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- William Tilson, b. March 15, 1741, son of Stephen and Janet (Murdock)Tilson; m. April 1, 1762, Mary Ransom of Plympton, Mass. (by Rev. John Howland)
William Tilson was granted 282 acres of land in Washington Co., Va on26 Jun 1786 (Grants 3 Page 346-348). This parcel of land was dividedand sold in three tracts as follows: 85 acres to Thomas Tilson on 21 Aug 1792 (DB1:270-271); 95 acres to William Tilson, Jr. on 21 Aug 1792(DB1:271-272); and 92 acres to Thomas Tilson on 18 Mar 1811 (DB4:433) William Tilson, Sr. appears in the Washington County, VA tax list through 1811 after which he is absent from the list. The sale of the third tract may have been preparation of William Tilson, Sr. for a move to Tennessee.
William Tilson was in the French War and served a considerable time; was in Capt. Josiah Thatcher's Co., Col. John Thomas' Reg., and landedat Halifax, N. S., May 11, 1759; served until Nov. 1. He again entered the service Jan. 1, 1760, in Nova Scotia, and dis. Dec. 18, 1761. In the muster roll remarks it says, father or master, Stephen Tilson.In 1763 he migrated to the west part of Virginia, and settled at St. Clair, on the south branch of the Holstein River, where all his children were born. He moved to Tenn. and located near this three sons,k onHolo chucky River, four miles from Erwin. His wife died there and was buried on the farm. he soon returned to his former home near Holstein Mills, Va., and died at his son-in-law's, Joseph Cole's, about 1825.
Ply. Probate Rec., Vol. 14, page 316: The will of John Murdock, Jr.: I give to my grandson, William Tilson (son of Stephen Tilson), the whole farm, with the dwelling house and all other buildings thereon, standing in the town of Plympton, in the county afs'd and is the same now in the improvement of Noah Pratt. I give unto my son-in-law, John Wall, the sum of forty pounds; also a bond for thirteen pounds, six shilings, eight pence, which I have on Him. I give to my wife Ruth, imporvement of all remaining part of my estate, both real, and personal,during her natural life. After that to be equally divided to may twosonsl, James and Bartlett Murdock. I hereby appoint my sons, james and Bartlett Murdock, execrs. Will made Sept. 16, 1756; proved Oct. 5,1756.
Inventory of personal estate Oct. 27, 1756: 933 lbs. 3s, 6 1/2 d.
Plympton Townn Records, Oct. 26, 1756: William Tilson appoints his father, Stephen Tilson, guardian of property from his grandfather, John Murdock, of Plymouth, Mass.
(Source: Tilson, Mercer V. 'The Tilson Genealogy,' The Memorial Press, 1911, p. 147-148)
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- The prevalent view of Tilson researchers is that William Tilson of Washington County, Virginia is the son of Stephen Tilson and Janet Murdock of Massachusetts. This view seems to have it's origins in a book published by Mercer Tilson. While Mercer Tilson has shown that Stephen Tilson and Janet Murdock had a son named William, he has not provided a single piece of evidence that William Tilson of Washington Co., VA is him. There is some evidence that William Tilson of VA was originally known as William Tillotson, and his name was later shortened to Tilson.
First is from Goodspeed’s History of Tennessee, Unicoi County. (http://www.ls.net/~newriver/tn/good-uct.htm) The web site gives the date of publication as 1897. However, Goodspeed obviously wrote the following paragraph before 1888. The text refers to a child in college (presently) who graduates in 1888 (future). I have added the bold numbers in brackets to reference these people back to the Mercer Tilson book. This paragraph matches the Mercer Tilson book exactly until you get to William, Sr. [1044]. Mercer Tilson claims William is the son of Stephen Tilson and Janet Murdock of Massachusetts, while Goodspeed says he immigrated from Ireland.
W. E. Tilson [1227], farmer, was born in Washington (now Unicoi) County, April 29, 1827, the son of Peleg [1060] and Nancy (Allen) Tilson (once spelled Tillotson), the former born in 1795 in Virginia. the son of William [1049]. who became a pioneer of East Tennessee, and a farmer, and was the son of William, Sr. [1044], who came from Ireland, and was one of Gen. Washington's aides in the Revolution, The father was a farmer, and died in 1841, In Carter County, having become insolvent through intemperate habits and surety debts. The mother, born in Virginia, in 1800, of German lineage, was the daughter of George Allen, and a devoted Baptist. Her death occurred in 1859, leaving the following children: George, Ruth, John A., William E. and James W. Our subject is largely self- educated, and for several years before the war was a teacher, and now is a surveyor and successful farmer, He owns over 4,000 acres, largely timbered and mineral land. March 14, 1852 he married Minerva K.,. a daughter of James Sams. of Irish-German Origin. She was born September 5, 1831. Their children are Eliza E., born March 4, 1853; Leroy S., born August 13, 1854; James F., born December 21, 1856; Jacob C., born March 14, 1860; Mary J., born October 18, 1862; John Q., born April 5, 1866; Lula, born August 20, 1868; and William J. Born August 13, 1871. Our subject is the present clerk and master in chancery, and has two sons who are practicing physicians, on a prominent educator in North Carolina, and the other two now in school, the eldest of whom graduates in the class of 1888. (Goodspeed's History of Unicoi County - Biographical Sketches)
Some validity must be given to this narrative by Goodspeed. The subject above, William E. Tilson, was serving as clerk and master in chancery in Unicoi County at the time Goodspeed wrote this history. This paragraph contains a good deal of personal information which would not be found in official records such as Tilson’s self-education, his grandfather Allen being a devoted Baptist, the intemperance of his father, etc. Based on this, it is likely that Goodspeed interviewed William E. Tilson and obtained this information.
Another thing to notice is that Goodspeed says that Tilson was once spelled Tillotson. This is supported by records found in Washington Co., VA, where William Tilson, Sr. [1044] lived. A surveyor’s record shows that Justice Hubble assigned his survey of 282 acres to William Tilson. In this record William is referred to both as William Tilson and William Tillotson.
Page 266 - William Tillotson, assignee of Justice Hubble...282 ac...Commissioners Certificate....on a branch of the South Fork of Holston River... Beginning on Sampson Coles land...on Jonathan Bishops land...on Joseph Bishops land...July 15, 1782 - Justis Hubble, assignee of Michael Border...282 ac...on the waters of the South Fork of Holstein, surveyed for Michael Border on March 10, 1774, actual settlement made in 1772...August 31, 1781 - Assigned to William Tilson on August 6, 1784. Signed: Justus Hubbell (Source: The Washington County Surveyors Record 1781-1797 by Rhonda Robertson, 1998) (http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/va/washington/deeds/surv1003.txt)
William was granted a patent on this land in 1786. The grant was in the name of William Tillotson. Source: Land Office Grants No. 3, 1786, p. 346 (Reel 69) The neighbors of William Tillotson are Sampson Cole, Jonathan Bishop and Joseph Bishop. A quick look through the Mercer Tilson Genealogy Book will reveal numerous marriages between the Tilsons of Washington Co., VA and the Coles and Bishops.
Lastly, the 1787 tax list of Virginia (known as the 1787 Census of Virginia) shows that there are no Tilsons living in Washington Co., VA at that time. There is however, a William Tillotson.
The genealogy provide by Mercer Tilson from William Tilson down does seem to be correct. However, he did not provide any documentation supporting the claim that this William Tilson was the son of Stephen Tilson of MA. To the contrary, these records indicate that William Tilson was originally known as William Tillotson. It is quite possible that he is as Goodspeed claimed, an Irish immigrant.
I have found one other undocumented reference which requires some research. "William Tilson was a descendant of the Tillotsons who emigrated to Virginia from Ireland. Joining the Virginia Militia at the outbreak of hostilies, he served as one of General Washington’s aides-de-camp for the duration of conflict. (Source: http://home.att.net/~Hillgartner/Pages/TillHist.htm) Although the source of this information is not documented, it matches one important detail of the Goodspeed narrative; that there was an aid to General George Washington named William Tilson and he is descended from the Tillotsons.
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- Yes, date unknown