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James GILCHRIST

Male 1799 - 1876  (~ 77 years)


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  • Name James GILCHRIST 
    Birth Between 4 Nov 1798 and 4 Nov 1799  Lanarkshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Gender Male 
    Death 13 Oct 1876  Fulton County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Burial Leiters Ford IOOF Cemetery, Leiters Ford, Fulton County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • (1) Elizabeth Ann Grubb:

      NOTES:

      Family tradition had reported that James GILCHRIST emigrated from Glasgow, SCOTLAND with two brothers, arriving in New York when James was about 21 years of age and still unmarried. Per the family stories, James and his brothers became separated in New York City. There were varying reports as to how many and which of the brothers were eventually reunited; the most commonly told story in compiler's immediate family was that James was the brother who never found the others.

      Discovery of naturalization records in Jefferson County, IN brought to light several errors in the traditional report. Per his first and second papers, James was "a native of 'Lenockshire' SCOTLAND" (assumed to be Lanarkshire). He testified that he emigrated from Glasgow in May of 1821 and landed in Baltimore, rather than N.Y., "the last of June 1821."

      Two attempts have been made to locate Passenger Arrival Records for James. The first brought a "no records" response after a search of indexes at National Archives. The second request was made after finding a James GILCHRIST listed in "Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Baltimore 1820-1834" (Tepper and Bentley). A copy of the quarterly report for the ship "Meridian" was obtained from N.A. which shows a James GILCHRIST, "age 23, Male, Farmer," arrived in Baltimore 30 June 1821. This ship, however, embarked from Belfast, IRELAND, and this passenger was reported as belonging to "IRELAND" rather than SCOTLAND. It is possible that James went from Glasgow to Belfast to await a ship's departure for the U.S., but there has been no confirmation that this is the James GILCHRIST sought by compiler.

      There is one other GILCHRIST on the same page in Tepper's book - a "Samuel GILCHRIST, 29, (of) SCOTLAND," who arrived on the "Meridian" 30 Sept. 1823. There is no evidence that this is a brother to James GILCHRIST.

      Nothing is known of James from his arrival at Baltimore until his marriage to Mary ANDERSON, 13 August 1826, in Jefferson County, IN. Mary's eldest brother, John ANDERSON, was apparently the first of that family to emigrate from SCOTLAND. By 1819, the rest of the ANDERSON family had arrived in INDIANA, and by 1822, both of Mary's parents had died in Jefferson County. Her father's property in that county had been left to Mary and her younger brother, Thomas, the only two of his children remaining single at the time of his death in 1822.

      James and Mary may have resided on the ANDERSON property for the first few years of their marriage. Thomas, Mary's young brother, married in 1833. In October, 1835, James GILCHRIST purchased 92 acres in close proximity to the ANDERSON farm in Hanover Township. This land purchase was not recorded until July, 1845. In June, one month earlier, James had agreed to purchase about 250 acres of land in Fulton Co. in north central INDIANA, from a Jefferson County neighbor, James ROBB (also a SCOT by birth). The following November, ROBB purchased the GILCHRISTs' land in Jeffrson Co. from James and Mary.

      Although there has been little evidence that James and Mary GILCHRIST were very active in the church, they were married by Andrew ISAACS, the minister of the Carmel Congregation of the Associate Presbyterian Church (aka the "Seceder Church"). Their young daughter, Elizabeth, lies buried in the cemetery which adjoined this church, near the GILCHRIST and the ANDERSON properties. The records of this church show "James GILCHRIST family removed March 18th 1846." James ROBB also removed from the church in March, 1846.

      The exact time of the GILCHRISTs' departure from Jefferson County is not known. James served as a witness for Thomas ANDERSON and young Alexander PARK at the transfer of their joint property to Wm. PARK in that county 17 March 1846. The next record found of the James GILCHRIST family is the U.S. Census for 1850 in Rochester Twp., Fulton County, IN.

      James and Mary remained in Rochester Twp. until their deaths in 1876 and 1877, respectively. In 1853, they sold their original Fulton Co. land (250 acres) to the Cincinnati, Peru and Chicago Railroad. In June 1854, James purchased 240 acres from Wm. MACKEY in the same township. In 1860, 180 acres of this land were transferred to the GILCHRISTs' two sons, James, Jr. and Thomas. In March 1860, the remaining 60 acres were sold to their daughter Jennett/Janet, after her marriage to Christopher CAMPBELL. (A Civil Court case against Christopher CAMPBELL and James GILCHRIST by the State of INDIANA concerning this land appeared in court record indexes for 1871-1872. Compiler has been unable to locate the actual court records to determine the nature of that suit, but it is likely that it was because of delinquent taxes. Jennett died in 1865, and Christopher remarried just a few years later.)

      In December, 1864, James purchased less than an acre of property adjoining that of his children from J. LEITER. Compiler assumes the plot was intended as the final residence of the older couple, however, census records show that the younger son, Thomas, remained in the family home, even after his marriage.

      James and Mary (ANDERSON) GILCHRIST are buried at the I.O.O.F. Cemetery at Leiters Ford, Fulton County, IN. Their daughter, Jennett; her little son, John C. CAMPBELL; the GILCHRISTs' younger son, Thomas, and his wife, Phoebe (KEELY) are buried nearby. Compiler has been unable to find death rcords, an obituary or probate files for James GILCHRIST. A probate file for a James GILCHRIST was obtained from Fulton County, but it turned out to be that of James GILCHRIST and wife, Eliza, of Hamilton County, OH, who had migrated to Fulton County about 1860.

      An obituary for Mary (ANDERSON) GILCHRIST mentions the couple's emigration from SCOTLAND and their long and productive lives. The following is extracted from that obituary:

      . . . The old gentleman departed this life some two months ago, and she has gone to join him in a better land. Never was a neighborhood blest with more honest, accommodating and useful neighbors than were Mr. and Mrs. GILCHRIST. They died as they had lived, loved and esteemed by all, and are at peace with God and man.

      REFERENCES:

      1. Naturalization Records, Jas. GILCHRIST: Pro. Bk. F, p.520 and Cir. Court Bk. L, p.207; Jefferson Co. Court House, Madison, IN.
      2. Tombstone Inscription, I.O.O.F. Cem., Leiters Ford, Fulton Co., IN.
      3. U.S. Census 1830 IN; Jefferson Co.; Rep. Twp. "Exclusive of Lancaster..."p. 172/87, MF# 19-28.
      4. U.S. Census 1840 IN; Jefferson Co.; Republican Twp.; p. 397. MF# 704-83.
      5. U.S. Census 1850 IN; Fulton Co.; Rochester Twp.; Dw.#103/#103 MF#423-146.
      6. U.S. Census 1860 IN; Fulton Co.; Rochester Twp.; p. 181; #1131/#1135MF #653-260
      7. U.S. Census 1870 IN; Fulton Co.; Rochester Twp.; p. 34; #257/#257MF #593-316
      8. Marriage Records (1826); Office of Jefferson Co. Clerk, Madison, IN
      9. "Newspaper Excerpts" Vol. 7, 1877; Fulton Co. Library, Rochester, IN
      10. "Newspaper Excerpts 1869-1871", p. 149; Fulton Co. Lib., Rochester, IN NOTE: Some conflict as to birth date - Tombstone gives birth date as 1798. Census records indicate 1799.
      11. Deed Books: Jefferson Co. 1835-1846; County Recorder, Madison, IN--Deed Book W-603 (09 Oct. 1835); Deed Book D-170 (19 June 1845); Deed Book X-238 (17 Nov. 1845).
      12. Deed Books: Fulton Co. 1845-1872; County Recorder, Rochester, IN--Deed Book I-91 (02 Dec. 1853); Deed Book I-140 (14 June 1854); Deed Book M-182 (28 Feb. 1860); Deed Book M-183 (16 Mar 1860); Deed Book P-536 (19 Dec. 1864).
      13. Photocopy of Quarterly Abstract of Passenger Ship Meridian, Baltimore; MF #591; Roll #1; p 078; Arrival date 7/1/21; National Archives and Records Administration; 7th and Penn. Ave., NW; Washington, DC.
      14. John M. ANDERSON; 3731 E 104th St. S.; Tulsa, OK 74137-5818; desc. of Thomas and Elizabeth (BECK) ANDERSON via "Scotch" John ANDERSON.
      15. Virginia HAVENS KORNS; 2402 E. Rahn Rd.; Kettering, OH 45440; desc. of Thomas and Elizabeth (BECK) ANDERSON via Thomas ANDERSON, Jr.
      16. Will Book B, p 420-421: Thomas ANDERSON; Jefferson Co. Recorder; Madison, IN.
      17. "Records of the Carmel Congregation of the Associate Presbyterian Church," Jefferson Co. Pub. Library; Madison, IN.

      (2) Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database online], Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010:

      Name: J. Gilchrist
      Year: 1821
      Age: 23
      Estimated Birth Year: abt 1798
      Place: Baltimore, Maryland
      Source Publication Code: 253
      Primary Immigrant: Gilchrist, J
      Source Bibliography: BALTIMORE PORT. Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Baltimore 1820-1834, from Customs Passenger Lists. General ed. Michael H. Tepper. Transcribed by Elizabeth P. Bentley. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1982. 786p.
      Page: 208

      (3) Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s [database online], Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2010:

      Name: J. Gilchrist
      Year: 1821
      Age: 23
      Estimated Birth Year: abt 1798
      Place: Baltimore, Maryland
      Source Publication Code: 9152.1
      Primary Immigrant: Gilchrist, J
      Annotation: Date and port of arrival. Extracted from National Archives Micropublications M596, rolls 1 through 3 and M255, roll 1; as well as State Department Transcripts of Passenger Lists, rolls 1 and 2. Name of ship, occupation, sex of the immigrant, country of . . . .
      Source Bibliography: TEPPER, MICHAEL H. Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Baltimore 1820-1834, From Customs Passenger Lists. Baltimore, MD: Clearfield Company, Inc., 2000. pp. 1-370.
      Page: 208

      (4) Samuel HENRY, one of James GILCHRIST's fellow passengers on the ship Meridian, kept a diary in which he recorded information about the voyage on the Meridian from Belfast, Ireland [now Northern Ireland] to Baltimore, MD. The following information from that diary is set forth in Davidson, Elizabeth M., Annals of Old Wilkinsburg and Vicinity, Wilkinsburg, PA: Group for Historical Research, 1940, pp. 222-223:

      "We slept two nights in Belfast and went on board of the ship Meridian on Saturday 12th for Baltimore, paying 18 guineas passage money for my wife and two children. . . . The ship Meridian 144 feet in length and advertised to carry 700 tons, - cargo, salt, whiskey, linen cloth, - steerage passengers 56, - cabin passengers 7, 9 sailors, a cook and steward, Captain John Staples and Siery and Erskine mates. The regulations for the steerage passengers - the fire is to be made on at 8 o'clock and to continue till ½ past 9, forenoon, and then it is to be made on at 4 in the afternoon and be put out at ½ past 5, so that all the cooking is to be made in 1 hour and a half, morning and evening. It is also requested that all steerage passengers must get their water by 6 in the morning." Having started on the 12th of May we note from the diary that they cleared out to the ocean from Cape Clear on Saturday, the 19th, the last day they saw Ireland. They overtook the Primrose from Waterford for Quebec, passed the Tuscarora from Philadelphia for Liverpool and met the Jane of Aberdeen, freighted with sugar and rum from the West Indies for London. Due to a severe storm they were driven southwest 1062 miles so that they were 47 days crossing the ocean, and when they reached the Chesapeake Bay they could well say, "the pilot came on board to our great satisfaction." "Monday, 25 June, we cast anchor at the foot of the Chesapeake Bay for want of wind and the tide being against us. Thursday 28 of June, 1821, in the afternoon we first set foot on Columbus land, City of Baltimore."

      (5) A household headed by James GILCHRIST is listed in the 1830 census of Jefferson County, IN. The microfilm copy of the 1830 census page on which James' household is listed is out of focus, and is very difficult to read.

      Because of the sketchy nature of the information in the censuses before the 1850 census, the compiler generally assumes that the oldest male in the household was the head of the household; that the oldest female in the household was the spouse of the head of the household; and that the youngest males and females, if any, in the household were the children of the head of the household. These assumptions may not be correct.

      Age ranges in the household headed by James were as follows: 1 free white male under 5 years of age; 1 free white male between 30 and 40 years of age; 1 free white female under 5 years of age; and 1 free white female between 20 and 30 years of age.

      Assuming that James was between 30 and 40 years of age in 1830, he would have been born sometime between 1790 and 1800.

      Assuming that James' wife was between 20 and 30 years of age in 1830, she would have been born sometime between 1800 and 1810.

      Assuming that one of James' sons was between 0 and 5 years of age in 1830, that son would have been born sometime between 1825 and 1830.

      Assuming that one of James' daughters was between 0 and 5 years of age in 1830, that daughter would have been born sometime between 1825 and 1830.

      (6) A household headed by James GILCHRIST is listed in the 1840 census of Republican Township, Jefferson County, IN.

      Age ranges in the household headed by James were as follows: 1 free white male under 5 years of age; 1 free white male between 5 and 10 years of age; 1 free white male between 40 and 50 years of age; 1 free white female between 5 and 10 years of age; and 1 free white female between 30 and 40 years of age.

      Assuming that James was between 40 and 50 years of age in 1840, he would have been born sometime between 1790 and 1800.

      Assuming that James' wife was between 30 and 40 years of age in 1840, she would have been born sometime between 1800 and 1810.

      Assuming that one of James' sons was between 0 and 5 years of age in 1840, that son would have been born sometime between 1835 and 1840.

      Assuming that one of James' daughters was between 5 and 10 years of age in 1840, that daughter would have been born sometime between 1830 and 1835.

      (7) A household headed by James GILLCHRIST is listed in the 1850 census of Rochester Township, Fulton County, IN.

      James is listed in the 1850 census as a farmer who was then 50 years of age; therefore, according to the 1850 census, he was born in about 1800. According to the 1850 census, he was born in Scotland.

      Listed with James is his daughter, Nancy, who was then 15 years of age; therefore, according to the 1850 census, she was born in about 1835. According to the 1850 census, she was born in IN. [The compiler believes that Nancy was James' daughter, Janet/Jennet GILCHRIST.]

      Also listed with James is his son, James, Jr., a laborer who was then 18 years of age; therefore, according to the 1850 census, he was born in about 1832. According to the 1850 census, he was born in IN.

      Also listed with James is his son, Thomas, who was then 10 years of age; therefore, according to the 1850 census, he was born in about 1840. According to the 1850 census, he was born in IN.

      Also listed with James is his wife, Mary, who was then 50 years of age; therefore, according to the 1850 census, she was born in about 1800. According to the 1850 census, she was born in Scotland.

      The compiler does not know why Mary was listed as the last person in the household, rather than in the usual census order, immediately after the head of the household; nor does the compiler know why James, Jr. was listed out of the usual census age order of the children of the head of the household.

      (8) A household headed by James GILCHRIST is listed in the 1860 census of Rochester Township, Fulton County, IN.

      James is listed in the 1860 census as a farmer who was then 61 years of age; therefore, according to the 1860 census, he was born in about 1799. According to the 1860 census, he was born in Scotland.

      Listed with James is his wife, Mary, who was then 60 years of age; therefore, according to the 1860 census, she was born in about 1800. According to the 1860 census, she was born in Scotland.

      Also listed with James is his son, James, a farmer who was then 26 years of age; therefore, according to the 1860 census, he was born in about 1834. According to the 1860 census, he was born in IN.

      Also listed with James is his son, Thomas, a farmer who was then 21 years of age; therefore, according to the 1860 census, he was born in about 1839. According to the 1860 census, he was born in IN.

      (9) A household headed by James GILCHRIST is listed in the 1870 census of Rochester Township, Fulton County, IN.

      James is listed in the 1870 census as a retired farmer who was then 72 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1798. According to the 1870 census, he was born in Scotland.

      Listed with James is his wife, Mary, who was then 70 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, she was born in about 1800. According to the 1870 census, she was born in Scotland.

      Also listed with James is his son, James, a farm laborer who was then 38 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1832. According to the 1870 census, he was born in IN.

      Also listed with James is his son, Thomas, a farm laborer who was then 28 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1842. According to the 1870 census, he was born in IN.

      Also listed with James is his daughter-in-law, Phebe, who was then 24 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, she was born in about 1846. According to the 1870 census, she was born in IN. [Phebe was Phoebe (KEELY) GILCHRIST, Thomas GILCHRIST's wife.]

      Also listed with James is his grandson, James, who was then 7 years of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1863. According to the 1870 census, he was born in IN. [James was a son of Thomas GILCHRIST.]

      Also listed with James is his grandson, William, who was then 1 year of age; therefore, according to the 1870 census, he was born in about 1869. According to the 1870 census, he was born in IN. [William was a son of Thomas GILCHRIST.]

      (10) www.findagrave.com:

      James Gilchrist
      Birth: Nov. 4, 1799, Scotland
      Death: Oct. 13, 1876, Fulton County, Indiana, USA

      Arrived in the US at Port of Baltimore the end of June 1821; "native of Lennockshire" per court records at filing for citizenship; married in Jefferson County, IN 13 Aug. 1826 to Mary Anderson. Migrated to Fulton County, IN about 1846; resided on south side of Tippecanoe River, Rochester Twp., near Leiters Ford. Father of James, Jr., Thomas, Jannett and Elizabeth.

      Family links: Spouse: Mary Anderson Gilchrist (1799 - 1877); Children: Elizabeth Gilchrist (1829 - 1835), Jennett Gilchrist Campbell (1835 - 1865), Thomas Gilchrist (1839 - 1926)

      Burial: Leiters Ford IOOF Cemetery, Leiters Ford, Fulton County, Indiana, USA

      Created by: Ann Grubb
      Record added: Oct 19, 2005
      Find A Grave Memorial# 12099190
    Person ID I24  Frost, Gilchrist and Related Families
    Last Modified 28 Nov 2023 

    Family Mary ANDERSON,   b. 8 Sep 1799, Johnstone, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 1 Jan 1877, Fulton County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 77 years) 
    Marriage 13 Aug 1826  Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Marriage License 13 Aug 1826  Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location  [1] 
    Children 
     1. Elizabeth GILCHRIST,   b. 25 Jan 1828, Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 17 Jan 1835, Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 6 years)
     2. James GILCHRIST,   b. Abt 1832, Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this locationd. Abt 1897, Fulton County, IN? Find all individuals with events at this location (Age ~ 65 years)
     3. Jennet GILCHRIST,   b. 16 Jun 1835, Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 4 Oct 1865, Aubbeenaubbee Township, Fulton County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 30 years)
     4. Thomas GILCHRIST,   b. 14 Apr 1839, Jefferson County, IN Find all individuals with events at this locationd. 26 Apr 1926, Richland Township, Fulton County, IN Find all individuals with events at this location (Age 87 years)
    Family ID F707  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
    Last Modified 28 Nov 2023 

  • Photos


    Headstones
    James GILCHRIST    		James GILCHRIST

  • Sources 
    1. Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Details: Citation Text: (1) Indiana, Marriages, 1811-1959: name: JamesGhilchrist event: Marriage event date: 13 Aug 1826 event place: other event place: registration place: , Jefferson, Indiana, United States marriage license date: 13 Aug 1826 residence: gender: Male age (estimated): number of prior marriages: race: birth date: birthplace: father's name: mother's name: spouse's name: Mary Anderson spouse's residence: spouse's gender: Female spouse's age (estimated): spouse's number of prior marriages: spouse's race: spouse's birth date: spouse's birthplace: spouse's father's name: spouse's mother's name: informant's name: officiator's name: And Isaac page: 68 record number: reference: film number: 000549400 digital folder number: 004714736 image number: 00067 number of images: 1 batch number: M03495-4.


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