Wm. P. & Frances Burton Wilkinson/Wilkerson- Correction
Due to the scarcity of older records, the differences in oral history accounts, and hard-to-read handwriting, it is impossible to write a book including family histories without making errors. For the convenience of individuals researching the above people, I am submitting documented corrections to Wilkerson & Wilkinson Families, by Thomas Wilkinson.
William Potter Wilkinson, page 165:
1.The first paragraph states that Mr. Wilkinson's wife was Frances Burton, daughter of William and Polly Wade Burton.Current researchers disagree as to whether William was Frances' uncle or her brother, but he was not her father.
In an indenture filed between Wm. Wilkinson and Francis (sic) his wife and Thomas Howerton, signed and recorded on
10 May, 1828, Deed Book 35, p. 506, Halifax County, Virginia, the last sentence states "The said WIlliam Wilkinson whole interest in the Estate of Hutchins Burton, deceased, which he is entitled to by his intermarriage with this wife Francis Wilkerson....".This was recorded a few months after her father's death.
In October, 1850, a case was filed to dispose of the 168 acres left by her father, Hutchins Burton (III).The case, Davis & Wife Vs. Burton, listed the heirs of Hutchins Burton (III) "...he also left a daughter Frances Burton who married William Wilkerson and has since died.....".These papers were filed in Box 25, Ended Chancery Cases, Halifax County, Virginia, but the files have been microfilmed and case numbers have changed. They can be accessed via an every-name index at the courthouse.
2.Second paragraph states that William and Frances lived at their homeplace, "Hilly Creek", which was allegedly previously owned by Frances' parents.The indenture quoted in #1 also refers to land "...on the waters of Hyco River and Hilly Creek....being the land Wm. Wilkerson purchased of Lewis Griffin...".Therefore, Lewis Griffin, not Frances' parents, previously owned the land.
Hutchins Burton (III) bought 168 acres of land in Halifax COunty on 13 October, 1784 (Deed Book 13, p. 114), and no record has been found for any other land.
Page 166:
Last paragraph states "According to the notes of Mr. P. Frank Tuck, William and Polly Wade Burton are buried 50 yards south of the Hyco Bridge on Route 58."I have not researched this William Burton but some of his descendants have stated that he died in MS. in 1865.
For many years, I have heard that P. Frank Tuck stated that Hutchins Burton (III) was buried near Hyco and Rt. 58.Not knowing the location of Mr. Tuck's notes nor their contents, I do not know which statement is correct.It is possible that he had told someone that Frances B. Wilkinson's parents were buried there, and the misunderstanding arose because they thought that her parents were William and Polly Burton, rather than Hutchins Burton (III) and an unknown wife.
Re:the cemetery:It was surveyed in connection with the John H. Kerr dam project, and is recorded as Cemetery #134 on Section AA-2647.(These files are available at the South Boston-Halifax COunty Museum.)When the survey was done, neighborhood individuals who were interviewed said that it was a burial ground for slaves of the Dunn and Pulliam families.This cemetery is located on part of the 168-acre tract which Hutchins Burton (III) bought in 1784.
It was never owned by Dunns, and William Pulliam, who bought the land in 1857 (Deed Book 57, p. 351)was not shown as owning any slaves at the time of the 1860 census slave schedule for Halifax County.Therefore, it is considered to be the gravesite of Hutchins Burton (III).