Prologue
1650 - 1815
A number of people
have done genealogy research on the name Dillard in the U.S.A.
Different versions of the origin of the name have been published.
Miriam Dillard Klar has been researching this branch of the Dillard family, and has traced the early line from George Dillard, who had arrived in Virginia by 1650, through his son Edward Dillard, grandson Thomas Dillard, Sr., great grandson Thomas Dillard, Jr., and great-great grandson Thomas Dillard, III to David L. Dillard, who was the father of William H. Thomas Dillard. Miriam has generously provided the information contained in this first part of the history of the Dillards of Western North Carolina, covering the period up through the birth of William H. Thomas Dillard:
The Dillard family is believed by some to be of French origin, with the name working from d'Illard to the present day Dillard after the family migrated to England in the 16th century. The most generally accepted version of the origin of the name is:
The earliest of the family was written Carbonne d'Illard, i.e., Carbonne of the Cantonment or family of Illard on the Upper Waters of the Rhine in France. He settled at Wiltshire, England, and had one son, John Carbonne d'Illard. John had two sons, one of whom dropped or abridged the name and wrote it "John Dillard." From this John Dillard is said to have come George Dillard of Wiltshire, England. His year of birth is given as 1624 by some and 1634 by others. George Dillard arrived in Colonial Virginia shortly before 22 May 1650 as a headright of Captain Moore Fautleroy.[1]
Mr. Hugh Johnson of Wilson, North Carolina, who has visited England in his research, is convinced that the name is of English origin and has presented some reasons for his theory. No direct linkage is known, however, between the George Dillard who arrived in Virginia by May 22, 1650, and any family in Europe or England. Most of those who have studied their Dillard ancestry believe the name traces to George Dillard, who, it can be proven documentarily, arrived in Virginia by May 22, 1650.
George Dillard (c. 1624-1704) of Virginia, landowner, married Mary Daniel.[2]
On 29 November 1665 George Dillard was granted 250 acres of land
upon the
branches of Tassitiomp Swamp in New Kent County, Virginia, for the
transportation of five
persons. This land adjoined
land said Dillard lived upon and was bounded on the north and
west by land belonging to Ralph Green.[3]
George Dillard served on a jury at the house of Mr. John Sheers
in Stratton Major
Parish, 2 September 1675.[4]
On 20 September 1679 George Dillard and his wife sold to John
Lane 76 acres of lands on the SouthEast side of Mattapony River and the South SouthWest
side of Assitians
Swamp and standing by Ralph Green's quarter path.[5]
On 20 April 1694, George Dillard was granted 139 acres in King
and Queen County for
the importation of three persons.
King and Queen County was formed from New Kent
County in 1691 and George Dillard's family now resided in this new
county.[6]
Note: 250 acres plus 139 acres less 76 acres equals the 313 acres
that George owned as of
1694.
According to the tax rolls of England in 1704 the Quit Rent Rolls of King and Queen County, Virginia, show George Dillard with 325 acres, Nicholas Dillard with 150 acres, Edward Dillard with 150 acres, and Thomas Dillard with 170 acres. Acreages were commonly rounded off for tax purposes, so it would appear that these persons were the first George Dillard and his three sons, as no other Dillards were shown on the 1704 tax rolls for King and Queen County, Virginia. George Dillard is believed to have died in 1704.
Edward Dillard of King and Queen County, Virginia, is believed by many
to be the son of George Dillard and the father of Thomas Dillard, Sr.,
George Dillard, Edward
Dillard, and possibly others.
He was born circa 1668 in New Kent County, Virginia, and probably died circa 1740 in Orange County, Virginia.
Edward's second documented appearance would seem to be:
Orange County, Virginia, Deed Book II, 199, 23 November 1737.
Deed to Edward Dillard of King and Queen County
from John Parks, 190 acres.
This land has not been traced, but may be the same 190 acres that George Dillard willed divided among his heirs.
It would follow then that this land
descended from Edward to his eldest son, George.
Albert Stevens McLean, genealogist and descendent of George Dillard, also believes Edward to be our ancestor.
Thomas Dillard, Sr. was probably born in King and Queen County, Virginia c.1696/1705. He married Winifred Nalle, daughter of Martin Nalle and Mary (Alden) Nalle of Essex County, Virginia about 1728.
The will of Martin Nalle, probated in 1728, names Thomas Dillard
as one of the executors. Winifred is named
in the will, but with no last name.
She and Thomas may
already have been married by then.
On 11 July, 1729, Thomas Dillard and Winifred Dillard
signed a receipt for her inheritance.
George Dillard was a witness to the will.
In the 1730's and 1740's there were several Dillards and Nalles in Orange County, Virginia. Thomas Dillard signed as a witness on a deed for George Dillard and Priscilla Dillard in Orange County, Virginia on 19th June 1740. In 1746 Thomas was a lay reader at the Little Fork Church.[7]
On 15 March 1749/1750 in Culpeper County, Thomas Dillard sold to Humphrey Wallis the 1100 acres granted to him by Lord Fairfax on 24 November 1749. This land adjoined that of George Dillard and others. The deed was signed by Thomas Dillard and Winifred Dillard signed with an "X". About this time, Thomas Dillard, Sr. moved to that part of Halifax County (formed 1752) that would become Pittsylvania County in 1767. We have found no further reference to Winifred after 15 March 1750.
Thomas Dillard, Sr., Thomas Dillard, Jr., Edward Dillard and
James Dillard
patented 4800 acres in this area along the Staunton River, Straightstone
Creek, etc.
In 1752,
Thomas Dillard, Sr. was Vestryman, Antrim Parish, Halifax County, Virginia.
1752---Appointed Captain of Foot, Halifax County.
1753---Appointed Justice of the Peace, Halifax County.
1755---Appointed Major of the Militia, Halifax County
1767---Appointed Lt. Colonel of the Militia, Pittsylvania County
1768---Appointed Boundary Commissioner
1772---Appointed Coroner (Thomas Dillard, Jr. was one of three
signers of the bond.)
The will of Thomas Dillard, dated 4 May 1774, names sons James and Thomas and James's son Thomas. The will was witnessed by Thomas Vaughn, John Dillard, and Elizabeth Dillard. Recorded 23 June 1774. Thomas Dillard, Executor. The John Dillard who witnessed this will is probably the John Dillard of Rabun County, Georgia. He was bound over by the courts to Thomas Dillard, Jr. in 1760.
Thomas Dillard, Jr. was born in Essex County, Virginia about
1728/1730 and was the
son of Thomas Dillard, Sr. and Winifred Nalle.
He moved with his parents to a part of
Orange County, Virginia that became part of Culpeper when that
county was formed in 1748.
In 1752, the county of Halifax was formed and about this same time Thomas Dillard, Sr., Thomas Dillard, Jr., James Dillard and Edward Dillard filed to patent 4800 acres of land in this area near and on Staunton River and Straightstone Creek.
In 1759, Thomas Dillard, Jr. received two young Negroes from Merry Webb, Sr. without compensation. This may have been a dowry, as it was about this time that Thomas,Jr. married Martha Webb, daughter of Merry Webb, Sr.
In 1766, Thomas Dillard, Jr. was appointed Sheriff of Halifax County, Virginia and in 1767 he was appointed Justice of the Peace and Justice in Chancery of the newly formed county of Pittsylvania in Virginia
In 1774, he was appointed executor of will of Thomas Dillard, Sr., was qualified as executor and recorded will.
In 1778, Thomas Dillard, Jr. commanded Pittsylvania County Militia on expedition to the Long Island and Boonsboro, Kentucky.
In 1782/1783 Thomas Dillard, Jr. moved with his family to
Washington County, Tennessee, an area now in Unicoi County, Tennessee.
In 1784 he purchased 400 acres of land
from Martin and Judy Webb, adjoining John Webb.
Martin and John Webb may have been brothers of his wife, Martha.
Thomas Dillard, Jr. wrote his will on 15 May 1783 with an
addendum dated 23 September 1784. His
children were listed as follows:
Elizabeth
Dillard Hutchings
Benjamin Dillard
Winnesophia Dillard
Mary Ann Dillard
Thomas Dillard
Stacy Dillard
Martha Dillard
Anne Dillard
John Dillard
Rebecka Dillard
In Thomas' will each child was left two slaves, except for Elizabeth and Benjamin, who were already married. All other slaves (10) were lent to his wife for her lifetime. Executors were Martha Dillard and son-in-law Robert Love.
Elizabeth married Lt. Charles Hutchings, who had served in her father's company in the Revolutionary War.
Benjamin married Ann Ward Lynch, widow of Christopher Lynch, in Campbell County Virginia on 5 December 1782. He is said to have died in Greene County Tennessee.
Winnesophia (Winney) married James Love and moved to Maury County Tennessee.
Mary Ann married Robert Love and died in Haywood County, North Carolina 25 March 1842.
Thomas Dillard, born c. 1769, married Dorcas Love about 1790 and moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina before 1800, and died in Haywood County, North Carolina in March or 1st of April 1827
Stacy married Gabriel Elkins in Washington County, Tennessee and later moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina. She is believed to have died c. 1814.
Martha married Thomas Love, brother of James and Robert, on 12
January 1788 in
Washington County, Tennessee.
She was born 24 September 1771 and died in Macon County,
North Carolina, in 1834.
Ann died unmarried before November 1790.
John married Sarah (LNU), moved to Haywood County, North Carolina then to Gilmer County, Georgia where he died April, 1850
Rebecka married Joseph Byler in Washington County, Tennessee on
19 April, 1803
moved to North Carolina and later to Cooper County, Missouri.
John Dillard was bondsman for
her marriage.
Thomas Dillard, III was born c. 1769 in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, the son of Thomas Dillard, Jr. and Martha Webb Dillard. The family moved to Washington County to an area called Greasy Cove in 1782/1783. This is now Unicoi County, Tennessee.
Thomas Dillard, Jr. had left all his land in Tennessee equally to Thomas and his brother John, both minors at the time of his death c. 1784. He owned 400 acres of land.
Thomas Dillard, III married Dorcas Love in 1790. This date was determined by the fact that Thomas would have become 21 in that year, and their first child was born 9 September 1791.
On 10 February 1797, Thomas sold his two hundred acres of land to his brother-in-law Robert Love, for two hundred pounds. Witnesses were Martha Dillard and Charles Hutchings (his mother and Brother-in-law)
On the 3rd of April 1797, Thomas Dillard, III made a deed of gift, giving three slaves, together with their increase, to Artemesia Petit Dillard, John Love Dillard, and Ester Dillard, the legitimate children of Thomas Dillard and his wife, Dorcas. (They were at that time still residents of Washington County, Tennessee).
About this time, or shortly thereafter, the family moved to Buncombe County, North Carolina, where other relatives had moved earlier.
The 1800 census of Buncombe County, North Carolina, shows:
Thomas Dillard
one male under 10 years
one male 26-45 years
three females under 10 years
one female 26-45 years
On the 16th day of June 1809 Abraham Wiggins of the county of
Haywood, North
Carolina, sold to Thomas Love "in trust for the use and benefit of
Dorcas Dillard (wife of
Thomas Dillard) and the children of the said Thomas Dillard and Dorcas
Dillard, all of the
county and state aforesaid---for six hundred dollars-----all that tract
or parcel of land situate
lying and being in the county and State aforesaid and on both sides of
the Ocona Lufty River and
in bounded as follows:
"Beginning at a forked white oak Hollands corner on the west side
of the river and runs due
west two hundred eight poles to a chestnut tree on the Indian Boundary
line south fifty two and
a half degrees east to a point on the said I Indian Boundary
line-----containing 174 acres,
etc.etc."
The 1810 census of Haywood County, North Carolina, contains the
following:
Thomas Dillard
four males under 10 years
one male 16-26 years
one male 26-45 years
one female under 10 years
one female 10-16 years
one female 26-45 years
On The 3rd of November 1817, Thomas Dillard signed an affidavit stating that he had sold a ten year old Negro boy slave named Dick to Thomas Love for three hundred dollars in March, 1809.
The 1820 census of Haywood County, North Carolina:
Thomas Dillard
one male under 10 years
two males 10-15 years
one male 16-18 years
one male 18-25 years
one male over 45 years
one female 16-25 years
one female over 45 years
Thomas Dillard, III died the latter part of March or 1st of
April, 1827 in Haywood County, North Carolina.
On the 3rd of April, 1827, Dorcas Dillard and Daniel Bryson
petitioned and were appointed administrators of the estate of her
husband.
Inventory of the estate was returned at the June term, 1827. List of sale of the property of the estate was made the 16th of July 1827. Purchasers were Daniel Bryson, Dorcas Dillard, Audrey Prichat, Samuel Dillard and David Dillard.
It appears that Samuel and David were the two youngest sons of
Thomas and Dorcas and are still in the home in the 1830 census.
1830 census of Haywood County, North Carolina:
one male under 5 years[8]
two males 15-20
one female 50-60
On the 18th of October 1834 Thomas Love sold the 174 acres of land he held in trust to Daniel Bryson to hold in trust for the use and benefit of Dorcas Dillard [wife of Thomas Dillard deceased] and the children of said Thomas Dillard and Dorcas Dillard.
On December 25th 1834 David Dillard sold his one child's
share of the land to William H. Thomas.
On December 25th 1834 William H. Thomas sold to Daniel Bryson three children's shares of the trust. One share of that, of course was David's share.[9]
On 29 January 1835 John L. Dillard sold his one child's share of
the trust to Daniel Bryson.
Dorcas Dillard, David Dillard and John Love Dillard moved to the area that later became Jackson County, North Carolina. On the 2nd of May 1836 Dorcas Dillard received a land grant #539 for "100 acres of land on both sides of a branch that runs into Gunter Creek near where John L. Dillard lives and including John B. Love's hog pen."
On the 2nd day of May, 1836, John L. Dillard received a grant of 50 acres of land on the waters of Caney Fork, a place known as Shelton Branch.
On the 2nd day of November, 1838 Dorcas Dillard sold her 100 acres of land to Joseph Keener.
On the 8th of November 1838 John L. Dillard sold his land on Caney Fork and Shelton Branch to Joseph Keener for fifty dollars.
On the 20th of September 1858 Daniel G. Bryson of Jackson County,
North Carolina
sold to William H. Thomas (for $700.00) 174 acres adjoining Hollands,
formerly owned by
Abraham Wiggins and conveyed to Thomas Love, in trust for the use of
Dorcas Love and her
children and from whom the said Bryson delivered his title to the
following: first, his wife,
Arta, second, John Dillard, third, Thomas Dillard, fourth, David
Dillard, and, fifth, the
interest which their mother, Dorcas Dillard, had in the land embracing
all interests except
two, and to this extent the said Bryson has conveyed, wit. Thaddeaus D.
and D.G. Bryson.
sig. Daniel G. Bryson.
Through all the documents cited above, the names of Thomas
Dillard, III and Dorcas
Dillards' children would be Artemesia Dillard (Bryson), John Love
Dillard, Esther Dillard
(Wiggins), Thomas Dillard, David Dillard, and Samuel Dillard.
There very well may have
been others as shown on the census.
David L. Dillard was born in Haywood County, North Carolina on 21 June 1815 and died on 25 July 1878. He was the youngest son of Thomas Dillard, III and Dorcas L. Dillard. He was probably born near where the Cherokee Indian Reservation is now located since land records in North Carolina indicate his father owned land near the Oconolufty River. His father died in March 1827 when David was only 12 years old. In an estate sale for Thomas Dillard David is listed as having purchased several items.
Although no written record has been found to verify the claim, family oral history has it that David L. Dillard was a pioneer school teacher in the Jackson County area of Western North Carolina.
William Garland Dillard, a grandson, in a document he sent to his nieces and nephews in 1971, said that his grandfather was a school teacher.
Dorothy Wilson Pruett, a granddaughter-in-law, told the author that she often heard her mother-in-law, Theresa Clementine Dillard, speak about her father's being a school teacher. According to Dorothy, Theresa was very proud of that fact.
Myra Dillard Swanger, a granddaughter, said that she recalled her father, John Morgan Dillard, saying that his father was a school teacher.
The fact that a grandson, a granddaughter, and the wife of a
grandson all recalled hearing from parents that David was a school teacher would seem
to support the claim that he
was, indeed, a teacher.
He is known to have been a farmer.
Court records of borrowing, mortgages, and deeds of trust also seem to suggest some
occupation other than farming; but here again the author knows of no written verification.
David L. Dillard married Edith (Ede) Harris, daughter of Benjamin Harris and Frances (Fanny) Michel Harris on 16 April 1838. Edith Harris was born on 18 May 1819 in Rutherford County, North Carolina and died on 9 October 1898 in Jackson County, North Carolina. Both are buried in the "Old Field" Cemetery near Sylva, North Carolina.
David L. Dillard and Edith Harris Dillard had thirteen children:
William Holland Thomas Dillard, 20 September 1839 - 29 February
1908;
Rutha Dillard, 10 May 1842[10]
- 25 October 1918;
Dorcas
M. Dillard, 3 March 1843 - 9 November 1919;
Benjamin Franklin Dillard, 29 December 1844 - 10 April 1906;
Frances (Fanny) Caroline Dillard, 6 November 1846 - 21 August
1917;
Edith Josephine Dillard, 8 February 1847[11]
- 29 June 1919;
Artie (Arta) Dillard, 8 March 1851 - 5 July 1884;
David Zebulon Dillard, March 1853 - 1908;
Thadeus Bryson Dillard, 7 March 1855[12]
- 16 September 1921;
Sarah Jane Dillard;
20 May 1857 - 25 August 1921;
Theresa Clementine Dillard; 8 August 1860 - 3 January 1937;
John Morgan Dillard, 9 November 1861 - 11 June 1915; and
James Robert L. Dillard, 19 July 1865 - 30 July 1938.
class="auto-style2"> [1] Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666, page 95, and Cavaliers and Pioneers, Nell Marion Nugent, Volume 1, page 194.
[2]
Members of Colonial Dames - 17th Century 1915-1975, Compiled by Mary
Louise Marshall Hutton, page 74.
Miriam has found no proof that his wife was Mary Daniel.
[3] Cavaliers and Pioneers, Nell Marion Nugent, Volume 1, page 541, 2 September 1675, New Kent County, Virginia.
[4] Virginia Genealogist, Volume 21, page 29.
[5] Cavaliers and Pioneers, Volume 2, page 240.
[6] Cavaliers and Pioneers, Volume 2, page 386.
[7]
Culpeper County, Virginia, by Green.
Culpeper County, Virginia, was formed from Orange County in 1748.
[8] Possibly a grandson
[9]
Miriam has been unable to locate any deeds giving William H. Thomas
ownership of the other two shares.
[10] Although this is the date on her tombstone, the 1850 census shows her to be 9 years old.
[11] This is the date shown on her tombstone and on her death certificate; however, the 1850 census gives her age as one year, the 1860 census gives her age as 7 years, and the 1870 census gives her age as 21 years. She was probably born in 1849.
[12]
Both Thadeus Bryson and Sarah Jane have tombstone year of birth listed as
1857; however,
the 1850 and 1860 census tables show Thadeus Bryson to be two years older than
his sister.