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The experiences of every family are unique and something to be treasured. The following is a summary of the history of the Gillyard-Johnson-Mahoney family. It summarizes a much larger scope of information that has been researched and sourced as of this writing. Simply put, it attempts for this occasion to put the leaves on the branches of our Family Tree. Only limited information on the Johnson line is summarized as much of it is still a bit sketchy. The research and documenting of our story is perpetual. Please contact the Family Historian if there are errors, or if you have information to add to the richness of the our story.
A family starts out small and then it branches outward with each new generation.
The documented Gillyard ancestry dates back to 1831.
Charlie Gillyard was born 1862 in Desoto Parish, Louisiana to Jacob(aka Jake) Gillyard and Harriett Guion. Jacob, born into slavery, about 1831 in Alabama, and Harriett born about 1840 in Virginia. It is still under review to determine if Jacob and Harriett relocated to the Desoto Parish area, sometime between, 1850 and 1851, with the Frierson family. The Friersons had moved from South Carolina and relocated to Lowndes County, Alabama before traveling with their slaves to Frierson, Louisiana, where they settled.
The 1870 United States Federal Census, the first U.S. Federal Census to list formerly enslaved African Americans by name, shows 8 year old Charlie, living in the household with his mom, his brother William and twin sisters, Martha and Mary. Their family name is recorded as Gions. Charlie's mom's name is recorded as Hannah, and she is living in the household with John, who is 20 years her senior. The 1870 U.S. Census did not show the relationship between members of a household, and no other documentary evidence has been uncovered to determine the relationship of Harriett/Hannah to John. It is also not known at this writing the reason her name is recorded as Hannah, and not Harriett (click on the 1870 U.S. Census). Charlie’s dad, Jacob is living nearby, with wife, Adaline and Charlie’s half siblings(click on page 1 and page 2 to view).
In 1880, Charlie is still living at home with his mom and two additional siblings, John and Harriett. They are cotton farmers and Charlie, brother William, and his mother, like most people living in the Frierson community take their cotton to be ginned at the local Frierson Mill. James Bradford, census enumerator recorded the family name as Gile (click on the 1880 U.S. Census).
Sometime after May of 1880, a beautiful young lady named Cynthia Trammell (click here to view picture of Cynthia), migrated from Limestone County, Texas to Desoto Parish, Louisiana. Cynthia’s parents were Merritt Trammell and Elizabeth Brown (click here). Merritt, a preacher built the first Negro church building in Limestone County, Texas. Later he and his brother served as privates in the Texas Police. Merritt was considered a natural leader, defended White and Black citizens and fought for justice. That of course led to problems with law enforcement which led to his family leaving Limestone and relocating to Desoto and Caddo Parish, Louisiana. Cynthia soon met and dated Charlie. They fell in love and were married on Christmas day, December 25,1886 (click on Marriage License). They remained in Desoto Parish, Louisiana. On February 11,1889, Charlie completes an application to stake claim to land under the Homestead Act. Charlie and his witnesses certified on March 2, 1895, that Charlie built a house on the land and established residence therein, June 1889. On May 1,1895, his claim is approved, and on June 17,1895, President Grover Cleveland signs Charlie’s Certificate of Homestead (click here).
On June 8,1900, the U.S. Federal Census list the following information regarding Charlie and Cynthia’s residence in Ward 5, North of the Greening Ferry Road of Desoto Parish, Louisiana; Charlie is the head of household, they are farmers who own their farm, mortgage free and have been married for 13 years. They are the parents of six children, Sampson, Elizabeth, Mack, Charlie, Roberta and Felicita,aka Celeste (click here to view the 1900 U.S. Census). Charlie is counted twice in the 1900 census. He is also listed under his mother's Harriett household with his brother John (click here).
In 1901, Cynthia gave birth to their seventh child, Chris. Sometime after Chris is born and before 1908, Charlie and Cynthia are no longer married.
Charlie, relocated to Ward 4 of Red River Parish, Louisiana and in 1910, he is listed as a lodger living in the household with Rose Brown. No other information is known about this relationship.
Cynthia continued to reside in Desoto Parish and in 1910, all seven of she and Charlie’s children, her 2-year old son, Willie Howard and her 10-month old grandson, Perkins are living in the household, in Ward 5, on the William Point Road.
By 1930, Sampson, Charlie and Cynthia’s eldest child is deceased, and their other six offspring are married and living in Desoto or Red River Parish. Living with Cynthia now are sons Willie and Cornelius (aka Jack),and her grandson, Perkins.
In 1930, Charlie is still residing in Ward 4 of Red River and is married to Laura Johnson. He is now 68 years old and Laura is 30 years old. Charlie and Laura had one son, James born in 1916, who died in 1928. Sometime after 1930, Charlie and Laura separate. It has been reported to this writer that Laura was pregnant at the time and later gave birth to she and Charlie’s second child. No documentary evidence of another child for Charlie and Laura has been located, and no descendants of Laura have been located by this writer.
Charlie had two other known sons; Robert Gillyard, whose mother was Elizabeth Mahoney, and Goldman Gillyard whose mother was Rose Brown.
Louisiana Death Records list Cynthia Gillyard’s date of death as February 29,1932. Louisiana Death Records list Charlie Gillyard’s date of death as January 5,1949.
Roberta was the longest living child of the Charlie Gillyard and Cynthia Trammell Gillyard union. She died July 21,1997 at 100 years of age. She received a letter acknowledging her birthday from President Bill Clinton.
The documented Mahoney ancestry dates back to 1833.
Caesar Mahoney was born into slavery in about 1833. No information regarding his parentage is yet known. The 1870 U.S. Federal Census list Caesar as born in South Carolina and Charlotte as born in Alabama. It is not known at this writing the reason Caesar's first name is recorded as Sam. They had only been noted as tally marks in previous censuses. But in 1870, they are counted as two of 4,880,009 Blacks living in the United States. Though it has not yet been verified with documentary evidence, it can be speculated with a high degree of certainty, that Caesar traveled with the Friersons to Lowndes County, Alabama, where he met and married Charlotte White. Caesar and Charlotte then traveled with the Friersons to Desoto Parish, Louisiana where they settled and spent a lifetime together.
Living on the farm with them in 1870, are their children, 9 year old Rebecca, 8 year old Robert, 6 year old Caesar Jr., 2 year old Corine and 1 year old Dunn. They are cotton farmers and records dating back to 1878, show that Caesar and his sons, took their cotton to be ginned at the Frierson Mill where they were paid a flat fee contingent upon the market price and quality of the goods.
In 1880, Caesar and Charlotte are still residing on the farm (click here), and have had five additional children, General Lee, William, Elizabeth, Henry, and Christopher. On June 19,1900, Caesar and Charlotte were still residing in Desoto Parish and had been married for 43 years. Charlotte had given birth to 15 children and 10 of their children were still living. Though there is no 1890 U.S. Federal Census available (the 1890 census was destroyed by fire in 1921), there is other evidence that between June 2, 1880 and 1889, Marietta, Hamilton, and Florida were born to Caesar and Charlotte. When the census enumerator visited Caesar and Charlotte on May 11, 1910, they had been together for 53 years. Caesar is 83 years old. They owned their farm, mortgage free, and Caesar and their sons are still doing business with the Frierson Company. Business Records from the Frierson Company show purchases made and loans extended to the Mahoneys. After the 1910 Census, there is no other evidence of Caesar, including no reported death information. The state of Louisiana did not mandate the registering of deaths occurring in the state until January 1,1911. Based on this information, we can determine that sometime after August 1910 and before January 1,1911, Caesar died. Louisiana Death Records list Charlotte Mahoney as a widow on the date of her death, November 26, 1916. Land Information Educational Information
Prior to any established schools in the rural Desoto Parish area, our ancestors most likely were taught at home, if their parents were able to read and write. Their parents, who were born into slavery, were legally prohibited from being taught to read and write.
Census records dating from 1870 – 1900, indicate that though our ancestors could understand English, many were unable to read or write, and many of the business documents indicate a mark, “x” for their signature. Educational facilities at the time were poor, usually old cabins, churches or country stores. Two schools in the area for Blacks were the Good Hope Presbysterian Church School and Rosenwald (click here).
Church Information
The church had a profound impact on our ancestors and it continues to impact our family today. Jacob Gillyard was one of forty-six Blacks and six Whites to organize the Good Hope Presbyterian Churchin the home of Robert Frierson, in Frierson, Louisiana. In the Spring of 1877, Elder Jacob Gillyard petitioned the Red River Presbytery that the “Colored Congregation” who were still a part of the “White Congregation” at the time, be constituted into a church of their own, and keep the name Good Hope. The petition was granted and 133 years later the Good Hope Presbyterian Church is still teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The history for the Sunshine Baptist Church in the Clear Lake Community of Desoto Parish, Louisiana records that on the 2nd Sunday, April 14, 1907, on the Will Hewitt Plantation the church was organized as the St. Mary Baptist Church, No. 2. On November 10,1907 Deacon Sampson Gillyard changed the church’s name to the Sunshine Baptist Church. In 1910 during the church’s first revival service, Celeste Gillyard, Lureener Mahoney, Roberta Gillyard and Chris Gillyard confessed Jesus Christ, and were baptized and fellowshipped as charter members.
Many Mahoneys and Gillyards have held membership at the New Friendship Baptist Church, located on the Friendship Road in Desoto Parish. Howard Mahoney, the great grandson of Caesar and Charlotte Mahoney, served many years as the secretary of the church. Many of the Gillyards and Mahoneys are interred in the New Friendship Cemetery.
The Red Lick Presbyterian Church in Mansfield, LA. history indicates Charlie Gillyard as a founding member. We continue to refine and add to our history. We recognize that we are the beneficiaries of the labor and generosity of our ancestors.
We are still looking for pictures of ancestors. We want to put a face to their legacy. In the meantime, to love and embrace the history of our family we must visualize them through the eyes of our heart.
Think, what shade will the trees that we plant today bestow for our future?
email gjmfamilyreunion@gmail.comto add, correct or ask any questions.
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