This is a status report and obviously not a finished product. Discussion is invited. A book, EARLY SETTLERS of LEE County, VIRGINIA and ADJACENT COUNTIES VOLUME II; 1977; compiled by Hattie BYRD MUNCIE BALES; mentions that John Gilley (Gilly) was born 1780 and migrated from North Carolina to Lee County, Virginia. According to this book, the first deed recorded in Lee County, dated 5 May 1802, conveyed from George and Katy Barger to John Gilley, pesonal property and 100 acres of land lying in Wildcat Valley on the waters of the North fork of Clinch river. This book lists the following children of John and Mary Gilley, who lived in Lee County, Virginia: John Gilley born 1806 Elizabeth Gilley died 1855 at age 53 Absalom Gilley died March 20, 1856 at age 45 Jesse Gilley born 1800 Adaline Gilley born 1820 "There may have been other children." The cited book mentions that Lee County, VA Deed Book 10, page 302, records a conveyance on 4 June 1846 of 50 acres in Lee Co. from John Gilly, Sr. and Mary, his wife, of Lee Co. to George Gilly. It has been reported that a book titled "HISTORY of the GILLEY FAMILY", by Phyllis Gilley, mentions that John Gilley was born 1750-60 in North Carolina, married Katy Barger, and they had seven children: 1. Jessee Gilley born 1800, married Ann Clark from Jonesboro, Tennessee 2. Gemina Gilley born 1810 married Hual Slemp 3. Louisa Gilley married John Wells 4. Iva B. Gilley born 1823 married Mr. Hill 5. Elkana Gilley married Gemima Kelly 6. George Washington Gilley (GILLY) was born 1810 married 1 March 1836 to Nancy Saylor from Jonesboro, Tennessee. Nancy was born 1818. They had 12 children. 7. John Barger Gilley born 5 August 1805/6 Powell Valley (near Big Stone Gap) married Mary Polly Huff The marriage records of Carter Co. TN show that one Joseph Saylor married Delilah Cats 8 March 1829. The marriage records of Carter Co. TN show that one Absalom Gilley married Mary Clark 20 Oct. 1833. The marriage records of Washington Co. TN show that one Abraham Gillis married Polly Saylor there on 12 Oct. 1837. The Missouri Birth Certificate of Sarah View states her date and place of birth as 1 May 1838 in Tennessee. She was born Sarah Gilley, married first in Missouri to James Foster, and married second Thomas View. She had removed before the 1860 census from Tennessee to Benton Co. Missouri with her aunt Sarah Saylor, who had married John Wolf before the removal to Missouri. The marriage records of Washington Co. TN show that one George Gilley married Nancy Sailor there on 1 March 1838. An obituary in THE LOWRY CITY INDEPENDENT, a newspaper published 1 June 1922 in Lowry City, Missouri concerns the death of Mrs. Catharine Miller in Carrollton, Missouri 28 May 1922. She was born Catharine Gilley 3 May 1840 in the state of Tennessee and married 8 November 1860 in Missouri to Francis M. Miller, Sr. She had removed before the 1860 census from Tennessee to Benton Co. Missouri with her aunt Sarah Saylor, who had married John Wolf before the removal to Missouri. The 1840 federal census of Carter Co. TN shows Absolom Gilley age 20 to 30 with others in his dwelling: 1 Female age 20/30; 1 Female 5 to 10; and 1 Female under age 5. The 1840 federal census of Carter Co. TN on page 186 shows the dwelling of George W. B. Gilley. The residents are: 1 Male under age 5; 1 Male age 30 to 40; 1 Female age under 5; 1 Female age 20 to 30. Two old letters that I received about 25 years ago say that George Washington Gilly who was born in 1810 in Virginia had 12 children with his wife, Nancy Salyor. One son, named John Bufford Gilly was born 19 Dec. 1838 at Jonesboro, Washington Co., Tennessee. This John Bufford Gilly was married 11 Dec. 1859 in Big Stone Gap, Virginia to Elizabeth Emarantha Jones. She was a daughter of Isaac Jones and Polly Watson Davis. The 7 December 1840 session of the Carter Co. TN Court ordered that George Gilley be summoned as a juror. Carter Co. TN County Court Clerk's Office; Minute Books; Jan 1841-June 1845 Page 93: April 4th 1842 court: George W. Gilley a constable elect from District No 6 of said County came into Court and took the several oathes prescribed by law and entered in to bond with Anderson Kite, John B. Tipton , Abraham Tipton and J Hampton Jr. as his securities in the sum of Four Thousand Dollars which is accepted by the Court. Carter Co. TN County Court Clerk's Office; Minute Books; Jan 1841-June 1845 Page 263: Monday September Term Court 1844: Ordered by the court that Nathaniel R Taylor be appointed overseer of the Road in the Room of John ? Williams on the stage Road from Williams Hill to the Washington County line and have the hands on the following farms Nathaniel Taylors John Williams Tho's P ????? the farm where Absalom Gilley lives the balance living on Sincking Creek to the Washington County be the hands to work said Road. Carter Co. TN County Court Clerk's Office; Minute Books; Jan 1841-June 1845 Page 273: Monday October Term Court 1844: Ordered by the court that the following named persons be appointed Jury of View to lay off and work out a second Class Road commencing near where George Gilly formerly lived through near where Perrin Da???? and Ja's R Boyd lives to entercect the Doe River Road at some convenient point (to wit) Henderson Roberts D???? Hess Elijah Hathaway Tho's Gourly Ja's R Boyd J H Hyder ??? William????? Micheal T Hyder and Joseph Hyder be the jurors to lay of said Road and report to next court Carter Co. TN County Court Clerk's Office; Minute Books; Jan 1841-June 1845 Page 284: Monday December Term Court 1844: Ordered by the Court that Edmund Williams Sherriff be released of the Taxes assessed to each persons names (to wit) ... G W Gilly ... Carter Co. TN County Court Clerks Office Minute Books Oct. 1845-Jan. 1849 Page 35: Monday March Term 1846 Court: Ordered by the Court that Absalom Gilley be appointed overseer of the road in the room of H B Belven from Williams Hill to the Washington County line and have the following farms (to wit) Nathaniel R Taylers John Williams Tho's P Enson the farm where Absalom Gilley Lives and the ballance of the hands Living on Sinking Creek to the Washington County line be the hands to work said Road The records of Washington Co. Tennessee show that John Saylor married Martha Scott on 20 February 1848. (John Saylor, in his will written 3 Nov. 1854, calls her Patsey Saylor, widow of his son John). The marriage records of Carter Co. TN show that one George Gilley married Martha G. Clark there on 27 Oct 1849 and Absolom Gilley signed the security bond. The 1850 federal census of Carter Co. TN lists the persons living in dwelling 41: Absolum Gilly age 36 born in Virginia Mary Gilly age 36 born in Tennessee Sarah Gilly age 10 Catharine Gilly age 9 The 1850 census of Washington County, Tennessee lists the persons living in the following dwellings: dwelling 398: John Saylor 75 M PA Elizabeth " 74 F VA Godfrey " 36 M TN Susannah " 29 F TN Elizabeth " 37 F TN Sarah " 34 F TN Sophrona " 17 F TN David " 9 M TN John " 5 M TN Geo " 5 M TN Enoch " 11 M TN dwelling 399: Nancy Scott 52 F VA Patsey Saylor 32 F NC Jackson Scott 22 M TN Hugh Scott 18 M TN dwelling 400: Jane Barnes 10 F TN Sunus Crusenberry 36 M VA Mahala Crusenberry 32 F VA Saphrona Saylor 16 F VA Thos Crusenberry 15 M VA Lewis A Crusenberry 10 M VA Gordon Crusenberry 4 M VA Elizabeth Crusenberry 1 F TN dwelling 416: Martha Clemons 40 F TN Jos Clemons 20 M TN Susan Clemons 19 F TN Wm Clemons 17 M TN Mary Clemons 18 F TN James Clemons 14 M TN Margaret Clemons 12 F TN Benj Clemons 9 M TN Nancy Clemons 5 F TN Hannah Clemons 4 F TN Martha C Clemons 1 F TN Wyett Clemons 51 M TN dwelling 417: John Woolf 53 M VA Polly A Woolf 30 F TN John Woolf Jr 18 M TN Margaret Ore 5 F TN An item in the IGI (International Genealogical Index) indicates that one William Clemons married Sophronia Saylor 13 July 1851 in Washington County, Tennessee. One John Saylor of Washington County, Tennessee made his last will on 3 November 1854. The will is recorded in Washington Co. TN Will Book I, page 561. John Saylor's will mentions his daughter, Polly Gilley, deceased. It also mentions her daughters, Sophrona Smith, Sarah Gilley, and Catharine Gilley. John Saylor's will mentions his son-in-law, George Gilley. John Saylor's will bequeaths, "... to my Grand Children Godfrey Saylor & Sophrona Saylor Heirs of my son Joseph Saylor dcsd ..." Among the children listed in John Saylor's will are; Isaac Saylor; Godfrey Saylor; John Saylor whose widow is Patsey Saylor; Elizabeth Howard, wife of John Howard; Nancy Gilley, wife of George Gilley; Hannah Bogart, wife of Lemuel Bogart; Margaret Odle, wife of William Odle; William Saylor; Henry Saylor; Abraham Saylor; Joseph Saylor, deceased, whose heirs are Godfrey Saylor and Sophrona Saylor; Polly Gilley, whose children are Sophrona Smith, wife of William Smith, Sarah Gilley and Catherine Gilley; and Sarah Saylor. These two marriages are recorded in Washington Co. TN on the same day, 27 December 1855: John F. McFall married Sophrona Saylor John Wolf married Sarah Saylor. In a 12 February 1858 Court settlement of the subject testator's estate a Sophrona Saylor, daughter of Polly Saylor, is mentioned. She is not designated as Sophrona Smith in this record. It seems to me that Polly (Mary) Gilley may have had a daughter, Sophrona, out of wedlock, then later have married Absalom Gilley and had Sarah and Catherine Gilley. I intend to continue the search to clarify some of the obvious mysteries involved in this story. Advice and help would be appreciated. Reply to earlcolley@juno.com no attachments, please ________________________________________________________________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/tagj.