farmer; migrated to Georgia from the Carolinas and perhaps Scotland
Parents:
unknown
Born:
1770's location uncertain; see below
Died:
between 9 July and 7 September 1842 presumably Montgomery County, Georgia
Buried:
unknown
332Angus was born in the 1770's.1 His place of birth is variously reported as Scotland,2 South Carolina,3 North Carolina,4 and (less likely) Georgia.5 His parents have not been identified.
In any case, 332Angus must have resided in the Carolinas for a number of years (as proven by his sons' abovecited census records) and relocated to Georgia somewhat late in life. His listings in the 1820 and 1830 censuses are copied below.1,6 (I made a spreadsheet to help to identify some of the people enumerated in these two censuses. However, I didn't include proper source citations, and the spreadsheet is intended as mere "scratch notes." Use at your own discretion.)
Although the 1820 census shows 332Angus in Marion County, South Carolina, that county's deeds index for 1800-1864 doesn't mention any deeds with 332Angus as the grantor.7
332Angus wrote his will 9 July 1842, and it was proved 7 September 1842.8 The will and a transcription are below, followed by a summary. Remarkably, 332Angus only left his wife to inherit $1, and likewise for many of his children.
Georgia Montgomery County } July the
ninth day in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hun-
dred and forty two. In the name
of God amen. I Angus Gillis of
the county and state aforesaid being
weak of body but sound of mind do
hereby these these presents appoint
this my last will and testament
which is as follows viz— Respect-
ing my estate both real + of a
personal nature that is to say re-
serving the use of all my estate and
benefit of the same to myself during
my natural life time then at my
decease I give + bequeath unto my wife
Katharine Gillis the sum of one dollar
+ no more and I give my daughter Mary
Dawson at my decease the sum of one
dollar and no more. I give and bequeath
unto my daughter Katharine Hampton the
sum of one dollar at my decease and no more.
I give and bequeath unto my daughter
Jane Gillis the sum of one dollar and no
more at my decease. I give and bequeath unto
my son Neill Gillis the amount of fifty
dollars at my decease and no more. I
give + bequeath unto my son Dougal
Gillis the amount of fifty dollars at my decease
+ no more. I give and bequeath unto my son
Murdock Gillis the amount of fifty dol
lars and no more at my decease. I give and
bequeath unto my son Angus Gillis at
my decease the sum of fifty dollars and no
more. I give and bequeath unto my daughter
Margaret Gillis at my decease the sum
of one dollar and more. I give and be-
queath to my daughtir Rachel Gillis the
sum of one dollar at my decease and no
more. I give and bequeath unto my daugh
tir Sarah Ann Gillis the sum of one dol
lar at my decease and no more. I give
and bequeath unto my daughter Chris-
tian Phillips the sum of one dollar at
my decease and no more. I give and
bequeath unto my son John Gillis + my
son Norman Gillis and + Nancy
Phillips all the rest of my property both
real + personal and restoring one
hundred dollars Extra to Norman
Gillis share and also a distributive
share to the heirs of Christian Phillips
after paying all my just debts which
I the said Angus Gillis hath hereun
to set my hand and affixed my
seal the day + year above written.
Signed sealed and acknowledged
in presence of us Angus X Gillis {L.S.}
Daniel Davis Thomas X Miller
Georgia Montgomery Count } Court of
Ordinary September Term 1842.
The within last will and testament of
Angus Gillis having been duly proven at
this regular term in open court upon
the oath of Daniel Davis and Thomas
Miller ordered that the same be admit
-ted to record The last will and tes-
-tament of Angus Gillis Dec'd was
duly registered by me this the 7th day
of September A.D. 1842. F McRae Clk. C.O.
A summary of 332Angus' will:
Heir
Relation
Inheritance
Katharine Gillis
wife
$1
Mary Dawson
daughter
$1
Katharine Hampton
daughter
$1
Jane Gillis
daughter
$1
Neill Gillis
son
$50
Dougal Gillis
son
$50
Murdock Gillis
son
$50
Angus Gillis
son
$50
Margaret Gillis
daughter
$1
Rachel Gillis
daughter
$1
Sarah Ann Gillis
daughter
$1
Christian Phillips
daughter
$1
John Gillis
son
"all the rest of my property [...]"
Norman Gillis
son
Nancy Phillips
[not stated]
Christian Phillips' heirs
[daughter]
distributive share
On 15 February 1843, many items from 332Angus' estate were sold at auction. The sales records show that 332Angus owned a lot of farming-related items, many bushels of corn, a grindstone, a horse and saddle, and other items. The sales records are followed by an appraisement of his estate, which mentions 660 acres of pine land, livestock (steers, horses, hogs, and cattle), a wood clock, tools, and other items. (Feel free to read these records yourself.)9
On 5 May 1846, Dougal Gillis offered the winning bid for 200 acres of land belonging to 332Angus' estate, described as "being on the waters of Red Bluff Creek in [Montgomery] county." Murdock and Angus purchased another 160 acres of the same description.10
As further reading, Marvin B. Gillis' book Gillis and Other Pioneer Families of Georgia, 2nd edition, pages 276-279 has an interesting write-up about 332Angus, including brief descriptions of several unproven claims about 332Angus.
4: 1880 U.S. Federal Census (Mortality Schedule). Montgomery County, Georgia. Enumeration district 78, page 1, line 31, Norman Gillis. NARA microfilm publication T655, roll 11. Ancestry.com ("U.S. Federal Census Mortality Schedules, 1850-1885"), accessed 23 February 2011.
10: Montgomery County, Georgia. Deeds & Mortgages Book BP (1845-1867), pages 454-455. Land deed between Norman Gillis and Mark Phillips of the one part, and Douglas Gillis of the other part, dated 5 May 1846. FamilySearch, <https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTM-SFR6?i=264&cat=187469>, accessed 28 December 2019.
