Wilkie - Wilkey

The name Wilkie is among the oldest of hereditary names. The name was derived from a form of the ancient baptismal name William. The earliest record is thought to be that of Robert Wilkie who owned land in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1535. One researcher found records of a 'Ship Master' by the name of Henry Wilkey who sailed from Barnstable, Devonshire, England in 1620, "...bound for the New World."

Early Wilkey records in America include:

• Mary Wilkey in Virginia in 1653.
• John Wilkey (Wilkie) of Boston was husband to Elizabeth and they had a son Samuel Wilkey on 3 April 1653, and a daughter Mary Wilkey on 17 Dec 1655. On 11 Mar 1662 John Wilkie's widow, Elizabeth, married Jeremiah Cushing.
• 4 Jul 1684 Elizabeth Bever age 21, bound to John Wilkey, London, Mariner, Maryland 4 years.
• John Wilkey appears as a devisee in the will of William Powell, dated 1703. This deed states, "...I, William Powell of the Neuse River in county of Bath, in NC, being in good health of body... I give one-half of the land where I now live, vis: the half that hath the clear land upon it unto Joseph Wilkey and the other half unto John Wilkey..."
• 22 Sep 1711 John Wilkey 640 acres to John Long on S. side of Chowan River in Chowan Co. NC.
• Among those sent on the ship Wakefield, was James Wilkie bound for SC from Liverpool, 21 Apr 1716 with 81 Scottish rebels captured at Preston, Lancashire (supporters of the exiled James II of England).
• John Wilkey arrived in Maryland in 1719 on a convict ship from Middlesex, Eng. (Worshester).
• Joseph Wilkey who patented 640 acres of land in Craven County in 1721. He sold this land in 1756.
• William Wilkey is on a Tax List in Chowan Co. NC in 1754.
• William Wilkie sold land in Rowan County, NC. in 1755.
• William Willkie married Elizabeth Jobs in Upper Freehold, Monmouth Co. NJ Aug 5, 1758.
• David and Francis Wilkie were signers of a petition to the King of England in 1762.
• Thomas Wilkey of Boston, 1765.
• James Wilkey 10 Jun 1767 Charles Town, SC. "Citation granted to Mary Willkye of St. Michael's Pa. to administer the estate of James Willkye.
• Frances Wilkey/Whelchel held land in SC as early as 15 Mar 1773 (Craven Co. on Londonbridge Creek, south side of Broad River).
• In 1778 Francis Wilkie received pay for military service in the Revolution from the state of South Carolina.

My Martin research in Chatham Co. NC has brought me in contact with two Wilkie families: William Wilkie born about 1732 and George Wilkie born about 1754. Although their age difference hints of a father & son relationship, it is possible that they were brothers. Evidence also suggests that these two brothers were the sons of William Wilkie but until this is proven I will refer to brother William as William Wilkie Sr.

William Wilkie Sr. married Elizabeth and their children were born in Chatham Co. NC. He enlisted in the militia in the Hillsboro District and was among those captured by British and Tories near Hillsboro and taken prisoner to South Carolina. His name is among those who were listed as prisoners on the prison ship "Forbay".

William and Elizabeth Willkey sold land in Orange Co. NC in 1769 (this land could have been located in that part of Orange Co. that became Chatham Co. in 1771). William obtained a land grant of 225 acres in Chatham Co. in 1779 (this record was evidently destroyed when the courthouse was burned by the British in 1812). In 1785 William bought land in Rowan Co. from Patience Dagley of Lincoln Co. Then in 1790 William Wilkie of Rowan Co. bought land in York Dist. SC. He sold this land in Rowan Co. NC in 1797 and died about 5 years later in York Dist. SC (c1802). His will has survived:

I William Wilkie of the State of South Carolina York District... First I give and bequeath to my wife Elizabeth all my household goods... my bay mair and saddle that she now rides and too cows... her yearling and long brindle...half of the hoggs... the remainder of the stock of every kind I give and bequeath to my son George Wilkie with all my farming utensils... one hundred and sixty acres of land that is to say all my home track and all the McCollock tract that lies on the Southeast side of the branch coming down from the mountain through my land to him... 60 acres... what few debts is to obtain after my decease must be equally divided between George and his mother and the remainder of the land containing by estimation one hundred and forty acres shall be sold to the highest bidder and the money divided equally among my daughters, Sabra, Sarah, Deborah, Elizabeth, and Rebecca and whereas I have given unto my son William as Sundry times property to the amount of too hundred and sixty Dollars. I now give and bequeath unto him my silver watch if it remains in my possession until my decease and all my wareing apparel that he may see fit to take and my blessings with them and I do now ordain and apoint my son George and Jacob Green to be my executors of this my last will and testment I do hereinto set my hand this 14 day of December one thousand and 800 and 2. Wit: William Martin, John Elmore, and Thomas Martin. Will on file in York Co. NC, case 64, file 294, year 1802. (note: there was a Jacob Green who married Fanny Eaker (Aker) who was a granddaughter of Eve Whisonant through Peter Eaker).

Children of William and Elizabeth Wilkie are:

• George S. Wilkie born about 1754. He married Catherine (Caty) Catron. (see below)
• Sabra Wilkie born May 13, 1759 in NC; died 1842-1850 in York Co. SC. (see below)
• Sarah Wilkie.
• Deborah Wilkie. She married Richard Armstrong 1786 in Rowan Co. NC.
• Rebecca Wilkie. She married Stephen Rigdon.
• William Wilkie Jr. Rev. born 1776 in NC; died Abt 1855. (see below)
• Elizabeth Wilkie. She married Edward Lowery 1786 in Rowan Co. NC.

Children of Sabra Wilkie and Thomas Martin are:

• William Martin, Rev. born December 17, 1776 in Chatham Co. NC; died in Bedford Co. TN. He married Patsy or Pricilla before 1798.
• Thomas Martin, Jr. born December 12, 1778 in Chatham Co. NC; died April 28, 1855 in Hickory Creek, NC. (Blacksburg, SC). He married (1) Rhoda Washburn, Rodia about 1799. He married (2) Elizabeth Abt 1809.
• John Martin, infant, born August 24, 1781; died March 16, 1783.
• John Martin Sr. born February 27, 1784 in Lincoln Co. NC.; died in Jackson Co. GA. He married Mary Abt 1803.
• Elizabeth Martin, born January 20, 1787. She married James Taylor Sr.
• Valentine Martin, born March 15, 1790 in York Dist. SC; died September 02, 1859 in Lawrence Co. TN. He married Sarah Rippy, Sally December 24, 1808 in Cleveland Co. NC.

Children of William Wilkie and Sarah Hunt are:

• Joab Wilkie, Rev. born 1797 in NC; died 1880-1890. He married Sarah Jay.
• George J. Wilkie, born 1798-1803 in SC; died Abt 1889. He married Ann Whitmer 1826 in Lincoln Co. NC.
• Nancy Wilkie, born Abt 1800 in NC. She married Jacob Haynes October 15, 1817.
• Elizabeth Wilkie, born 1808 in NC. She married William C. Blanton December 24, 1826 in Rutherford Co. NC.
• Tency Wilkie, born Abt 1812 in NC. She married David Huntly.
• William M. Wilkie, born 1813 in NC; died 1844. He married Minerva Walker 14 Nov 1835 in Rutherford Co. NC.
• Catherine Wilkie, born Abt 1814 in NC. She married Walton Smith February 23, 1835.
• James B. Wilkie, born 1815 in NC. He married Miranda Collins December 05, 1835.
• Sarah Wilkie, born Abt 1816 in NC. She married Robert Price in Rutherford Co. NC.
• Lorenzo Dow Wilkie, born 1818 in NC.

George S. Wilkie Sr. was born about 1754. He enlisted in the Continental Army in the Halifax District, but his claims for pay for service were allowed in 1784 by the auditors of the Hillsborough District, in which he was said to have resided. He married Catherine (Caty) Catron.

According to the journal of Sally (Rippy) Lutts, George Wilkie (not William Wilkie) was the father of Sabra (married Thomas Martin) and perished on a trip to America aboard a ship from France. George left no will and sold his land before he died. If he applied for a pension these records were very likely burned in the courthouse by the British in 1812.

George received a land grant of 150 acres on September 23, 1785 near the Haw River in Chatham Co. This land was on Terrell's Creek adjacent to the land of William Martin Jr. and was obtained on the same day that William Martin received his grant. From the pension application of mutual friend, Edward Rippy, we read in the affidavit that George was a preacher of the Gospel in Rutherford County, NC. (dated May 17, 1834). He was also pastor of Antioch Baptist Church in York District (now Cherokee County) SC for more than 20 years.

Children of George and Cathrine Wilkie are:

• Jonathan Wilkie.
• William Wilkie.
• George Wilkie, born 1780.
• Charles Wilkie, born 1782. (see below)
• James Wilkie, born 1784.
• Vincent Wilkie, born 1786; died in NC. (see below)
• Isreal Wilkie, born 1788.

Children of Charles Wilkie are:

• Tobias Wilkie, born 1806; died 1853. He married Elizabeth Clark.
• Horace Wilkie, born 1804; died 1860. He married Elizabeth.

Children of Vincent Wilkie and Mary Dockery are:

• Sally Wilkey. She married Andrew Tirey Abt 1829.
• Samuel Wilkey. He married Franklin.
• John Wilkie, born 1809.
• Margaret Wilkey, Margery, born 1812. She married William Lam November 04, 1833 in Hopkins Co. KY.
• Jonathan Jackson Wilkie, born June 12, 1820; died August 06, 1899 in Hopkins Co. KY. He married (1) Sarah McCulley August 10, 1843 in Hopkins Co. KY. He married (2) Sisk