Capt. William Spiller, II

Male 1740 - Bef 1800  (~ 60 years)


Personal Information    |    PDF

  • Name William Spiller 
    Title Capt. 
    Suffix II 
    Born ca 1740  King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    • Godfrey Memorial Library. American Genealogical-Biographical Index. Middletown, CT: Godfrey Memorial Library.

      Name: William Spiller
      Birth Date: 1740
      Birthplace: Virginia,
      Volume: 165
      Page Number: 239
      Biographical Info: capt., state sommissary of military stores
      Reference: Historical reg. Of Virginians in the Rev., soldiers, saliors and marines, 1775-1783. Ed. By John H. Gwathmey. Richmond, Va. 1938. (13, 872p.):732
    Gender Male 
    Died Bef 6 Jun 1800  King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Notes 
    • MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS

      Old New Kent County [Virginia] Some Account of the Planters, Plantations, and Places, MH Harris, Vol. I p. 896, 897: The Denbigh Plantation

      ". . . and in 1782, William Spiller was charged with 265 acres [this would be William Spiller the son] and Benjamin C. Spiller was charged with 615 acres in King William on land tax records."
      --------------------

      Genealogical Abstracts Revolutionary War Veterans: Scrip ACT 1852 by Margie G. Brown, p. 79

      "Application: 321 William Spiller, Captain Virginia State Line, King William Co., Virginia Court 22 Nov 1832
      William Spiller d. before 1832

      Issue:
      1. William H. Spiller
      2. Colin C. Spiller
      3. George A. Spiller, d. 17 June 1832, will in King William Co., Virginia devising his effects to his nephew William A. Spiller
      Depositions Peter Foster (RWS), Claiborn Morris b. ca 1759 (RWS), John Woollard b. ca 1760 (RWS), Benjamin Figg, William Burns b. ca 1768"
      ------------------

      Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M246, 138 rolls); War Department Collection of Revolutionary War Records, Record Group 93; National Archives, Washington. D.C.

      Name: William Spiller
      Gender: Male
      Military Place: Virginia
      State or Army Served: Virginia
      Regiment: Regiment of Artillery under the command of Col. Thomas Marshall
      Rank: Capt
      Date of Commission, 12 Apr 1780
      -------------------

      He served as a Captain of a Virginia State Regiment in the Revolution from 1778 to 1781. In 1780, his commanding officer, Colonel George Muter, sent Thomas Jefferson a letter saying, "Capt: Spiller was despatched to save the arms in Isle of Wyght and Southampton." The following January, Spiller was sent to Petersburg, Virginia for the purpose of "removing the arms and Stores at Petersburg, the powder at the Powder Mills and at Manchester." A Colonel Carrington complained about the manner in which William Spiller handled that assignment, prompting Capt. Spiller to write a letter, dated January 18, 1781, to Col. Muter, resigning that post. A portion of this letter follows:

      "I set out from this place about 12 o-clock or after, my orders was to proceed to Chesterfield Court house, to call on Col: Davies for his assistance, and from thence to Petersburg, it was after dark before I arrived at Petersberg. I went immediately to the Quarter Masters? office (he having previous notice from Col Muter to prepare waggons for the removal of the Stores) and enquired for him, was told by his assistant that he was gorn (sic) home. I then enquired if he had left no orders to prepare waggons for removing of the Stores, the man informed he had ordered him to impress all the waggons that he could find, he had accordingly (as he said) imprest several, but having no guard, they had gorn off. That he had sent several men different ways to stop the sd waggons. I desired him to send for Mr Elliott, the Q. Master at that station, informing him that I was waiting for waggons to remove the Stores, he immediately sent off a Servant to Mr Elliott. I then told him I should go to a tavern near, & desired him to send for me when the Q. Master or the waggons come to the office. Having rode a horse that nearly gave out before I got to Petersburg I was greatly fatigu?d. When I got to the above mentioned tavern I went to a bed and lay down, and fell asleep and probably slept two or three hours, when I awoke I went to the office. Col: Carrington was there, and had sent off several waggons loaded with stores. I met the sd waggons as I went to the office. Col. Carrington told me he should inform against me. I told him he was very welcome to do so. He then gave me orders that he had received from you, to proceed to the Countys of Isle White (sic) & South Hamton: which I did & rode the whole night. Thus Sir, you have all the circumstances relative to that business that I can remember. The informer (which I suppose to be Col. Carrington) is much mistaken about the time of my geting to Petersburg. I was there before him.?
      ?The post I now hold as Commissary of Military Stores seems to have many directors, more than one man can possibly please. I therefore from this moment resign the said post.?
      ? I am with much Esteem Sir,
      Your most Ob? & very humble servant."

      William?s resignation as Commissary of Military Stores was accepted by Thomas Jefferson on the 20th of January. He did not, however, leave the service of his country until 1781.
      ------------------

      He was listed on the land tax records in 1782 in King William County with 265 acres. Additionally, he paid tax on nine slaves and one poll tax.

      William signed a petition, dated 6 June 1783, from the citizens of Hanover Co. to deny citizenship to Tories, or those who had supported the British Crown.

      By 1787, William?s property in King William had increased to 473 acres. He paid a tithe on just himself, so we know that he had no children over the age of sixteen. He had fifteen slaves, eight horses, and twenty-two cattle.

      In 1790, William Spiller petitioned the House of Delegates "setting forth, that he was a commissary of stores during the late war, and hath received for his services a general warrant on the treasury not payable out of any particular fund; and praying that provision may be made for the payment thereof." The Delegates decided that was a reasonable petition and said his warrant should be paid out of the aggregate fund.

      Hening?s The Statutes at Large contains a reference to William Spiller involving a deceased free negro man named Preamble who had been a resident of King William County. Preamble left the management of his estate to William Spiller, asking him to purchase and emancipate Abraham, a slave belonging to Benjamin Temple. Abraham was Preamble?s son. Spiller had purchased Abraham and then had to petition the Assemble to pass a law authorising his emancipation. The law stated, ?That the said negro man slave Abraham, shall be free in as full and ample a manner, as if he had been born free.?

      In 1797 William owned fourteen slaves himself. Perhaps, like Thomas Jefferson, he was as conflicted about the issue of slavery; knowing it to be wrong and yet not knowing how to survive without it.
      --------------------

      Reports of Select Cases Decided in the Court of Appeals of Kentucky During the Year 1833, Vol. I, Dana, James G., 1834.
      pp. 170-171 Chancery ? Haskins and others against Spiller
      Spring Term 1833, from The Circuit Court For Green County.
      April 22. Judge Nicholas delivered the Opinion of the Court.

      In March, 1797, William Spiller, a citizen of Virginia made his will whereby he devised to each of his four then children, a tract of land, by name; gives to his wife, in the event of her marrying again, a tract of three hundred acres in Kentucky, some furniture, and one fifth part of his stock; and lends her, during life, certain slaves; but in case she did not marry, it was his desire that his estate should be kept together, for the support of her and all his children, until they successively attained twenty one years, or married, "when I wish all my slaves (except the one given to my daughter Mary) may be equally divided among them and my wife, allotting her an equal proportion with each of them." And so on, as they successively attained twenty one, or married; "and the part allotted my wife is to be equally divided, at her death, among all my children. All my property not specifically devised, as also what I have lent to my wife, I design, may be equally divided among all my children, at her death."

      "In 1799, George A. Spiller, a son of the testator, was born, and in 1800, the testator died. Among the tracts so devised, was one in Kentucky, to B. C. Spiller, who having sold and conveyed to sundry persons, this suit in chancery was brought, by George A. Spiller, against them, asserting claim to a portion thereof, as a pretermitted child of the testator . . ." The upshot of this case was that George was indeed entitled to his share in his father?s estate and one-fifth of what his brother B. C. Spiller had inherited and sold.

      Virginia Soldiers of 1776 which reads: "4 Apl. 1831. The heirs all?d Land Bounty for 1 years service in addition to what had been heretofore allowed, for William Spiller?s service as a Captain in the Virginia State Line. John Floyd, King William County, 22 Nov 1833 certified that William H., Collins C. and George H. Spiller are the only surviving and legal heirs of William Spiller, deceased."

    Person ID I36187  Master File
    Last Modified 28 Sep 2016 

    Father William Spiller,   d. ca 1784, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Mother Elizabeth Cluverius 
    Family ID F14924  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Catherine Wright Turner 
    Children 
     1. William H. Spiller,   b. ca 1793, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Bef 31 Mar 1837, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 44 years)
     2. Benjamin C. Spiller,   b. ca 1794, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 20 Sep 1827, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 33 years)
     3. Colin C. Spiller,   b. ca 1796, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. ca 1842, Albemarle Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 46 years)
     4. Mary Spiller,   b. ca 1797, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 18 Jun 1826, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 29 years)
     5. George A. Spiller,   b. ca 1799, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 1832, King William Co. VA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age ~ 33 years)
    Last Modified 28 Sep 2016 
    Family ID F14927  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart