Ancestor Gap in Kirklands

possible children of Robert (according to Dr. J. R. Peacock)
Richard "Snowden" Kirkland*	b. c1728 near Occaquan River, (now Fairfax Co.) VA*	d. p. 04 Dec 1804 Edgefield Co., SC	m. Sybil /Sibbell(possibly Odom)
James Kirkland*	b. c1730	d. unknown	m. (issue unknown)
George Kirkland*	b. c1732	d.	m. (issue unknown)
Susan Kirkland*	b.	d. c1797(unknown place)	m. Isaac Lewis

possible children of Robert (according to Dr. J. R. Peacock)

Richard "Snowden" Kirkland*

b. c1728 near Occaquan River, (now Fairfax Co.) VA*

d. p. 04 Dec 1804 Edgefield Co., SC

m. Sybil /Sibbell(possibly Odom)

James Kirkland*

b. c1730

d. unknown

m. (issue unknown)

George Kirkland*

b. c1732

m. (issue unknown)

Susan Kirkland*

d. c1797(unknown place)

m. Isaac Lewis

Robert is identified as the son of Richard Kirkland (d. 1743) by the following land record. 17 Nov. 1742 - Fairfax Co., VA

Robert shows up on the Roster of the Militia of Fairfax County of 1748 with his brother Edward and his other brother William. William seems to have left Virginia after 1748. Robert and Edward continued to live in Fairfax County until at least 1751. Robert stayed in Fairfax County, Virginia until at least 1751 proved when he was appointed to appraise the estate of John King. [Fairfax County Orders Book 1749-1754, p 159]

Although Robert and Edward had moved to South Carolina by 1 April 1753, Robert and Edward were executors of the estate of William Kirkland, their brother who died about 1755. The date of the document for the land in Virginia was 1761 and seems to deal with the sale of property to Williams heirs. William had also purchased land in Craven County, South Carolina on the south side of the Wateree River near his brother Richard's later purchased land. [Peacock 35-37]

Robert sold his land in Virginia 20 March 1754 to William Carr. It is documented that Robert moved to an area identified as St. Mathews Parish, which became part of Effinghams County, Georgia. It is across the border from Mathews Bluff of the Savannah River area, South Carolina. This region, as documented in the notes of Reverend Morgan Edwards in his History of the Baptists c1772 and sourced in Peacock's work, and was the center of four churches known as Seven Day Baptists. Coosawatchee Church near the head of the Little Broad River near Pipes Creek in Mathews Bluff area of South Carolina, Cloud Creek Baptist Church in nearby South Carolina, Wateree River and Edisto Creek churches had Kirklands in their memberships.

According to Rev. Edwards, Richard Gregory was a minister who took a group of settlers into Georgia near present day Brier Creek now part of Effingham County, Georgia. This is on the opposite side of the creek(in Georgia) to Mathews Bluff in South Carolina. They had originated in Prince William County, Virginia to arrive in Georgia in the Fall of 1759. Peacock says that because of the changing county lines it would have been more accurate to say Fairfax County, Virginia.

"The principle members of the group were identified as Richard Gregory, three of the Kirklands (no given names), Phillip Finn, John Clayton, Thomas Lovelace, Hugh Kennedy, Jonathan Woodson and one Williams, Richard Gregory was reported as the minister of the group. He died soon after the move to Georgia and Robert Kirkalnd succeeded him in this capacity, assisted by John Clayton. "

"The Group remained n Georgia about four years. They "retired" to the church at Edisto River in South Carolina (located in Barnwell area, the site of much Kirkland activity in succeeding years), according to the Edwards Report. It will be shown that some of this group associated with the Clouds Creek Baptist Church, located on the creek of that name, which flows into the Little Saluda River north of the Edisto, and the Coosawatchee Church, located near the head of the Little Broad River, near Pipe Creek and Mathews Bluff on the Savannah River.

"Insight into the character and society of this Baptist group was provided. They were Seventh Day Baptist (recognized Saturday as the Sabbath). They made their living primarily by gathering honey and beeswax and by hunting deer and "beast of fur". The group celebrated the Lord's Supper and was credited by Reverend Edwards to have been the first to do so in Georgia. The languaage of that claim in not clear, as to whether he menat the first Baptists, or the first Christians, to do so in Georgia."
[Dr. J. R. Peacock, "the Kirkland Family Roots", 2002 pp 36-37]

Edwards reported that the Georgia group which included three Kirklands came from Virginia, stayed in Georgia for four years and "retired" to South Carolina about 1763. This coincides with land grants in South Carolina. Joshua Kirkland received a land grant of 300 acres in Granville County, South Carolina on 17 April 1764. Robert Kirkland signed the memorial for Joshua. Robert Kirkland receives a grant to 150 acres in Granville Co., South Carolina on Feb. 1, 1768 on King's branch of the Savannah River, near Mathews Bluff. Robert Kirkland is identified by Edwards as being in Georgia and a minister who took over duties of a minister who left the area. He was assisted by John Clayton who later resettled to South Carolina along with Robert, Joshua and Snowden Kirkland. [Peacock 35-37]

11 May 1754 - RICHARD KIRKLAND (since old Richard died about 1743, this has to be his son)

The following records come from the South Carolina Plats, Grants and Memorial, South Carolina Archives, Charleston, SC. The KSBR explains the dates that are listed below. The precept or warrant date , is "the date the person went before council to ask for land. If one wishes to follow along in the Council Journal, ( South Carolina Archives) this is the date to ask for. The person made a petition, telling about himself. However, after the 1750's when so many were coming into SC, the petitions were no longer entered into the journal. I did find one for Richard & one for Moses. The second date is the plat date itself. This is the date the land was surveyed & certified by the deputy surveyor. Both these dates are found on the plat for the land, which is a drawing of the land. The 3rd date is the grant date, being the actual date the land was granted. This date is always a little later than the plat date. It does not have the land drawn on it, but does have the same description as the plat. the fourth date is the memorial, which is the date the landowner registered his land so the King could collect his quit-rents on it. The memorials give a complete history of the land and lots of the property transfers are recorded in these that were never recorded in Charleston. They tell how the owner came about owning the land and most often a man's wife is given when the land was transferred. However, the man making the memorial does not give his wife's name - it has to be the former owner. Sometimes a person did not take up the plat, so the land was granted someone else. Therefore, there would not be a grant or memorial for the tract of land. And if a person bought the land, then there would be no plat or grant in his name. There are separate indexed for each of these three--plats, grants & memorials. "[KSBR v.1, 47]

Here are a few of the records from this area that indicate the dates of the land transactions from the Kirkland Source Book of Records.

2 May 1772 - Will Book. B. Vol. 15 p. 582 1771-1774 (the following will is of John the son of Snoden)