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THE
NEW YORK,
PUBLIC LIBRARY'
Astor, \Ar\nt. xai Titden ,
PRIVATE.
No. 41
Presented to
gamiijj ^i0tory
l?B
®n« of tlt^ ^amilu^
^^Vx-VV \VQ
Savannah, ffieotreia.
1903.
■.■5 .
PRINTED AND BOUND BY
THE MORNING NEWS,
Savannah, Ga.
INDEX.
ESTEI.LE Arms Frontispiece
Introduction 7
The EstelTvES in Europe 9
The Settlement of New Jersey 11
The Family in New Jersey 15
The Name and Family Traditions 21
Genealogical 25
Biographical loi
Appendix 129
THE FRONTISPIECE.
Arms of d'Estelle, of Provence, France, without coronet
and supports, which are perso7ial to the Marquisate.
D' Estelle, Lord of the region of Aren, in Provence, France.
Azure, with three mullets or, placed one above two, the top of
shield being gules, having a lion of argent passant. Supports,
two lions with marquis crowns. The crest, a lio?i issuant,
holding a sword in his left paw.
1525-
Introduction.
I HOUIyD this little book be read by others than
those who, by reason of connection with the
family are interested in its history, I trust they
will not think its publication egotistical,
My efforts in preparing it have been de-
voted to tracing out a name more than
building up an ancestry, and I have endea-
vored to make the story brief . In stating that
the name is of French origin I am claiming only what is in
evidence. It is so long a period, however, since the Estills
emigrated from France it is my opinion that there is little
Gaulish remaining except an emasculated name.
It is not my intention to sing the praises of those who
have passed away, though many of them are entitled to
honorable mention as men and women who did well their
parts. Those living of the name, Vv^hom I know, are re-
spected citizens of the communities in which they live, and
those whom I have only heard of, have the same reputation.
My story tells of the family in France, and the sojourn
of some of its members in the Netherlands; their probable
emigration with the Dutch to the New World; the settling
of the Estells in New Jersey immediately after the English
occupation of New Netherland, and the history of people
of the name in Colonial and Revolutionary times, and since.
In tracing the history of the family, I include all branches
of it, whatever way they spell their names, I have the sane-
8
tion of Holy Writ wherein the Israelites enumerated their
forefathers. The honor of tracing their ancestry back for
thousands of years is not given to every one; and in Amer-
ica if the record can be established a century or so, it is
usually considered quite satisfactory. In this generation it
is deemed an honor if your ancestor was on the winning
side in the American Revolution, or if he served in the Con-
federate or Union armies in the War between the States.
In looking up the Estills I have gone back as far as writ-
ten and printed records permit, and family traditions, hand-
ed down from sire to son, are consistent therewith. Doubt-
less there is much valuable information possessed by others
that has not come to my knowledge, which will have to be
added by some future historian.
In the appendix will be found useful data and document-
ary evidence which doubtless will be of interest to my kins-
folk.
I am indebted to Dr. J. G. Pierson, of Southampton,
L. I., New York, and Mr. M. Delano, of New York City,
for valuable assistance in making investigations in New
York and New Jersey, and to John F. Estill, Esq., of
Clarkesburg, W. Va. , and Mrs. Beulah Estill Thomas, of
Nashville, Tenn. and others, for contributions to this history.
Savannah, Ga., August i, 1903.
The Estelles in Europe.
THE name, where lived those who first had their' s re-
corded, is d'Estelle. It is found in the records of
Provence, France, and stands among the honored of that
country. Provence is in the extreme southeastern part of
France, on the shores of the Mediterranean. It was di-
vided in 1790, and now forms the Departments of Bouches-
du-Rhone, Var, and Basses Alpes, with parts of Vauclaus
and Alpes Maritimes. Its people were noted for their love
of freedom, and until the French Revolution enjoyed spe-
cial privileges in political affairs. This province was the
scene of many contests between the forces of contending
princes, and also of political and religious factions.
In the 1 6th and 17th centuries, thousands of Frenchmen,
Catholics as well as Protestants, left this province and
other places in France and sought homes in other lands,
where neighbor was not armed against neighbor, and where
there was at least a semblance of toleration. The night of
St. Bartholomew, August 24th, 1572, when thousands of
Huguenots fell before the assassins sent forth by Catherine
d' Medici, was a dreadful warning to the already sorely-beset
believers in Calvinism; entire congregations of the new faith
sought refuge in the British Isles, the Netherlands, and the
Protestant countries of Germany. In those "good old
times' ' religious and political intolerance, was not confined
to any particular country; often it was the case that those
who fled from persecution in their native land became them-
selves persecutors in their new homes. So great was the
i6
emigration of Calvinists from France, says Guizot in his
History, that that country lost its supremacy in arts and
manufactures.
The records of Provence show that on the 12th of De-
cember, 1525, Andre d'Estelle married Jeannette Pastier.
This is the first of the name that I have found upon
record. Of course there were d'Bstelles before that date,
and the records of marriages show that there were many
after it. The records also show that in the i6th or
17th centuries the d'Estelles were Protestants, their mar-
riages being by civil contract, attested before a notary, and
not by a priest.
That members of the family left Provence during the
religious troubles and settled in the Netherlands is proven
by a record setting forth that Balthazer d'Kstelle was god-
father at a baptism at Sluys, Zeeland, in 1625.* By refer-
ence to the French records it will be noticed that Balthazer
was the baptismal name of the father-in-law of one of the
d'Estelles, of Provence, and doubl ess godfather d'Estelle in
the Netherlands bore that of his grandfather. From this
it is reasonable to assume that the Estells were in America
when the English captured New Netherland and that those
who moved to New Jersey, or their immediate ancestors,
were from Holland, and of the same family as those who
lived in Provence. It is possible, however, that the de-
scendants of the French emigrants tarried in England or
Scotland a generation or more before the appearance of the
name on this side of the ocean.
♦Note I, Appendix.
The Settlement of New Jersey.
WHEN what is now the State of New York was a part
of New Netherland, that part of Long Island east
of Oyster Bay, what is the present county of Suffolk, be-
longed to the colony of Connecticut; and that west of that
point, the present counties of Kings and Queens, belonged
to the Dutch, When the English captured New Nether-
land in 1664, the whole of Long Island came under their
control, and so remained, excepting the short time it was
held by the Dutch after they recaptured New Netherland
in 1673.
In 1674 that able statesman and soldier, William of Or-
ange, recognizing the futility of trying to retain possession
of New Netherland, nearly surrounded as it was by English
and French settlements, and wishing to assure England
of his good will and secure its assistance against France,
relinquished the territory to the former.
Close upon the first English occupation, 1664, Colonel
Richard Nicolls, the conqueror of the Dutch, and Governor
of the new acquisition, which he called New York, issued
grants of land to certain persons, across the Bay in what is
now New Jersey. While Governor Nicolls, who had done
valiant service for ,his master, the Duke of York, however
was administering affairs in the newly-acquired possession,
and before it was certain that the English had succeeded in
ousting the Dutch, the Duke gave to Sir George Cataret
and Lord John Berkeley leases to all the lands claimed by
the Dutch south of the Hudson River.* The day the doc-
* The documents were dated June 23-24, 1664.
12
uments were signed, Philip Cataret, a relative of Sir George,
was commissioned Governor of New Jersey. He delaj^ed
not his departure, but left at once, arriving in New York
on the 29th of the following month.
Governor Nicolls, who was ignorant of the transfer of
New Jersey to Cataret and Berkeley, had in the meantime
authorized and confirmed purchases made by several resi-
dents of New England. About the same time he confirmed
to parties from L,ong Island a tract of land lying just across
the lyower Bay at Sandy Hook, which they had purchased
from the Indians. This grant led to the settlement of Mid-
dletown and Shrewsbury, in what is now Monmouth Coun-
ty, N. J.,* by the Kstells and others.
Sir George Cataret and lyord Berkeley, the Lord Propri-
etors, were anxious to have their possessions populated, and
made every effort to induce settlers to take up lands. A
road had been built from the Hudson to the Delaware by
the Dutch, but the country was practically in its primeval
state, and the Indians, whom the policy of the Dutch had
made peaceful, still roamed the forests. f
The settlers were promised that those who should embark
with the Governor, Philip Cataret, or meet him on his
arrival, "provided with a good musket, bore twelve bullets
to the pound, with bandilier and match convenient, and
with six months' provisions for himself, ***** would
receive 150 acres of land, and the like number for every
man-servant or slave brought with him and similarly pro-
vided." To females over the age of 14, seventy-five acres
were given, and provision also was made for later comers.
* See Narrative and Critical History of America, Vol. Ill, Pages 423-424.
t Note 4, Appendix.
13
The Governmeut of New Jersey underwent rapid changes
in a few j^ears. Cataret and Berkeley divided their posses-
sions into East and West Jersey, and the latter sold his
interest to William Penn and others, in 1673, and it became
a part of Pennsylvania. On the death of Cataret, in 1680,
his interest was transferred to his creditors, who sold it at
public sale to Penn and eleven associates, some of whom
were already interested in West Jersey. Subsequently each
purchaser sold a half of his holdings to a new partner.
The first name on the list of the associates of William
Penn is that of James, Earl of Perth, and among his 22
associates, one partner having disposed of his holdings to
the syndicate, were a number of Scotch merchants. A his-
torian observes of the new owners that they were "High
Prerogative Men (especially those from Scotland) , Dissent-
ers, Papists, and Quakers."
Robert Barclay, of Urie, a Scotch Quaker, was made
Governor, and so absolutely did he and his fellow country-
men dominate the affairs of the colony that they were
called the "Scotch Proprietors." Their strenuous efforts
to get money out of their investment resulted in a large
addition to the colony from Scotland.
In 1702, with its usual disregard for the rights of the
people, the British Government revoked all grants, and
Queen Anne appointed Lord Cornbury Governor of New
York and New Jersey, and from the beginning of his ad-
ministration to the revolt of the colonies, the history of the
latter State is a succession of conflicts between the governing
power and the people. Land tenures were undefined and inse-
cure, and disputed with each successive change of administra-
tion. Grants were held from the Indians, the Dutch, the
14
several Governors and the L-ords Proprietors. These con-
ditions engendered bitter opposition to the courts and con-
stituted authorities. Riots were not uncommon, and officers
were assaulted in the discharge of their duties.* Often
in these contentions land titles and other valuable docu-
ments were lost or destroyed. This condition of affairs
explains the lack, in many cases, of official records. The
records of churches were equally unfortunate, and those
preserved until the Revolutionary War were either wantonly
destroyed, or lost during that period. Family records and
records of marriages, births and deaths shared the fate of
other books and papers; even the graveyards were invaded,
and the silent memorials of the dead defaced, or destroyed,
by rampant vandalism incident to war.
I have collated from the scattered records and family
traditions, supplemented bj^ fragmentary evidence and
personal reminiscences, the material for this history, and
established the fact that the d'Estelles were in Prov-
ence, France, in the i6thand 17th centuries; that there were
people of the name in the Netherlands in 1625; that there
was a family of Estells in New Netherland in 1664, and
possibly earlier; that three of the name, William, Daniel
and Thomas Estell, settled in New Jersey in 1664; that
many of the descendants of the first settlers are still living
in that State, and, furthermore, that all of that name and
its several variations living in America, came from the New
Jersey families.
* See Narrative and Critical History of Ataerica; Article on New Netherland.
The Family in New Jersey.
''OHE three brothers, William, Daniel and Thomas Kstell,
X landed at Shrewsbury River, near what is now called
the Highlands of Neversink, in the autumn of 1664, and
the same day the wife of one of the settlers gave birth to
a boy, who, it is said, was the first white child born in New
Jersey. There is no question that William was married
when the family arrived in New Jersey, and that his wife
became a mother on that eventful day, for the reason that
the records show that Daniel,* having provided a home for
his bride, Miss Margaret Browning, went to I^ong Island,
and they were married at Gravesend, by Justice James Hub-
bard, July 17, 1666, and that Thomas Estell, the youngest
brother, married Miss Wallace four years later (1670).'
The story of the landing of the three brothers in New
Jersey in 1664, and the birth of the baby, is a tradition in
all branches of the family. That and another story of the
original Estells having come from France, and that they
were Huguenots, common traditions in New Jersey, have
been familiar to the writer since early manhood, and are told
to-day by those of the name living within 50 miles of where
the pioneers landed 240 years ago.
The late Robert Estell, of lyakewood, N. J., a town
mainly built on Estell lands, who died in 1898, at the age
of 83, the year previous to his death related the story of
the arrival of the three brothers, and the birth of the baby.
He had heard the history from his grandfather, who died
at the age of 93, and the grandfather had heard the stor>'
* See New York Genealogical and Biographical Records, Vol. IV.
i6
from his grandfather. Robert Kstell's grandfather was a
William Estell, and he had three sons, William (my grand-
father), David, Robert Kstell's father, and Lewis, the lat-
ter's baptismal name being his mother's family name.
The Kstells appear frequently in the records of New Jer-
sey, and also on the muster rolls of New Jersey soldiers in
the Revolutionary War.
A gentleman^'!'^ who examined the records in the several
counties of New Jersey, and also made personal visits to a
number of the descendants of the first Estells, made trans-
cripts of the indexes, at Perth Amboy and Burlington, of
the records of the East and West Jersey proprietors, and of
Freehold, Monmouth County, and used the data as a guide
to further investigations.
He found several families of the name in Monmouth,
Middlesex, Ocean, Essex, Burlington, Union and Sussex
counties, respectively, but none in the other counties of New
Jersey. In the latter there were no records of any Estills, or
Estells later than i860; the conveyances, as a rule, bearing
evidence that the western movement, following the Mex-
ican War, and the opening of the newly-acquired territory,
had caused those of the name then living in the counties
referred to, to leave the homes of their forefathers. This
immigration may account for the Texas and California fam-
ilies of Estills, and the occasional appearance of the name
in far Western States.
The names of William, Daniel and Thomas Estell, the
pioneers of 1664, frequently appear in the records in
the stirring times of the settlement and later, and their de-
* Dr. J. G, Pierson, of Southampton, lyOijg Island, N. Y,
17
scendants are well represented in existing records of the
colony, and those of the Revolutionary War.
Daniel Kstell seems to have been the most enterprising of
the pioneers. He was associated in many transactions with
Richard Hartshorne, a Quaker, who was a member of Gov-
ernor Gawen Laurie's council. This Governor of New
Jersey had been a I^ondon merchant, but judging by his
name, was a Scotchman.
There are numerous instruments of writing on record
showing that Daniel Estell and Richard Hartshorne, in
1666-68, were engaged in settling Middletown, and the
former was granted lot 32 in the division, and later lot 29.
Middletown was settled under a grant issued by Governor
Nicolls in 1664. In 1670 Sir George Cataret granted unto
the same Estell, 271 acres of land, as bounded, to his heirs
and assigns, for an annual rental of one and a half pence
per acre, beginning March 25th, 1670. A warrant to lay
off land was issued to Daniel Estell, of Middletown, in the
right of himself and wife, recorded in 1673; a sale of land
from William Estell, of Middlesex Co., Machiponiax River,
to Dagle Mackullum, February 8, 171 1; will of William
Estell, of Mendum, Morris County, N. J., August 25, 1777,
in favor of I^evi, Rhoda and Salter, children of John David
and Elizabeth Miller, deceased, and his brother, Joseph
Estell; William Estell and wife, deed to George Morlatt,
land on Machiponiax River, 108 acres Whippany, Middlesex
Co., N. J., Oct. 22, 1766; William Estell and Mary, his
wife, for late William, 200 acres, Oct. 27, 1766; deed to
Carbride and Kirkbride, from William Estell, of Mendum,
Morris Co., May 8, 1759, 109 acres of land in Mendum;
will of John Estill, of Mendum, Oct. 24, 1768, heirs, John,
Darius and Noah Estill; David Estell, Executor; witness,
William Estill; deed of William Estill and Mary, his wife,
to Thomas Cherry of Whippany; deed of Charles Reed,
John Morrow and Jonathan Thomas, Burlington Co. , from
Thomas Estell, to land in Upper Freehold, Monmouth Co. ;
deed to Abraham Berkelew, New Windsor, Middlesex Co.,
from Thomas and Lucia Estell, loo acres. May nth, 1763.
The New Jersey Archives, Vol. II, pages 322-324, states
that Thomas Estell signed "A remonstrance of the inhabit-
ants of East Jersey to the King against the acts of the Pro-
prietors and asking for the appointment of a competent
Governor." This was in 1700.
In 1 701 William Estell signed a petition to the King de-
claiming against the acts of the Governor.
The Estills served their country in the Revolutionary
Army.* "The Official Register of the officers and men of
New Jersey in the Revolutionary War," compiled by Gen-
eral William S. Stryker, and printed by authority of the
Legislature, contains the following names. (They are
given as they are spelled) :
Joseph EstiU, Captain, 3rd Battalion, Gloucester Co.
Militia.
Ebenezer Extell, ensign, 3rd Battalion, Gloucester Co.
Militia.
John Estall, private, ist Regt., Monmouth Co. Militia.
John Estill, private, Essex Co, Militia.
William Estle, private, Middlesex Co. Militia.
WilHam Estle (Estill), f private, Somerset Co. Militia,
Minute Men.
* Note 3, Appendix,
t Note 7, Appendix.
19
John Bsdal, private, 3rd Battalion ist Establishment.
John Estill, or Esdal, private, Morris Co. Militia.
The services performed by the Militia of New Jersey,
from the Battle of I^ong Island to that of Monmouth, the
last conflict north of Virginia, is fully recorded in history.
At Monmouth, the New Jersey Militia, under Col. Dickin-
son, opened the battle and held the British in check after
the advance guard of the Continental Line had retreated,
and until Washington and the Army came up.*
* Note 3, Appendix.
The Name and Traditions.
THE name d'Kstelle, as it is written in the records in
France and Holland, doubtless underwent changes
before it arrived at that way of spelling it. Genealogists
assert that it was once "Estrella," the Spanish for star, and
possibly the I^atin word "Stella." The coat-of-arms of
d'Kstelle of Provence has for its motto,
" Sidus Ad sit Aniicum,^'
(The stars are friendly) , which appears to favor the theory
that "Kstelle" was not the first spelling of the name.
The name in America is written many ways, namely,
Estelle, Estell, Extel, Estill, Estil, Estle, Extell, Extall,
Esdal, Stelle,* etc. Even at this late day its orthography
differs among members of closely connected families. The
genealogical tables in the Appendix show that within late
generations members of the families of Estills have changed
the spelling of their names. John A, Estelle, Esq., of
Newark, N. J., states that his family added the final "e"
for the reason that that was the way their French ancestors
spelled their names, and Mr, Hugh M. Estil, of Plainfield,
N. J., says that the "11" was abbreviated to one "1" by his
grandfather. The members of the Wallace Estill branch,
however, have only one way of spelling it, "Estill,"
Changing the orthography of a name, either baptismal or
family, is not new or uncommon For example, the name
of the great English Churchman, which comes down to us
* Note 6, Appendix.
22
as Thomas Wolsey, signed his name Wulcy, which is said to
be the proper spelHng of it.
John Calvin, the founder of Galvanism, spelled his name
Cauvin as well as Calvin, and his kinsmen wrote it indiffer-
ently those ways and, also Chauve, Chauvin, Calvus and
Calvinus. Variations in the spelling of a family name,
therefore, should not create surprise. In the city where I
have lived for more than 50 years, the orthography of my
name is often changed to suit the party who writes it,
though it is printed every day at the head of a newspaper.
The most extensive branch of the Kstills is that of Wal-
llace Estill, who removed from New Jersey to Virginia.
1 Members of this family are to be found in Virginia, West
I Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Texas and Missouri.
I Thomas Estell, one of the New Jersey pioneers, is the
/ American ancestor of this branch. Wallace Estill, his
grandson, was married three times. His first wife died
without issue; his second had six children and died. He
then married again and moved to Virginia. This family
claims descent from the same connection as Sir William
Wallace. As there were doubtless Wallaces among the
Scotch who settled in New Jersey, and Thomas Estell hav-
ing married a Miss Wallace, there is no reason to question
the tradition.*
The first recorded grant of land to Wallace Estill is dated
Nov. 3, 1750. It was situated in what was then Augusta
County, Virginia. "The History of Ruth" gives a com-
plete genealogical table of the family from 1698 to 1853.
Colonel James H. Estill, of Millersburg, Ohio, now de-
ceased, told me that his people came from Pennsylvania.
* Note 5, Appendix.
23
He knew the tradition of the landing at Shrewsbury River,
and also the baby story. He was probably a descendant of
Daniel, the partner of Richard Hartshome. It is not im-
probable that his ancestor became interested in the devel-
opment of Pennsylvania, a part of which was the territory
known as West Jersey.
Captain James Estill, who distinguished himself as an
Indian fighter, and who was killed in battle with them
near the present site of Mt. Sterling. Ky., November 22,
1782, and Hon. Benj. Estill, a member of Congress from
Virginia, 1825-27, belonged to the Wallace Estill branch.
The descendants of William Estell, the eldest of the three
brothers, are to be found in New Jersey and Georgia
and possibly in other States. In this branch, William is
the favorite family baptismal name, as Wallace is that of
the Virginia-Kentucky family. One of the legends of the
William Estell branch is that the first born son should be
named William. This is the case in my father's family, in
which there is a succession of the name for generations.
His father's name was William, his name was William, and
his first born son, my eldest brother, is William Estill.
William Estell, of Red Bank, N. J., has a rocking chair
and silver shoe and knee buckles which belonged to his and
my great grandfather William.
The late Robert Estell, of Lakewood, N. J., the father
of the gentleman above mentioned, stated that he had often
heard his grandfather and also his father, speak of the son
and brother, William, who went south after the Revolu-
tion. My grandfather went to Virginia, where he spent
several years, and thence to Charleston, S C.
24
In the Appendix -will be found genealogical records and
other data relating to of the several families, which are
placed there for record and preservation.
dptt^alogtral
CONTENTS.
I — French Records 29
2 — French Records — Translation 32
3 — Wm. Estill of Charleston, S. C 37
4 — Wm. Estell of IvAkewood, N. J 41
5 — John A. Estelle of Newark, N. J 45
6 — Hugh Mulford Estil of Plainfield, N. J 49
7 — The Wallace Estill Family 53
8— The Ruth History 55
9 — The Estills of Tennessee 61
10 — John F. Estill of Clarksburg, W. Va 67
II — Andrew D. Estill of L,exington, Va 71
12 — The Descendants of James Estill of Kentucky ... 75
13 — Rev. Reverdy Estill of Louisville, Ky 79
14 — John Holbrook Estill of Savannah, Ga 81
15 — Thomas Francis Estill of Winchester, Tenn 85
16 — Dr. William Estill of Winchester, Tenn 88
17 — James Estill of Winchester, Tenn 89
18 — Mrs. Eleanor Crabb Estill 90
19 — The Estills of Texas 93
20 — John Pickering Lloyd of Charleston, S. C 97
French Records.
O'Estelle.
Seigneur de la Plage d'Aren en Provence.
Armes— d'azur a 3 ^toiles d'or, posees une et deux et un chef de
gueules, charg^ d'un lion, Idopard^, passant d'argent. Supports
deux lions, couronne de marquis; cimier un lion issant, tenant une
dpr^e sa patte senestre.
I. Noble homme Jean Andr^ d'Estelle, commissaire d'artillerie et
habitant de la ville de Marseille vivant le 12 Decembre, 1525, ^pousa
noble Jeannette Pastier; et en eut.
II. Noble et discret Francois Estelle epousa par contrat du 5 Jan-
vier, 1542, pass^ devant Garnier, notaire a Toulon, demoiselle Anne
Ripert, dont.
III. Andre Estelle, ^cuyer, epousa par contrat du 8 F^vrier, 1572,
pass^ devant Taxil, notaire a Marseille, demoiselle Madeleine Sicolle,
ils curent pour fils.
IV. Pierre Estelle, ecuyer, Epousa par contrat du 28 Decembre,
1622, demoiselle Anne de R^nalde, fille de Balthazar de Renalde et de
Jeanne de Fandrau, il en eut.
V. Pierre Estelle, Ecuyer, Conseiller du Roi, Consul de France a
Thouan, Epousa par contrat du 11 Aofit, 1653, demoiselle Gabrielle de
Moustier, fille d'lsreard de Moustier, Ecuyer, et de Marie de Robion
(pass^ devant Irebon, notaire a Marseille). De cette alliance naque-
rent:
1. Jean Baptiste, qui suit.
2. Anne d'Estelle marine par contrat du 2 Novembre, 1683, noble
Andr^ de Fauris de Beaune, dcuyer, de la ville de Monasque.
VI. Jean Baptiste d'Estelle, Ecuyer, Chevalier de I'ordre du Roi
(de Saint Michel), Consul de France au Maroc, puis a Seyde en Sprie,
61u premier ^chevin de Marseille en 1719, mourut le 15 Janvier,
1733. II avait dpous^ par contrat du 22 Avril, 1699. demoiselle Marie
30
Elisabeth de Bonaud, fille de Jules Joseph de Bonaud, Seur de Roque-
brune et de Marie Heron: et eut pour fils.
VII. Jean Baptiste Andr6 d'Estelle, ^cuyer, Seigneur de la Plage
d'Aren en Provence, Capitaine d'une Compagnie Franche d'lnfante-
rie, dans le premier bataillon des milieu gardes cote au department
de Marseilles, n6 le 22 F^vrier, 1701, fut mari^ par I'Eveque de Mar-
seille dans la Chapelle de son palais episcopal le 11 Avril, 1730, avec
demoiselle Madeleine Currand, fille d'Ambroise Currand, Conseiller
du Roi, Consul pour se Majesty a Tatabie et de Elaire Beaumond.
De ce mariage vinrent:
1. Henry Francois Laurent dont I'article suit.
2. Claire d'Estelle d'Aren, ne le 8 Septembre, 1734, et marine au
mois d'Octobre, 1754, avec Charles Gaspard de Langier, Seigneur de
Beaucouse et au partie de Thoard, Chevalier de Saint Louis, ancien
Lieutenant Colonel et Commandant-en-Chef pour le Roi a. Lauter-
bourg en Alsace.
3. Marie Rosaline d'Estelle, n^ele 14 Decembre, 1735.
4. Marie Marguerite d'Estelle nee le 22 Mars, 1741.
VIII. Henry Francois Laurent d'Estelle d'Aren, dcuyer, n€ le 10
Aout, 1737, d'abord Mousquetaire du Roi, en suite garde de la Marine
au department de Toulon et depuis le mois d' Avril, 1757, enseigne
des vaisseaux de Roi.
(G^ndalogie e'tablie d'apres les registres suivants du Cabinet des
Titres de la Bibliotheque Nationale de Paris Pieces origi^tales 1078,
cote 24839; nouveau d' Hazier 126, cote 2704; Carres de d'Hozier, vol.
241.)
Extraits de V armorial Officiel de France, dress^ et paraple, en vertu
de I'ddit royal de Novembre, 1696, par Charles d'Hozier, juge d'armes
de France et garde du dit armorial.
Feu {le prhiom, manque') Subon viguier d'Add^, sueirant la declara-
tion de Jeanne Destelle, sa veuve, portoit d'argent a deux badelaines
enchis {sic) et passes en sautoir de gueules, li^s, virol^s et rivds d'azur.
(Registre de Montpellier Montauban, p. 405 et 406 bureau d'inre-
gistrement de Toulouse.
31
Jean Gaspard Estelle, ] de gueules, a un chevron d'or,
Notaire Royal a Marseille. J chargd de cinq, etoiles d'azur.
Registre de Provence I, p. 1040.
Pierre Estelle, ] d'or a un pal d'azur coup6 de sinople a une
Consul de Toutouan. J givre d'or.
(Provence, reg. II, p. 363, bureau de Marseille.)
Genevieve Estelle, veuve de Fran- ^ , ^ , , , • , ,
f d'or a une bandede sinople, coupe
Cois Andr^, marchand bourgeois r , ^ . ,,
\ d'azur a une givre d argent.
de la ville de Marseille. J
(Meme registre, p. 367.)
Par arret du Parlement de Toulouse du 20 Juin, 1562, il fut ordo-
nori^ prise de corps, ajournement a trois jours et saisie desbiens d'An-
toine Estelle, apothicaire.
Jaques de Roussac, fils de Pierre de Roussac, chirurgien et de Jeanne
d' Estelle, fut baptist au temple de Villemar en 1596.
(Archives nationales TT 288.)
Johan d'Estelle, ^cuyer, donna a Arros, le 13 Septembre, 1342, quit-
tance p'un quartier de sesgages et de ceux d'un autre dcuyer de sa
Compagnie II portait un ^cu a deux fasces au chef.
Biblioth^que Nationale, collection Clairambault reg. 45, No. 47.
Trench Records— Translated.
D'Esterie,
Lord of the region of Aren^ in Provence, France.
Arms — Azure, wilti three mullets or, placed one above two, the top
of shield being gules, having a lion of argent passant. Supports,
two lions with marquis crowns. The crest, a lion issuant, holding a
sword in his left paw.
I. Jean Andr^ d'Estelle, a nobleman, commissary of artillery in
the city of Marseilles, the 12th of December, 1525, married a noble
lady, Jeannette Pastier.
II. Francois Estelle, illustrious and wise, married by contract, Jan.
5th, 1542, by Gamier, a notary at Toulon, to Anne Ripert.
III. Andre Estelle, esquire, married by contract on February 8th,
1572, by Taxil, a notary at Marseilles, to Miss Madeleine Sicolle. He
had,
IV. Pierre Estelle, esquire, married by contract on December 28th,
1622, to Mademoiselle Anne de Kenalde, daughter of Balthazar de
Renalde and Jeanne deFaudran.
V. Pierre Estelle, esquire, King's Counsellor, Consul of France at
Thouan, married by contract August nth, 1653, to Mademoiselle Ga-
brelle deMoustier, daughter of Isnard deMoustier, esquire, and Marie
de Robion, by Trebon, a notary of Marseilles. Of this alliance were
born:
1. Jean Baptiste Estelle. (See VI.)
2. Anne d'Estelle, married by contract November 2d, 1683, to a
nobleman, Andre deFauris de Beaune, esquire, of the city of Mo-
nasque.
VI. Jean Baptiste d'Estelle, esquire, Knight of the Order of St.
Michael of the King, Consul of France at Morocco, then at Seyde in
Syria; appointed first alderman of Marseilles in 1719. Died Jan. 15th,
1733- He had married by contract, April 22d, 1699, Mademoiselle
33
Marie Elizabeth deBonaud, daughter of Jules Joseph deBonaud, Lord
of Roquebrune, and Marie Heron. He had,
VII. Jean Baptiste Andr^ d'Estelle, esquire, Lord of Aren, a re-
gion in Provence; captain of a company in the French Infantry, in
the first battalion of Middle Coast Guards, in the department at Mar-
seilles. Born February 22nd, 1701. Married by the Bishop of Mar-
seilles in the chapel of the Episcopal palace (Bishop's house), April
nth, 1730, to Mademoiselle Madeleine Currand, daughter of Am-
brose Currand, King's Counsellor, Consul for his Majesty at Tata-
ble, and Elaire Beaumond. Of this marriage were born:
1st. Henri Francois Laurent. (See VIII).
2nd. Claire d'Estelle d'Aren, born September 8th, 1734, and mar-
ried in October, 1754, to Charles Gaspard deLaugier, Lord of Beau-
couse and a part of Thouad, Knight of St. Louis, senior Lieutenant-
Colonel and Commander-in-Chief for the King at Lauterburg in Al-
sace.
3rd. Marie Rosaline d'Estelle, born December 14th, 1735.
4th. Mary Marguerite d'Estelle, born March 22nd, 1741.
VIII. Henry Francois Laurent d'Estelle of Aren, esquire, born
August loth, 1737. At first. Musketeer of the King, and afterwards
of the Guard of the Marines, in the department at Toulon, and after
the month of April, 1757, Ensign with Navy of the King.
This genealogy is found in the following records of the Cabinet of
the Titles of the National Library of Paris: Original Documents 1078,
copy 24839; new d'Hozier 126, copy 2704; Papers d'Hozier, volume
241.
Extract from the Ofiicial Armorial, of France, instituted and signed
by virtue of the Royal edict of November, 1696, by Charles d'Hozier,
Judge of the Arms of France and Guard of the said Armorial.
Lately deceased (the first name lost) Sabou, Royal Judge of Adde,
following the declaration of Jean Destelle, his widow. Arms — Cov-
ered with argent, with two raised broadswords passing over each
other, forming a cross gules united; ferrules and rivets azure.
34
Registers de Montpellier Montauban, pages 405 and 406, Recording
Office of Toulouse:
Jean Gaspard Estelle, | Arms — Gules, with chevron or,
Royal Notary at Marseilles, j charged with five stars aziare.
Register of Provence, i, p. 1040:
Pierre Estelle, ) Arms — Or, with a pale azAire; coupe de sino-
Consul at Toutouau. j pie, with a serpent or.
Provence Reg. 11, p. 363, office of Marseilles:
Genevieve Estelle, widow of \ Arms — Or, with a band sinople
Francois Andre, merchant > cut by azure, with a serpent
civilian of Marseilles. 1 argent.
Same Register, page 367:
ramily Record of William Estill^ of Charleston^ S. C.
Born iSOO.
1. William Estell, settled New Jersey, 1664.
2. William Estell, born Highlands, N. J., November, 1664.
3. William Estell, born Middletown, N. J., 1700.
4. William Estill, born Middletown, N. J,, 1725, married Mary
Lewis. Children: William, David and Lewis.
5. William Estill, born 1759, where Lakewood, Ocean Co., N. J.,
now stands; married Sarah Denham, of Charleston, S. C.
William, first born son of William and Sarah Denham Estill, born
April loth, 1800, in Charleston, S. C; died, Savannah, Ga., May 17th,
18S2; buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery, Savannah, Ga,
Ann Eliaa Lloyd, first born daughter of John Pickering and Ann
Rebeckah Lloyd, born January 27th, 1809, Charleston, S. C. Bap-
tized by Rev. Dr. HoUingshead. Died, Savannah, Ga., June 4tb,
1867; buried in Unitarian Church Yard, Charleston, S. C. The above
were married April 3rd, 1828, by Rev. John Backman, D. D., Pastor
Lutheran Church, Charleston, S. C. Children:
1. Sarah Ann, born in New York, July loth, 1829. Baptized by
Rev. Samuel Gilman, D. D., Charleston, S. C. Died February, 1870.
Buried in Magnolia Cemetery, Charleston, S. C. Married William
Jones of Charleston, S. C, October loth, 1848, by Rev. Samuel Gilman,
Unitarian Church, Charleston, S. C.
2. Elizabeth Lloyd, born in Savannah, Ga., January i8th, 1831.
Baptized September 4th, 1831, by Rev. Mr. English, Trinity Church,
Charleston, S. C. (Second wife of William Jones; married September
7th, 1870; living in Savannah at this date, 1903).
3. William, born in Charleston, S. C, February 2nd, 1832. Bap-
tized by Rev. Samuel Gilman, D. D., May 5th, 1833, Charleston, S. C.
(Living in Savantiah at this date, 1903, unmarried").
4. Alexander Denham, born in Charleston, S. C, June 17th, 1836.
Baptized by Rev. Samuel Gilman, D. D., July 24th, 1836, Charleston,
S. C. Died Aiken County, S. C, November 1876; buried in Magnolia
38
Cemetery, Cliarleston, S. C. First wife, Wilhelmina H. Jordan, of
Charleston, S. C; married January lo, 1866; died without issue. Sec-
ond wife, Iphegenia Laura Curtis; married August 12, 1868; issue,
Iphegeuialv., born July 13, 1872, and Alexander D., born SejDt. 11,
1873. Widow married D. W. Seigler.
5. Augusta, died in infancy.
6. Victoria, bom in Charleston, S. C, August 4tli, 1838; baptized
by Rev. Samuel Oilman, D. D., March 4th, 1840; married David
Henry Denoon, by Rev. J. Pierpont, Savannah, Ga., February 3rd,
1857. They and their daiighter were lost at sea, March, 1865.
7. John Holbrook, born in Charleston, S. C, October 28th, 1840;
baptized October 7th, 1841, by Rev. Samuel Oilman, D. D. (See
personal record. )
8. Henry Pickering, born in Charleston, S. C, September 23rd,
1844; baptized July 4th, 1845, by Rev. Samuel Oilman, D. D. (Died
in Brazil, 1870).
9. Charles Edward, born in Charleston, S. C, October 28th, 1846;
baptized January 3rd, 1847, by Rev. Sanmel Oilman, D. D. Died
October 22nd, 1864, in Summerville, S. C. Buried in graveyard near
Summerville, S. C.
10. Susan Ellen, born in Charleston, S. C.
11. Eugenia, born in Savannah, Ga.
Family Record of William Estell, of Lakewood, N. J.;
5orn 1245.
REVISED BY HIMSELF.
1. William Estell, settled in New Jersey, 1664.
2. William Estell, born near Highland of Neversink, 1664.
3. William Estell, born at Middletown, N. J., in 1700.
4. William Estell, born at Middletown, N. J., in 1725; married
Mary Lewis, of Eatonton, N. J. They had three children — William,
David and Lewis.
I William, born near where Lakewood, N. J., now stands, in 1756;
moved to Charleston, S. C; married Sarah Denham; drowned Sept. 7,
1804.
2. David, born at Lakewood, N. J., Dec. 31, 1763; died May 23,
1854; married Mary Thorpe. Children: Elizabeth, William D,, David,
Lewis, Rachel, Sarah and Robert.
Robert Estell of Lakewood, son of David Estell; born Jan. 4, 1815;
married Joan Johnson. Children:
1. David, born 1837; married Sarah Sherman. Children: Char-
lotte, George R., Caroline, Amy F., Eudosia and Sarah.
2. Charles, born in 1839; married Hannah Matthews. Children:
Robert R., Georgia Anna, Jeannette, William C, Charles, Luella and
Harrison .
3. Sarah; born 1841; married Britten C. Estell. Children: Charles
B., Joan, Cora, Sarah. Garry B., Stewart, William and J. Annie.
4. George.
5. William; born March 8, 1845; married Hannah Irons, Nov. 3,
1S63 (wife died Feb. 6, 1902). Children: Mary, married Jesse John-
son, of Lakeland, N. J.; Ephraim M., now Uving at Newton Upper
Falls, Mass.; Wilham, of Red Bank, N. J.; Rufus B., of Eatonton,
N. J.; Robert F., of Eatonton, N. J.; Fanny M. and Olivia.
6. John Robert: born 1847; married Mary Morris. Children :
Weldon and Loretta.
Pamily Record of John Alfred Estelle of Newark, N. J.
FURNISHED BY HIMSELF.
James Estell, born 1768, married Ann Sylvester. Children:
1. James Sylvester, born 1793, died March ist, 1861; married Mary
Skidmore, born 1793, died July 9, 1880.
2. John, born 1795.
3. William, born 1798.
4. Sarah, born 1801; married David Mathews.
5. Hannah, born 1803; married Robt. Gant.
All of the above were born at or near Bergen Iron Works, now Lake-
wood, N. J., and lived and died in that vicinity.
James Sylvester Estell and his wife's children were:
1. James Skidmore, bom October 5, 1816, died August 10, 1882;
married Sarah Truax, daughter Sylvanus Truax; wife died April, 1897.
2. Robert, born 1819; dead.
3. Ruth, born 1821; dead.
4. Hester S., born 1823; married John Reynolds; living.
5. John S., born 1825; living.
6. Mary Hannah, born 1836; married Morris Cooper, living.
7. Britten C, born 1837; married Sarah, daughter of Robert Estell.
8. Ellen Jane, born 1839; married William Kissner; living; husband
dead.
9. Andrew J., born 1841 ; married Matilda Reynolds; both dead. The
husband was killed in the civil war.
James Skidmore Estelle* and his wife had the following children:
1. William Henry, born May i, 1841; killed at the Battle of Spott-
sylvania Court House, May 8, 1863.
2. Sylvester James, born June 7, 1843; killed at the battle of Cold
Harbor, June 3, 1864.
3. Mary Catharine, bom Sept. 23, 1846; married Benjamin
Longstreet; now a widow, resides at Ocean Grove, N. J. Children:
Carrie, William, Ida and Sadie — all married.
* The final "e" was added in this generation for the reason that it was the
French spelling of the name.
46
4. Sarah Rachel, born Sept. ii, 1849, married Richard Wooley;
living at Squankum, N. J. Children: Jane, Maggie and Henry.
5. Ruth Jane, bom May 19, 1852, married John Alfred Skidmore;
living at L^kewood N. J. Children: Annie and Minnie.
6. John Alfred Estelle, born Oct. 28, 1854, at Lakewood, N. J.; re-
moved to Newark twenty -nine years since. Married M. Evelyn
Rigby, Nov. 30, 1882. Children: Alfred R., May B., Hazel T. and
Paul Lloyd.
7. Matilda Estelle, bom April 24, 1858; married George Stillwell;
living at Greenville, N. J. Children: Uzzie, Edna, Eva (dead), Fred,
May and Marguerite.
Pamily Record of Hugh liulford Esfil of Plainfield, N. J.
FURNISHED BY HIMSELF.
Greatgrandfather, William Estill,* was born in Monmouth County,
N. J. He moved to Middlesex County and lived near the hamlet of
Samptown, about three miles from what is now Plainfield. He served
in the Middlesex County Regiment of Militia in the Revolution. He
had several children, among them Samuel and Sarah. It is possible
that Priscilla Estill, born January 14, 1794, who married Richard
Cadmus, was one of his children.
Samuel, born near Samptown, N. J., 1773; died at his son William's
residence, in Plainfield, Sept. 29, 1853.
Sarah, born 1775; died Nov. 15, 1858; married Ezekiel Sutton;
Samuel Estil, married Elizabeth Laing, daughter of George and
Anna Ivaing, of Samptown; born April 23, 1773; died Sept. 13, 1819.
They had four children — Sarah Ann, William, Martha and Mary.
The two last named died unmarried.
Sarah Ann married David F. Gardner.
William Estil; born Oct. 19, 1808; died March i, 1892. He married
Mary Thorn Webster; born Oct. 22, 1810; died April 25, 1888. They
had nine children, only three of whom reached the age of maturity,
namely :
Mary A. Estil, bom June 12, 1844; married Samuel A. Wallace.
Now living in Plainfield.
Hugh Mulford Estil, born June 29, 1842. Now living in Plain-
field, unmarried.
Sarah Jane Estil, born March 29, 1840; married William H. Williams;
died 1891. They had three daughters, namely — Ida, Clara F. and
Florence E. — and two sons — Mulford, died in infancy, and William P.
* The family name Estill (or Estle) was changed by my grandfather to Estil.
The Wallace Estill Pamily.
The genealogical table of the Wallace Estill branch of the family,
known as the "History of Ruth," was written by the youngest and
fifteenth child of Wallace Estill, who was born September 3rd, 1768,
and died September 6th, 1853, near Richmond, Ky., where many of
her kin and descendants reside.
Wallace Estill was born in New Jersey in 1698, and was a grandson
of Thomas Estell, one of the three brothers who settled in New Jersey
in 1664. According to the record he was married three times, and
after his last marriage removed to Virginia. The first recorded grant
of land to him is dated Novembers, 1750. It was in what was then
Augusta county.
Up to 1738 the whole country west of the Blue Ridge Range consti-
tuted a part of the county of Orange. On the first of that year Fred-
erick and Augusta counties were laid off. The act separated all the
territory west of the Blue Ridge and extended in all other directions
to the utmost limits of Virginia from Orange county, and created it
into the two counties named. Augusta county, therefore, included
what are now the States of West Virginia, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, and it is contended by some, a part of Western Pennsyl-
"The Ruth History."
AMENDED BY J. F. ESTILL OF CLARKESBURG, W. VA.
The following sketch, giving names, date of birth, etc., of the chil-
dren of Wallace Estill, was furnished by his youngest daughter, Ruth,
in 1853:
Wallace Estill married his first wife in New Jersey. She lived but
three months. He then married Mary Boude, and after a number of
years removed to Augusta County, Virginia, bringing five children with
him. One child was born to him in Virginia, when his wife died,
leaving six children. He next married Mary Ann Campbell of the
Argyle clan, then seventeen, who ran away to marry him, her
parents objecting to his age and the number of his children. He was
a man of fine intelligence, good business habits, and possessed of
considerable means. Mary Ann Campbell's father was a Scotchman,
who married in Ireland. He emigrated to America when she was ten
years old, bringing ten children with him, locating first in Pennsylva-
nia, then in Virginia.
Wallace Estill's children by his second wife, Mary Boude, were:
I, Boude; 2. Benjamin; 3, Rebecca; 4, John; 5, Susannah; 6, Mary;
7, Sarah; 8, James; 9, William; 10, Samuel; 11, Wallace; 12, William;
13, Abigail; 14. Isaac; 15, Ruth.
1. Boude, bom May 15th, 1733; moved first to Greenbrier County,
then to Kentucky, and settled on Silver Creek, in Madison County,
where two children were born to them — Samuel, and Nancy, who mar-
ried, first, Walker, by whom she had four children — Charles, W. B.,
Mary, who married G. W. Maupin, and Nancy, who married D. K. Mau-
pin. Married, second, John Broaddus, by whom she had three children
— Elijah, John and Julia.
2. Benjamin, born Sept. 20, 1735; married Kitty Moffett in Vir- '
ginia; moved to Moccasin, on the Holston river, in what is now Ritssell
County, where two children were born to them — John and Benjamin.
3. Rebecca, born March 15, 1739; married Thomas Hughart; had
one daughter.
56
4. John, born June 5tli, 1731! ^^irisd Rebecca Christian. One son
was born to them — William Christian — who married Margaret Chris-
tian and had issue: Rebecca, Margaret, Huston, William M. and Davis
Hudson, who married Maria V. Maston of Troy, N. Y. The latter had
issue as follows: James, Brnest, Reverdy, Henry V. W. and Wilson.
,5. Susannah, born March 5, 1744; married John McCreary; lived
and died in Augusta County, leaving two sons and one daughter. > • ' \*^
6. Mary, born Jan. 4th, 1747; married James Gwinn ; died without'
issue.
Wallace Estill and Mary Ann Campbell were married in 1748 and
had nine children :
1. Sarah, born Jan. 4, 1749; married James Henderson; moved to
Shelbyville, Ky. ; had but one child, which died in infancy.
2. James, born Nov. 9, 1750; married Rachel Wright; moved to
Greenbrier County, where three of their children were born — Benjamin,
Wallace and James. They then moved to Boonesborough, Ky., where
Jonathan was born; then to Estill's Station, his own fort, in 1779 or '80,
where Sarah, their youngest daughter, was born.
a. Benjamin married Miss Kavanaugh; moved to Boone County,
Missouri, in 1818, and at his death left issue as follows: James, Phile-
mon, Jonathan, Benjamin, William, Peter Wright.
b. Wallace married, first, Mary Harden, daughter of Col. John Har-
den. He married, second, Elizabeth Rodes, by whom he had seven
children: Mary Ann, who married, first, Jefferson Curl, by whom she
had two children — Eliza and Archy. Married, second, James Wright,
by whom she had one daughter — Laura.
c. Webber, killed at the age of 18 by being thrown from his horse.
d. William Rodes, who married Amanda Fry. They had three
children — Clifton Ferguson, William Wallace and Robert Christopher.
Clifton Ferguson married Mary Carr of Fayette County, Ky., and lives
in Fort Worth, Texas. Has four sons and four daughters. William
Wallace married Hattie Shafer and has three sons — Jacob Rodes and
William. Robert Christopher, who married Onie Shafer and has three
children.
e. John Hardin, who married Sallie Ann Sullinger of Richmond,
Ky. ; moved to Howard County, Mo. ; they have four children: Eugene
57
Wallace, who married Laura Robinson of Saline County, Mo., and has
five ^children — Lillie, Clifton, Eugenia, Daniel and Mattie. Bettie
Rodes, who married A. G. Green of Richmond, Ky. Mary Wright,
who married A. A. Arbuckle of Greenbrier County, Va. Sallie, who
married W. Mead Travis of St. Louis.
f. James Robert married Mary Turner of Howard County, Mo. , and
has five children — Alice, Wallace, William Rodes, Ella and Cliffie.
g. Jonathan married Lou Oldham of Madison County, Ky., and has
three children — Laura, Lavinia and Wallace.
h. Clifton, tmmarried. James, the third son of James and Rachel
Wright, married Mary Rodes and had issue — Eliza, Robert Rodes, Ma-
ria, James M. and Mary. Jonathan, the fourth son, married, but issue
not known, Sarah, the daughter, married Robert Miller of Madison
County, Ky. They had eight children — James, Solon, William, Green,
John D., Robert, Rachel and Sallie.
3. William, born Nov. 14, 1752. Died in infancy.
4. Samuel, born Sept. 10, 1755; married Jane Teas of Augusta
County, and located at the new Estill Station in Kentucky. They had
nine children — ^James, Sally, William, Annie, Henderson, Jane, Ruth,
Susan and Samuel.
5. Wallace, born March 5, 1758; married Jennie Wright; settled in
Eranklin County, Tenn.; eight children were bom to them — James,
Jack, Isaac, Wallace, Sallie, Rebecca, Mattie and Mary.
6. William, bom June 16, 1760; married Mattie Wright; moved to
Kentucky, then to Winchester, Tenn. They had three children —
James, Isaac and Jane.
7. Abigail, born Nov. 22, 1762; married James Woods; moved to
Kentucky, then to Eranklin County, Tenn. They had five children —
Annie, Sallie, James, Rebecca and Susie Abigail.
8. Isaac, born April 8, 1766; married Elizabeth Strother Frogg;
moved to Greenbrier County and located on Indian Creek. Twelve
children were bom to them,
a. Agatha, who married Henry Erskine and left issue: Elizabeth,
who married Gustavus Crockett of Wythe Co. , Va. ; Margaret, who mar-
ried Charles S. Gay of Richmond, Va. ; Jane, who married William
Boyd of Buchanan, Va.
58
b. Wallace, who married Eleanor Crabbe of Wincliester, Tenn., and
at his death in 1864 left issue as follows: Mary; Henry R. , married
Ellen E. Turney and left issue: Frank T., married Catherine Garner
and left issue; Agnes E., married Col. A. S. Colyar of Nashville and left
issue; Lilely T., married M. W. Garner; William W., married Jane
Beazelton and left issue: Ann; Thomas L.; Margaret I/., unmarried;
Teresa T., who married Col. A. M, Shook of Birmingham, Ala.
c. John Stuart.
d. William.
e. James Henderson.
/. Charles.
g. Benjamin, never married.
h. Sarah, died in infancy.
i. Rufus King, never married.
j. Lewis.
k. Floyd, married Susan R. Kincaid and left issue.
/. Isaac.
9. Ruth, born Sept. 3, 1768, who married, first, Travis Boo ton, by
whom she had one daughter, Annie; she married, second, William
Kavanaugh. »
The Estills ot Tennessee.
BV MRS. BEULAH ESTILL THOMAS OP WINCHESTER, TENN.
Isaac Estill married Elizabeth Strother Erogg, daughter of Captain
John Frogg, who was killed at Point Pleasant, Virginia, Oct. lo, 1774,
in the battle between the Virginia forces, commanded by Gen. Andrew
Lewis, and the Indians by Cornstalk.
Capt. John Frogg married Agatha Lewis, daughter of Thomas Lewis
(brother of Gen. Andrew Lewis) and second son of John Lewis, who
married Margaret Lynn of Scotland. John and Agatha Frogg had one
daughter, Elizabeth Strother, born Aug. 14, 1771, who married Isaac
Estill, Dec. 9, 1788, and of this union twelve children were born, viz:
Agatha, Wallace, John Stuart, William, James Henderson, Charles
Lewis, Benjamin, Sarah, Rufus King, Lewis, Floyd and Isaac.
Isaac Estill went to Franklin County, Tennessee, in 1818, and lived
on what is known as the Murrell farm, near Winchester, Tenn. His
occupation was farmer and stock raiser. Did not live in Tennessee but
a few years, and then moved to Arkansas, and died in Virginia. The
old Woods bible, which contained the family record of Wallace Estill,
father of Isaac, was in possession of Charles Callaway Estill as a loan
from the owner some few years ago.
According to the best information and belief, Isaac and his wife died
at the home of their daughter, Agnes Estill Erskine, in Lewisburg,
Greenbrier County, Virginia.
Wallace Estill, first born son of Isaac and Elizabeth Strother Frogg
Estill, born Feb. 12, 1789, on Indian Creek, Monroe County, Virginia;
graduated at Philadelphia Medical College in 1816; went immediately to
Tennessee; lived a short time in Franklin, Williamson County; from
there went to Winchester, Tenn., where he located. Married Eleanor
Thomas Crabb, Jan. 8, 1818. Serv^ed in the Tennessee State Senate in
1837-8. Was Surgeon of First Tennessee Regiment (Confederate),
which went to Virginia in 186 1. Was promoted to Brigade Surgeon in
1863. Was transferred to hospital service. First went to Chattanooga,
from there to Newnan, Ga. Ordered to the front at the battle of Chick-
62
amauga; returned to Newnan with the wounded, from there to Ameri
cus, Ga., where he died Nov. 9, 1864. Buried at Macon, Ga.
Eleanor Thomas Crabb Estill died in Winchester, Tenn., March 4,
1864. Henry Crabb, brother of Eleanor, was in Congress from David-
son County.
1. Mary died in infancy.
2. Henry Rutledge Estill, born March 21, 1821; graduated from the
Medical College in Lexington, Ky.; married Eleanor Estill Tumey,
daughter of Hopkins ly. Turney, United States Senator from Winches-
ter, Tenn. Dr. Estill lived and died in Winchester, Dec. 21, 1900, in
his 79th year. Two sons and two daughters survive him: Hopkins
Lacey in California; Wallace Crabb of Chattanooga; Jennie (Mrs. Wm.
J. Pryor), San Antonio, Texas, and Dela (Mrs. W. J. Claiborne), of
Winchester, Tenn. Both sons married.
3. Francis Thomas. (See his genealogy.)
4. Agnes Erskin, bom March 17, 1826; married in Winchester,
Tenn., in 1847 to Arthur S. Colyar of Franklin County, and died in
1885. Col. Colyar is living in Nashville, and though 84 years of age is
at his law office every day. Served in the Confederate Congress from
Tennessee and has been one of Tennessee's ablest men. Has just com-
pleted his book on the life of Andrew Jackson. Three daughters sur-
vive this marriage — I,ulu Thomas (Mrs. Isaac Reese of Memphis); Mrs.
Berta Colyar Morris of Washington, D. C, and Ldley Colyar Thompson
of Murfreesboro, Tenn. Mrs. Reese has four sons — William, Erskin,
Arthur and Isaac. Mrs. Morris two daughters and one son — Agnes,
Barney and Wallace Estill Scott. Mrs. Thompson one son — Harry.
5. Liley Thomas, born April 26, 1828; married in Winchester, Tenn.,
in 1848 to Matt Gamer, lawyer, son of Calloway and Beulah Garner, and
brother of Catherine, wife of Francis Thomas Estill. No children.
Liley Thomas Gamer was left a widow in i860; ten years later married
P. H. Marbury of McMinnville, Tenn., and died Oct. 24, 1888, in Tracy
City, Tenn., at the home of her sister, Mrs. A. M. Shook.
6. William Wallace, born May ist, 1830; graduated in medicine and
later in theology, and devoted his life to the ministry of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church; married Jane Brazelton in Winchester, Tenn.,
and died in the year 1886 at Chattanooga, His widow lives in Mem-
63
phis, Tenn., and four sons and four daughters are living in different
sections of the State. Thomas B. married Marie Glenn and lives in
Nashville. Henry and Ross, older sons of William Wallace and Jane
Estill, are residents of Chattanooga; also one daughter, Eleanor, mar-
ried. Ross has just accepted a call to pastorate of a C. P. Church in
Indiana. Liley, eldest daughter of William Wallace, is married and
lives in West Tennessee. Second daughter, Gay, married Mr. Moore of
Lincoln County, Superintendent of Mail Service Division in Memphis.
Issue, seven children; eldest son, Wallace Estill, is a practicing phy-
sician. Thomas B. and Walter, youngest sons of William Wallace and
Jane Estill, are connected with the Railway Mail Service. Walter
resides in Memphis. Willie, youngest daughter, unmarried.
7. Thomas Lewis, the fourth son of Wallace and Eleanor Thomas
Crabb Estill, born July 9, 1832; died during the Civil War while serving
as', Captain in the Confederate service, and buried at Winchester, Tenn.,
in 1862.
8. Eleanor Jane, born May 3, 1834; married Elmore Horton; was
a widow a number of years before her death, which occurred at Tracy
City in 1887. She had no children.
9. Ann Anderson died in infancy.
10. Margaret Lynn, sixth daughter of Wallace and Eleanor Thomas
Crabb Estill, was bom in Winchester, is a member of the Methodist
Church, and lives in Nashville with her sister Teressa Estill Shook,
unmarried, but a mother to the motherless.
11. Teressa Thomas was baptized in the Presbyterian Church; re
ceived her education with her sister Margaret at Mary Sharp College;
married Alfred M. Shook of Franklin Coimty, in Nashville, Tenn.,
Aug. 17, 1871. Col. Shook is a well-known factor in the development
of the iron and steel industry of Tennessee and Alabama. A notable
charity by this gentleman, worthy of mention, is the erection of a mag-
nificent school building in Tracy City in memory of his father. Paschal
Green, first son of this marriage, born Aug. 27, 1872, educated at Win-
chester Normal and Terrill College, together with his brother Warner.
His business career has been in Birmingham, Ala., where he now lives.
Margaret Lynn, first born daughter of Alfred M. and Teressa Estill
Shook, born Sept. 4, 1873; graduated at Nashville College for Young
64
Ladies, and married, Dec. 21, 1898, to Edwin Armstrong Price, City-
Attorney of Nashville, and now District Attorney. Children born to
Edwin A. and Margaret L. are Alfred Shook Price, Oct. 14, 1899, and
Edwin Armstrong, Jr., June 25, 1902.
James Warner Shook, second son of Alfred M. and Teressa Estill
Shook, born Aug. 24, 1875. Received certificate in Mechanical Science
at Boston School of Technology; is Superintendent of Furnaces at Ens-
ley, Ala.; married Anna Louise Morrow of Birmingham, Ala., Dec. 11,
1901.
Wallace Estelle, second daughter of this marriage, bom July 27, 1880;
educated at Nashville College for Young Ladies, and is prominent in
Nashville society. Third son, Alfred M. Shook, Jr., born June 15, 1882 ,'
graduated at Hotchkiss Preparatory School, Lakeville, Conn., and is
now in the Yale freshman class, 1903.
The five children of the above baptized in Cumberland Presbyterian
Church.
ramily Record of John P. Estill of Clarksburg, West
Virginia.
FURNISHED BY HIMSELF.
Isaac Estill, son of Wallace and Mary Ann Campbell, was bom
April Sth, 1776, at the old homestead on Indian Creek, in what is now
Monroe County, West Virginia. He married Elizabeth Strother
Frogge, whose father, John Frogge, was killed at Point Pleasant, Vir-
ginia, at the battle fought at that place Oct. loth, 1774, between the
Virginia forces, commanded by General Andrew Lewis, and the Indi-
ans, under the celebrated Cornstalk.
The mother of Elizabeth Strother Frogge was Agatha, daughter of
Thomas Lewis and Jane Strother. Her father, Thomas Lewis, was a
brother of General Andrew Lewis, and son of Colonel John Lewis,
who emigrated from Ireland in 1732, and located at Fort Lewis, one
mile east of the present city of Staunton.
Thomas Lewis was for years a member of the Virginia House of
Burgesses; voted in 1765 for Patrick Henry's celebrated resolutions;
was a delegate to the Colonial Convention of 1775, and a member of
the Convention which ratified the Constitution of the United States.
Isaac Estill and Elizabeth Strother Frogge were married Dec. 9th,
1788, and had twelve children — Agatha, Wallace, John Stuart, William,
James Henderson, Charles, Benjamin, Sarah, Rufus King, Lewis,
Floyd and Isaac:
Floyd Estill married Susan R. Kincaid, June 15th, 1847, and at his
death in Lewisburg, W. Va., in September, 1876, left issue.
1. Elizabeth Strother, who married Thomas W. McClung, of Green-
brier County, and has issue.
2. John F., who married Lucie Lee Dice, daughter of Rev. John C.
Dice, Nov. 21st, 1883, and has issue:
Susan Gay, Sallie Roszelle, John Dice, Margaret Lynn and Calvert
Lewis.
3. Agatha Erskine, unmarried.
Tamily Record of Dr. Andrew D. Estill of Lexington, Va.
FURNISHED BV HIMSELF.
[This family are the descendants of Benjamin Estill, second son of
Wallace Estill and Mary Boude. Benjamin Estill married Kitty Mof-
fett. They had two children, John and Benjamin.]
My grandfather, John Moffett Estill, established the first iron fur-
nace in Virginia. He married Patsy Miller; they had nine children,
viz.: Catherine, Hannah Winters, Henry Miller, M. D., Eliza, Nancy,
Rachel, Martha, Benjamin, John Moffett, M. D. - all of whom are
dead.
1. Catherine, died when young and unmarried.
2. Hannah Winters married Dr. Livingston Waddell. Children:
Martha, Lucy, Kitty, Sarah, James, John Estill, Lucy Gordon, Mary
Eliza, Edmonio, Lewis, Edward Livingston, Maria Lindsey, Janetta
Alexander, Addison Alexander, Benjamin Harrison.
Lucy married Rev. Thos. L. Preston, D. D.; Mary married Rev.
Wm. W. Houston, D. D.; Emomonia married Col. E. W. Nichols, of
the Virginia Military Institute; Maria married Rev. J. W. Pratt, D. D.;
Janetta married Maj. F. H. Smith, Jr., formerly of the V. M. I.
3. Henry M., married Eliza Jane Patrick. Children: John Liv-
ingston, Robert Kyle, William Patrick, Isabelle Christian, Catherine,
Cecil, Frank and Mary. Cecil and Frank married and have children
in California.
4. Eliza married John Ervine. Their children are. Patsy, Marga-
ret, Eliza, Chalmers, Annie, Sally and Jesse.
5. Nancy married Thomas McClintic. Their children are, Robert,
and two others whose names I do not know.
6. Rachel, died waihout issue.
7. Martha, died without issue.
8. Benjamin, died without issue.
9. John Moffett married Mary Lavalette Davidson, daughter of
Rev. Andrew Baker Davidson, a Presbyterian minister of Scotch-
72
Irish descent, who preached most of his life in Rockbridge and
AugLista counties, Virginia.
John Mofifett Bstill and Mary L., his wife, had four children, viz.:
Henry Baker, M. D., Andrew D., M. D., Benjamin, and Susan Dor-
man. Of these I am the only survivor.
My father received his literary education at Washington College,
now Washington and Lee University, and his medical education at
the University of Virginia. Graduating M. D. in 1846, he practiced
his profession for fifty years in Tazewell, Va., with one year's inter-
mission, during which he assisted his brother, Dr. H. M. Estill, as
surgeon to Virginia Military Institute, and four years' intermission,
during which he served as surgeon to the 51st Virginia Volunteers,
Confederate States Army, and surgeon in charge of camp of instruc-
tion at Dublin, Va. He died in Lexington, Va., in 1899, aged 79
years.
I married Clara Davidson, daughter of James D. Davidson, a prom-
inent lawyer of Lexington, Va. We have no children.
I received my medical education at the University of Virginia and
Jefferson Medical College, and have practiced in Lexington, Va., ever
since— thirteen years.
The Descendants of James Estill, of Kentucky.
FURNISHED BY W. W. ESTILL, LEXINGTON, KY.
Capt. James Estill married Rachel Wright, and to them were born
the following children: Benjamin, "Wallace, Jonathan, James and
Sallie. He was killed by Indians, near Mt. Sterling, Ky., in 1782.
Wallace Estill, my grandfather, married Elizabeth Rodes, daughter
of Colonel Robert Rodes, Albemarle Co., Va., and had the following
children: Mary, Webber (died young), William Rodes (my father),
John H., James R., Jonathan T., Clifton R.
William Rodes Estill, my father, married, 1839, Amanda Fry. They
had. children as follows: Clifton P., William W., Elizabeth Rodes
(died in infancy), Robert C.
John H. married in Madison Co., Ky., and moved to Missouri. He
is dead, but left a son, Eugene, and three daughters— Sallie, Bettie
and Mary.
J. R. Estill moved to Missouri and settled in Howard County. He
married Mary Turner. Both now dead. They left three children-
Wallace, who lives at Estill, Howard Co., Mo.; Mrs Ella LaForce and
Mrs. Clifford LaForce, Kansas City, Mo.
Jonathan Estill married Mary Oldham. Both dead. They left
three children— Wallace Estill, Lexington, Ky., Mrs. Cunningham
and Mrs. Frances, Bourbon Co., Ky.
C. F. Estill, born 1842; married, 1865, Mary Ellen Carr, and has nine
childsen— Daniel T., William R., Merrell, Amanda, Anna, Ella, Sal-
lie, Richard and Pauline.
W. W. Estill, born 1848; married, 1870, Harriet Hughes Sheffer.
To them were born— Jacob S., 1871; William R., 1873; Howard S.,
1878; George C, 1881.
R. C. Estill, born 1855; married, 1876, Naomi W. Sheffer. To them
were born— Robert J., 1877; Laura Sheffer, 1879; Elizabeth P., 1881;
Daniels., 1884; Robert, 1888.
Pamilv Record ot Rev. Reverdy Estrir, Ph. D., D. D., LL. D.,
of Louisville^ l^y.
BY HIMSELF.
I am descended from Wallace Estill and Mary Boude, his wife,
through his third son, John, who was born June 5th, 1741. He mar-
ried Rebecca Christian, daughter of "William, son of Gilbert Christian
and Margaret Richardson, of Augusta County, Va. They left one son,
William Christian Estill. Rebecca Christian Estill afterwards mar-
ried Hezekiah Estill, of another branch of the family. They had
one dai:ghter.
William Christian, son of John and Rebecca Estill, was born May
loth, 1783, and married his first cousin, Margaret Christian, daugh-
ter of Col. Robert Christian, on April 2d, 1807. They both died, 1818,
on the same day and were buried in the same grave. They had issue
as follows: Rebecca, Maria, Huston (Major 60th Virginia in the Civil
War, who died in prison at Fort Delaware just as the war closed),
William M., and Davis Hudson, who was my father.
Davis Hudson was born May 6th, 181 6, in Kanawha County, Va.,
and was married to Maria V. Masten, daughter of Judge H. V. W.
Masten and Hannah Nicholls, his wife, of Troy, N. Y., Nov. 2u, 1S42,
and lived in Charleston, W. Va., until his death. He was a promi-
nent and successful merchant; he was also Judge of Kanawha County.
He and his wife Maria had issue as follows:
1. Irene, who married John P. Woodward, M. D., and is now a
widow.
2. Ernest, who died in youth.
3. Reverdy, Rector of St. Paul's Church, Louisville, Ky. (married,
first, Edith Clagett, of Alexandria, Va.; second, Louisa Merriwether
Christian, of Richmond, Va.) Children: Reverdy Van W., and
Louisa Christian, wife of W. Russell Winfree, of Lynchburg, Va.
4. Henry V. W., married Stephie Hendricks, and is living in Mis-
souri.
5. William, married Annie Masten, and now lives on the original
Christian grant in Kanawha County, W. Va.
THE
NEW YORK
PUBLIC library'
\ Astor, L-.iicx and Tiiden //
fr.-_u ii:*\cins.
190b
JOHN HOLBROOK ESTILL.
family Record of John Holbrook Estill of Savannah, Ga.*
John Holbrook Estill, third son of William and Ann Eliza Estill,
of Charleston, S. C; born in that city Oct. 28, 1840; married Marion
Virginia Thompson, daughter of John and Marion H. Thompson, Sa-
vannah, Oct. 10, 1865, by Rev. Chas. H. Coley, Assistant Rector of
Christ Church.
Marion V. Estill, wife of J. H. Estill, born in Savannah, April 10,
1848; died in Savannah, January 26, 1894. Buried in family lot in
Laurel Grove Cemetery.
Ida Holbrook Estill, second wife of J. H. Estill, born in Savannah,
December 21, 1869; married June 30, 1895, by Rev. C. H. Strong, Rec-
tor, at St. John's Church. Died July 11, 1896. Buried in family
lot in Laurel Grove Cemetery.
Maude Augustin Hill, third wife of J. H. Estill, second daughter of
George Pierson and Jane Gee Hill, of Augusta, Ga., born in Augusta,
Oct. 29, 1874; married by Rev. W. M. Pettis, D. D., Rector, at St.
Paul's Church, Chattanooga, Tenn., March 2, 1897.
Children (by first wife) :
1. H. T., born in Savannah, July 6, 1866; married Annie Honora
Smith, April 19, 1892. Children: Helen, born November 23, 1895;
Clara, born May 23, 1900; Stewart Anthony, born November 18, 1902.
2. William Nicolson, born in Savannah, March 9, 1869; died Au-
gust 21, 1869. Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.
3. Eugene Marion, born in Savannah, Nov. 24, 1870; died June 7,
1871. Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.
4. James Sullivan, born in Savannah, Oct. 8, 1873; married, Oct.
7, 1894, Maud Mary Von Eberstein. Children: Ann Lloyd, born
Aug. 26, 1895; Frederick Albert, born March 16, 1898. M A K .'> a ^^ B \ 'l^ l^- ^'
5. Helen Marion, born in Savannah, Dec. 11, 1875; died Dec. 3, '.^ ft "^ '^
1883. Buried in Laurel Grove Cemetery.
* See Family Record of William E;still of Charleston, S, C.
82
6. John Holbrook, born in Savannah, January 15, 1878; married
Jessie Eason, July 28, 1898. Children: Maud Virginia, bom February
22, 1899.
7. Walter, born in Savannah, January i, 1880; married Maria Jane
Hurtt, January 25, 1901. Children: Edwin Van, born April 20, 1903.
8. Marion William, born in Savannah, Nov. 23, 1882; married
Mary Catherine Elizabeth Pate, October 30, 1902.
The ramily Record of Francis Thomas Estill of
Winchester, Tenn.
WRITTEN BY MRS. BEULAH ESTILL THOMAS.
Francis Thomas, second born son of Wallace and Eleanor Thomas
Cr abb Estill, born March 29, 1823, in Winchester, Tenn.; baptized in
Christian Church; died October 22, 1878. Catherine Heslep Gamer,
first born daughter of Charles Calloway and Beulah Heslep Garner, born
Aug. 6, 1827, in Winchester, Tenn. ; baptized in the Cumberland Pres-
byterian Church; died Nov. 19, 1884. The above were married Feb. 12,
1846, and lived in Winchester, Tenn. Francis Thomas Estill was the
first native bom in Franklin County, graduated from a college or
university, receiving diploma from University of Nashville (literary
and law ) . His diploma bears the following signatures :
Philip Lindsey, President; Andrew Jackson, James C. Jones, Fran-
cis B. Fogg, R. J. Meigs, Edwin H. Ewing, Robt. H. McEwin, Felix
Robertson, Curators. A. D. 1842.
Francis Thomas Estill served in the Tennessee I^egislature in 1845-6
at the age of 21 years. Was Colonel of the 43rd Tennessee Regiment
of State troops, known as the State Militia.
The wife and companion of Francis Thomas Estill did not shine by
reflected light, but was a peer in the home circle, and was beloved and
honored by all classes. She had all the advantages which ' 'that day' '
afforded, as her father had large means, and she was the inspiration to a
large circle of friends and relatives. Her influence still lives.
The sons and daughters of this union were fourteen : Charles Callo-
way, Beulah, Eleanor Thomas, Wallace, Mary Davis, I^iley Matt, Fran-
cis Thomas, Floyd, Henry Rutledge, Charles William, Joseph Gamer,
Arthur Colyar, Minnie and Carrie Vernon. Arthur and Minnie died in
infancy.
I. Charles Calloway received his education at Carrick Academy and
went into business at the age of 17 years; never married, but devoted
his life and means to the welfare and promotion of his family — the idol
of his mother and father, and still recognized as the head of the family
86
by all his brothers and sisters, and nieces and nephews look up to him
as their father. Is now with Tennessee Milling Co.
2. Beulah Estill was baptized into the Cumberland Presbyterian
Church by her uncle, Dr. William Wallace Estill; educated at Mary
Sharp College; married Oct. 8, 1879, to William James Thomas of Nash-
ville, by Rev. George W. Mitchell of C. P. Church. Lived at Tracy
City until the death of her husband, June 10, 1894.
3. Eleanor Thomas received her education in the class with Beulah;
baptized in the C. P. Church; married to Charles C. Estill of Grapevine,
Texas, Dec. 12, 1876, by Rev. S. O. Wood; after marriage joined Baptist
Church with her husband. Six bright children bless this union, viz:
Kate, Erank Thomas, John, Beulah, Joe and Calloway. Kate married
Earl Yates of Grapevine, Texas, and Frank married Miss Yates of the
same family.
4. Wallace was elected Circuit Court Clerk of Franklin County at
the age of 22 years. Served four years as Adjutant General of Ten-
nessee and Secretary to Gov. Marks. Died Aug. 6, 1881, at the age of
29 years.
5. Mary Davis (Mollie) received her education at Mary Sharp Col-
lege; baptized in the C. P. Church, and has always lived at the Estill
homestead on the Decherd road, near,Winchester, Tenn. ; is unmarried.
6. Liley Matt, baptized in the C. P. Church; was graduated from
Mary Sharp College with highest honors ; afterwards took a course in
Winchester Normal College and received a degree from that school.
Has been a successful teacher, and has continued to teach since her
marriage, April 4, 1896, to Professor J. W. Terrill, President of Terrill
College at Decherd, Tenn.
7. Francis Thomas, Jr., third son of this branch, was born March 4,
1857. He only lived two years.
8. Floyd received his literary education in his native place, Win-
chester, Tenn. Commenced the study of law when a mere boy, and
has practiced his profession continuously since his majority, except
during the time he filled the office of Circuit Judge of the Fourth Judi-
cial District, made vacant by the resignation of Judge Moon. His appli-
cation was signed by more than 3,000 of his neighbors and friends. The
appointment was made by Gov. Turney, Jan. i, 1897, at the age of 38
87
years. Was elected to the same office in August, 1898, by an over-
whelming majority, which he held until Sept. i, 1902. Is now prac-
ticing law in Winchester. Married Nora I^andis of Bedford County in
November, 1886. One daughter, Katherine, an only child, is at Ta-
conic School, at Lakeville, Conn. Judge Estill and daughter were con-
firmed by Bishop Gailor of Tennessee.
9. Henry Rutledge Estill, baptized in the Christian Church, was a
pupil of Carrick Academy. In his boyhood he evinced a decided taste
for farming and stock raising, and has always lived at the old home and
managed the affairs of the farm. In October, 1895, was married to Ju-
liette Ruth, formerly of Montgomery, Ala. Three children are the
issue of this marriage — Mary Davis, Floyd Thomas and Grace Ruth.
10. Charles William was educated at Winchester Normal College and
had already given promise of a brilliant career in literature when ty-
phoid fever ended his life, Oct. 5, 1890, at the age of 29 years. A wife,
Lura Motlow Estill, and two children, Carrie Vernon and Charles Wil-
liam, survive him. Their home is in Lynchburg, Tenn. Carrie Vernon
is a student at Terrill College.
11. Joseph Gamer Estill, born Oct. 2, 1863; baptized in the Cum-
berland Presbyterian Church. Was the first Yale man from his county;
graduated in Class 1891; had several degrees conferred for high schol-
arship. The money received for scholarships was returned to the
Yale Scholarship fund before leaving college. Took a post-graduate
course in law, Class 1892. Married, June 29, 1893, to Mary North of
New Haven, Conn. Is Master of Mathematics in Hotchkiss School,
Lakeville, Conn.; President pro tern, since September, 1902. Has
written and published Numerical Problems in Plane Geometry,
Text-Book, and has another work on Mathematics ready for publica-
tion. Children born to Joseph Garner and Mary North Estill are Joe
Garner, Jr., Wallace and Gordon North.
12. Carrie Vernon, born Sept. 27, 1869; baptized in the C. P. Church;
received literary diploma and medal for scholarship in music, June,
1887, and died Oct. 24, 1887; buried in Winchester Cemetery beside the
father, mother, Wallace, and others gone before. Charlie is buried in
Lynchburg Cemetery.
Dr. William Estill of Winchester, Tenn.
BY MRS. BEULAH ESTILL THOMAS.
Dr. William Estill, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Strother Frogge Estill
and brother of Wallace, graduated from the Philadelphia Medical Col-
lege, was a prominent physician and honored citizen of Winchester,
where he lived and died. His death occurred soon after the Civil
War. He was married three times. First wife was Jemima Sharpe;
second. Bell Decherd, and third, Mary Cherry, who died at the old
homestead in Winchester in 1900. The only child living is Mary,
daughter of the second marriage. From the last information she was
living in Idaho. Married a Western man in California and has two
daughters. Cannot recall her married name.
The only living descendants of the first marriage are Meriwether
Carr of Texas, Mrs. Margaret Webber of New York City, Charles
Cochran of Birmingham, Ala., and Harry Cochran of McCombs, Miss.
Charles Cochran married Jennie Sanford, sister of S. R. Sanford of
Nashville, Tenn. Elizabeth, only daughter of Charles and Jennie
Cochran, was married in February, 1903, to Mr. McCoy, a young law-
yer of Birmingham. Other children are two boys — Charles, 16 years
of age, and the youngest, 12 years, is a student at Wallace's Prepara-
tory School in Nashville, Tenn.
James Estill of Winchester, Tenn.
BY MRS. BEULAH ESTILL THOMAS.
Captain James Estill, son of Isaac and Elizabeth Strother Frogge
Estill, married Miss Sharpe of Winchester, Tenn., the first time. The
only descendants living of this marriage are Will Estill of Franklin
county; John Estill March, son of Hayden and Margaret Estill March
and grandson of James Estill, and John Turney, son of Dr. Hopkins L,.
and Elizabeth Estill Turney, and also a grandson of James. Mr. Tur-
ney is a lawyer at the Nashville bar.
Captain Estill lived and died in Winchester.
The only child of the second marriage is Mrs. Arnold, nfe Lucy
Estill, who lives in Pratt City, Ala.
Mrs. Eleanor Crabb Cstili,
WRITTEN BY MRS. BEULAH ESTILL THOMAS.
Eleanor Crabb, wife of Dr. Wallace Estill, was born in Fincastle,
Va., and educated at Salem, N. C. Col. Ralph Crabb, father of
Eleanor, moved to Nashville, Tenn., about the year 1812. Soon after-
ward went to Winchester, and was a prominent business man. Two
brick houses are still standing as monuments to his enterprise. Henry
Crabb, brother of Eleanor, was a distinguished lawyer in Nashville,
and was appointed Supreme Judge by the Governor in 1827 and died
the same year. Contemporary with Chief Justice Catron and Nathan
Green, a well-known Jurist of Tennessee.
NOTE.
When Jefferson Davis was going from his Louisiana home to Ken-
tucky to dedicate his birth-place to a church, C. C. Estill had a conver-
sation of thirty or forty minutes with the distinguished Confederate,
during which time he asked if C. C. Estill was related to the Mississippi
Estills. When answered in the affirmative, he shook his hand and
said, "lam more pleased than ever to meet you." Then told of the
assassination of his dear friend, Joseph Estill, distinguished lawyer
and gentleman, near Jackson, Miss. Mrs. Sutton, descendant of this
branch, resides at Sewanee, Tenn. The eldest daughter, Mollie, was
the first wife of Silas McBee, former President of Fairmont College
Monteagle, Tenn., and now editor of The Churchman.
The Estiils in Texas.
[The following letter, which mentions a number of families of
Estiils in Texas and elsewhere, is a contribution from Mrs. Beulah
Estill Thomas, of Nashville, Tenn. It was written in 1891 by W. H.
Estill, of Belton, Texas, to C. C. Estill, of Winchester, Tenn.]
My father was James Estill, son of William Estill, brother to Capt.
James Estill; for whom my father was named. My father man-ied
Eudocia Henderson, I am the oldest child of that marriage. Was
born in Winchester, Tenn., July 7th, 1813. Was the first male child
born in that town of white parentage. Am well advanced in my 78th
year, and now, on 20th February, 1891, in good health, and reside at
Belton, Texas.
My grandmother Estill's maiden name was Martha Wright.
Grandfather William Estill died a young man, leaving three chil-
dren— James (my father), Isaac, and Jane, who married Capt. Leonard
Tarrant. I had two brothers, Sam and Alfred, and two sisters, Caro-
line and Martha. My father died a young man, and my mother died
at my home in Belton at the advanced age of 93. Brother Alfred and
sister Caroline are dead. Sam and Martha are living, Sam is a phy-
sician at Blount Springs, Ala. Martha (Mrs. Dorsey) lives at Alto,
Cherokee County, Texas.
I married Miss Amanda Likens, a niece to Col. Tip Bradford, son-
in-law to Col. Mica Taul, of Tennessee. She died February 6th, 1890.
We were married in Jacksonville, Ala., May 23rd, 1839, ^^^ moved to
Texas, November, 1848. Have three sons and two daughters now
living, to-wit: James Thomas Estill, Fredericksburg, Texas; William
B. Estill, Austin, Texas; John T. Estill, Belton, Texas; Mrs. Benner
Hogan, Lake City, Fla.
Four of our children, two sons. Likens Estill and Alfred Tipton
Estill, and Mary C. Estill and Margaret Tipton Estill are dead. Mary
married Nat Terry and died leaving two sons. The father, Nat Terry,
and one son, Estill Terry, are dead. Another son, Nat Terry, Jr., is
living with me. Margaret married C. S. Healy. They had no chil-
94
dren and both are dead Our daughter Miss Julia Estill lives with me
at Belton (unmarried).
This is about what I know of my immediate family. Now for what
I know of the others :
Old great uncle Wallace Estill, brother to my grandfather William
Estill, lived and died at Winchester, Tenn. He and my grandfather
married sisters (Wright). They had three sons, James, Isaac and
Wallace, and three daughters — Rebecca, who married John Martin; a
daughter, name not remembered, who rnarried Israel Wilson; also one
daughter who married Mr. Scribner; her name I have forgotten.
You know about this family. I also knew your great grandfather,
Isaac Estill, and all his family.
This is your immediate branch. My recollection is that your great
grandfather, Isaac Estill, married a Miss Floyd. They moved from
Virginia to Franklin County, Tennessee, something near the time
when your grandfather. Dr. Wallace Estill, married Miss Eleanor
Crabb. The names of your great uncles and aunt, Mrs. Erskine, you
are familiar with.
Abigail Estill, named on first page, married a Mr. Woods and lived
in Franklin County, near Salem. I knew her well. She had only
one son, James Woods, and several daughters ; one was married to
Mr. Milom, one to a Mr. Evans. You can learn about them from the
family of James Woods — the son of Aunt Abby, as she was called.
This is about all • the information I can give, and if it affords you
any information you otherwise did not possess I am only too glad
to furnish it. So far as I am concerned, I am proud of my ancestry,
and especially was I proud of your great grandfather Isaac's family.
I met with your grandfather. Dr. Wallace Estill, at Chattanooga,
Tenn., during the late war. He was surgeon to Col. Peter Tumey's
Regiment; also met your aunt, then Mrs. Colyar. I belonged to the
Texas troops — Ector's Brigade. Saw Dr. William Estill at Winches-
ter during the war in 1863. I was in Winchester when your father's
brother Thomas died in 1863, and saw him interred. Your grand-
mother, Beulah Garner, will remember me. I also at the time met
your grandfather, Calloway Garner.
family Record of John Pickering Lloyd of Charleston^ S. C,
Father of Mrs. Ann Eliza Estill,
John Pickering Lloyd, born February 20th, 176S, Strand, London,
O. E. Died October 6th, 1826, aged 58 years, 7 months, 16 days.
Buried in Trinity Church yard, Charleston, S. C.
Ann Rebeckah Boswell, third wife of the above, bom May 15th,
1791. Died October 21st, 1833, aged 42 years, 5 months, 6 days. The
above were married April 4th, 1808, by Rev. Dr. Hollingshead,
Charleston, S. C.
Ann Eliza Pickering Lloyd,* boni i A. M. January 27th, 1809. Mar-
ried William Estill, April 3rd, 1828. Died June 4, 1867.
Elizabeth Pickering Lloyd, bom February 24th, 1811; died, unmar-
ried, October 15th, i86r.
John Pickering Lloyd, son of J. P. and A, R. Lloyd, bom July 29th,
1813; died January 24th, 1817.
Susan Pickering Lloyd, bom September 14th, 1815; died May 27th,
1833. Married William Ehney; had two sons, William Ehney of
Ehney, S. C, and Theodore Ehney.
Charlotte Pickering Lloyd, bom December 25, 1820; died, unmar-
ried, 1846.
John Pickering William Lloyd, son of John Pickering Lloyd by
first wife, bom in Philadelphia, June 20th, 1798. married Mary Rebb
of Charleston, S. C, in 1827. Wife bom in 1805 and died in 1S68.
He died in Charleston, November 25, 1884. Children:
1. Edward William, bom in Charleston, June 28, 1828; first wife
Rosaline Rebb. Had two children; who died in infancy. Second
wife, Mrs. Oliver, sister of first vrife; now living in Florence, S. C.
2. Julia, bom February 9th, 1833; married Job Dawson, March 30,
1853; living in Savannah. Htisband bom in Charleston, March,
1827, and died March 11, 1876.
3. George W. Lloyd, bom in 1839; died in 1865.
* See Family Record of William Estill of Charleston.
Tamily Record of John Pickering Lloyd of Charleston, S. C,
Father of Mrs. Ann Eliza Estill.
John Pickering Lloyd, born February 20th, 1768, Strand, London,
O. E. Died October 6tli, 1826, aged 58 years, 7 months, 16 days.
Buried in Trinity Church yard, Charleston, S. C.
Ann Rebeckah Boswell, third wife of the above, born May 15th,
1791. Died October 21st, 1833, aged 42 years, 5 months, 6 days. The
above were married April 4th, 1808, by Rev. Dr. Hollingshead,
Charleston, S. C.
Ann Eliza Pickering Lloyd,* born i A. M. January 27th, 1809. Mar-
ried William Estill, April 3rd, 1828. Died June 4, 1867.
Elizabeth Pickering Lloyd, born February 24th, 1811; died, unmar-
ried, October 15th, 1861.
John Pickering Lloyd, son of J. P. and A. R. Lloyd, born July 29th,
1813; died January 24th, 1817.
Susan Pickering Lloyd, born September 14th, 1815; died May 27th,
1833. Married William Ehney; had two sons, William Ehney of
Ehney, S. C, and Theodore Ehney.
Charlotte Pickering Lloyd, born December 25, 1820; died, unmar-
ried, 1846.
John Pickering William Lloyd, son of John Pickering Lloyd by
first wife, born in Philadelphia, June 20th, 1798. married Mary Rebb
of Charleston, S. C, in 1827. Wife born in 1805 and died in 1868.
He died in Charleston, November 25, 1884. Children:
1. Edward William, born in Charleston, June 28, 1828; first wife
Rosaline Rebb. Had two children; who died in infancy. Second
wife, Mrs. Oliver, sister of first wife; now living in Florence, S. C.
2. Julia, born February 9lh, 1833; married Job Dawson, March 30,
1853; living in Savannah. Husband born in Charleston, March,
1827, and died March 11, 1876.
3. George W. Lloyd, born in 1839; died in 1865.
* See Family Record of William Estill of Charleston.
98
Children of Job Dawson and Julia Lloyd Dawson:
1. Job, born April 26, 1854. He married Anna Rutherford of Au-
gusta, Ga., November 24th, 1878.
2. William E., bom May 22, 1856. He married Harriet Honor
Small, December 6th, 1880.
3. Julia, born May 23, 1859; married James R. Gready, November
I St, 1883.
4. Mary, born December 26, 1861; married George Walker Pratt
in 1884.
5. Florence, bom February 23, 1865, in Florence, S. C; married
John Caldwell Murrey, in Charleston, December 6, 1887; he died in
Savannah, August 26, 1889. Married a second time, Frank K. Lee of
Norfolk, Va., 1899.
6. Arthur L. Dawson, born in Charleston, February 23, 1870; liv-
ing ill Savannah.
18350
ItograpIitraL
CONTENTS.
I — W11.LIAM EsTiLiv OF Chari,eston, S. C 105
2 — Mrs. Ann Ewza Estii,1v 107
3 — Hugh Mui^ford Estil iii
4— John Holbrook Estii,l, Savannah, Ga 113
6 — The New York- Virginia Estii.i.s 117
A Brief Sketch of William Estill of Charleston, S. C;
Born iSOO; Died 1553.
BY J. H. ESTILL.
William Estill, my father's grandfather, was the fourth of the name
in direct descent from the first settlers in New Jersey. He married
Mary Lewis, a daughter of Dr. Lewis, a prominent physician of Eaton-
ton, N. J. There were three children by the marriage, William,
David and Lewis.
William, to which name he added that of Bowman to distinguish
him from the many kinsman of the name of William, learned the
trade of stonemason, which in those days was one of the leading
handicrafts. During the Revolutionary War he was a Minute Man
in the Somerset County, New Jersey, Regiment. After the war he
removed to Virginia and from there to Charleston, S. C, where he
followed his trade. My father, the subject of this sketch, when I
was a lad, showed me a number of houses on which his father had
worked, that his mother had pointed out to him. He married Sarah
Denham, the youngest child of Alexander and Sarah Denham, Scotch
Irish Presbyterians, who emigrated from the North of Ireland about
the middle of the i8th century, and settled near the now dead town
of Dorchester, S. C. They had two children, William and Mary. He
was drowned on a voyage from Charleston to Savannah in the great
storm of September 8th, 1804.
William Estill, my father, the sixth in line of descent from the first
settlers' was born in Charleston, S. C, April 10, 1800, and died in
Savannah, Ga., May 17, 1882.
The following extract from a notice published at the time of his
death in the Savannah Morning News is a brief sketch of his life:
"Left an orphan at an early age he was apprenticed to learn the
trade of a bookbinder, which, by itself, or in connection with the
printing business, he followed almost continuously throughout his
long life. He was energetic and active up to the fall of 1879, when he
met with an accident by falling from a street car in front of the
io6
Morning News office, fracturing his hip. Since that time he had
been an invalid, only leaving his house occasionally. Mr. Estill had
carried on business in Charleston, New York and Savannah — the
most of the time in the former city, where he was proprietor of the
Charleston Daily Advertiser in the stormy days of nullification. He
was also about the same time publisher of The Rose Bud, a weekly
literary paper, one of the first ventures of the kind in the South. As
a youth he worked on the fortifications thrown up to protect the city
of Charleston during the war of 1812-14, and frequently entertained
his friends with the reminiscences of those early days. During the
late war, though between sixty and seventy years of age, he served a
short time in the Confederate army. He was a man of the most ami-
able disposition, quiet and courteous, and in his generation had many
warm friends. By all who knew him he was highl)' esteemed for his
sterling qualities, and the announcement of his death will be learned
with sincere regret by many."
From " Mothers of Some Distinguished Georgians."
Mrs. Ann Eliza Estill.
Ann Eliza Estill, mother of John H. Estill, editor and proprietor of
the Savannah Morning News, for a third of a century and during that
time prominently identified with the upbuilding and best interests of
Savannah and Georgia, was born in Charleston, S. C, January 27th,
1809. The Westminster Presbyterian Church occupies the site of her
birth place. She was the eldest daughter of John Pickering Lloyd
and Ann Rebeckah Boswell. "Annie," as she was called by family,
friends and teachers, began school at a very early age, and it is said
of her that she could read well enough at six years to undertake
English history. Her father's library was well filled with the works
of standard authors, and it was the delight of the little girl, and after-
wards of the young woman, to spend her leisure moments in a quiet
nook with a book. It was thus that she gratified and cultivated a
natural taste for reading, and stored her mind with information.
Throughout her long life her interest in literature — current, histori-
cal and classical — was sustained. There was no subject under public
discussion with respect to which she was not well informed. After
her marriage she had a sympathetic companion in literary tastes in
her husband who, though never a public man, had the political, liter-
ary and sociological history of his country at his fingers' ends. And
no matter how exacting the cares of a large family, the wife and
mother so systematized her daily duties as to leave some time for the
perusal of her favorite books, magazines and newspapers.
At the age of nineteen Miss Lloyd became the vdfe of William
Estill, who was also a native of Charleston. Eleven children blessed
their union; and all of them save one reached the age of maturity.
Her five sons entered the army of the Confederacy and there served
their country.
The youngest, a delicate youth, died in her arms from the effects of
disease contracted in the service. During the terrible days of the
io8
Civil war Mrs. Estill was, like every other true Southern woman ,
faithful in act, word and prayer to the cause for which her loved ones
had offered their blood and lives, and were ready to sacrifice all save
honor.
There was no moisture to be seen about her eyes as she said "Good-
bye" to her sons when they left her to go to the front; but many were
the tears shed in the sacred privacy of the chamber when she asked
God's blessing and protection for them in camp and in battle.
She was the kindest and most devoted of mothers. No sacrifice was
too great for her to make, gladly, if it would contribute to the physi-
cal, moral or intellectual progress or the spiritual welfare of her chil-
dren. It required no harsh words for her to control them. She gov-
erned the household with love, tenderness and gentleness; a look, a
word of caution, sufiiced to secure ready obedience. She was direct
and practical in her discipline, yet that discipline was simplicity itself.
If a child erred, the error was explained. Dignity and self-respect
were persistently inculcated and stress was put upon the desirability
of exercising these attributes in the home as well as abroad. The car-
dinal virtues were taught by precept and example in a manner to cre-
ate a lifetime impression. Mrs. Estill was a home-maker and a home-
lover and she taught her daughters in those gentle arts and duties
which make the well-ordered home the dearest spot on earth. She
was one of those women —
"nobly planned
To warn, to comfort and command."
She was the idol of her children. They did not fear to tell her of
their mistakes or troubles, for they knew they would be bstened to
with sympathy and love, and that correction or advice would be given
with the kindest heart. Disparaging remarks by her children were
not permitted; she often quoted the maxims: "By others' faults wise
men mend their own," and "Judge not, that ye be not judged." Sys-
tem and neatness prevailed in her home. If unexpectedly called from
household duties, she was not taken at a disadvantage, being always
ready upon the moment to entertain a caller or perform an act of
mercy, no matter how busily a minute previously she had been occu-
pied with the domestic routine.
I09
From pantry to parlor with her was merely a matter of distance,
and not of time; still the most critical could never have detected about
her the slighest trace of the work in which she may have been en-
gaged. Nor did an interruption disturb the serenity of her manner;
the visitor was always met with a smile of true welcome.
Mrs. Estill died in 1867 in Savannah, while on a visit to her son,
passing away as though she had fallen into a peaceful sleep; so gently
that those about her bedside could not realize that the kind heart had
ceased to beat and that the pure soul had winged its way to the bosom
of her Heavenly Father, to whom she had looked for guidance and
support.
Her remains rest in the beautiful flower-decked grave-yard of the
Unitarian Church in Charleston, not far from the pew in which, with
her husband and children, she had worshipped for nearly a half
century.
"Her children rise up and call her blessed."
Savannah, Georgia,
August 24, 1899.
From the ' ' History of Union County, N. y. "
Hugh Mulford Estil.
Hugh Mulford Estil's paternal ancestors were of French origin.
They came to America in the early colonial days and settled in 1664
on the "Monmouth Grant," in Middletown township. Just be-
fore the breaking out of the American Revolution descendants of
Daniel Estell, one of the original founders of this family in New Jer-
sej-, moved into Middlesex County. Here they settled down to the
duties of agricultural pursuits, and, when the call to arms was made,
there were representatives of this family who took an active part in
the struggle for independence. William Estill* served his country as
private soldier in the State Militia. His son, Samuel Estil, grand-
father of our subject, was born at the little hamlet of Samptown, near
what is now Plainfield, New Jersey, and pursued the vocation of a
farmer. Among his children was William Estil, the father of Mr.
Hugh M. Estil. He was a hatter by trade, this line of enterprise
having been a leading occupation of the first half of this century in
this locality. He married Miss Mary Thorn Webster, daughter of
Samuel and Martha (Thorn) Webster, also of Plainfield, where they
lived for fifty-six years. Mrs. Estil, mother of Hugh, died April 25,
1888; his father died March i, 1892. In their family of nine children
only three lived to mature years. The two still living in North Plain-
field are Hugh M. Estil, the subject of this sketch, and his sister,
Mary A. , wife of Samuel A. Wallace.
Mr. Estil's maternal ancestors were Scotch Quakers, who were
among the pioneer settlers of New Jersey. William Webster was the
progenitor of the family in this province, and settled a few miles east
of Plainfield, about 1685. His grandson, Hugh Webster, was always
a devout worshipper in the meetings of the Friends' Society, and was
prominently instrumental in advancing their religious interests. The
* I notice that in the " History of New Jersey in the Revolution" William
Hstill's name is spelled Estle.
112
granddaugliter of Hugh Webster was the mother of Mr. Estil, who
received his Christian name from him.
Hugh M. Estil was born in 1842, in Plainfield, in whose public
schools he was educated. After leaving school he learned the harness-
making and saddlery trade, which he followed for a few years. In
1876 he established, in Plainfield, a book and stationery business,
which he has conducted very successfully. Mr. Estil has traveled
extensively both in Europe and America, and has been a careful ob-
server of everything worthy of attention in the various countries
which he has visited. In the communitj^ he is an active and enter-
prising man. He has been a director of the First National Bank for
the past seven years, and was elected Vice-President in September,
1896. He is one of the managers of the Dime Savings Bank.
Since 1889 he has been a resident of North Plainfield, New Jersey,
where he has an elegant home, in which he is surrounded with books,
paintings and other indications of taste and refinement. He has been
a member of the First Baptist Church for many years. Mr. Estil is
a Son of the American Revolution, and in politics is a Republican.
John Holbrook Estill.
CONDENSED FROM NEWSPAPER SKETCHES OF HIS LIFE, BY
G. A. GREGORY.
John Holbrook Estill is a native of Charleston, S. C, and was born
October 28, 1840. He was named after John Edwards Holbrook, the
celebrated naturalist, who was a professor in the South Carolina Med-
ical College, and a friend of Col. Estill's father.
As a conspicuous example of a self-made man, the story of Colonel
Estill's life is of unusual interest. His success is due to his own un-
aided exertions. He began life at the bottom of the ladder. Indom-
itable perseverance, steady application, rare executive ability and
excellent judgment in business affairs are features of his character.
He is one of a family of eleven children. His father, William
Estill, was a bookbinder, bookseller and printer, and from his earliest
years Colonel Estill has been in one way or another connected vdth
the printing business. His father moved to Savannah in 1851, and at
eleven years young Estill began his career in the oflSce of the Evening
Journal. Two years later he left the printing office to go to school,
and between the school sessions clerked in a store. In 1856 he re-
turned to Charleston and served an apprenticeship in the printing
house of Walker, Evans & Coggswell. In 1859 he came again to
Savannah and became one of the proprietors of the Evening Express.
Colonel Estill's military career began in 1859, when he joined the
Oglethorpe Light Infantry, with which he entered service in January,
1 86 1, with the First Volunteer Regiment of Georgia, and was on duty
at Fort Pulaski before the Regiment entered the Confederate States
service. He went to Virginia with the same company, which became
a part of the Eighth Georgia Infantry. He was severely wounded,
and on account of disability resulting from his wounds he was honor-
ably discharged from the service. He was a volunteer in Screven's
Battalion, opposing Sherman's march to the sea, and was taken pris-
oner at Savannah.
Since the Civil War era Colonel Estill has continued to take an act-
ive interest in military affairs, having served several years as Captain
114
of Company F, First Regiment Georgia Infantry. In 1895 lie was
placed on the retired list of State Volunteers with the rank of Lieu-
tenant-Colonel. He is now an Honorary Member of the Oglethorpe
Light Infantry, and a life member of the Georgia Hussars, Savannah
Cadets and Savannah Volunteer Guards. He is Past Commander of
Lafayette McLaws Camp, No. 576, U. C. V., and a member of the
Confederate Veterans' Association.
In the newspaper world, Colonel Estill has been prominent since
1867, as Editor and Proprietor of the Savannah Morning News. In
that year he purchased an interest in the paper, and the year follow-
ing secured its entire control. It was not an easy matter in those
days to make a newspaper pay. There were two other morning pa-
pers in Savannah, but in a short while the Morning News absorbed
its competitors and had the field to itself. In 1876 Colonel Estill
erected the first Morning News building on the site of the present
six-story publishing house, itself a splendid monument to his success-
ful newspaper career. As an evidence of the esteem in which he is
held by the newspapers of the State, he was honored by his contempo-
raries with the office of President of the Georgia Press Association for
twenty years.
Outside of his profession. Colonel Estill has taken an active part in
many siiccessful business enterprises. There are few men more prom-
inently identified with the industries and progress of Savannah. He
built the Barnard and Anderson street car line in 1878, and upon its
consolidation with the City and Suburban Railway, became its Presi-
dent; was President of the Savannah Investment Company, which
in 1890 built the first belt street railway in Savannah; was President
of the Metropolitan Steam Fire Engine Company in the old volunteer
fire service ; was County Commissioner of Chatham County for twelve
years, during which the county poor farm was purchased and the first
improved public highways in the county were opened; was a prime
mover in the company which introduced electric lighting in Savan-
nah; helped organize the first cotton mill in Savannah; has been Pres-
ident of the Chatham Real Estate and Improvement Company since
its organization in 18S5; was one of the organizers of the company
which built the De Soto Hotel and named it; was a Director of the
115
South Bound Railroad and of the Savannah Construction Company,
which built the South Bound (now the Seaboard Air Line between Sa-
vannah and Columbia) ; is President of the Bonaventure Cemetery Co.
and an owner in the Pilots' Navigation Company, the steam pilot boat
of which bears his name; was the first President of the Mutual Gas
Light Company; is Vice-President of the Georgia Telephone and Tele-
graph Company, and the Inter-State Rifle Association; is a Director of
the Citizens Bank, the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company and the
Savannah Racing Association; is a member of the Cotton Exchange,
Board of Trade, and a Director of the Savannah Benevolent Associa-
tion. He has been a member of the Chatham County Board of Edu-
cation for seventeen years. He is also President of that ancient char-
ity, the Bethesda Orphan House, founded by George Whitefield more
than a century and a half ago. He is a member of the Georgia His-
torical Society, the Savannah Yacht Club, and a number of social or-
ganizations. He is a prominent Mason, a Past Master of Solomon's
Lodge No. i; life member of Georgia Chapter No. 3, Royal Arch Ma-
sons; member of Palestine Commandery No. 7, Knights Templar, and
a Shriner, and is Past Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge of
Georgia. He is a member of St. John's Episcopal Church and is one
of its Vestrymen.
In public office Colonel Estill has been Chairman of the State Dem-
ocratic Executive Committee, and in 1892 was the Georgia member of
the Democratic National Committee. He is the present Chairman of
the First District Democratic Congressional Committee.
In 1902 he was a candidate for Governor of Georgia and made a
most remarkable race against the present Executive, Governor Joseph
M. Terrell, and Hon. Dupont Guerry, the Prohibition candidate. In
his canvass he visited nearly every section of the State and met the
people in their offices and homes, in the factories and on the farms.
His personal contact with them and his candid and straightforward
expressions upon public questions won him confidence and support,
and although defeated for the office, he won the distinction of having
made what, in many respects, was the most remarkable gubernatorial
race in the history of Georgia.
The New York-Virginia Estllls.
WRITTEN BY MRS. MARY ESTILL CRAIG OP NEW YORK.
The tradition is that the name was originally d'Estelle of Provence,
France, and became Anglicized in Scotland.
The first Estill mentioned in their American line is Estill who mar-
ried Miss Wallace of the ancient Wallace family, of whom Sir Wil-
liam Wallace was a member, in Scotland. This Estill was in Eng-
land in 1649, which was the year of the tragic execution of Charles I.
The next mention is of an Estill who chartered a ship with twelve
other families (name of vessel not given) and sailed for the North
American colonies. The next record is of three brothers — Daniel,
William and Thomas Estill — who arrived on the Shrewsbury River
(Highlands of Neversink), in 1664. They founded Middletown
in 1664, with others, and obtained grants of land from Governor
Nichols, under what was known as "The Monmouth Patent." Dan-
iel was married to Margaret Browning, July 17, 1666. Thomas, who
was the ancestor of the above family, married a Miss Wallace in i67o.
Whether she was a relative, who came over in the ship with his fam-
ily, is not stated, but is probable, as the community was small and
clannish. Middletown and Shrewsbury are hardly larger to-day than
at that date, but are beautiful towns, embowered in trees, ancient and
venerated churches and churchyards.
The Dutch had owned the country since 1627; it became English in
1664. Charles II immediately presented it to his brother the Duke
of York, who proceeded at once to sell it to Berkeley and Car-
taret, who, in their turn, immediately sold it in plantations to set-
tlers from England, Scotland, Ireland, Holland, New England and
Long Island. The Governors were so much away, in England, that
titles were always in dispute, and in 1700 Thomas signed a remon-
strance, with others, aeking for a competent Governor. In 171 7 he
recorded a deed with the Hoagland family of 200 acres of land at
Freehold, and there is another deed of 300 acres later. In 1702 an
"Edmund Austell took oath of allegiance to our Sovereign lady, Queen
ii8
Anne." An interesting item of expenses of that day was that Gover-
nor Cartaret's salary was ^50, paid in produce, with an occasional
allowance of 4 shillings a day for traveling expenses. Governor Nich-
olls made a favorable report in 1682 of the fine plantations in Mon-
mouth.
The next Estill is Wallace Bstill, named for the maternal family.
He was born in New Jersey in 1699, and married Mary Ann Campbell
of the Campbell clan, born in Argyleshire in 1731. She is called in
the Caperton papers "Lady Mary Ann Campbell." Of her, later on.
Colonel James Caperton, an eminent lawyer, is now the representative
of the Estill and Woods families in Madison county, at the fine
old mansion, "Woodlawn," built in 1820. Wallace Estill and Mary
Campbell Estill were married in Virginia, in 1748. He, being a
widower of middle age, with children, and she being a young
girl, her family opposed the marriage, so they left home to be mated,
but the families were soon reconciled and the union was a happy one.
They left a large family of children. Ivand deeds of Wallace are re-
corded in Augusta county in 1745. He is believed to have moved to
Virginia about 1740. Deeds from the State to him are recorded from
1750. He owned a large tract of land, granted at different times by
the State. His will bears date December 3, 1782; was admitted to pro-
bate in June, 1792, at Greenbriar Court; his death must have occurred
between those dates. His son:
James (the first James Estill) , afterwards Captain James, ' 'the Indian
fighter, " was born November 9, 1750, in Augusta county, Virginia;
grew to manhood, married Rachel Wright there, and afterwards the
young pair lived in Greenbrier, where their sons James, Benjamin and
Wallace were born. James caught the fever to acquire some of the
rich Western lands of Kentucky, then being separated from Virginia,
and taking with him a young surveyor named Clay went to what is
now Madison county and obtained an area of land several miles in
extent, known as the "Estill Grant and Survey," built Fort Estill and
was made Captain of the fort's company. His two younger brothers
also married Wright sisters, Jennie and Martha, and followed him.
The Wyandotte Indians constantly harrassed and attacked the station,
and finally one day, in ambush, killed a Miss Innis, a young lady
119
who was walking outside of the fort. The Indians then fled, but were
pursued by Captain Estill, Adam Woods, Caperton, Proctor, Logan
and others towards Mount Sterling, where one of the most sanguinary-
battles in Indian warfare followed. Captain Estill had a knife thrust
through his heart while wounded and fighting on his knees. Caper-
ton was killed. Estill county, Kentucky, was named for Captain Es-
till. The centenary of this battle was celebrated with orations and
poems at Richmond in 1882, and a monument erected by the State
to Captain Estill's memory at the capital. His son:
James (the second James) inherited his share of the large tract of
lands, improved and enjoyed them, cultivated literary tastes, and mar-
ried Mary Rodes, daughter of Judge Robert Rodes and Eliza Dulany
(anciently Dunlade), of Albemarle, Virginia. This "greatgrandfather
Rodes" was an interesting character. Born in Albemarle, Virginia,
May r 1 , 1 759, he fought as a captain in the Indian war with the Cher-
okees, and afterwards throughout the Revolution until the surrender
at Yorktown. After the close of the war he was given his pay, as cap-
tain, in Continental money, which he always preserved, as a family
relic, together vdth his military orders, the muster roll of his com-
pany, and his honorable discharge. Patrick Henry, Governor of Vir-
ginia, appointed him a Magistrate in 1791; he was later appointed
Quarter Session Judge of Madison county, with two others, and they
constituted the court, with criminal and common law jurisdiction.
Judge Rodes' mother was of the family of Crawfords of Georgia, of
whom the Hon. Wm. H. Crav^rford, United States Senator from that
State, United States Minister to France and Secretary of War under
President Madison, Secretary of the Treasury under President Mon-
roe, and candidate for President of the United States in 1824, was a
member.
Robert Rodes Stone, bom August 24, 1817, grandson of Judge Rob-
ert Rodes, was a lineal descendant in the third generation of William
Stone, the first proprietary Governor of Maryland after Lord Calvert,
and a great nephew of the Hon. Thomas Stone, signer of the Declar-
ation of Independence. William Stone was the second son of Lord
Dunlane of Sussex, England. Paynton Manor, the ancestral seat of
the Stones, near Port Tobacco, Maryland, an original grant by Lord
I20
Baltimore, is still in possession of the family, the present owner being
the Hon. Frederick Stone, a cousin of Robert Rodes Stone. Robert
Stone attended the University of Virginia, and was afterwards gradu-
ated from Harvard Law School.
James Estill's son:
James Madison Estill (the third James), afterwards General Estill,
was bom in 1811 at the homestead, afterwards called "Castleton," in
Madison county. He married Martha Woods in 1831, daughter of
Judge (Major) Archibald Woods and Elizabeth Taliaferro Shackel-
ford, both of Virginia. He was graduated from Bardstown College.
At the discovery of gold in California he was fired for adventure and
hastened there in 1851, taking ample means with him. Being a man
of rare ability and energy, he entered into most of the enterprises of
that stirring epoch — the development of schools, libraries, churches,
hospitals, asylums and prisons, of coals, bricks, cattle, lumber, fruits,
steamboats, railways, and politics, but singularly enough did not seek
the gold fields. He was made Major General of the State troops, but
succumbed to overwork at the age of forty-eight years, dying April
26, 1859, and his remains rest in the beautiful Lone Mountain Ceme-
tery, near the Golden Gate — the cemetery which he so loved. His
family immediately returned to the East and have resided in New
York since that time — over forty years. James Madison Estill left an
only son,
James (the fourth James) Rodes Estill, born in 1846, died unmar-
ried in 1900, and five daughters — Mary, Josephine, Martha, Florence
and Maud.
I. Mary Estill, residing 618 Fifth Avenue, New York, married
Re-Tallak Garrison, Esq., of New York, a descendant of many old
Knickerbocker families — the Schuylers, Kingslands, Fergusons, Re-
Tallaks, etc. He was a man of signal talents and marked position in
the mercantile and club world of New York; was first President of
the Manhattan and Metropolitan Elevated Railway system; President
of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, of which his father, Mr. ("Commo-
dore") Cornelius Kingsland Garrison, was sole owner when purchased
by Jay Gould in 1880; was Vice-President of the Consolidated Gas
Co. of Chicago. President of the New York Loan & Improvement Co. ;
121
President Brazilian Steamship Co. ; Vice-President Mercantile Trust
Co., and director in many other enterprises. He was pre-eminent in
all good traits and deeds of benevolence, but was cut off in the prime
of his usefulness by a railway accident, which terminated his life on
July 1st, 1882, at forty-eight years of age. His widow, Mary Estill
Garrison, has an only son and three daughters:
1. William Re-Tallak Garrison, born July, 1872; residence. Tuxedo
Park; married to Constance Coudert, daughter af Charles Coudert of
New York, an international lawyer. He is a young man of great
promise, business ability and prudence, and interested in many com-
mercial companies. He has two children — Constance Estill Garrison
and Esther Garrison, aged five and three.
2. Mary Garrison, her oldest daughter, is married to Count Gaston
Chandon de Briailles; residence at Epernaj', (Chateau,) Cannes, and
Paris, France.
3. Estelle Garrison married to the Honorable Charles Fox Maule
Ramsay, second son and youngest child of Admiral, the Right Hon-
orable, the twelfth Earl of Dalhousie; residence, Brechin Castle,
Scotland.
4. Katharine Garrison, unmarried; residence, 618 Fifth Avenue,
New York City, and Europe.
2. Maud Estill, married to James Dana Jones (died 1897), son of
J. Wyman Jones, of Englewood, N. J., and Thomasville, Georgia, and
Harriet Dwight Dana, of New Haven, Conn. Has Edith Dana Jones
and Eleanor Estill Jones.
Comte and Comtesse Gaston Chandon de Briailles have an only
child, the Vicomte Claude Chandon de Briailles, born September 4,
1886.
THE WOODS FAMILY: (MRS. ESTII^Iv'S FATHER).
In the English army which invaded Ireland in 1649 there was an
English trooper by the name of Woods, who was so pleased with the
country that he bought a home there, in the county Meath. Captain
Woods had a son, John Woods, who married Elizabeth Worksop,* a
*.The name Worksop — later Warsop — is, I think, extinct in England, except
Worksop Abbey, in Nottinghamshire, which belongs to the Duke of Newcastle.
122
lineal descendant, on her mother's side, of the famous Adam Lroftus,
who was born in York, England, in 1534. Adam Loftus' alma mater
was Trinity College, Cambridge. He was consecrated, in 1561, Arch-
bishop of Armagh, and was translated afterwards to the See of Dub-
lin. Was twice Keeper of the Great Seal of Ireland. His Grace died
April 5th, 1605, in the office of Chancellor of Ireland. John "Woods
and Elizabeth Worksop Woods had six children: Michael, Adam,
James, William, Andrew and Elizabeth. Down to the present day the
name Adam has been handed.
Michael, born in 1684, married Mary Campbell of Argyleshire, of
the Clan Campbell. (His sister Elizabeth married Peter Wallace of
the Scotch Wallaces). Michael and Mary Campbell Woods had nine
or ten children, of whom,
William Woods, third oldest son, born in the Castle of Dunshan-
glin, Ireland, in 1705, became the great -great-grandfather of the New
York Estills. In 1726 all of John Woods' children (adults) came to
America, lived eight years in Pennsylvania, and then moved to Vir-
ginia, and North and South Carolina.
Michael Woods and his wife, Mary Campbell Woods, acquired and
improved a very fine estate, which they named "Blair Park," and
which was widely known as "The Barony," including Woods' Gap, in
Goochland, now Albemarle county, Virginia, and lived there until
Michael's death, in 1762. Their son,
William Woods, born 1705, came to America in 1726; married Su-
sannah Wallace. He inherited and acquired a large estate in Albe-
marle and adjacent counties in Virginia, and took an active part in
the Colonial wars. At one time he conveyed, by deed recorded, 60
negroes and 720 acres of land to his cousin. Captain McDowell. He
had seven sons and two daughters, all of whom left prominent de-
scendants in Virginia, through the South, in Kentucky and Tennes-
see. His son,
Archibald Woods (the first Archibald Woods), bom in Virginia in
1749; married, in 1773, Miss Shelton of Virginia. He was a Captain
in the troops of that State, marched 200 miles to the relief of Fort
Watauga, in the Indian War; also fought many battles with the
Shawnee Indians, and served during the Revolution under Colonel
123
Samuel Lewis, then under Colonel Andrew Donelly, and lastly under
Colonel James Henderson, until after Lord Cornwallis' surrender, in
1781. He then surrendered his commission of Captain to the Green-
briar County Court, Virginia, and in 1781 went to Kentucky. He
there purchased 400 acres of land from Captain James Estill; in
1784 he added to it the land on Dreaming Creek, north of the pres-
ent site of Richmond, which town, with Judge Robert Rodes
and Judge Miller, he founded. He built "Fort Woods" and lived
there 25 years. He describes his land in his papers as "1,000 acres of
as fine land as any in the Estill Survey." The commission from Pat-
rick Henry, Governor of Virginia, appointing him and nine others
"Gentlemen Justices of the Peace for Madison county, to take effect
from" Aug. ist, 1785, is still in existence, preserved by Judge William
Chenault of Richmond, Ky. The same document also appoints them
"Gentlemen Commissioners of Oyer & Terminer, with full jurisdic-
tion to try and punish slaves for all penal and criminal offenses, in-
cluding the infliction of capital punishment.'''' Judge (Captain)
Woods drew a pension of I480 per annum for his services in the United
States, and died Dec. 13th, 1836. In his old age he was wont to
travel to the South and elsewhere in a large old-time carriage, with
hammercloth and six velvet steps that let down when the door opened
with a rumble behind, and his luggage and servants followed on
horseback. This traveling carriage was made to order, and remained
in the family many years. His son,
Archibald Woods (the second Archibald), born February 19th, 1785;
married in 1835 Elizabeth Taliaferro Shackelford. He volunteered in
the War of 1812, and fought, with the rank of Major, at the Battle of
the Thames, Canada, under General William Henry Harrison, in Octo-
ber, 1814, when Tecumseh, the Indian chief, was slain. He was a
profound student in the classics, practiced law for 30 years, and served
the State Senate for 12 years. He died Feb. 22nd, 1859. Elizabeth
Taliaferro Shackelford was bom in 1792 at "The Glebe," King and
Queen county, Virginia, the family also had place in Gloucester, is in
direct line from "two brothers (Shackelford) who came from England
and settled on York river, Virginia. All the Shacklefords and Shack el-
fords in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Alabama,
124
Kentucky, are descended from these." (This note from James M.
Shackelford of Charleston, S. C, whose father went there from Cul-
pepper, Va, ) The Shacklefords originated at what is now only the
small hamlet of Shackleford, near Godalming in Surrey, England.
The name being almost extinct in Great Britain. The family was
known during the reigns of Henry VII and VIII as deShackleford.
At that time William deShackleford was the head of the house. The
fine old mansion, the family seat, was destroyed by fire in 1630.
The land was then bought by the Wyatt family and the house re-
built. This mansion was torn down about 75 years ago by the Earl
of Middleton, who bought the property and added it to his Pepper-
harrow estate. The large farm was known as Roddeshall, afterwards
contracted to Rodeshall, and the mansion as "The Hall."
The Taliaferro family (Mrs. Estill's grandmother) came from Rob-
ert Taliaferro, married to Miss Grymes, who, with I^awrence Smith,
came from England and received a grant of 6300 acres of land on the
Rappahannock river from King Charles II in 1666. (Another branch
says, its papers give two brothers Taliaferro^ and that they arrived
in 1662.) That county has since been divided into Essex and Rich-
mond. All the Taliaferros of Virginia and other States come from
Robert. He came from Cornwall, England, but our papers do not
mention any brother Williani. (I do not deny the brother), although
we have a complete record, from Robert down to the present day. Many
histories have been written on the Taillifers, Talefars, Tailiaferres and
Taliaferros of Cornwall and Angouleme, for the extraordinary nerve
and romantic deeds of this house have inspired researches in every
century since they arrived with William the Conqueror. The Chron-
ica de Normandia (in old French), Sir James Mackintosh, Henry of
Huntington (in Latin). Aimer de Chabauois, Gilbert's History of
Cromwell, Freeman's History of the Norman Conquest, Carew's Sur-
vey of Cromwell, and more exhaustive than all, the studies of M. Wm.
Copeland Borlase, etc., and the Rev. Wm. Borlase, published in the
Genealogist, Vol. II, Jan., 1885, by Hugh Seymore Vremenheire, in
their several views of the younger branch of the Count of Angouleme.
The Borlase books were to prove their descent from the ancient
Taillifers, by deeds in their possession and records in Cornw^all,
125
where they have lived since the Conquest. Some of the lands granted
to Taillifer, "le Chautard," by Rufus, son of William the Conqueror,
descended to the Borlases through the female line. The Chautard is
variously recorded as the "grandson and greatgrandson of the dispos-
sessed Count of Angoulene, " and a young relative, accompanying
Roger de Montgomerie, his kinsman and neighbor of the Tail lifers, in
Angoumois. Montgomerie raised a contingent to assist the Normans
in the invasion of England. At all events, the name became extinct in
England and in France, even to the last one of the branch in Pere-
ford. A branch, calling themselves baronial, of the Tailleferros, has
lived in Malta all through the British ownership.
In 1682 (deed still extant), "Francis, son of Robert (first Rob-
ert and founder), executed a deed, 'as heir apparent' of Robert Tali-
aferro, to his brother John to one thousand acres of land in anticipa-
tion of John's marriage to Sarah, daughter of his friend, lyawrelice
Smith." In this deed he is named "Francis Taliaferro, Gentleman,''''
indicating his position. Many legal deeds of all kinds begin with
this pair. John to Sarah Taliaferro (known as John of "Powhatan,")
(his seat), had lineal desendants, including and tracing (family chart
complete) the Catletts, the Wythes, "Colonel-Counsellor Warner of
Warner Hall," member of the First House of Burgesses, and alike the
ancestor of Gen. Washington and the Taliaferros — his portrait still at
" Belief ontaine," the Battales of "Hagley;" Col. Baytop of "Camp
Fields," whose land, granted by King Charles, has been ever since in
the same family (they have the old bible, also an earthen bowl given
by Captain John Smith to the Baytop family and only brought out for
christenings in the church); Sir Wm. Throckmorton, who came to
Virginia in 1620, and whose family built "Ware Chnrch" from their
private purse; the famous Colonel Byrd of "Westover;" Edmund
Randolf who married Miss Grosvenor of Grosvenor Square, L,ondon,
Eng. ; the Boothes, the Alexanders, who founded Alexandria; the
Kemps; "Cousin Betsy Cook of the Cedars," who married Mr. d'Arcy
Paul; the Smithers; James Taliaferro, grandson of John of "Powhat-
an," who married the widow of Sir John Peyton; (Warner Taliaferro
lived at "Isleam," the seat of Sir John Peyton, in i860) ; the Smiths of
"Shooter's Hill," one of the grandest old places in Virginia; L,ucy Bay-
126
top Taliaferro, granddaughter of old "King" Carter of Lancaster; (his
estate in those days was "proverbial"); Mrs. Alexander Gantt Talia-
ferro, granddaughter of Chief Justice Marshall ; the Tabbs ; Mrs. Bev-
erly Randolph Tellford of Richmond; Harriet Taliaferro, daughter of
Cassius Lee, Esq., of Alexandria; Bland Taliaferro, daughter of Judge
Beverly Tucker; the Rutherfords and Bradley Johnson of Baltimore;
Thorntons, Olivers, Medderbourns, Lyons, Chancellors, Wilsons, Pied-
monts, Norbonnes, Estills, Garrisons, Chandons de Briailles, Ramsays,
Maupins and Franklyns. The limit of space demands a resting point
somewhere, although there are many equally known elsewhere. Oth-
ers, with the data here given, can make indefinite researches in their
own branches.
I am indebted to Judge Henry Treemenheer, of Cornwall, England,
Mrs. Warner Taliaferro of "Belleville" («(?<? Seddon, a descendant of
William Alexander, Lord Stirling), Brigadier-General Alexander Gantt
Taliaferro of Culpepper, Major-General William Boothe Taliaferro of
Richmond, Va., Joel Shackelford of Kentucky, and Judge Pilcher of
Tennessee for voluminous and exhaustive letters ; also to Colonel James
Caperton and Miss Burnam of Richmond, Ky.
The Estill connection is just as large; though not so concentrated.
There are few now left in Virginia; those John F. Estill, Esq. , of Weston,
W. Va. , has in his papers. The Kentucky Estills have married into the
Rodeses, Stones, Capertons, Millers, Goodloes, Rollinses, Burnams,
Harrises, Clays, Watsons, Holmeses, Gagers, Lewises and Walkers,
Paynes, Cunninghams and Frances and Beauchamps. Among these
there are judges, lawyers, college presidents, professors, capitalists and
gentlemen farmers.
I am indebted to many of these for letters and notes, especially to
Col. James Caperton.
General Samuel Estill.
WRITTEN BY MRS. MARY ESTILL CRAIG OF NEW Y'ORK.
It does not seem fair to dwell upon the Indian fighting of Captain
James Estill to the exclusion of the exploits of his brother Samuel, who
had a career equally honorable. While James has been commemorated
by monuments, because he was a figure of romance, killed in action,
General Sam survived his battles. Having during the Colonial Wars
fought the French and Indians at Fort Pitt (now Pittsburg) from sun-
rise to sunset and with his command held the field; having fought
through the Revolution, he was well equipped, when he and Captain
Estill with four others engaged fifteen Wyandotte Indians, near Fort
Estill, in February, 1782. He killed two Indians with one shot — one
looking over the shoulder of the other — and then managed to kill a
third one. Captain James' arm was broken by a shot, but no white
man was killed. Captain Estill afterwards fought the Battle of Little
Mountain with his disabled arm. General Sam was not present in this
battle, being away on business in Virginia.
A$i;i^nhtx.
CONTENTS.
Note i— Letter of Ch. m. Dozy 133
Note 2 — Report on Speciai, Investigation in New Jer-
sey, Etc 134
Note 2 — Continued — Suppi^ementai. Report 137
Note 3 — New Jersey in the Revolution 140
Note 4 — iNorAN Policy of the Dutch 142
Note 5 — William Wallace 143
Note 6 — Extract from Encyclopedia of Heraldry .... 144
Note 7 — Certificate of William Estill's Services in the
Revolutionary War 145
Note 8— Places of the Name 146
Note I.
Letter from Ch. M. Dozy.
" Comfnission de V Historic des Englises IValloons."
Lkyde, le 23 June, 1899.
J. H. ESTIIvL,
Savannah, Ga.
Dear Sir — In your letter of the 30th of May you ask me whence
came in 1650 the three brothers, Estell or Estill.
**************
There is a record of a family of d'Estelles in the Netherlands.
Balthasar d'Estelle was, in 1625, godfather at a baptism at Sluys, in
Zeeland. I hope to look further into it.
Yours truly,
Ch. M. Dozy.
Note. — Mr. Dozy died soon after writing the above letter, and a
further inquiry only disclosed the fact of his death.
Note 2.
Report on Special Investigation into the Estiil Families in
New Jersey,
Made by Dr. J. G. Pier son and Mr. M. Delano, of New York, for
Colonel J. H. Estill, of Savannah, Ga., dated May 8th, i8g'/.
***-3«- *********
"For thirteen days the State and County records of New Jersey have
been thoroughly searched for wills and other records in State Depart-
ment at Trenton for clues as to any of the name possibly now living
in localities named in them, resulting in a visit to Burlington,* Mer-
cer, Somerset, Middlesex,* Sussex,* Union,* Essex,* Morris,* Ocean
and Monmouth* counties, and locating families in those places marked.
"At Lakewood, Squire Robert Estell, 82 years of age, had much to
say on the family, in which he seemed greatly interested, and related
legends of its existence in New Jersey, remarkable for originality and
cleverness of detail, as he had learned them from his grandfather, Avho
lived to be 93 years old.
"He had three sons — William, David and Levds. V. illiam left for
the South after the Revolution. The old Squire spoke of him as his
father and grandfather always had, as 'Will,' indicating that he was a
favorite son and brother. When asked about him he answered un-
hesitatingly, 'Why, that's our Will. He went south after the Revo-
lution. I often heard my grandfather and father speak of him. He
was with Washington's men.' The Squire's father was David; the
grandfather, William, who used to tell the story of his grandfather
having landed from a vessel at the north of Shrewsbury River at 2
p. M., in the Indian Summer of 1664, and that the wife of William
was delivered of a son that evening, near the Highlands of Neversink,
and, as he claimed, was the first white child bom in that province.
"William Estelle, of Red Bank, who is in the employ of the South-
em New Jersey Railroad, a bright, clever gentleman, the son of Squire
135
"Robert, said he had heard his grandmother tell those stories over and
over again, and that he always had an idea that his great grandfather
William was the son of the first born; that there were three brothers
who settled in New Jersey, William being the eldest. He corrobo-
rated what his father had told me as the common talk by the family
about his grand uncle William who went south; of his having fought
in the Battle of Monmouth, and being in the ranks of his old soldiers
when General Washington passed through Trenton (April 21st, 1789)
on his triumphant journey from Mount Vernon to New York, to take
the oath of office as the President of the United States, and the people
strewing the roadway with flowers.
"One of the family legends is the naming of the first son William
in every family of descendants. This William (of Red Bank) has a
roughly-made rocking chair made by his great grandfather William,
which is to descend to the son of his son of the same name and so on
down. He also has silver knee and shoe buckles that belonged to the
same, with his initials scratched inside of them.
"Squire Robert unhesitatingly stated his Uncle William, who left
for the South, to be your grandfather, and the fact of your father
being William, his father dying when he was too young to grasp
much in the way of family historj', the legend would seem to prove it.
"At Mount Holly, Joseph Estil, 87 years, had little knowledge of
the family, and only knew that the name is French.
"Hugh M. Estil, of Plainfield, New Jersey, is a gentleman of means
and a leading business man, and his sister, Mrs. Wallace, is close in
her likeness to Mrs. Craig, of New York City.
"If your portrait in the Biographical Dictionary is correct, J. A.
Estelle, of Newark, New Jersey, is with you. He is from the Lake-
wood family. I have met and talked to a number of the name, and
find them up to the average of people brought up in the country, and
a rough piece of it is southern New Jersey up to the present, thinly
settled, with few schools and means of advancement.
"Many of the family are religious and as a rule Baptists. The
name is spelled Estelle, Estel, Estal, Esdale, Esdal, Estol, Estil,
Estill, Eastell, Estle. General Stryker's 'New Jersey in the Revolu-
136
tion' gives "William Estill of Somerset,* William Estill of Middlesex,
John Estill of Essex, and John Estill of Morris County, privates, and
Joseph Estill of Gloucester, captain, and other Estills.
"The enclosed chart of your family is in full. That from your great
grandfather is beyond dispute.
"J. G. PIERSON,
"M. DELANO."
* See Note 7.
Note 2, Continued.
Extract from Supplemental Report of Dr. J. G. Pierson,
Dated Southampton, New Jersey, August 15th, igoo.
' 'Where written records are wanting, legendary lore is the next best
source of information ; and often most reliable. Events that have oc-
curred remotely have been handed down through several generations
until they have become fixed beyond dispute.
"The name of Estell — without question the first spelling of the
name in this country— is associated with legendary history, remarka-
ble in its being coincident in widely separated sections of the country.
"The story of the landing of William, Daniel and Thomas Estell at
the mouth of the Shrewsbury River; the birth of a boy to the married
brother — Daniel and Thomas were unmarried— the child claimed to be
the first, or one of the first, born in the province, is told by members
of the Estell family, residing less than fifty miles from the Shrews-
bury. Mr. Robert Estell of Lakewood (mainly built on Estell lands),
familiarly known as 'Squire Bobby,' 82 years of age, in an interview
related the story as he had heard it from his grandfather William, who
was 93 when he died, and who had heard the same narrative from his
grandfather, also William. 'Squire Bobby' left a son, William, and it
was from him was first learned the family trait of calling the first son
by that name, although he could give no special reason why. He
knew nothing of the Wallace connection; in fact, he had never heard
the name in any way as relating to his family. This son has a chair,
and silver shoe and knee buckles, once the property of the grandfather
(the Squire's), which he devised to be the gift to successive Williams.
"The landing on the Shrewsbury was probably made from across
the Bay, only twenty miles away, the only means of transit being by
water, either through the Narrows or Kill Von Kull, between Staten
Island and New Jersey to Princess Bay, into which the Shrewsbury
138
empties. The deserted Indian village, a fishing camp of one of the
tribes of the interior, occupied only during the season for fishing,
which had ended for the time, bringing that of the arrival as stated in
the story, early in the Indian summer, November, 1664.
"As Col. Richard Nicolls had began to issue land grants for the
country west of the Hudson, the presumption is that the Estells were
there when the English took possession, and had taken advantage of
the opportunity thus offered to settle in a territory which had not
been occupied previoiisly by the Dutch.
"The story names three brothers — William, Daniel and Thomas
Estell. The one easily-found record of the Estell family is that of
Daniel's marriage to Margaret Browning, at Gravesend, Long Island.
He was the most enterprising of the three, if numerous land deals in
his name were all on his account. He was associated with Richard
Hartshorne, an English Quaker, in 1666-68, in settling Middletown,
and was granted lot 32 in the division, and later lot 29. The town
was settled under a Nicolls' patent.
"Mr. Robert Estell, of L,akewood, died the year following our pre-
vious report (1898).
"We send you a list of deeds, wills and other documents containing
traces of the name, found on record in New Jersey.
"Our late investigations confirm what was set forth in our report of
May 8th, 1897. Mr. Delano considers the chart sent then as confirmed
by subsequent researches and the line of the Estells fully established
by a quality of testimony looked upon as most accurate. The history
of the family in this country lacks only in details. The main line
rests securely in the three brothers of Monmouth County, New Jer-
sey, and subsequent events tally in communications from the south as
to them, with those related in New Jersey.
"William, a hereditary name, had increased as new branches
formed, but no other of the name had been associated with a journey
to the South at the same time with the disappearance of the William
here referred to, and without the least chance for doubt, he is the son
of William who was the father of David, the father of Robert of Lake-
wood, and the great grandfather of William (of Red Bank). Robert
Estell, of Lakewood, New Jersey, lived upon land once the property
1 3?
of the Estells, where generations of them had been born and had
passed either to other sections of the country or to the Beyond.
"The Revolutionary record, always an honorable one, of the New
Jersey branches cannot be excelled. The Estells were born but a few
miles from Monmouth battlefield, and if anything was fresh in their
minds, it was that event.*
"In sending these papers to you, I do not imply that I have dis-
missed the subject, and, as opportunity offers, shall continue to work.
I am deeply sensible of the great trust you have had in me, and I
assure you that it has not been misplaced.
"Yours sincerely,
"J. G. PIERSON."
* The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28, 1778. Sir Henry Clinton
evacuated Philadelphia and marched towards Brunswick with a view of embark-
ing on the Raritan. General Washington broke camp at Valley Forge, where his
army had spent that terrible and ever memorable winter of 1777-78, and advanced
to give the British battle. The American advance retreated before the vigorous
attack of the enemy, but the courage and skill of Washington turned the dis-
graceful commencement into a substantial victory.
Note 3.
New Jersey in the Revolution.
In his history of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War,* referring
to the organization of the mihtia, General W. S. Stryker says:
"On the i6th day of July, 1776, Congress requested the Convention
of New Jersey to supply with militia the places of 2,000 men of General
Washington's Army, who had been ordered into New Jersey to form a
flying camp. ****** One division of the militia, detached
from every organization in the State, was ordered to march with all
dispatch to join the flying camp for one month's service. The second
division was held ready to relieve them, to be themselves relieved in
turn. On this basis of monthly classes in active service the militia
was held during the continuance of the war. ' '
The Minute Men, accordingto General Stryker, were "companies of
the militia held in instant readiness on shortest notice to move where
assistance might be required for the defense of New Jersey or any
other colony. They had precedence of rank over other militia."
"The good service," says the same writer, "performed by the militia
of this State [New Jersey] is fully recorded in history. At Quinton's
Bridge, Hancock's Bridge, Three Rivers, Connecticut Farms and Van
Neste's Mills they took an active part, while at the battles of Long
Island, Trenton, Assanpick, Princeton, Germantown, Springfield and
Monmouth they performed efiicient service in supporting the Conti-
nental line."
An account of the Battle of Monmouth, July 28, 1778, speaking of
Washington's advance from Valley Forge, against the army of Gen-
eral Clinton on its retreat through New Jersey to New York, after the
evacuation of Philadelphia by the British, says: "Before this Wash-
ington had sent all the Jersey troops into that State. He put them
under Maxwellf with instructions to co-operate with Dickinson, J who
* See "Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolu-
tionary War," by General W. S. Stryker, Adjutant General, pages 336-338.
t Colonel William Maxwell, Colonel ist New Jersey Sussex Regiment, and
afterwards Brigadier General, Continental Army.
I Major General Philemon Dickinson, commanding the New Jersey Militia.
141
commauded the militia, in opposing any attempt Clinton should make
to cross the State.
*************
"The Jersey militia had turned out in a spirited manner and under
Dickinson and Forman were doing all in their power to retard Clin-
ton's advance. They destroyed the bridges as they retired from Had-
donfield to Mt. Holly, and filled the wells so the enemy could not
obtain water. The heat was intense, and the British suffered severely. ' '
"The British camped at Freehold on the 26th, and the head of the
column extended a mile and a half beyond the court house on the
road toMiddletown." *********
"At sunrise on the morning of the 28th, Knyphausen, with the bag-
gage, began his march towards Middletown. At 8 o'clock he was
followed by the rest of the army. Scarcely had the rear guard (Brit-
ish) moved from its ground when it was fired upon by the militia un-
der Dickinson." The battle continued all day, and both parties slept
on the ground they occupied. At midnight the British army with-
drew to Middletown, and by daybreak was in too strong a position to
be attacked. Washington, after resting his men a few daj's, with-
drew, and Clinton embarked for New York. The Battle of Monmouth
was the last general engagement north of Virginia.*
* See article, "Struggle for the Delaware," Narrative and Critical History of
America, Vol. VI, pages 397-400.
Note 4.
Indian Policy of the Dutch.
"The mode of acquiring lands from the Indians by purchase estab-
lished from the beginning the principles by which the intercourse be-
tween the white and red men in the valley of the Hudson was to be
regulated. The great Indian problem which has been and still is a
question of paramount importance to the United States Government
was solved then by the Dutch of the New Netherland without diffi-
culty. Persecuted by Spain and France for their religious convic-
tions, the Dutch had learned to tolerate the superstitions and even
repugnant beliefs of others.
*************
"The English of New York and New Jersey wisely adhered to the
Indian policy of the Dutch and by the continued friendship of the
Five Nations were enabled successfully to contend with the French
for the supremacy on this continent."*
* "New Netherland or the Dutch in America." Narrative and Critical History
of America, Vol. IV, page 399.
Note 5.
Sir William Wallace.
Sir William Wallace, the national hero of Scotland, accomplished
his mission in the short space of two years. He was defeated by the
English in his last battle; a reward placed upon his head and he was
captured by treachery on August 5th, 1305, and taken to London,
among others, on the 22nd of that month. The next day he was
tried, convicted and executed with great cruelty. Sir William Wallace
died without issue, but the name has come down through other mem-
bers of the family, and is still honored by all Scotchmen. Though
over three hundred and fifty years had elapsed since the soldier and
martyr died when Thomas Estell married a Miss Wallace, it is not
at all improbable that his bride was of the same family, for among the
many emigrants who came to New Jersey at the solicitation of the
Scotch Proprietors and the Scotch Governor, there were doubtless
Wallaces of that connection.
"During the happy months of the preceding autumn (1295) when
Scotland was yet free and the paths of honorable distinction still
open before her young nobility, Wallace married Marion Braidfoot,
the beautiful heiress of Lammington." — Scottish Chiefs.
Later, because Wallace's bride refused to betray her husband, Des-
elrigge, one of Edward of England's soldiers, plunged his sword into
her defenceless bosom and she fell dead at his feet. — Ibid.
Note 6.
In the "Encyclopoedia of Heraldry and General Armory of Eng-
land, Scotland and Ireland," is the following:
"Esdaile (of ancient descent in France), founded in this country
[England] by Sir James Esdaile, Lord Mayor of Ivondon, 1778, son of
French Protestants whom the revocation of the Edict of Nantz
forced to seek an asylum in England. Arms— Gules, a lion's head
erased, between three mullets of six points or. Crest, a demi lion
rampant holding in his paws mullets of six points."
The pronunciation of the name Esdaile is very much like that of
Estill, and the arms are very similar to that of d'Estelle. It is possi-
ble that Esdaile is another change of the name.
In the same volume is the following record:
"Estee or Estele (Leicestershire). Arms— Argent, a lion gules,
with a cinquefoil of the first."
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