John Chalmers Gilchrist

John married Martha Hester Stephens about 1890. Martha (daughter of John Lewis Stephens and Percella H. Salmon) was born on 13 Nov 1868 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 1 Apr 1953 in Upper Little River Township, Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried on 2 Apr 1953 in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Harnett Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Priscilla Mae Gilchrist was born on 14 Sep 1893 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 13 Mar 1967.
2. Bertha Roe Gilchrist was born on 3 Jan 1896 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 2 Dec 1976.
3. Cora Lena Lee Gilchrist was born on 17 Apr 1898 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 29 Dec 1967 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried in Holly Springs Baptist Church Cemetery, Broadway, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
4. Audrey Gilchrist was born on 11 Aug 1913 in Harnett Co., North Carolina.
5. Chalmers Polk Gilchrist was born on 8 Oct 1900 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died in 1964 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Broadway, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
6. Nancy Jane Gilchrist was born on 26 Sep 1891 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 30 Dec 1973 in Mamers, Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried on 1 Jan 1974 in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
7. Mattie Lou Gilchrist was born on 16 Mar 1902 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 1 Apr 1903 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Mamers, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
8. Sanda J. Gilchrist was born on 8 Sep 1904 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 16 Jun 1905 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
9. John A. Gilchrist was born on 27 Sep 1906 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 26 Jul 1907 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Harnett Co., North Carolina.
10. Curtis Martin Gilchrist was born on 14 Jul 1908 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; died on 12 Jun 1969 in Broadway, Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried on 14 Jun 1969 in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Harnett Co., North Carolina.

Notes:

[Jeff Wester]

1870 Upper Little River Township, Harnett Co., NC: 95/93 Charles A. Gilchrist 28 M, Elizabeth E. 29 F, William R. 2 M, James K. Polk 3/12 M, John C. 3/12 M.

1880 Upper Little River Township, Harnett Co., NC: 208/208 Charles Gilchrist 37 M, Elizabeth E. 40 wife, William R. 12 son, James P. 10 son, John C. 10 son, Angus G. 8 son, Nancy E. 6 daughter, Mary J. 10/12 daughter.

1900 Upper Little River Township, Harnett Co., NC: 97/97 Charlie A. Gilchrist Apr 1835 m 35 yrs, Elizabeth E. wife Nov 1839 60 7/6 children, Nancy E. daughter Jun 1871 29, Mary J. daughter Jul 1874 25, Charlie F. grandson Nov 1890 9.

Harnett Co. death certificate of Charles Gilchrist b. 18 Apr 1842 Moore Co., d. 28 Feb 1915 Harnett Co. of "Heart Disease." Parents were indicated as Sandy and Cattie Gilchrist both born in Moore Co.

Charles married Edna Elizabeth Thomas in 1865. Edna (daughter of William Tillman Thomas and Harriett Melinda Judd) was born on 16 Nov 1839 in Moore Co., North Carolina; died on 16 May 1940 in Harnett Co., North Carolina; was buried on 17 May 1940 in Cool Springs Methodist Church Cemetery, Mamers, Harnett Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Jeff Wester]

Excerpt from Harnett County Heritage Book: "Isaac Jones and Nannie McDonald Gilchrist," by Peggy Gilchrist Smith and Dorothy Johnson, page 187: "Daddy (Jones Gilchrist) was born April 16, 1894, in the Cool Springs Community, and one of his ancestors, my Great-Grandma Edna, was said to have lived to be over 100 years old, and when in her 90s, she could throw a rock across the Cape Fear River."

This was probably out of the Sanford Herald:
Lee's Oldest (Photo) Mrs. Edna Gilchrist, Route 2 Jonesboro, has witnessed much time and history. She will be 101 years old November 18, 1940, and is the last surviving member of a family of 14 children.
LEE COUNTY'S OLDEST PERSON STILL ENJOYS BEING FRIEND TO MAN
Born November 18, 1839, She Is Last Living Member of Family
VISITS NEIGHBORS
By Thomas L. McIver
When some energetic person goes about writing a comprehensive history of this section of the state, he might do well to visit Mrs. Edna Gilchrist, Route 2 Jonesboro, for a first hand version of the past century in Moore and Lee counties.
For Mrs Gilchrist, born November 18, 1839, and now nearing her 101st birthday, is Lee county's oldest living person, so far as is known, and recorded in her memory are many personal experiences and many facts about people who have made this section their home over the long decades that have passed since 1839.
Mrs. Gilchrist was born in what was then Moore county, the daughter of William Tillman Thomas and Harriet Judd Thomas. One of 14 children, all but one of whom reached the age of maturity; she is the last surviving member of the family. The house in which she and the other 13 Thomas children were born is the old homestead on which J. R. Howard has lived for a number of years.
Runs in Family
Longevity seems to have run in Mrs. Gilchrist's family. Her mother, whose family name was Solomon before her marriage and who was related to the Solomons of Henderson and the Judds of Wake county, lived to be 91, and her father died at 82.
Mrs. Gilchrist remembers she had at least three brothers who fought for the Confederacy in the Civil war. These were J. M. B., Henderson Judd, and William Thomas. Among her other brothers were Jefferson and Mack Thomas, and Polk Thomas, the last of whom was too young to see service at the time of the war, and who was later killed while cleaning a loaded pistol.
The Civil war claimed the life of Mrs. Gilchrist's first husband, Stanford Hunter. Later she married Charles Gilchrist, and to the couple were born six children. She lives with one of them, Mrs. Mary Knight, wife of Sion Knight, near the Harnett county line within a few miles of Buckhorn falls.
Formerly a member of the Juniper Springs Baptist church, she now has her name on the rolls of the Baptist Chapel church.
Remembers Grandfather
Questioned some time ago about her grandparents, she said she remembered her grandfather, John Thomas, very well but could not recall anything about her "Grandma," Mary Thomas, other than that "She was Mary Oaks before she married, and they always said I favored her."
A diminutive little old lady of five feet two who could never have tipped the scales at more than 100 (?) ...prime, Mrs. Gilchrist has delicate features which do not betray her age. She has blue eyes and a fair amount of soft, wavy gray hair.
Even at 101 she still is able to visit neighbors who live as much as a half mile distant, likes to talk, is happy, and enjoys her mellow philosophy, developed over the years, of being a friend to everyone.
Friend To Everybody
Speaking of a granddaughter-in-law in a recent interview, Mrs. Gilchrist said "I know she has her hands full now. I wish I could help her, for I do love her well." and added reflectively, I love everybody. There is nobody anywhere I could hold an ill feeling against." Perhaps that attitude of being a universal friend to man has had much to do with Mrs. Gilchrist's longevity, which she so well deserves.
Mrs. Gilchrist's once very clear eyes have dimmed in the past few years, and her hearing has grown bad as time gradually catches up with her, but she is still surprisingly healthy and active for a woman nearing 101 years of age.

Mrs. Edna E. Gilchrist, 100, Dies in Harnett; Rites Held
(Special to Daily News)
DUNN, May 17.--A throng of more than 500 people attended the funeral service this afternoon for Mrs. Edna E. Gilchrist, of near Lillington, widow of a confederate veteran. She died late yesterday.
Mrs. Gilchrist, believed to be the oldest resident of the county, celebrated her 100th birthday last November 16. She leaves 243 descendants.
She was in good health up until a month ago, when she became ill for the first time in several years, and her condition became gradually worse.
Despite her age, she was active up until the time of her illness and visited in the neighborhood regularly. Mrs. Gilchrist was born and spent her entire life in the section between Lillington and Jonesboro.
Her first husband, Stedford Hunter, was killed in service during the civil war, and she later married Charles Gilchrist, who died about 25 years ago. Since her husband's death she had lived with her daughter, Mrs. Mary Knight.
Funeral service was held at the Cool Springs Methodist church, near Mamers.
Three Earlys, another of Harnett's first families, officiated. Rev. J. V. Early, of Hillsboro, former pastor, Rev. B. G. Early and his son, Rev. Waldo Early. Burial was in the church cemetery.
Surviving are two sons, J. C. Gilchrist, of Broadway, route 1, J. P. Gilchrist, of Lillington, route 3, and her daughter. There are 43 grandchildren, 151 great-grandchildren, and 46 great-great-grandchildren.
Photo caption: MRS. EDNA E. GILCHRIST.

Harnett County Death Certificate for Edna E. Gilchrist, widowed, d/o Tillman Thomas and Hattie Judd both b. Cumberland Co., d. at age 100 yrs. Informant was J. C. Gilchrist of Broadway, NC.

Notes:

[Jeff Wester]

1850 Northern Division, Cumberland Co., NC: 587/587 Alexander Gilchrist 34 M Blacksmith, Nancy 34 F, John 10 M, Abel 8 M, Sarah J. 6 F, all born in NC.

1860 Harnett Co., NC: 937/944 Archibald A. Gilchrist 46 Scotland, Nancy 46 F NC, Charles 17 M NC, Sarah J. 16 F NC, Catherine 10 F NC.

1870 Upper Little River Township, Harnett Co., NC: 94/92 Alex Gilchrist 55 Scotland, Nancy 55 F NC.

Archibald married Nancy Catherine Douglas before 1840. Nancy (daughter of Archilbald Gray Douglas and Rosanna Edwards) was born in 1816 in Moore Co., North Carolina; died after 1870 in Harnett Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[1880 Census]

Census Place: Jonesboro, Moore, North Carolina
Source: FHL Film 1254973 National Archives Film T9-0973 Page 282C
Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace
Tillmon THOMAS Self M M W 73 NC
Occ: Farmer Fa: NC Mo: NC
Harrett THOMAS Wife F M W 71 NC
Occ: Keeping House Fa: NC Mo: NC

William married Harriett Melinda Judd in 1828 in Moore Co., North Carolina. Harriett (daughter of William Judd and Elizabeth Solomon) was born on 18 Nov 1808 in Cumberland Co., North Carolina; died on 6 Jan 1901 in Lee Co., North Carolina; was buried in Baptist Chapel, Broadway, Lee Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

[Jeff Wester]

1850 Moore Co., NC: 770/770 Gilchrist, Charles 58 M farmer Scotland, Nancy 58 F NC, Charles 17 M NC, Catherine 22 F NC.

Charles married Nancy Anne McArthur on 5 Dec 1812 in Kildalton, Argyllshire, Scotland. Nancy was born between 1790 and 1796 in Kildalton, Argyllshire, Scotland; died in 1880 in Moore Co., North Carolina; was buried in Union Presbyterian Church, Carthage, Moore Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Archilbald married Rosanna Edwards. Rosanna (daughter of Daniel Edwards and Dilly Unknown) was born in 1785; died after 1850. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Mary Oates on 25 Oct 1793. Mary was born about 1777 in Wake Co., North Carolina; died between 1830 and 1840 in Moore Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Elizabeth Solomon in 1794 in Franklin Co., North Carolina. Elizabeth (daughter of William Solomon and Diana Unknown) was born in 1776 in Moore Co., North Carolina; died in 1857 in Moore Co., North Carolina. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]