General Notes

William was a private then sergeant during the Revolutionary War and fought at the Battle of King's Mountain.  He was a member of the North Carolina Militia and received a pension of $35.77 in 1833.

William Gilreath, Jr. was born in the Northern part of old Granville
County, North Carolina in the Hawtree Creek area where the Benjamin Jones
family lived. In 1778, at the age of twenty five, he and his younger
brother Alexander moved from then Bute County to Wilkes County in Western
North Carolina. Their father joined them in Wilkes County a short time
later. Although William, Jr. appears on a 1779 tax list for the newly
formed Warren Countywith taxable property of 746 pounds, he had filed
for a land grant in WilkesCounty in the previous year. Shortly after
William and Alexander went to Wilkes County, William, Thomas, and James
Jones followed in their wagon tracks.
On September 8, 1778, William, Jr. filed for a grant of 200 acres on
Coley's Creek (Land Entry Book, Wilkes County NC 1778-1781, compiled by
Mrs. W. O.Absher, p. 22). This was followed by an entry on October 19,
1778 for 200 acres on Flat Top Mountain, on the Tumbling Fork of Hunting
Creek including theheadwaters of the Fork (Ibid., p. 29). A third entry
was on November 26, 1778 for 100 acres on James Shepherd's Spring Branch
running from Shepherd's line (Ibid., p. 31). William Gilreath, Jr. is
marked out and Benjamin Jones, the name of his brother John's deceased
father-in-law, is written in. What this meant is unclear. Could this be
a Benjamin Jones from Bute County, perhapsthe Benjamin Jones who
witnessed the late Benjamin Jones' will? The fourthland entry William,
Jr. made was on February 7, 1780 for 100 acres near wherehe then lived
(Ibid., p. 93).
In October 1779 in Wilkes County, he volunteered for service in the
Revolutionary War as a Lieutenant in Captain John Robbins's Company,
which he later commanded and served in until the end of April1780. Soon
after returning home he served as a Captain of a company againstthe

Tories in Western North Carolina. Later, he served a short tour as
Lieutenant in Captain William Lenoir's company against the Tories. After
that expedition, he volunteered as a private and served a tour of duty
under Captain Jesse Walton. In all, his several periods of service
amounted to "more than nine months", stated an application for DAR
membership based on his service. On October 30, 1832 at the age of 79,
he applied for a pension and it wasgranted. He initiallly received $30
a year, effective March 4, 1831, but this was increased to $130 a year on
December 21, 1833 and made retroactive tothe commencement date of his
earlier pension.
William, Jr. lived with his son William Hilliar Gilreath for the last
twenty years of his life, dying in 1833 at the age of eighty. His will
made sons William Hilliar and Henry executors of his estate.

Revolutionary War Pension Application  S6888
William Gilreath, Jr.
Born Apr 28 1753 in Bute County, NC & continued until age 26 when he moved to Wilkes County.
Served as a lieutenant in Cpt John Robins Co (Oct 1779) & later commanded same in the North Carolina troops till Apr 1780.
Served as a Cpt of A Company against Tories in western North Carolina.
Served as a Lieutenant in Cpt Wm Lenoirs Company then served as a private under Cpt Jesse Walton.
Total service about 9 months.
Pension granted at a rate of $30/year (July 29, 1833) & increased to $130/year on December 21, 1833.
Certificate # 16311