Gilliams and Slavery
The last post discussed the Gilliams who fought in the Civil War. Of course, the major cause of the war was the issue of slavery. This post sets out the documentary evidence of slave ownership by our ancestors. The documentary evidence proves that five of the first six generations in our direct line of ancestors in North America owned slaves. John Gilliam (1613-1673) As the slave trade came to Virginia in 1619, slavery would have pre-dated John's arrival in 1635, but grew much larger only after 1700. There is no known record of his will or other record of slave ownership, but it is likely he would have owned slaves as a large plantation operator. Hinchea Gilliam (1663-1734) In his will probated 11 Nov 1734, Hinchea named four slaves (Tom, Quamany, Jamey and Jack) whom he bequeathed to his wife Fortune, to be distributed among his children Thomas, Priscilla, Charles, Lydia and Hinchea. John Gilliam (1696-1738) In his will dated 9 Aug 1738, John named th