Virginia Sanders  Mylius

<gmylius@charter.net>   ·
Birmingham, AL    



Complete notes and sources available upon request.

PILLOW FAMILY

Pillow Family (pdf)

Jasper Pillar or Piller (later Pillow) (possibly Pillew or Pilleau) is reported as our original Virginia settler in America, emigrating from England by 1648 (it could have been earlier). A female by the name of Kath. Piller followed in 18 June 1651. American records furnish meager information on the original Jasper, and it is not known if he had children other than the three sons and if a wife accompanied him to America. It appears that a Jasper moved to Prince Edward County, Virginia in 1750. In 1777 he appears in Guilford County, North Carolina.   I have seen speculation that he was a Huguenot.     The assumption is that his wife was “Kath” (Katherine?).  

Jasper Pillary, with Randall Crew granted 460 acres for their headrights on east side of Southern branch of Nansemond River on Sept. 9, 1648 (Cavaliers and Pioneers--Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666). "y" on name may have been flourish, with true name Pillar (also spelled in other places as -er, -ew, and -ow).

We believe his child was JASPER P. PILLOW.   Other children could have been John, William, and a daughter.     Cleve Weathers furnished some miscellaneous notes about Jasper, but I have been unable to reach him since about 2003.   

JASPER P. PILLOW was born ca 1710 Amelia Co., Virginia, died Circa 1780 in Amelia County.  Jasper married Mary Macon.    The children of Jasper and Mary (that I know about) were:   1)  Jasper P. Pillow (Jr.)   2)  William Pillow, and 3) JOHN PILLOW.   

The descendants of William Pillow (as I know them) were:

1. William PILLOW (b.1739 d.5 Feb 1821-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
sp: Mildred "Millie" DEARIN (m.1767)
 |-2. John D. PILLOW (b.12 Apr 1772-Amelia Co.,Virginia d.4 Dec 1837-Pulaski,Giles County,TN)
 | sp: Anne BERRY
 | sp: Sally VAUGHAN
 |  |-3. Willis (son of John & Sally Vaughan( PILLOW (b.9 Nov 1802-Prince Edward Co,VA d.23 Oct 1885-Henderson County,TN)
 |  | sp: (unknown
  |  |  |-4. William P. PILLOW (b.Abt 1829-Tennessee)
 |  |  | sp: Eliza E. SHELTON
 |  |  |  +-5. Stacy Ann PILLOW
 |  |  |-4. John N. PILLOW (b.Abt 1830-Tennessee)
 |  |  |-4. Thomas Porter PILLOW (b.Jun 1832/1833-Giles Co.,TN)
 |  |  |-4. Richard Allen PILLOW (b.Dec 1835-Tennessee)
 |  |  |-4. Mary Jane PILLOW (b.Abt 1837)
 |  |  |-4. Elizabeth PILLOW (b.Abt 1838)
 |  |  |-4. Tennessee Ann PILLOW (b.Abt Jan 1842-Giles Co.,TN)
 |  |  |-4. Josephine PILLOW (b.Abt 1842)
 |  |  +-4. Henrietta PILLOW (b.Abt 1844)
 |  |-3. Malinda PILLOW
 |  | sp: Jesse SHELTON
 |  |  |-4. (see Notes 9 Children) SHELTON
 |  |  +-4. Louisa SHELTON
 |  |    sp: Josiah Smith THOMPSON
 |  +-3. Marie/Maria PILLOW (b.17 Feb 1806 d.1854)
 |    sp: James A. COBB
 |     |-4. Mary Ann COBB (b.18 Jun 1824-Giles Co.,TN)
 |     | sp: Jacob Wesley TACKER (b.16 Jun 1818-Giles Co.,TN)
 |     |  +-5. Emma D. TACKER (b.17 Jul 1867)
 |     +-4. William Albert COBB (b.17 Feb 1829-Giles Co.,TN d.18 Jun 1910-Fairfield,TX)
 |       sp: Abby/Arry (daughter Of Thomas & Martha) EDMONSON (b.10 Dec 1824 d.12 Mar 1915-Fairfield,TX)
 |        +-5. "Captain" COBB (b.14 Jun 1850 d.8 Jul 1920-Freestone,TX)
 |-2. Willis PILLOW (b.Circa 1776-Amelia Co.,Virginia)
 | sp: Emily HENDERSON
 |-2. Sarah PILLOW (b.Circa 1780-Virginia)
 |-2. Claiborne PILLOW (b.circa 1783 -Virginia d.31 Dec 1844-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 | sp: Jane CHAMBERS
 |  +-3. (Left Large Family) PILLOW
 |-2. Richard Dearing PILLOW (b.Circa 1784-Amelia Co.,Virginia d.Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 | sp: Dicey COLEMAN (m.26 Feb 1812)
 |  |-3. L.A.E. PILLOW (b.Abt 1829-Virginia)
 |  |-3. M.M. PILLOW (b.Abt 1829-Virginia)
 |  +-3. Julia C. PILLOW (b.Abt 1832-Virginia)
 |-2. (unknown son) PILLOW
 |-2. Allen PILLOW (b.23 Mar 1789-Amelia Co.,Virginia d.12 Oct 1861-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |-2. Vincent PILLOW (b.Circa 1792)
 | sp: Polly WILLIAMS
 |-2. Mary Jane PILLOW (b.Circa 1794)
 |-2. Lucy PILLOW (b.Circa 1795)
 |-2. William (Jr.) PILLOW (b.Circa 1795-Virginia d.Franklin Co.,Arkansas)
 | sp: Emily CHISHOLM
 |-2. Emily PILLOW (b.18 Jun 1797-Prince Edward County,VA d.1852-Lewis County,TN)
 | sp: Hugh Allison MCMACKIN (b.26 May 1799-Greene Co.,TN m.12 Sep 1822 d.17 Dec 1850-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 +-2. Stephen D. PILLOW (b.Circa 1800-Virginia)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

JOHN PILLOW was born 1745 in Amelia County, VA (son of Jasper P. Pillow).     John served in the 13th Virginia Regiment during the Revolutionary War.  Both John and his brother, William (1739-1821) are listed in the Historical Register of Virginians in the Revolution 1775-1783.   John's DAR # is 21346.  They also are in the registry of  Early Families of the North Carolina Counties of Rockingham and Stokes with Revolutionary Service compiled by the National Society-Daughters of the American Revolution, and he is said to have been present at the surrender of Cornwallis.  I have seen a note that stated he was killed by Indians:  “John Pillow Sr. was killed by Indians near Nashville in May or June 1793, and his wife declined to administer the estate on July 9; that task fell to son William.”  

John married (Mary) Ursula Johnston (c. 1752, Nottoway Parish, Amelia Co., VA- between 1822 & 1830, Maury Co. TN)  around 1770 when the Dan River valley was still part of Rowan Co.   Ursula Johnston was the daughter of Gideon Johnston, Sr., and Nancy Ursula Allen (or Allin).   Gideon Johnston left a will in Rockingham County, NC, dated 2 October 1807, and probated November 1807 (Book A, page 68) in which Ursula Piller was named as a daughter.  However, in the Rockingham County, NC Abstracts of Wills published by Irene B. Webster, the name is given incorrectly as Ursula Tiller.  The recorder had a way of writing a "T" and a "P" alike and the wrong choice was made in this instance."   The Pillows decided to move to Nashville in 1788.    The Pillow family migrated into northern Williamson Co., TN at the turn of the century, but by 1808, most were relocating to Maury Co. with a few working south to Giles.  Ursula Johnson Pillow appeared to be living with her son William in the 1830 Maury census, but other sources report she died in 1822.   (see below for their children)

About Gideon Johnston:   

URSULA JOHNSTON’S ANCESTORS:  At one time I took seriously the often repeated quote that the ancestors of Ursula Johnston started with Stivin “the Clerk” Johnston of Caskieben.   These quotes often state that she was a relative (or even descendant) of Dr. Arthur Johnston.   I was then able to spend some time researching this claims, and could find nothing to definitively link those Johnston’s with Gideon Johnston - Ursula’s father.    Was Gideon Johnston related to Benjamin Johnston who married Margaret/Margery Massey?      I post here a pdf file of my notes about these Scottish Johnson’s.   If anyone has further information, I hope you will contact me!     I share my notes about that research.... If only in case it might save others the labor of a fruitless search.   However, if anyone has proof of a tie of our Johnson/Johnston’s ...with these Scottish Johnston’s, please let me know!  

The Scottish Johnston’s of Caskieben, Aberdeenshire

I have no evidence as to the parents of GIDEON JOHNSON/JOHNSTON.

The earliest record I have seen of Gideon Johnston was in 1739 when he is shown as a witness in Quaker records.   His birth is calculated about 1717 in the portion of New Kent County that became Hanover.    In the mid-1740’s, at about age 30, Gideon Johnston married the mother of all of his children, (Nancy) Ursula Allen/Allin (Feb. 16, 1728-c. 1807), the daughter of his Hanover Co. neighbors William and Mary Ann Owen Allin and granddaughter of Thomas Owen of Williamsburg, the colonial capital.    Allen became a longstanding family given name.    Most of their children were born in Nottoway Parish of Amelia or in neighboring Prince Edward and Lunenberg counties where Gideon owned properties that, like his father, exceeded 1,000 acres.

Gideon lived in Nottoway Parish on May 23, 1752 when he bought from Samuel Goode 449 acres along Osborn’s Branch on the “lower side” of Saylor’s Creek – the future site of a Civil War battle – that included a Massie cousin among its neighbors. The witnesses were William and Warren Walker, cousins of Gideon’s wife Ursula, and Charles Johnson, Gideon’s cousin.

On April 9, 1757, Gideon for 24 pounds sold his brother-in-law John Morgan of Cumberland Co. – who married Ursula’s sister Elizabeth – 200 acres of the original Samuel Goode purchase. The land then lay partly in Amelia and partly in Prince Edward Co., which had been created out of Amelia in 1753. This deed places Gideon’s home site 20 miles due east of Farmville, VA near where Saylor’s Creek crosses the Amelia-Prince Edward boundary.

Gideon Sr. witnessed the will of John Watkins April 20, 1762 in Prince Edward Co.,1 but he soon prepared to move south. He was expelled from the Quaker meeting before the family left for NC.

Land records indicate the move occurred by 1764 because Gideon is shown as a resident of Rowan Co., NC on Nov. 3 when he sold his home place of 249 acres on Saylor’s Creek to Col. Thomas Tabb of Amelia with his cousins Ashley Johnson and John Johnson Jr. as witnesses. (A deed disposing of the Lunenberg Co. land has not been located.)

Gideon and his family quickly established themselves in their Dan River Valley home, which was in Rowan Co. at the time, but became part of Guilford Co. in 1771 and eventually Rockingham Co., NC.

In Rowan Co. in 1765, Gideon received an original land grant six miles due west of Wentworth, NC on the south side of the Dan River. That year, daughter Elizabeth married James Wray. And on March 19, 1765, he bought 250 acres on the south side of the Dan River from Peter and Agnes Wilson Perkins of Pittsylvania Co., VA for 120 pounds of English money.

Rowan Co., NC records show Gideon witnessed a land deed from Perkins to Joel Warren, a distant relative of Ursula, for 125 pounds VA money to sell 250 acres on the south side of the Dan River on the same day that Gideon bought his farm. Gideon's neighbors were James Gates and James Presnell of Orange Co., NC, who also bought land from Peter and Agnes Perkins in 1768.

Gideon was a small-scale slaveholder. In the 1790 Rockingham census, he appears to have been living with son Gideon Jr., and that household had two slaves while son William lived nearby with a single slave. In 1793, the records of Granville Co., NC show Gideon – either Sr. or Jr. – bought a slave boy named Nelson from Richard Whitehead of Mecklenburg Co., VA for 39 pounds.      Gideon’s properties lined the south side of Dan River and Moses Creek.

By 1790, daughter Elizabeth Wray and her family also lived adjacent to Gideon and Ursula, but both son Abner and daughter Ursula Pillow had moved west to Nashville, TN. The neighborhood was dominated by the numerous family of Joel and Sarah Allen Walker – Ursula’s sister and her husband, who was also Ursula’s first cousin. Also living adjacent to Gideon was Susannah Scurry, Ursula’s sister and the widow of John Butler and Eli Scurry.

DB 3, p.202 4 Jan 1785 Gideon Johnston, attorney in fact for Sarah DeGraffenreid of Cumberland Co VA sold 400 acres to Turbyfield Barnes. Land where William Langston Lewis lived. North side of Dan River. Richard Sharp, Turbyfield Barnes, James Holderness line, James Galloway. [Land granted to her in Deed Book 2, p.94]

Gideon died in October 1807 in Rockingham at age 90; his will was proven at the November court.    All five sons of Gideon served the colonial cause in the Revolutionary War.

Of Gideon Johnston and Ursula Allen’s family (a couple of generations only posted - any further info welcomed!)

1. Capt. Gideon JOHNSTON * (b.11 Oct 1717-Henrico Co,VA d.Oct-Nov 1807-Rockingham Co.,NC)
sp: Ursula (Nancy Ursula) ALLEN OR ALLIN * (b.16 Feb 1727/1728 m.1748 d.1808)
 |-2. William Allen JOHNSTON (b.17 Dec 1749 d.8 Feb 1830)
 | sp: Sarah MCCLAREN (m.4 Mar 1773)
 |  |-3. Alexander JOHNSTON (b.14 Apr 1782-Rockingham Co,NC/Davidson Co,NC d.7 Feb 1857-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |  | sp: Mary Jessaline "Polly" BALLANFANT (m.6 Aug 1805)
 |  |-3. John JOHNSTON (b.1783 d.Aft 1850-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |  | sp: Elizabeth ARNOLD (m.unknown(div))
 |  | sp: Mary BEAVER (m.18 Jan 1843)
 |  |-3. Celia JOHNSTON (b.25 Oct 1776-Guilford Co.(Now Rockingham),North Carolina)
 |  | sp: John SANDERS
 |  +-3. Mary JOHNSTON (b.31 Mar 1784-Rockingham Co,NC/Davidson Co,NC d.25 Mar 1859-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |    sp: Benjamin DAVIS
 |-2. Mary "Ursula" JOHNSTON * (b.1751-Amelia Co.,Virginia d.1822/1830-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 | sp: * JOHN PILLOW Rev. War (b.1745-Amelia County,VA m.Abt 1770 d.Oct 1793-Nashville,TN)
 |  |-3. Col. William PILLOW (b.Jan 1772-Guilford Co.(Now Rockingham),North Carolina d.May 1868-Maury Co.Tennessee)
 |  | sp: (first wife, name unknown)
  |  | sp: Portia THOMAS (2nd Wife) (m.19 Dec 1812)
 |  |-3. Elizabeth Ann PILLOW (b.1774-Guilford Co.,North Carolina.)
 |  | sp: William MURRAY (m.16 Jul 1795)
 |  | sp: Thomas Latchin DUE
 |  |-3. Gideon PILLOW (b.30 Sep 1774-Guilford County,North Carolina d.20 Feb 1830-Columbia,Maury County,Tennessee)
 |  | sp: Anne PAYNE (b.20 Feb 1777 d.10 Apr 1864)
 |  |-3. Mordecai PILLOW (b.Abt 1776 d.Maybe 1837-one source states died in Kentucky)
 |  | sp: Mary Baker JOHNSTON (married a "cousin") (b.17 Nov 1782 m.4 Aug 1808)
 |  |-3. Mary "Polly" PILLOW (b.19 Feb 1777-Rockingham Co.,NC d.3 Jan 1867-Almaville,Rutherford Co.,Tennessee(at home of dau))
 |  | sp: Hartwell M. MILES (b.17 Apr 1774-Cumberland Co,VA m.13 May 1798 d.7 Mar 1839-Rutherford County,NC)
 |  |-3. Ursula PILLOW (b.1780)
 |  | sp: Capt. William RAINS (b.1773 m.9 Sep 1795 d.12 Oct 1812-Davidson Co.,Tennessee)
 |  |-3. JOHN, Jr. PILLOW * (b.25 May 1781-Rockingham Co.,NC d.20 Jul 1854-Giles Co.,TN)
 |  | sp: Mary FITZPATRICK * (b.1781-Stokes County,NC m.29 May 1806 d.2 Oct 1850-Giles Co.)
 |  |-3. Maj. Abner PILLOW (War of 1812) (b.23 Jan 1784-Rockingham County,NC d.25 Oct 1860-Columbia,Maury County,TN)
 |  | sp: Mary S. THOMAS (Portia's sister) (b.20 Jul 1788-Cumberland Co,VA m.31 Mar 1808 d.1828-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |  +-3. Barbary PILLOW
 |-2. Gideon (Jr.) JOHNSTON (b.7 Nov 1754-Amelia Co.,Virginia d.1 Nov 1843-Davidson Co,TN)
 | sp: Mary Baker DEGRAFFENREID (b.3 Sep 1764-Lunenburg County,VA d.1823-Davidson Co.,TN near Nashville)
 |  |-3. Sarah JOHNSTON (b.9 Oct 1780)
 |  | sp: William HUBBARD
 |  |-3. Mary Baker JOHNSTON (married a "cousin") (b.17 Nov 1782)
 |  | sp: Mordecai PILLOW (b.Abt 1776 m.4 Aug 1808 d.Maybe 1837-one source states died in Kentucky)
 |  |-3. Nancy JOHNSTON (b.14 Jun 1784 d.1868)
 |  | sp: George CHADWELL
 |  |-3. Ursula JOHNSTON (b.13 Dec 1787)
 |  | sp: Charles Powhatan MAY
 |  |-3. Peter Benjamin JOHNSTON (b.8 Apr 1790)
 |  |-3. Jane "Jincey" JOHNSTON (b.13 Sep 1795-Rockingham Co.,NC d.31 Oct 1885-Trenton,Fannin Co. TX)
 |  | sp: David C. CHADWELL (b.22 Dec 1790-Rockingham Co.,NC d.3 Jan 1872-Fannom Co.,TX)
 |  |-3. Elizabeth JOHNSTON (b.13 Oct 1797)
 |  | sp: Valentine CHADWELL
 |  |-3. Elinor "Elsie" JOHNSTON (b.4 Dec 1800)
 |  | sp: Nathaniel BELL
 |  |-3. Tabitha Allen JOHNSTON (b.26 Jun 1803 d.15 Jul 1878-Yalobusha Co.,MS)
 |  | sp: Robert Booker MAY
 |  +-3. William Weakley JOHNSTON (b.10 Oct 1807 d.3 Mar 1874-Williamson Co.,Tn)
 |    sp: Sarah Kearney ALSTON
 |-2. Abner JOHNSTON (b.1758 d.22 Oct 1850-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 | sp: Nancy BRACKETT (m.1783)
 |  |-3. Mary JOHNSTON (b.1784-Rockingham Co.,NC d.Sep 1870-Christian County,MO.)
 |  |-3. Elizabeth JOHNSTON (b.1786-North Carolina d.1862-Tennessee)
 |  |-3. Gideon JOHNSTON (b.1787-Rockingham Co.,NC d.Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |  |-3. William Allen JOHNSTON (b.1789 d.1819-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
 |  |-3. Ursula JOHNSTON (b.1791)
 |  |-3. Abner (Jr.) JOHNSTON (b.Dec 1792)
 |  |-3. JOHNSTON (b.1796 d.9 Dec 1839)
 |  |-3. Peter Benjamin JOHNSTON (b.1798)
 |  |-3. Mordecai JOHNSTON (b.Cal 1800)
 |  |-3. Nancy JOHNSTON (b.1802-Davidson Co,TN)
 |  |-3. Sarah Ann JOHNSTON
 |  +-3. Aurora B. JOHNSTON
 |-2. Elizabeth JOHNSTON
 | sp: James WRAY (RAY) (m.1765 d.1806)
 |  |-3. Sarah WRAY (RAY)
 |  | sp: Jean (John) BELLANFANT
 |  |-3. Ursula WRAY (RAY)
 |  |-3. Jane WRAY (RAY)
 |  |-3. Parson WRAY (RAY)
 |  |-3. Payton WRAY (RAY)
 |  |-3. Pleasant WRAY (RAY)
 |  +-3. William WRAY (RAY)
 |-2. Peter Benjamin JOHNSTON (b.1766 d.1855-Henry County,TN)
 | sp: Nancy HUBBARD
 |-2. Mordecai Morgan JOHNSTON
 |-2. Nancy JOHNSTON
 |-2. Judith JOHNSTON
 +-2. Naomi JOHNSTON

If you are related, or have information to share,  please feel free to contact me.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  The Pillow’s (continued)

John and Ursula Johnston Pillow’s children were:  

1)    Col. William PILLOW (b.Jan 1772-Guilford Co.(Now Rockingham),North Carolina d.May 1868-Maury Co.Tennessee)
 | sp: (first wife, name unknown)
  | sp: Portia THOMAS (2nd Wife) (m.19 Dec 1812)
2)      Elizabeth Ann PILLOW (b.1774)
 | sp: William MURRAY (m.16 Jul 1795)
 | sp: Thomas DUE
3)    Gideon PILLOW (b.30 Sep 1774-Guilford County,North Carolina d.20 Feb 1830-Columbia,Maury County,Tennessee)
 | sp: Annie PAYNE (b.20 Feb 1777 d.10 Apr 1864)
4)      Mordecai PILLOW (b.Abt 1776 d.Maybe 1837-one source states died in Kentucky)
 | sp: Mary Baker JOHNSTON (b.17 Nov 1782 m.4 Aug 1808)
5)    Mary "Polly" PILLOW (b.19 Feb 1777-Rockingham Co.,NC d.3 Jan 1867-Almaville,Rutherford Co.,Tennessee(at home of dau))
 | sp: Hartwell M. MILES (b.17 Apr 1774-Cumberland Co,VA m.13 May 1798 d.7 Mar 1839-Rutherford County,NC)
6)     Ursula PILLOW (b.1780)
 | sp: William RAINS (b.1773 m.9 Sep 1795 d.12 Oct 1812-Davidson Co.,Tennessee)
7)     JOHN, Jr. PILLOW * (b.25 May 1781-Rockingham Co.,NC d.20 Jul 1854-Giles Co.,TN)
 | sp: MARY FITZPATRICK * (b.1781-Stokes County,NC m.29 May 1806 d.2 Oct 1850-Giles Co.)
8)     Maj. Abner PILLOW (War of 1812) (b.23 Jan 1784-Rockingham County,NC d.25 Oct 1860-Columbia,Maury County,TN)
 | sp: Mary S. THOMAS (b.20 Jul 1788-Cumberland Co,VA m.31 Mar 1808 d.1828-Maury Co.,Tennessee)
9)      Barbary PILLOW
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