Individual Details
Francis Kirkpatrick
(Bet 1772 and 1773 - 4 Mar 1835)
We have no exact idea of the birth date or place of Francis Kirkpatrick. Most probably he was born in South Carolina. He married Mary "Polly" Gillham, daughter of William and Jane (McDow) Gillham, in Pendleton County, South Carolina on 6 Apr 1802. The date 1802, is one commonly found as the year when a good many Kirkpatricks and Gillhams moved to Illinois. William Gillham in turn was a son of Thomas Gillham of Virginia and South Carolina and also brother to Susannah Gillham, Francis Kirkpatrick's mother. Francis and Mary were thus First Cousins. Marry referred to her age as "65 years" in an application for Bounty Land in 1851. This would indicate that she was born about 1786.
That he spend time in Jackson County, Georgia, is attested to by a land sale between Francis and Thomas Kirkpatrick recorded in the courthouse at Jefferson, Georgia. The date is 26 May 1798 and Thomas paid Francis $100 for 120 acres of land on Curries Creek, Jackson County.
Mary and Francis moved west and settled with the other Kirkpatricks and Gillhams in Madison County, Illinois. We do not think he came at the same time as his brothers, Thomas and John, but he was in Madison County very early. On 2 Dec 1805 he signed a petition of Illinois residents to Congress. The county history records Francis' presence in a fort he established southeast of the site of Edwardsville. Francis in fact served in the militia during the War of 1812. He was under the command of Captain James Moore in the regiment of Illinois Mounted Volunteers, serving as a private. John Lusk gives sworn testimony that he knew Francis Kirkpatrick in James Moore's company commanded for a part of the time by Colonel William Whitesides and part of the time by Colonel William Russell, that the company was organized about April 1812. Two rosters of separate companies commanded by James B. Moore list Francis Kirkpatrick, one from April 15 to May 3, 1812 and the other from July 27 to August 11, 1812. These rosters contain many Gillham names as well as a James Kirkpatrick and a couple of Davidsons, the last also kin of the Gillhams. John Lusk also states that Kirkpatrick was in a later company mustered about 1813 and commanded by Captain Samuel Judy, a company of Illinois Mounted Spies (Scouts). A muster roll of Judy's company of October to November 1812 exists but while Lusk is on the roster, Francis Kirkpatrick is not. In his statement, Lusk claims the year 1813 so the roster may simply be missing.
In 1851 Mary Kirkpatrick, Francis' widow made claim for bounty land based on the above service. She was awarded B1 Wt 37963-80-55. She later applied for a second warrant provided by the Congress but it is unclear whether she received it or not.
Francis Kirkpatrick moved, probably about the same time as his kin, from Madison County to Bond County, Illinois. In Bond County, Francis was a member of a grand jury in 1817, and served twice on a jury in 1820. On 20 Oct 1820, he was a defendant, together with his brother Thomas, in a suit brought by Samuel Whiteside, et al. From Illinois records, we find that Francis was a member of the Illinois General Assembly from Bond County in 1818, 1826 and 1828. At a later date he moved to Adams County, Illinois where he died intestate 4 Mar 1835. An inventory of sale dated 1836 gives a number of unusual items for a frontiersman--a History of England, a geography and atlas, a book titled Portraiture of Methodism and Moral Instruction, a map of the United States and another of Illinois, a volume on bookkeeping, a military biography, bibles and several other books whose titles were not listed. Buyers included John Kirkpatrick (probably his brother), William M. Kirkpatrick (probably his nephew, son of his brother James), and Polly Kirkpatrick, his widow. Supervising the sale is Stephen O. Paine, clerk, and A. B. Kirkpatrick, John Kirkpatrick's son, as auditor. Stephen O. Paine also shows up as a buyer at the sale of John Kirkpatrick's possessions in Iowa in 1846 (See next entry).
Francis Kirkpatrick's profession is unclear. The literary aspect of the items sold from his estate suggest that he may have been a teacher.
The children of Francis and Mary Kirkpatrick have been difficult to establish and this list is uncertain.
Eight children are recorded.
That he spend time in Jackson County, Georgia, is attested to by a land sale between Francis and Thomas Kirkpatrick recorded in the courthouse at Jefferson, Georgia. The date is 26 May 1798 and Thomas paid Francis $100 for 120 acres of land on Curries Creek, Jackson County.
Mary and Francis moved west and settled with the other Kirkpatricks and Gillhams in Madison County, Illinois. We do not think he came at the same time as his brothers, Thomas and John, but he was in Madison County very early. On 2 Dec 1805 he signed a petition of Illinois residents to Congress. The county history records Francis' presence in a fort he established southeast of the site of Edwardsville. Francis in fact served in the militia during the War of 1812. He was under the command of Captain James Moore in the regiment of Illinois Mounted Volunteers, serving as a private. John Lusk gives sworn testimony that he knew Francis Kirkpatrick in James Moore's company commanded for a part of the time by Colonel William Whitesides and part of the time by Colonel William Russell, that the company was organized about April 1812. Two rosters of separate companies commanded by James B. Moore list Francis Kirkpatrick, one from April 15 to May 3, 1812 and the other from July 27 to August 11, 1812. These rosters contain many Gillham names as well as a James Kirkpatrick and a couple of Davidsons, the last also kin of the Gillhams. John Lusk also states that Kirkpatrick was in a later company mustered about 1813 and commanded by Captain Samuel Judy, a company of Illinois Mounted Spies (Scouts). A muster roll of Judy's company of October to November 1812 exists but while Lusk is on the roster, Francis Kirkpatrick is not. In his statement, Lusk claims the year 1813 so the roster may simply be missing.
In 1851 Mary Kirkpatrick, Francis' widow made claim for bounty land based on the above service. She was awarded B1 Wt 37963-80-55. She later applied for a second warrant provided by the Congress but it is unclear whether she received it or not.
Francis Kirkpatrick moved, probably about the same time as his kin, from Madison County to Bond County, Illinois. In Bond County, Francis was a member of a grand jury in 1817, and served twice on a jury in 1820. On 20 Oct 1820, he was a defendant, together with his brother Thomas, in a suit brought by Samuel Whiteside, et al. From Illinois records, we find that Francis was a member of the Illinois General Assembly from Bond County in 1818, 1826 and 1828. At a later date he moved to Adams County, Illinois where he died intestate 4 Mar 1835. An inventory of sale dated 1836 gives a number of unusual items for a frontiersman--a History of England, a geography and atlas, a book titled Portraiture of Methodism and Moral Instruction, a map of the United States and another of Illinois, a volume on bookkeeping, a military biography, bibles and several other books whose titles were not listed. Buyers included John Kirkpatrick (probably his brother), William M. Kirkpatrick (probably his nephew, son of his brother James), and Polly Kirkpatrick, his widow. Supervising the sale is Stephen O. Paine, clerk, and A. B. Kirkpatrick, John Kirkpatrick's son, as auditor. Stephen O. Paine also shows up as a buyer at the sale of John Kirkpatrick's possessions in Iowa in 1846 (See next entry).
Francis Kirkpatrick's profession is unclear. The literary aspect of the items sold from his estate suggest that he may have been a teacher.
The children of Francis and Mary Kirkpatrick have been difficult to establish and this list is uncertain.
Eight children are recorded.
Events
| Birth | Bet 1772 and 1773 | South Carolina | |||
| Marriage | 6 Apr 1802 | Pendleton Co., South Carolina - Mary Gillham | |||
| Death | 4 Mar 1835 | Adams Co., Illinois |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Gillham (1786 - ) |
| Child | Violet Kirkpatrick ( - ) |
| Child | Sarah Delinda Kirkpatrick (1808 - 1871) |
| Child | William Milton Kirkpatrick (1811 - 1878) |
| Child | Minerva Jane Kirkpatrick (1813 - 1870) |
| Child | Susannah Caroline Kirkpatrick (1815 - 1872) |
| Child | Mary W. "Polly" Kirkpatrick (1820 - ) |
| Child | Margaret D. Kirkpatrick (1820 - 1892) |
| Child | Marcus Kirkpatrick (1825 - ) |
| Father | James "The Patriot" Kirkpatrick (1743 - 1781) |
| Mother | Susannah Gillham (1747 - 1831) |
| Sibling | Thomas Newton Kirkpatrick (1766 - 1821) |
| Sibling | James Gillham Kirkpatrick (1769 - 1846) |
| Sibling | John Kirkpatrick (1776 - 1845) |
| Sibling | Polly Kirkpatrick (1777 - ) |