GREENBRIER, VIRGINIA (now WV) MARRIAGE BONDS

Part 1: 
William Gillilan and Hannah Achilen
Robert Gillilan and Mary McCoy
James Gillilan Jr. and Magaret Boggs
Nathan Gillilan and Jane (Jean) Edmiston

Introduction

Due to the fact that the collection of Gillilan marriage bonds (and supporting documents) held in the archives of the Greenbrier Historical Society is quite large, presenting the transcriptions in a single file would be quite unwieldy. I will therefore be posting them in small groups according to the dates they were issued, starting with the bond of William Gilliland and Hannah Achilen in 1782.

The documents prior to 1800 are entirely in handwritten script so although I have done my best to accurately transcribe them I would welcome any comments and/or corrections from anyone who has either studied copies of the originals or has additional information. 

During a visit to Lewisburg, West Virginia I had the opportunity to examine the original marriage bonds held in the collection of the Greenbrier Historical Society and wish to thank Mr. Jim Talbert for his generous assistance. We Gillilands are fortunate that these rare documents have survived and are being so carefully archived. 

Notarized copies of these marriage bonds are available from the Greenbrier Historical Society and I would highly recommend that descendants of these families consider adding these remarkable pieces of history to their own family records. For more information on the Greenbrier Historical Society and its holdiings, please refer to the “Resources and Links” section of the Gilliland Trails forum or visit their website at http://www.greenbrierhistorical.org/

Marriage Bond of William Gillilan and Hannah Achilen, January 23, 1782
Transcribed from notarized copies of the original bonds by Kate Maynard, 2007.

The marriage bond record for William Gillilan and Hannah Achilen consists of a single document in handwritten script. Unlike some later marriage records for the Gillilan family, there are no letters from the parents of either the bride or groom in the collection of the Greenbrier Historical Society.

There are also three different scripts here: the signature of William Gillilan; that of his bondsman, William Custer (possibly of the Gen. George Custer line); and that of the unidentified Clerk of Court who recorded their names as William Gilliland and William Custerd.

In some records there has been some doubt expressed as to whether the date of William and Hannah's marriage was 1781 or 1782. I have to admit that I cannot clear up that confusion; the date on the marriage bond is Jan. 1782 but Thomas Jefferson, to whom the document was addressed, retired from the Governorship of Virginia in June of 1781. Benjamin Harrison would have been Governor at the time this marriage bond was written.

Document:

Know all men by these presents that we William Gilliland & Wm. Custerd are held and firmly bound unto his excellency Thomas Jefferson Governor of Virginia in the just and full sum of fifty pounds current mony of Virginia to be paid to our said Governor his Heirs and Successors to the which paiment well and truly to be made we do Bind Ourselves our Heirs and Admrs Jointly and Severly firmly by their presents sealed with our seals and Dated this 23 day of Janu 1782

The condition of the above Obligation is such that if there be no lawfull cause to obstruct a marriage intended to be had and Solomnized between the above bound William Gilliland and Hannah Achilen  __  __
then this Obligation to be Void els to remain in full force and Virtue.
                                                                   Wm Gillilan
                                                                   William Custer

Marriage bond of Robert Gillilan and Mary McCoy, February 27, 1798
Transcribed from notarized copies of the original bonds by Kate Maynard, 2007.

The marriage bond records for Robert Gillilan and Mary McCoy consist of three documents in handwritten script. The marriage bond itself is witnessed by Robert Gillilan, David McCoy and John Stuart, the Clerk of the Court. The other two documents are marriage license requests from the family. I have to admit there are parts of the latter documents which are a bit confusing and when in doubt I have enclosed those portions within brackets.

The second document, one of two requests for a marriage license, contains the signature of a Sarah Vanosdol. The relationship of the Vanosdols to the Gillilans or McCoys is unkown to me but as read it would appear that Sarah is the mother of Mary McCoy. The Vanosdols (also Vanosdal) -- an old Dutch family of NY origins in this country, and whose surname has many variations from VanOsdal to Van Arsdale -- did have one branch who traveled down to WV but the vast majority of modern day descendants are to be found in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Iowa.

Due to the numerous misspellings in the original documents I would recommend comparing the transcriptions to the text found in the post -1800 printed forms for marriage bonds.

First Document:

Know all men by these presents that we Robt Gillelan & Jams McCoy are held and firmly bound unto James Wood Esq Governor of Virginia in the Just and full sum of One Hundred & fifty dollars to which payment well & truly to be made to our said Governor his heirs or successors we do bind ourselves our Heirs & Jointly & Severly firmly by these presents as witness our bonds & seals this 27th day of Feb'y 1798.

The Condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above Rob Gillelan has this day obtaind licence to marry Mary McCoy if there is no lawfull cause to obstruct said marriage then this obligation to be void  else to remain in full force & virtue.

John Stuart           Robert Gillilan
                              David McCoy

Second Document:
                         february the 23 1798
Know you that I have granted Robart Gillian My dauter Mary McCoy to be his lawful wife and you air in titled to give them Lawful marrage lisans   Sarah Vanosdol ---- To Mr John Stewartt  Clark
Test
James McCoy
                           Sworn to by James McCoy   Jno Stuart

Sir Please to give Robert Gillilan Lawful Marege Lisance for him and [ink faded] Marry McCoy and this shall be your warrant for the same given under my hand this 27th Day of febuary 1798
                                                        James Gillilan
atest
David McCoy

Marriage bond of James Gillilan, Jr. and Margaret Boggs, November 3rd, 1801.  
Transcribed from notarized copies of the original bonds by Kate Maynard, 2007.

There are two documents in the archives of the Greenbrier Historical Society. The first is a printed form which provided blank spaces where names and dates would be filled in by the Clerk of the Greenbrier Court. There are only two distinct scripts on this marriage bond; one is found throughout the document and in the signature of James Gillilan, whilst it appears James Boggs signed his own name at the bottom. James Gillilan’s “signature” is accompanied by a large X and “his mark” is written above and below the X. It appears that James Gillilan Jr. may have been illiterate and all but Boggs’ signature is in the written hand of the Clerk of Court.. The second document was definitely written by James Boggs and though it might contain numerous misspellings, Boggs’ signature is identical on both documents.

The “John Stewart”  to whom James Boggs addressed the handwritten request was actually John Stuart, as there are other documents in the collection actually written and signed by Stuart himself. Why the inital “L” appears with his signature in the second document below is unknown to me but I suspect it may be my own misinterpretation of period script.

Lastly, one thing which becomes apparent upon examination of the original marriage bonds is how both spellings Gillelan and Gillilan my have appeared in the historical records for these families. The official recorder wrote what appeared to be James Gillelan throughout the first document but dotted the e as if it were spelled “Gillilan”. In other marriage bonds, such as that for Nathan Gillilan and Jane Edmiston, the reverse is true. (Not to mention the various spellings for Edmiston which appear within the same document!)

First document:

KNOW  all men by these Presents, That we James Gillilan Junr & James Boggs are held and firmly bound unto his excellency James Monroe Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and his successors for the use of the Commonwealth, in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we do bind ourselves, and every of us, and every of our heirs, executors and adminstrators, jointly and severally by these presents. Witness our hands and seals, the 3rd day of Novemr in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred & One.

THE Condition of the above Obligation is such, that whereas a Marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the above James Gillilan and Margarett Boggs both of Greenbrier County, if therefore there shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force.

Signed sealed and delivered
in the presence of

         his
James X Gilliland  
        mark
James Boggs Junr

Acompanying document, in handwritten script:

Sir! Please to Let James Gillilan Juner have Marage Lisance for him and Margaret Boggs and obledge your freind James Gillilan
James Boggs to Col. John Stewart
Nov. 3rd 1801 Sworn to by James Boggs
                                             L Stewart [or Stuart] DC

Marriage Bond of Nathan Gillilan and Jane Edmiston, April 22nd, 1801.
Transcribed from notarized copies of the original bonds by Kate Maynard, 2007.

For this record there are three documents in the archives of the Greenbrier Historical Society. The first is the printed form which provided blank spaces where names and dates would be filled in by the Clerk of the Greenbrier Court. The second is a handwritten note signed by James Edmiston, requesting a marriage license for Nathan and his daughter Jane. This note is among the most fragile in the collection of the Historical Society and the ink is very faded. The third is perhaps not a document in its own right but the bottom half of the second document, which appeared to be torn in half -- or perhaps separated at a crease. I do recall the paper upon which these were written was very thin and quite translucent. It also appeared to have been folded for a long period of time, in which case the note may have simply fallen apart when it was reopened. In a future visit to the Historical Society I hope to re-examine these papers to confirm this, but even with copies it is apparent that the distinctive folds in the paper are consistent with this theory.

From reading these documents it appears that James Edmiston may not have been in Greenbrier County at the time he made the request for the marriage license for Nathan and Jane -- whom James Edmiston defintiely refers to as Jean, not Jane. This speculation is based not only on the way in which the handwritten note was worded, but the fact that Andrew Edmiston, not James, was present to witness the marriage bond for the Clerk of Greenbrier Court.

Until I had the opportunity to examine the original marriage bonds I had assumed that only James Gillilan (a son of Nathan Gilliland) and his children used the Gillilan rather than Gilliland spelling of the family name. But Nathan Gilliland, a son of Nathan the Elder's son Samuel, is recorded here as having used the Gillilan spelling as well. After Nathan and Jane move to Ohio we find the Gilliland spelling used once again. 

First Document:

KNOW  all men by these Presents, That we Nathan Gillilan & Andrew Edmiston are held and firmly bound unto his excellency James Monroe Esquire, Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and his successors for the use of the Commonwealth, in the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars, to which payment well and truly to be made, we do bind ourselves, and every of us, and every of our heirs, executors and adminstrators, jointly and severally by these presents. Witness our hands and seals, the 22nd day of April in the year of our Lord One Thousand Eight  Hundred & One.

THE Condition of the above Obligation is such, that whereas a Marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the above Nathan Gillilan and Jane Edmiston both of Greenbrier County, if therefore there shall be no lawful cause to obstruct the said marriage, then the above obligation to be void, otherwise to remain in full force.

Signed sealed and delivered
in the presence of
Nathan Gillilan
Andrew Edmiston

Second Document:

Sir Please to let Nethen Giliand [sp] have marge licence for him & my Daughter Jean as she is in Greenbryer County at this time & this shall be your Warent given under my hand this 22nd of april 1801.
                                                              James Edmiston
To Mr
John Stuart   Clark of Greenbryer Court

Third Document:

The within sworn to by Andw Edmiston
                                         [L.] Stuart DC

-- End of Part I, Greenbrier Marriage Bonds --