Kate’s notes: This is an interesting document because the Samuel Gilliland whose will is transcribed below was a difficult man to pin down in the historical records. I still have no idea as to his pedigree or immediate family; though at first I thought he must be connected in some way to the William S. Gilliland family of Charleston I have not been able to substantiate this theory.
    Census records show that Samuel, who was single, lived for periods of time with different families and held a variety of jobs. With one family his occupation was described as “Cooker”. The last family with whom he resided was the Chilton family and I simply could not decipher what was recorded in the 1880 census as his occupation (see the 1880 census for Joseph B. Chilton of Kanawha County, West Virginia). He was, however, obviously close to the the Chiltons, leaving to Joseph Chilton’s son John his entire estate.
    The Chiltons were quite a prominent family in the area and owned some estates now in the historic register. Interestingly enough, the Payne family may have had land dealings with the family of William S. Gilliland; hence, my suspicions about some connection to that line. But with so little solid evidence to go on and nothing clarifying even in the will – nor any monument to mark his grave -  Samuel remains a mystery.  Bearing the name of Samuel Gilliland in Ohio, West Virginia or Pennsylvania is akin to being named “John Smith”. What little we do know, according to census records, is that this Samuel claims to have been born in Virginia in 1815. Here again one must be careful with the records for he may have been born in that part of Virginia which became West Virginia in 1863. There exist large clans of Gillilands on both sides of the border and not all are related.
   There are a number of Chilton family trees on the web; one of the better ones I have read can be viewed here: http://dcodriscoll.pbworks.com/w/page/38110826/Chilton_(II)
   As must be expected of handwritten documents of the time, there are curious uses of capitalization and punctuation. I have not changed any of the original presentation in my transcription. Any portions for which I have any doubt have been placed within brackets.

The will of Samuel Gilliland, Kanawha County, W. Virginia, 1891

   Know All Men by these presents, that I Samuel Gilliland of Spring Hill in the County of Kanawha and State of West Virginia being of sound and disposing mind and memory do make public and declare this to be my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former Wills by me at any time heretofore made, And as to my worldly estate and all the property, real, personal or mixed of which I shall die seized and possessed, or to which I shall be entitled at the time of my deceased, I devise, bequeath and dispose thereof in the manner following, To Wit:
   My Will is that my Executor shall bury my body without funeral, except the Methodist form of burial shall be read at the grave, I further state that I do not want tombstones or board to be placed to mark my grave.
1st  I give, devise and bequeath all my property both real and personal of which I shall die seized and possessed or to which I shall be entitled to at the time of my decease to John Steptoe Chilton and Fannie Payne Chilton his wife, to have and to hold forever, And lastly I do nominate and appoint John Steptoe Chilton to be the Executor of this my last Will and Testament.
   In Witness Whereof, I the said Samuel Gilliland have to this my last Will and Testament consisting of one sheet of paper subscribed my name and affixed my Seal this 16th day of March in the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Eight hundred and Ninety one. 

                                                                                                           his
                                                                                              Samuel X Gilliland  {Seal}
                                                                                                          Mark

   Signed, Sealed, published and declared by the said Samuel Gilliland as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us, who at his request and in his presence of each other have subscribed our names as Witnesses thereto
                                                                                                      Witnesses
                                                                                                   J. B. Whittington
                                                                                                  W. N. [Lalley]

In Vacation
   Kanawha County Court Clerks Office, April 7th 1898
   A Paper Writing purporting to be the last Will and Testament of Samuel Gilliland deceased late of said County was this day presented to the Clerk of said Court for Probate and the same being duly sworn by the Oaths of J. B. Whittington and W. N. [Lally] subscribing witnesses thereto is thereupon admitted to Probate and ordered to be recorded and filed as and as for the last Will and Testament of said decendent.

                                                                                                          Teste
                                                                                                E. W. Staunton Clerk
                                                                                                Kanawha County Court

Please do not publish this transcription elsewhere without credit to the transcriber, preferably with express permission of same. If used as a citation, please attribute to the following:
Transcriber: Kate Maynard, 2013
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