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_________________________________________________August 16,1973
_________________________________________________Charlottesville,
Virginia
To All Gillenwaters; .
I have spent about ten years on research of the Gillenwater
Family. For instance, it took me many years to locate the Family
Bible. I did find it and obtained photostats of all the entries.
The Gillenwaters were mountain people and as usual with mountain
people, they kept their own business to themselves. So doing a
genea- logical research is extremely difficult.
The Gillenwaters were in Southwest Virginia during Danile's
Boone's time, and as the records indicate many years after.
I have taken you back to old Elijah. If any of you ambitious
Gill- enwaters want to check further then check out old "Elijah".
Old Elijah is in the History Books, "History of Southwest
Virginia" Washington County, by Summers, 1777-1870, and he's listed as
"Justice of the Peace" December 17,1793.
There are really two branches of Gillenwaters, one from Clinch
Valley and one from the Holston Valley. However, I am sure they all
came from the same ancestor, Elijah.
My cousin, Evalyn Manley checked the Washington County records
and found the older Elijah's will. I am not going to quote this will
for it is a permanent record in Washington County and the Virginia
State Library.
Elijah left the management of his estate to Elijah Jr. He left
the balance of his estate to the following children; Wesley, Shela,
Joel, Nancy, Thomas, Rachael, and Mysanah. This will was dated 19
June 1831. Martin W. Gillenwater has given us a good account of the
Clinch Valley Gillenwaters. It is easy to see from Martin's account
that the two Gill- enwaters families "Clinch Valley" and "Holston
Valley" came from the same ancestor.
I ahve left a lot of room for further genealogical research in
case any of the Gillenwater family is interested. Although I haven't
quoted authorities all of my facts have been authenticated. Perhaps
some of the Gillenwater girls would like to belong to the "Daughters
of the American Revolution" or the "United Daughters of the
Confederacy". I think you would possibly be eligible.
The Gillenwater men have taken part in most all the wars America
has been involved in. Some of them wounded, killed in action,
prosoners of war, etc. I only hope that all their efforts have done
some good for this country and that someday all of us can live in
peace in some "Holston Valley" or "Clinch Valley".
Right now, there are numerous Gillenwaters in Arkansas and in
Washing- ton State as well as Virginia. Who knows what brother they
came from.
There are many Negro Gillenwaters who took their anme from our
ancestors.
Our ancestors supposedly came from England, around Liverpool
area. Bu if any of you try to trace that far back you're going to run
into three names; Gillingwater, Gillenwaters, Gillenwater. Then
its going to get confusing.
Good luck to all of you and my thanks to my cousins, all of them,
especially Evanlyn Manley and George Gillenwater.
________________________________Written by,
_________________________________________Joseph R. Gillenwater
_______________"The Holston Valley Gillenwaters"
______________________________________Joseph R. Gillenwater
My Father, Joseph A. Gillenwater, and myself visited the old
family Cemetery below Holston, Virginia on October 29, 1967.
The Cemetery is located along the bank of the North Fork of the
Holston River on the old Gillenwaters farm.
The best way to locate the Cenetery is to take Route #19 from
Aning- don, Virginia to Holston, Virginia, cross the Holston River and
turn left on State Route 802 towrd Mendota for approximately four
miles. The Cemetery is located on the left about 1/2 mile from the
road along the river.
My Father and I talked to Earnest Gillenwater, son of George
Robert Gillenwater, who still runs his Father's farm and is the only
Gillenwater left living in the area.
Earnest told us that he and some friends had recently cleaned off
the brush in the Cemetery but they had not burned it.
My Father and I continued on to the Cemetery and Ilisted all the
graves that were legible. There are two main graves, apparently the
first and original graves, behind an iron fence. I assume from county
records this is Elijah's grave and his wife's. One can assume they
are ancestors of the older Joel Gillenwaters, however, the stones
have deter- iorated and are not legible,
Most of teh Gillenwaters are buried in one end of the Cemetery
and apparently the married relations buried in the other end. One
could assume from the markers and their placement these other facts;
Joel Gillenwaters born September 17, 1781 and died December 17, 1865,
was apparently the Father of George L. and therefore my Fathers
Great-Grandfather. Lucy Gillenwaters died July 23, 1860 at age 69
years, 6 months, and 6 days, was buried beside Joel so was apparently
his wife., and my Father's Great- Grandmother.
Lucretia Ann, wife of J.P. Revis is buried beside Joel B. and
Beside them is a grave of "infant son of J.B. and L.A. Gillenwaters",
as Joel B. died in 1883 and Lucretia Ann in 1896, one can assume she
was Joel B.'s widow and later married J.P. Revis.
In Genealogical research, all facts should be supported by proof,
therefore all the assumptions that I have made above, though logical,
may not be true and I will try to prove these facts through research
in State and County records at a later date.
Normally my Father could give me more information, however, he
left hme at about age 13, therefore, his information is not too
complete.
____________________________________Joseph R. Gillenwater