that time not commonly associated with them today. [One that starts

with an "i" will be noted as he discusses old girlfriends. At least I'll give

him that allowance.] Furthermore, in those days, the letters "f" and "s" were

often interchanged. For example the word business, owing to the Old and Middle

English symbol "?", often appeared to be spelled "businifs" and "Miss." appeared

to be either "Mirs" or "Mifs" (the difference between Mrs. and Miss). John

refers to Martha throughout the letter as what appears to be "Mifs Martha",

which should be read as Miss Martha. John occasionally uses the old English

"thee" when addressing Martha. At times he also misspells it as "the". Other

words were simply misspelled or misused and I wrote them just as I read them.

For example - know for now; deside for decide; rite or right for write; hoo for

who. There were some words that no one could recognize. Those words are simply

written here with xs, In other words, an unrecognizable 3-letter word was simply

written in as "xxx". When I could not determine the number of letters a ____ is

used.

****************************************************************************

White Co. Ga. April the 4 - 1860

I still remember and esteem thee to by my friend - And I only hope is my sincere

friend. And in hoo I look apon to be my only true friend on earth in candid

earnest is you, Miss Martha. And if I was to say that you are all the girl that

I hav seen or conversed with that I ever loved in good earnest before is you and

hav not rit it to deceive you. But in truth it comes from my heart. But I then

only hope that it may strike your heart the same you may hav for your true

lover. Then it is the reason why that I take my pen in hand and the only

reason. And know to rite you in answer to the second letter I hav received from

you the 24 of last inst. in which I was glad to hear from you. But sorry to

hear that you had the headache or I believe that you would of rote me more than

you did. But you said I must excuse you this time and you would right more next

time and I believe you will. For the first letter I received from you was sutch

a good and long letter as I ever rote you and if you do as I do for I never

right all my letter when I right you at one time. And that is the reason why I

right you so mutch at a time. And I hope you will do the same. I always love

to right you a long letter so that you may find something contained there in

that may interest you, Miss Martha. When you are reading tho I think you was

excuseable that time and I have forgave you hoping you will do the better for

time to come. For I waunt to read a few more good letters from you before I

will get an opportunity of visiting you Miss Martha for I tell thee I am comeing

the first opportunity as shore as I live in health. For you dont know how glad

I would be to see you. And in the same way when I visited thee last - But

hoping in thee is all I have of the know. But then if it be otherwise I only

hope that we may meet with the more love and true love for each other than in

the past but again Miss Martha I say I have hope in thee an I will not stop hear

for I have confidense in thee and know do you think that is all no for where in

I have put in as mutch confidence in you as I have. As I will tell you I have

put all confidence in you and in ho I think is a friend of mine and in hoo I

like to be my friend and and one that I think will be my friend. And Miss

Martha as I must tell you that you have been my hole study so mutch that I

dreamed a bout you last night again and I will tell you what it was I thought

you was hear with me at our house and that I thought you was seated down

together and was converseing as we were all setting a round and I thought you

looked as swete as ever. And that it remind me of so mutch of the time we have

spent together and your turns and actions that I do like so well and the voise

that so clear and your pretty blue eyes that is so charming and read rosey

cheeks that is so fair. Which I will remember the the longest day I live. And

Miss Martha if you have any hope in me or confidense I would like to know where

you have plast it as I waunt to hear from you to know how you are comeing on for

I waunt to hear from you on the subject as you never have rote me on the reason

on love and why that you have turned your attention so fondly on me. And you

say and on me a love. And know three reason why I right thus to you to rite me

that you have so kindley fell in love with me as I believe you have but you have

none the advantage of me in that and I assure you that I believe that I have got

to think as mutch of you as I do of my self a lone. And I know explain it to

you and that is that you first gave me your hand that you would not forsake me.

And also you know that you loved me the best as you said. And also you since

answered my desireable letter and that you rote that you would go with me

anytime that I says so or or as it was you would leave it with me to deside then

I think that we ought to right more at home in our hearts or minds or as I will

more fully explain to you to rite more the desires of our minds than of the past

then I would thinke the more of thee Miss Martha as you know that we cannot git

two well acquainted with each other in true love. But when present with the I

onley could tell thee the more but when absent from thee ____ times we have

injoyed together so well. That we are know due to each other to right as nigh

the desire and wishes of our minds as we would indeaver to do. And with that

respect and affectionate love that we have for each other. For I always have

tried to rite you as nigh my thoughts and wishes. So that you may no as my my

desire and wishes as I could right you as I thought you had rather know my

intentions because I would not have you mistaken in me as otherwise to think

more of me than you ought to think. I know rite you that their was a wedding in

our neighborhood least tuesday night and it was nobody else but the girl that I

yous to fly a round with and know they last one is maried that I so highly

respected to have any intercorse with. She at last was fortuneately enough to

mary well of tho at widow he is with several children. And know if you Miss

Martha was to forsake me I then would be entirely forsaken of then all and the

only one that I ever believed that I loved before in good earnest or that I ever

thought would soot me so well. And I know that I am canded in that if I know my

mind and I claim that I do on the subject. But you know that I cannot right to

explain myself as if I could se you. And I am know and will be looking every

week when I will git an opportunity of comeing to visit the again. And in as

mutch as I promise to come it is the desire of my mind to come and not only that

to try to give the more comfurt than I have rote the and believing that you will

have some good things to tell me. And hav been saving something good for me an

that you did not rite all the good things that you could rite. That you may be

saveing some to tell me the next time I come. And so turn a lief when this you

read. Read and then remember me for when absent love I will still remember thee

and every day that pass us by I will keep thee in my mind by thinking that I

will get to see the again. My mind has been with you where ever you may be and

when I come I expect to come to your house first to see if I can git to see thee

first and to spend all the time that I will spend with you for where you are I

wount to be also. And I will tell you that I hav not got but two letters from

you since I saw you last. I thought that I would of got a letter from you last

week but I did not for I thought that you had time to of answered my third

letter and for that reason I did not rite you the last time that I should of

rote you for I had one letter a head of you and then I thought that when I rote

that it would be in answer to yours every time but I hope you will excuse me

this time and I will rite you every two weeks whether I git a answer from you or

not. And that was the only reason why I did not right you that time. This is

the fourth letter for me I rote you. And I have told you as I will tell you

again that if you wish to keep any young gentlemen company it will make no

difference with me for you could only remember that you have xxx old to save for

some of them as the case might be if you was to slight them would giv them room

to think that you had slighted them for me. Especially those hoo are acquainted

with me. And know Miss Martha one thing has been bearing on my mind every since

I read your long and welcom letter and is been on your mind I think the same and

is this. - hav you been or will you wait to hear me deside what I will do. And

on your part I think that your thought has been when will I deside or will he

deside to by my companion. Here is one thing you said to me makes me love you

so well that you would wait to hear me deside what I will do but I must know

close. This leaves me well. And I hope these few lines will find you the same

in health. I still remain yours unchanging in true love and is your most

affectionate friend.

Attachment 4

Minutes of Superior Court Habersham County, October Term 1852

Grand Jury Report

The Grand Jury of the County of Habersham for the October term of 1852 present

that all the roads of Toccoa District are in bad order and recomment the judge

of the Inferior Court to appoint commissioners forthwith to put them in good

repair.

We also report as out of order, the roads in Baitsville District. The very

great increase of the county taxes forces upon the Grand Jury an examination

into the causes thereof without any intention to reflect upon individual

officers. They present as their opinion that there has been excessively bad

management of the public property in the making of contracts for the repairing

thereof - and in the disposition thereof the same. This objection extents from

the building of this Courthouse up to a time not very remote from the present,

for the purpose of avoiding the recurrence of the same we present to the people

the obligation which rests upon all good citizens to attend at the polls on the

election of all public officers: for it not a frequently happens that improper

and incompetent persons arrive at office, by reason of the indeference of those

most interested in the proper administration of public affairs, moreover we

recomment to the judges of the Inferior Court hereafter to cause all proposals

referred as well as contracts made for the doing of public works to be placed

where they can be preserved, and be acceptible to the Grand Jury sitting next

after the completion of the work.

We report the jail out of order and requiring repair. The roof should be

covered anew. The walls are suffering for want of weatherboarding and the

stairs are almost dangerous to ascend: the locks and doors are so much out of

order as to require renewing. We earnestly recommend the subject to the

immediate attention of the Inferior Court. We also report the roof of the

courthouse so much out of order as to require entire renewing. We also

recommence this matter to the immediate attention of the Inferior Court.

We present as a grievance the unlawful practice of taking fruit from gardens,

orchards, & fields without permission of the owners, valuable property is not

only taken but mistaken notions of the moral nature of such deeds are

incalculate and the youthful find there is also an improper impression abroad as

to the extent of certain nuisances authorizing self constituted committees to

abate them, under the impression that public opinion would carry them clear of

consequences. Well intended men have made themselves liable to detection and

punishment for unroofing inhabitable houses, killing diseased cattle

We think also that Grand Jurors from the moment of their notification of

appointment should consider themselves as a kind of moral constatutory whose

duty it becomes to watch over the public interests and to note such evil as

should abated. We will here remind the public that a charge was once given to

this effect by an honorable judge of the Superior Court in his official

capacity. We the jury request that this presentment be published in the

Southern Banner. Before taking leave of the court the grand Jury offers to his

honor Judge Jackson, the Solicitor & the officers of the court generally their

thanks for the courteous & efficient manner in which they have discharged their

respective duties.

Sidney Barr, foreman; William T. Hacket; Isac Oakes; Ruben Jordan; David H.

Porter; Richard W. Habersham; Felix W. Bracket; Calleb Taylor; Thomas Sosebee;

William Dodd; Saul R. Lambert; Elijah Williams; William B. Shelton; Edwin T.

Williams; Whitfield Brown; E. M. Wyrum; John W. King; Charles Ritch; John L.

Richardson; Wiley Gilstrap.

Attachment 5

Bill of Sale of John M. Gilstrap, desd

Page 280

Article Price Name of Bidder

1 Bed & Stead $15.00 Martha Bowen

1 Bed & Stead 16.00 Martha Bowen

1 Trunk 2.50 Martha Bowen

1 Trunk 2.60 Martha Bowen

1 Trunk 3.00 Wiley Gilstrap

1 Trunk 2.05 Martha Bowen

1 Overcoat 2.15 F. D. O'Kelly

1 Overcoat 2.80 Wiley Gilstrap

1 Overcoat 10.05 Mercer Fain

1 Chest 2.00 Martha Bowen

1 Clock 5.50 " "

1 Looking Glass 1.80 " "

1 Desk 3.00 " "

1 Looking Glass 1.00 " "

1 Set cups & saucers & 1 set plates 1.85 " "

1 Set Knives & Spoons 1.00 " "

1 Spinning Wheel 1.00 " "

1 Saddle 8.25 J. P. O'Kelly

1 Lot of Chairs 2.00 Martha Bowen

1 Lot of cooking utensils 2.00 " "

19 Gallons of stone ware 1.50 " "

1 Lot of tin .75 " "

1 Slate & arithmetic .50 " "

1 Tray & sifter 1.50 - 1 table .25 1.75 " "

1 Rifle gun & shot pouch 7.55 J. P. O'Kelly

1 Shot gun 2.00 - 1 pistol 3.25 5.25 F. D. O'Kelly

1 Keg & Measure .45 Martha Bowen

1 pr cards .45 - well roller & rope .50 .95 " "

2 washing tubs .25-1 wash pot 2.00 2.25 " "

1 Lot farming tools 2.60 F. D. O'Kelly

1 Scythe and Cradle 1.70 " "

1 Buggy & Harness 18.50 " "

1 Buggy tongue 4.30 " "

Woodwork of a wagon 2.60 William McKinney

Lot of Bee gums No. 1 .35 F. D. O'Kelly

" " " 2 1.55 E. J. Ferguson

" " " 3 2.10 A. J. Hamilton

" " " 4 .75 F. D. O'Kelly

" " " 5 .65 " "

" " " 6 1.00 M. V. Hanse

" " " 7 .85 F. D. O'Kelly

2 hogs 18.00 M. Fain

2 hogs 17.00 Wm. McKinney

2 hogs 12.80 F. D. O'Kelly

Amt Fwd $190.40

Page 281

Fwd $190.40

1 Sow & pigs 26.50 F. D. O'Kelly

1 Stack of Oats 5.00 A. J. Hamilton

1 Cow & yearling 15.25 Wiley Gilstrap

1 Mule 53.25 - 1 Mule 53.20 106.45 F. D. O'Kelly

1 Lot corn 25 bushels (at 51) 12.75 " "

The Whole Amount $356.35

H.H. Bowen Admn Recorded Aug 5th 1866

John R. Holcombe Or'dy

Source: White County Probate Office, Annual Returns Book 1, pages 258, 280-281

Attachment 6

Milton Harrison Gilstrap Family Bible

Marriages

Milton H. Gilstrap & Emily A. Martin was married Sept 9th, 1883

Marlow Gillstrap & Ethel Redmon was married Oct. 2nd, 1904

Flora Gillstrap & Fernando West Dec. 18, 1904

Gordon Gillstrap & Nannie Belle Smith August 15, 1915

Oscar Gillstrap & Montie Campbell August 13,1916

Fannie Mae Gillstrap & Arthur Payne Dec. 23, 1923

Comer Gillstrap & Zola Smith 12-24-1922

Johnnie Gillstrap & Cleo Morris 9-25-1926

Smyrna, GA by Theodore A. Wills

Marlow G. & Omie Canady May 1927

Harrison G. & Harriet White 1-5-1931

Births

Milton H. Gillstrap April 10, 1862

Emily A. Gillstrap May 22, 1864

Homer Marlow Gillstrap Dec. 29, 1884

Flora Daisey Gillstrap Dec. 26, 1886

Grover Gordon Gillstrap Feb. 16, 1891

Edker Millard & Osker Dillard Gilstrap June 17, 1894

Comer Wiley Gillstrap Aug. 7, 1899

Fannie May Gillstrap Aug. 15, 1900

John Oliver Jennings Gillstrap May 1, 1903

Deaths

Edcar M. Gillstrap July 23, 1894 age one month & 16 days

Fannie Mae Gilstrap Payne died at Grady Hospital, Atlanta, April 2, 1924, 4:20 pm

Emily A. Gillstrap Oct. 2, 1928 8:45 pm

Marlow Gillstrap October 1, 1931

M. H. Gilstrap April 15, 1944, 8:00 am 82 yrs & 5 days old

Flora Daisey Gilstrap West Sept 4, 1958

Gordon Grover Gilstrap Jan 22, 1966

Comer W. Gilstrap April 25, 1973

Oscar Dillard Gilstrap July 23, 1984

John Oliver Jennings Gilstrap Feb 25, 1983

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