Person:Rebecca Berry (13)

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~berry/newupload/pages/B6.htm

B.6. Rebecca Berry {B.6.}

       Rebecca Berry {B.6.} was born at an unknown date and location. Based on the 1810 census results, it can be determined only that she was born sometime prior to 1765. Her father (the elder John Berry) was living in Augusta County, Virginia by 1753, so if she was born after that date, her birthplace is definitely Augusta County, Virginia. However, if she was born before 1753, the only definitive statement concerning her birthplace is that it occurred either in Scotland, northern Ireland, Pennsylvania or Virginia. She got married in either late 1770 or early 1771 to Jacob Gillespie, and if she was in her early to mid 20's, which seems to be the typical age for women to get married, then her birth date can be estimated as being sometime between 1745 to 1750. If so, it seems likely that Rebecca Berry was born before the family moved to Augusta County.

   Rebecca was identified as Rebecca Berry in her father's 1770 will, but when his estate was settled 11 years later in 1781, no Rebecca Berry was listed. Instead, there were three women named Rebecca (Rebecca Buchanan, Rebecca Kelly and Rebecca Gillespie), so, clearly, sometime between 1770 and 1781, she married a man with a last name of Buchanan, Kelly or Gillespie. There are several lines of evidence indicating that Rebecca married Jacob Gillespie. In the first place, Rebecca Berry was left £20 in her father's 1770 will. Rebecca Gillesy (Gillespie) received £20 in the 1781 estate settlement, while both Rebecca Kelly and Rebecca Buchanan each received just over £2. This monetary distribution strongly suggests that Rebecca married the man named Gillespie. Another line of evidence consists of several undocumented sources, which note that Rebecca married Jacob Gillespie (1751 - 1760), a son of Thomas and Eleanor Gillespie, and lived in Bath County, Virginia until her death.295,296,297,298,299,300 Another evidence string is the presence of a John Berry, living in Bath County in the household of a Gillespie who was, in all likelihood, related to Jacob Gillepsie.102,302 This John Berry is most likely a nephew of Rebecca's from Augusta County, and his presence in a Gillespie household in Bath County seems to indirectly confirm that Rebecca married Jacob Gillespie. Finally, the most definitive evidence comes from several land sales in the 1820's that mention Jacob and Rebecca together. 

   Based on the information from her father's will and the estate settlement, the date of her marriage can be broadly bracketed as occurring sometime between 1770 and 1781. However, when the birth date of her oldest child is considered, the range can be narrowed to the time period between late 1770 and early 1771, which probably means that the marriage took place in Augusta County, Virginia. From the Augusta and Bath County tax listings, which will be discussed below, it can be seen that their oldest son turned 21, and therefore of taxable age, between 1791 and 1792. His birth date, thus, can be calculated as occurring in 1772. It follows that Rebecca and Jacob's marriage must have taken place between the time when her father's will was written in the fall of 1770, and when their first child was born in 1772.

  Rebecca (Berry) Gillespie lived in Bath County, Virginia, and passed away near present day Greenbank, Pocahontas County, West Virginia in 1825, sometime after March. Until 1821, this area was part of Bath County, Virginia, and, of course, during the Civil War, this part of Virginia became a separate state. Rebecca was probably buried in a local cemetery or on the family farm. Jacob most likely remained on the farm after the death of his wife, passing away in 1829. He was probably buried next to his wife.295,296

Partial Timeline of Rebecca Berry and Jacob Gillespie (complete timeline at source)

1782

Augusta County, Virginia Tax Listing 

Jacob Gillespie 1 poll/ no slaves

29 May 1783

Bath County, Virginia Deed Book 2, page 461 

These excerpts are from the indenture agreements made between Jacob Gillespie Sr. and his sons when Jacob Sr. sold segments of his 400 acre tract on Deer Creek. They both deal with the same parcel, and both were signed by Jacob Sr. … part of four hundred acres first granted to Jacob Gillespy the 29th day of May 1783 … … part of a tract of four hundred acres first granted to Thomas Lewis by patent dated the 29th day of May 1783 and by him conveyed to the said Jacob Gillespy by deed of bargain and sale dated the ___ day of ___ 17__ , lying on a branch of Back Creek waters of Greenbrier River ...

01 June 1785

Augusta County, Virginia, Will Book 6, page 230 

Thomas Gillespy's will--To wife, Eleanor; to eldest son, John; to son, Thomas; to son, Jacob; to son. Samuel; to daughter, Mary Donally; daughter, Hannah Jones; daughter, Jene _____; to youngest daughters, Eleanor and Ann; to youngest sons, James and William, tract on Stuart's Creek, of Cowpasture River. Executors, sons James and William and wife Eleanor. Teste: William Connell, Zachariah Beall, Leavin Nealls, Andrew McCasling. Codicil, 13th November, 1786-- £15 to be taken from Eleanor and given to her son, Thomas, a boy 3-4 year old. for his schooling, and if James shall die without issue, then his part of land to go to William. Teste as before (Leavin Nicalls). Proved, 15th June, 1790, by Connell and McCaslin. William and Eleanor Gillaspey, the surviving executors, qualify.

13 June 1789

Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book 26, Page 323 

Thomas Cartmill and Mary to Abraham Ingram, 358 acres by survey 13th June, 1780, on a east branch of Greenbrier, called Deer or Warrick's Creek, the mine bank; corner Jacob Gallaspie. Delivered: John Warrick, 4th September, 1797.

1789

Augusta County, Virginia Deed Book 26, page 327 

Thomas ( ) Jarvis and Elizabeth to Jacob Gillespy, Deer or Warrick's Creek. Teste: Thos. Cartmill, Abraham ( ) Ingraham, David Moore

10 Aug. 1801

Bath County Virginia, Deed Books 2 and 3 

These are excerpts from the indenture between Jacob Gillespy, Sr. and his son John. They establish the date at which the 100 acres was originally purchased, as well as it's location. … two certain parcels of land lying and being in the said county of Bath and joining said Jacob Gillespy's land, one hundred acres part of four hundred acres first granted to the said Jacob Gillespy the 29th day of May 1783 … The other parcel containing one hundred and twenty acres joining the former being part of a tract of one hundred and sixty six acres granted to Jacob Gillespy Sr. by patent dated the 10th day of August 1801 …

04 Oct. 1806

Bath County, Virgiinia Marriage Bonds and Ministers Returns  

Marriage Bond: John Burner and Jane Gillaspy Surety: Jacob Gillaspy Jacob Gillaspy, Sr. consents for daughter, Jane Witness: John Gillaspy

30 Mar. 1825

Pocahontas County, West Virginia, General Index to Deeds and 

Miscellaneous, 1825 Book 1, page 155, Grantors from 1822 Pocahontas County Court Clerks Office This deed of bargain and sale from Jacob Gillespie & Rebecca his wife to William Kerr was presented in the clerks office and the acknowledgment and private examination being legally certified by Patrick Bruffey & Benjamin Tallman Justices of the Peace in the said county, was admitted to record. Teste Josiah Beard Clk

1829

Pocahontas County,  West Virginia, Superior Court,  

Suit, James GILLESPIE VS Jacob GILLESPIE Heirs To the Honorable Allen Taylor, Judge of the Superior Court of Chancery holden at Lewisburg James GILLESPIE of the County of Pocahontas respectfully states that on the 19th day of December 1825 a certain Jacob GILLESPIE (who departed this life not long since), your orator's father, executed to him a title bond for Two Hundred and Forty Six acres of land on Deer Creek in the County of Pocahontas which title bond your orator prays may be taken and read (Marked A) as part of this his bill. Your orator states that he was the youngest and only child who lived with his father until his death. His mother died some years since. All his other children being provided for after they had left him and in order to make provision for your orator and for an in consideration of the natural love and affection which his father has and possessed towards him gave him the title bond aforesaid for the land aforesaid who afterwards departed this life intestate leaving the following children and grand children, to wit: John, Betsy, Patsy, James, Polly, Rachel, infant children of Jacob GILLESPIE who was a son of Jacob GILLESPIE the elder, Alexander GILLESPIE, Rachel SUTTON wife of John SUTTON, Peggy BURNER wife of Adam BURNER now of the State of Ohio, John GILLESPIE of the State of Ten(n)essee, Jamima Tallman wife of James Tallman, Thomas GILLESPIE of Kanawha County, Joshua BURNER son of Jane BURNER who was a daughter of Jacob GILLESPIE, dec'd, Samuel GILLISPIE of Ten(n)essee, Rebecca, Robert and Jacob STUART, infants and children of Elizabeth STUART dec'd who was the daughter of said Jacob GILLESPIE, Rebecca BEALE wife of Thomas BEALE, late Rebecca GILLESPIE, Sarah SAMMONS wife of Richard SAMMONS late Sara GILLESPIE, Nancy KERR wife of William KERR late Nancy GILLESPIE. To the end therefore that the aforesaid named persons may be made Defendants to this bill and upon their corporal oaths true and perfect answer make to the several allegations herein before stated the same as if again repeated and interrogated, and that they may be compelled to convey in fee simple all their right and title in and to the aforesaid tract of land to your orator and that your Honor will grant unto your orator such other and further relief in the premises as may be consistent with equity and the nature of his case an in duty bound will our prayer GEO. Mayse P. (?). John A. North, Esq. Will issue subpoenas for the above named persons who reside in this state. G. Mayse

1.   Birth year estimated based on estimated birth years of her children (an unusually large range of years, which means some of the estimates might be incorrect).