Wilmoth Family

WILMOTH

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A WILMOTH FAMILY

by

WALTER JAMES WILMOTH

This information has been very kindly furnished to me by a cousin, Walter James Wilmoth. Walter is compiling information so he can write a book on the Wilmoth families descending from this "Unknown" Wilmoth. This is directly from him, showing my line. I haven't personally proven anything other than from my Thomas B. Wilmoth, (generation 10) on down to present. Each name with a * in between first and last names is not proven in descent, but assumed, with documents to lead one to that assumption.

Walter is willing to share what he has. For any information, contact him at [email protected].

 

This unknown Wilmoth must have been a farmer and definitely of German descent for all whom I have talked to always say they are of German descent according to their family history. I know that my father always said that we were of German blood on his side of the family.

My research lead me to find many Wilmoths from Germany along the Rhine River. Back before the year 1000 A. D. there were the following tribes living in that part of Germany. There were the Anglo Saxons, Hessian, Frisen, Franken, Preussen, Normans and Valonens.

The Bernese colony has been discussed at length by Mr. G. Kurtz, the State Archivist of Bern in Lista of Swiss Emmigrants in the Eighteenth Century to the American Colonies, edited by A. B. Fourst, Vol. II, Washington 1925, pp 20-24.

Some of the earliest spellings of the Wilmoth name were Wohlgemuth, Wolgemut, Wollgemuth, Wolgemuth, Windermuth. These names were found in records where emmigrants left Rotterdam, Holland in 1736 and were imported to Philadelphia on the ship Harle with Ralph Harle, Master. I have researched and found these records.

 

Signed, Walter James Wilmoth

 

 Descendants of Unknown

 

GENERATION NO. 1

1. UNKNOWN1

 

Children of UNKNOWN are:

 

2. WILLIAM2 WILMOTH (UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1604 in England. He married SARAH Abt. 1627 in an Indian camp on the James River.

 

Notes for WILLIAM WILMOTH:

William came from Amsterdam, Holland to the James River area ca 1623. He could be one of the four brothers who came from Holland by way of Captain Francis Epps in 1623 to the James River. The ship's name was the Hirem? out of the Port of Amsterdam.

Francis Epps returned in 1635 on a ship believed to be named the Hopewell, to find the colonists he had left behind had vacated their settlement on the peninsula, later known as Williamsburg, VA. He stated that there were no signs of violence and assumed they had just moved to other parts of the new land.

I found the records of the Hopewell and there were no Wilmoths on the ships list.

At one time, I was told there was a record in the National Archives mentioning Nicholas and brother Thomas, sons of William Wilmoth of Jamestown, Va. in the 1600's. These could be his grandchildren as Nicholas was born about 1680.

My cousin, Lucille, also said that her mother Rowena had told her they were there before Jamestown was founded in 1632. (Not when it was founded ca 1607)

The only child I have records for and have researched thoroughly, is my 8th great grandfather, William.

 

Notes for SARAH:

Sarah was a Cherokee Indian.

Children of WILLIAM WILMOTH and SARAH are:

3. WILLIAM3 WILMOTH (WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Bef. 1632 in Virginia, and died Abt. 1700 in Isle of Wight, VA..

Children of WILLIAM WILMOTH are:

 

4. JOHN4 WILMOTH (WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1660 in Jamestown or Isle of Wight, VA.. He married MARY. She was born Abt. 1687.

 

Notes for JOHN WILMOTH:

It appears from all records that this John died while his children were very young and that these children went north with their mother who probably remarried. There are no records to verify this except that of son, John and his son, Thomas, who show up in Richmond, Va and then in Granville, NC with their names being spelled Wilmouth and Warmouth. I have not found the name Warmouth in any type of records anywhere before the one of Thomas, son of John who was spelling his name both Willmouth and Warmouth in court and land records with 'T' as his mark.

 

Land Grant, 1700, isle of Wight, VA.

Child of JOHN WILMOTH and MARY is:

GENERATION 5

 

5. JOHN5 WILMOTH (JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1683 in Isle of Wight, VA.. He married MARY Abt. 1703 in VA. She was born Abt. 1687.

 

Notes for JOHN WILMOTH:

Children of JOHN WILMOTH and MARY are:

 

6. JOHN6 WILMOTH (JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1703 in Isle of Wight, VA..

 

Notes for JOHN WILMOTH:

There are many records of this John in VA and NC. His surname became Wilmoth and then Warmouth. I am not going to put his history in this book, but plan to do his family separate from Thomas, his brother.

John is found with his children in the following locations and the same time frame as is his brother, Thomas. A few of his children and grandchildren's names are as follows:

Son, John, Franklin Co., NC, 1790, p. 61 and 1800, p. 457, household 815 listed with 14 children, wife and 7 slaves.

Son, Thomas, 1800 with wife and 3 children, household 457, and 1810 in Granville Co., NC, p 131.

Son, William (Willie), Wake Co., NC, 1800, p 772 with wife and 2 children. His son, Meridith and wife are on 1800, Wake Co., NC, p 772. Also, his son, William, with wife and 3 children, p 772. (Note) Willie and his children all moved to Carswell Co., NC by 1810, as did William, son of Thomas, Sr.

If you research, you will find that there are 3 Williams in Carswell Co. in 1810. One lives with nathaniel, household no., 514, and the other lives in household no 459. By 1830 to 1850, there were John M. and William D. in Burke Co., NC, Also, in 1790 there were 2 Thomas' in Orange Co., NC. These would be first cousins, sons of Thomas, Sr. and his brother, John Warmouth.

For over 35 years, the families of these two brothers crossed back and forth together to Va. and NC. They named children after each other and each other's children. Some of those not mentioned above are Jeremiah, Nathaniel, and James, who can be found in marriage and court records of mecklinburg Co., VA and Granville, NC. Several of Jeremiah's children can be found in Halifax Co., Va. who went to Granville Co., NC to marry.

John's first cousin, Thomas Wilmoth, Sr. of Prince Edward Co., Va. must have been the money man as his children William and Thomas, Jr were buyers of vast amounts of land. In Wake Co., NC, they purchased over 1800 acres, in Orange Co., over 400 acres and in Lunenburg, Charlotte and Prince Edward counties, over 1250 acres.

Their brother in law, William Staples, was a lawyer who married widow, Mary (Polly) Wilmoth and most likely handled all the details. Brother, John, was the overseer in Wake Co., NC after William became ill and brother, Thomas, Jr. died in 1793. He is found there in 1808 court records.

In other records in the same locations and time frame, we see, not only census, but taxes, deeds and court records with the Wilmoth or Warmouth names.

The name Warmouth is rare, but can be found in TN., KY., CA., LA., IA., KS., ID., TX., MO. and IN. The earliest records I found were between 1742-1746. These are court records and deeds with the name spelled Warmouth; some are signed Thomas "T" 'his mark' Warmouth. These names and spellings are alos found in Prince Edward, Lunenburg and Charlotte counties, VA. and in Wake, Caswell, Granville and Warren counties, NC.

By 1814, William Warmouth (Wilmoth) was granted land in Warren Co., NC in G., District 18 a, book H, p 213; grant no. 5851. In 1810, he is in Caswell Co., NC.

Children of JOHN WILMOTH are:

7. EZEKIEL *6 WILMOTH (JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1705 in Isle of Wight, VA. ?, and died Abt. 1769 in New Jersey.

 

Notes for EZEKIEL * WILMOTH:

It is not proven that Ezekiel is in this line. The family was researched and compiled from hundreds of documents and family trees obtained over the years. I have not found one record that would indicate that they are descendants of William (1) of Jamestown. But the search will continue.

Ezekiel might have moved to New Jersey from the James River area, for the records I have found have all been in South Amboy, Middlesex Co., NJ, in Wilkes Co., NC and, around 1790, in Elbert Co., GA. This is where William Wilmoth, Jr. was born in 1759. Later he was found in Wilkes Co., NC. Military records state he was born in NJ and also Ezekiel Wilmoth of Wilkes and Surry Co., NC was born in NJ.

As for the other children listed, I have no records of them or their descendants. I only wanted to trace William back to try and see if records were available to tie him to my William, b. 1603.

 

Children of EZEKIEL * WILMOTH are:

8. THOMAS6 WILMOTH (JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1709 in Virginia, and died November 1794 in Charlotte Co., VA. He married ANN COOPER Abt. 1736 in (Richmond Co., VA ?.) She was born Abt. 1717 in England or VA., and died Abt. 1812 in Charlotte Co., VA.

 

Notes for THOMAS WILMOTH:

According to James Lillard Wilmoth, James Washington gives William Wilmoth, Jr.'s grandfather as marrying a Cooper and says that he, Thomas, great grandfather of William, Jr., served in the British military during the colonial war days.

In 1762 Thomas was issued a licence to operate a tavern in Prince Edward Co., VA. Thomas was found in court records in Richmond, VA from 1752 to 1756. Name on the records is Thomas "T" (his mark) Wilmouth, and Wilmoth. One record had to do with his escape from jail in 1756. Also in 1756, he shows up in court records of Lunenburg Co., Va. where his case was dismissed.

Both Thomas and his son, Thomas, Jr. died the same year, 1794.

In 1794, George Mosley, Sr. bought all of the land owned by Thomas, Sr. and Thomas, Jr. A stipulation was that he had to allow Ann, wife of Thomas, Sr. and Mary, wife of Thomas, Jr. to live on the homestead until their deaths. According to tax records, they had both died by 1812.

Later, George Mosley gave this land to his son with one stipulation and that was that he could not sell the land where the Wilmoths were buried and he had to keep the road to the Wilmoth Cemetery open and clear. (Ref. Deed dated 1812 (I think) Charlotte Co., VA. George Mosley, Sr. to George Mosley, Jr.)

In the indenture of 1794, all of the children of Thomas, Sr. were named: William, George, john, Joseph, Thomas, jeremiah and William Stapels, son-in-law and husband of mary Wilmoth, daughter of Thomas, Sr. and the only two children mentioned of Thomas, Jr. were James and Nancy Wilmoth. This does not mean that they were the only children. Thomas, Jr. had more children, but they were the only ones 'of age'.

This land consisted of a total of 317 qacres of which Thomas, Sr. owned one third, according to tax records. The estate was taxable until 1812 when either Ann or Mary died. During that time the taxes were paid by family members: Nancy, James, Jeremiah and Nathaniel, all grandchildren of Thomas, Sr.

In the court records of Richmond Co., VA., Thomas is found with a John Cooper, who, I believe to be Ann Cooper's brother base d on deeds in Amelia and lunenburg counties where Thomas Wilmoth, John Cooper and his brother, james Cooper owned land next to each other.

 

COURT RECORDS

 

Prince Edward Co., VA. December 17, 1760, Thomas rented land from George Moore, "known as Moore's ordinary" for five years, witness was John Wilmoth. ref. Book 2, p. 42a. Name spelled Willmut.

Prince Edward Co., VA. August 6, 1758, regarding a bond for paying rent from 1759 to 1765. This was a Tavern and land in Prince Edward Co.

Lunenburg Co., VA. October 13, 1774, Deed, Thomas or sons, John or William (Wilmut) was living next door to William Cooper. Book 12, p 418.

Prince Edward Co., VA. July 8, 1760; Thomas purchased 101 acres of land on the 'heads of the Sandy River' in Prince Edward and Amelia Counties from Edmond Harper. Book 2, p. 7. Thomas was living in Prince Edward.

Lunenburg Co., VA. August 13, 1778, estate; mentioned as a creditor of Thompson Staples, Book 2, p 473.

Charlotte Co., VA. December 21, 1794, indenture. John Wilmoth signed his name. All others marked 'X' by the clerk.

Charlotte Co., VA. 1773, Thomas and Thomas, Jr. lived on the Meherrin River and along Difficult Creek. The Wilmoth Cemetery is located on this property, bought by George mossley in 1794.

Charlotte Co., VA. 1782, personal taxes. Also, census, "2 whites over 16, 3 blacks. Pg. 15

Charlotte Co., VA. March 19, 1794, tax list

Charlotte Co., Va. 1756, tax records, Thomas was a tithable with 2 slaves, Peter and Nan. Bk 4, p. 187.

Lunenburg Co., VA. 1772, Tithesm Thomas is a tithable listed with sons, Jeremiah and Joseph with 400 acres of land. Total of 5 tithables.

Charlotte Co., VA. September 2, 1782, Will. Thomas and John Wilmoth were creditors of the Christopher Billups estate. Bk 1765-1791, p. 303.

 

 

More About THOMAS WILMOTH:

Census: 1790, Charlotte Co., VA

 

Notes for ANN COOPER:

Ann may have died any time after 1770. There are no records to show that she was alive after that. The indenture of 1794 does not state whether it is Thomas, Sr. or Thomas, Jrs. wife who is alive. We do know that those rights ended in 1812.

Child of THOMAS WILMOTH and ANN COOPER is:

 

9. WILLIAM *7 WILMOTH (EZEKIEL *6, JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1735 in N. J., and died in GA.

 

Notes for WILLIAM * WILMOTH:

William and his children lived in and around Wilkes, Burke and Mecklenburg Counties, NC. Marriages are recorded for his children in Rowan Co., NC. He and those children began to migrate to South Carolina, Georgia and as far south as Louisiana at the turn of the century.

 

Found on 1800 census, Burke Co., NC. 4 males and 3 females.

 

Deed: March 30, 1783, Henry Co., VA., p 374. William was to receive money oh behalf of his son, Thomas, who sold his land, located along the Irvine River, to David Haley. If David failed to pay, then William was to take the land back from him.

Children of WILLIAM * WILMOTH are:

10. EZEKIEL7 WILMOTH (EZEKIEL *6, JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1737 in NJ ?. He married NANCY Abt. 1759. She was born Abt. 1741.

 

Notes for EZEKIEL WILMOTH:

Ezekiel died soon after his son, William was born.

 

Notes for NANCY:

After Ezekiel died, Nancy and the children migrated to NC with her brother-in-law, William. William stayed in NC until the early 1800's, but Nancy and her children went through Randolph, Rowan, Mecklenburg counties, NC and on into Elbert or Wilkes Co., GA. They can be found on the reconstructed 1790 census of GA.

William, her oldest son, was elected Justice of the Peace in Jan. 1791.

Child of EZEKIEL WILMOTH and NANCY is:

GENERATION NO. 8

11. THOMAS *8 WILMOTH (WILLIAM *7, EZEKIEL *6, JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1756 in MD or NJ, and died 1827 in Nelson Co., KY. He married SARAH Abt. 1778 in Wilkes Co., NC ?. She was born Bef. 1765.

 

Notes for THOMAS * WILMOTH:

Jun 11, 1778, Deed, Wilkes Co., NC. Entry 188. Bought 150 acres on the head waters of Big Elkin Creek where Wilmoths now live.

1782, tax list Wilkes Co., NC, name spelled Wilmouth.

1782, Tithes, Wilkes Co., NC. Capt. John Morgan's District, 150 acres of land, 3 horses, 5 cattle.

In 1783, Thomas sold his land in Henry Co., VA. and appoints his father to collect the money owed him by David Haley.

1784, Thomas, son of William, Sr., bought 150 acres of land on the Big Elkins, Nov. 9, 1784, Grant Book p 474.

Apr 3, 1789, Thomas sold 150 acres, p 68, Surry Co., NC Deed book.

Thomas was in the Rev. War, see North Carolina Army Accounts, Vol 7, p 3, folio 3. See also, American Revolution, p. 509, Vol. 15, from 1780-1781. He and his brother, William, both signed up in Wilkes Co., NC.

Found on 1800 Census for Nelson Co., KY.

 

Child of THOMAS WILMOTH and SARAH is:

GENERATION NO. 9

 

12. JAMES CHESHIRE9 WILMOTH (THOMAS *8, WILLIAM *7, EZEKIEL *6, JOHN5, JOHN4, WILLIAM3, WILLIAM2, UNKNOWN1) was born Abt. 1781 in Wilkes Co., NC, and died October 12, 1865 in Nelson Co., KY. He married ELIZABETH H 

Notes for JAMES CHESHIRE WILMOTH:

The Rev. James Rogers was the minister at the wedding, the bride's father and bondsman was Alexander Hilton.

 

Court records, 1809, Bullitt Co., KY

Will: 1871, Nelson Co., KY. Book 13, P 117

 

Children of JAMES WILMOTH and ELIZABETH HILTON are:

viii. ROBERT WILMOTH, b. Abt. 1812.