Reddin Wilson

The name "Reddin" or Redding probably comes from the family of that surname (no proof of this). Variants of the surname Redding occasionally appear in this area: Jesse Edenfield (born 1754) married a Mary Redding, and Eugene Wilson found a Lancaster County record of one Sanders Redden (signed by mark) who sold 100a of land for £30 sterling in the year 1800. Barnwell probate records state that Reddin(g) Wilson is the maternal grandfather of Allen Jerry Gill <gill.html>. Reddin lived in what is now Allendale County, South Carolina, in the area of lower three runs creek. He was a farmer ("planter") and possibly also engaged in commerce, as there were two judgements in his favor in the Common Pleas Journal for $100 total. These may have been connected with Reddin's grist mill (mentioned in the land sale proceedings, Barnwell probate office "Day Book", with a piece of tape on the front cover upon which is written "Sales of Land 1826-42", page 67-72). The grist mill was on a 50 acre tract adjoining Juhan's land on all sides. Reddin was listed as guardian to Sarah Ann Jackson <jackson.html> in 1817, perhaps a granddaughter, neighbor, or other close relative. Jacksons, Gills, and Wilsons intermarried. Reddin probably may be judged as successful in his enterprise, as records attest that he paid out $587.50 in cash for land between 1802 and 1820. This was a good bit of money then, most farmers were settling on free land, and had little or no cash. One may guess that this amount should be multiplied by something like 100 to convert to contemporary equivalents. If Reddin may be summarized briefly, based on surviving records, it would be stated that he was versatile (from the variety of things listed in his estate), and he raised livestock. Reddin is a prime example of a prosperous middle class farmer who owned no slaves, exactly the type of person that historians have argued did not exist during the ante-bellum era in this locale! At the time of his death, his estate contained: 42 cattle, 6 horses, 58 pigs, 6 goats, 1 sheep, 15 chickens, 8 geese, and 5 bee hives (note, from inventory and sales, the two do not agree precisely, this list contains whichever was greater). He also possessed about 500 acres of land upon which was situated a grist mill, among other things. A brief chronological summary on Reddin Wilson follows, with spellings of his name. In 1790 Reddin is listed in the census in Orangeburgh District, South Part (later to become Barnwell Co.) with 1m>16, 1m <16, and 2f (note three Reddin Wilsons in the 1790 census; ours -the third- is identified by his children. This may have been just a triple count of the same household if he lived on the census takers boundary. The others do not later appear!). In 1800 Reddin is listed in the census in Barnwell Dist. with 1m<10, 1m10-16, 2m 16-26, 2f<10, 1f 16-26, 1f 26-45, and no slaves. The older females are his wife, he apparently is listed incorrectly (he was c40), and daughter. On 25 April 1802 Reddin Wilson bought 100 acres for $100 from Dr. Elijah Gillett <gillett.html>, recorded 14 July 1802 (land surveyed by John Allen in 1798). Redding Willson served as a juror (Barnwell Common Pleas Journal 1800-1811, page 198) 21 March 1808. On 4 March 1809 Reddin Wilson, "planter", bought 50 acres of land on "lower three runs" (creek) for $300 from John Kersh <kersh.html>, recorded 7 Feb. 1820. From the amount of this sale (about 6 times the typical value per acre) it probably may be concluded that this was prime black river bottom land. Lower three runs creek is presently in the north west corner of Allendale county. "Lower" three runs is essentially that part of three runs creek that runs from the Barnwell Allendale county line into the Savannah River. Presumably this is the area where Reddin lived. The 1810 census lists Redden in Barnwell Co. (Allendale County was not created until 1919) with 3m<10, 1m10-16, 1m16-26, 1m>45, 1f<10, 1f10-16, 1f>45, no slaves. In 1813 the Barnwell County Common Pleas Journal (1800-13) lists Redding (sic) Wilson vs William Southwell <southwell.html>, a neighbor of both Reddin and Thomas Gill <gill.html>. Decree for plaintiff, $65 with interest from 1 Jan. 1813 (date 5 April 1813). Monday 31 March 1817, court action involving Sarah Ann Jackson <jackson.html> and others? by their guardian Reddin Wilson (ref. "B" Wilson vs John Bassett <bassett.html>). On 27 Jan. 1820 Reddon (sic) Wilson signed by mark the purchase of land from Isaac Bordeaux <bourdeaux.html> of 125 acres on lower three runs for $187.50. Recorded 7 Feb. 1820. Reddin signed by a strange mark which looks a little like a zero with a slash through it (this from the court copy, not an original "mark"). Two of his sons and a son in law (also a Wilson!) also signed by unusual marks (the norm for illiterates was a simple "X"). Bordeaux was adjacent to John Gill (Thomas' father) in the 1790 census. Reddin was illiterate. Publicly accessible schools were rare and poor, and it was common for people of Reddin's economic class to be illiterate. It was also common for non-English speakers who were very literate to sign by mark, especially Germans, as their script was difficult to read. The lack of education in the South did not change until after the civil war, it is embarrassing to admit. Historians state that the lack of public education in the South was effected by the big plantation owners, few in number, in order to better maintain control of the populace. Public schools were forced upon the South during Reconstruction. The 1820 census is in alphabetical order and I could not find Reddin. On Tuesday 30 Oct. 1821, in the Barnwell Common Pleas Journal (1814-22), is found a suit by Redding Wilson vs Julius M. Robinson. Decree for plaintiff for $35 with interest from 28 Sept. 1819 and costs of court. The census in the summer of 1830 shows Reddin in Barnwell Co. with 1m5-16, 2m15-20, 1m50-60, 1f<5, 1f5-10, 1f15-20, 1f40-50. From an amalgam of the census data, which as usual are mutually inconsistent, Reddin was born about 1760 (from Mary's earlier birth year 1780-21, rounded off to 1760). Thus he was about 70 in 1830. On Christmas day, 25 December 1830 his son, Joel Seaborn Wilson, bought 125 acres for $150 from Reddin Wilson, situated on Boggy Gut waters of lower Three Runs, located in present day Allendale County. It is shown on Mill's Atlas (1825), and appears to be called Miller Creek on a 1966 Allendale County map. This transaction was witnessed by Jake Miller, Wm. I. Jackson, and Kelin Wilson, recorded 5 April 1831. On 5 April 1831 Kelin Wilson went before George W. Collins, Justice of Barnwell Co. and swore that he was present for the transaction between Reddin Wilson and J.S. Wilson on 25 Dec. 1830, and that he saw the other witnesses. Reddin died at the age of about 76 (by the above reasoning) in the spring of 1836. On 2 May 1836 William Wilson was given the citation to publish 20 May 1836 and had $2000 bond issued with Geo. Riley and Miles Riley <riley.html>, Jr. as security. Appraisers were Miles Riley, Sr., Wm. Edenfield <edenfield.html>, Jesse Miller, Abihu Hardin, & Wm. Cave. An inventory of his estate was made on 25 May 1836. His widow, Rebecca, is mentioned in the land sales (op. cit.). Rebecca may have been a second wife, and may not have been Mary's mother (no evidence either way). The land sale record above states that some of his land went to his daughter, Mary Wilson Gill, stated to be the wife of Thomas Gill <gill.html>and out of the state at the time, and this portion of his estate still had not been settled in 1861 when Mary died and Reddin's grandson Allen Jerry Gill filed with Barnwell probate court to distribute the proceeds of this yet unsettled portion of the Reddin Wilson estate inherited by his mother to himself and to two of his brothers. Except for this happenstance, it probably would be impossible to document Mary Wilson Gill and Thomas Gill as Allen Jerry Gill's mother and father! For what it is worth, for those of you researching in Sherman's path, I considered my circumstantial case that these were Mary Wilson Gill's parents to be airtight, before I found this record, but I am quite happy to have found it!