The Gadsden Times
Gadsden, Alabama
18 February, 1967

Lore From Hills of Home
By Jerry Jones

Gilliland Family Among Early Settlers Here

    A family that has played an important part in the development of the country is the Gillilands.
    John Gilliland and his wife Rebecca McBrayer were among the first settlers in the Bristows Cove region. This area was originally located in Blount County and became a part of Marshall when that county was created in 1836, and became a part of Etowah in 1867.
    The Gilliland family came from Ireland and first settled in Pennsylvania. They migrated to North and South Carolina and eventually into Tennessee and Alabama.
    John Gilliland married Rebecca McBrayer, daughter of David and Mary Young McBrayer, April 10, 1811. They lived near Cow Pens, S. C. and in Buncombe County, N. C. before moving into Tennessee where they lived about one year.
    They came down the Tennessee River on flat rafts and landed at Guntersville. They lived for a short time where Albertville is now located and in 1822 moved to Bristows Cove where they lived until John’s death in 1835. He is buried on his farm near Bristow Creek.
    After her husband’s death Rebecca moved, with her parents, to Little Wills Valley where she entered a large tract of land just north of Attala, and lived there until her death in 1849. She is buried in the Bethany Cemetery in Reece City.
    John and Rebecca Gilliland were the parents of five children. First Byers Doyle, born Sept. 14, 1814 and died in 1850 leaving a widow, Elizabeth and three sons and one daughter, John E., Nathaniel, James H. and Margaret Jane.
    The second son was Wiley Buford Gilliland, born May 10, 1816, and who died in 1875. He married Nov. 18, 1838, Martha Burnett, daughter of John and Jerusha Davis Burnett. They first lived on Lookout Mountain where the District Five T. B. Hospital is now located and later moved to Rainbow Drive. They are buried in the Old Harmony Cemetery. They are the great-great grandparents of the writer of this column.
    Their children were: Matilda, 1840-1931, married Joshua Patrick; Lucy, born 1841, married John Shepherd; John W., 1843-1929, married Nancy McCauley; Mary J. born 1844, married Ab Myrick and moved to Texas; Ella J., 1846-1901, married first John W. Bentley and second Andrew J. Owens;  David Cauis, born 1848, married Miss M. C. McCauley, both died in Texas; Andrew Jackson (Jack), 1850-1939, married Mary Jane Bentley; Elmma [or Elmina], 1851-1950, married John Dismukes; Margaret, 1855-1937, married Joe F. Gaines; Georgiana, 1857-1909, married Edmond Clayton Jones; Thomas Oliver, 1860-1935, married first Celli Gray and second Delia Evans.
    The third son of John and Rebecca Gilliland was David McBrayer Gilliland, born May 7, 1818, died July 5, 1900. He married Nov. 9, 1844, Sophornia E. Ross, daughter of Jesse Ross. They lived in Little Wills Valley and several of their descendants still live on their old farm.
    They were the parents of seven children: John Ross, 1845-1922, married Parthena J. Shepherd; Mercer Ervin, 1847-1912, married Mary Stephens; Alexander A., 1838-1926, married Harriett Gilbert (they were the parents of the late Judge H. Ross Gilliland); Jess Edwin, 1850-1927, married Mary A. Sitz (grandparents of Mayor Lesley Gilliland); Francis M., born 1851, married Edith Shahan; Rebecca J., 1852-1871; and Walter F. 1854-1890, married Viola May Brock.
    The daughters of John and Rebecca Gilliland were Mary Jane, 1828-1901, married John Rink. They had no children. Amanda, born 1831, married David N. Patterson and was mother of John D., Henry C., Francis M., and Jasper Patterson and possible others. This family moved to Texas.

-transcription by Kate Maynard, 2013