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Joshua Gayle

Birth	:	Jan 1822
Death	:	10 Jul 1876 Mobjack, Mathews County, Virginia, USA
Burial	:	Gayle Burying Ground, Pribble, Mathews County, USA
Description	:	Joshua Gayle, II. He was born in January of 1822 to Bartlett and Patsy Buckner Gayle -- their fourth son. He was named after his paternal uncle who had died before he was born. Joshua married Elizabeth Sarah Henry Billups (called "Lizzie") on March 23, 1848. Lizzie was the eldest daughter of Robert Billups and Elizabeth Smith and was born on March 28, 1824 in Mathews County. Lizzie, herself, had been raised on the property now known as "Green Mansion", near North Post Office. Joshua... Read More	Joshua Gayle, II. He was born in January of 1822 to Bartlett and Patsy Buckner Gayle -- their fourth son. He was named after his paternal uncle who had died before he was born. Joshua married Elizabeth Sarah Henry Billups (called "Lizzie") on March 23, 1848. Lizzie was the eldest daughter of Robert Billups and Elizabeth Smith and was born on March 28, 1824 in Mathews County. Lizzie, herself, had been raised on the property now known as "Green Mansion", near North Post Office. Joshua was a moderately successful farmer, judging by his real estate worth of $14,000 ($4500 in 1850) and personal worth of $20,000 in the 1860 census. In 1850, he owned 377 acres (277 improved acres, 100 unimproved) on North River, and called his property "Edgewater". His crops included: oats ($40), corn ($1500), peas ($60), potatoes ($40), sweet potatoes ($100), garden ($20) and hay ($6). He owned 4 horses, 2 mules, 7 cows, 4 oxen, 19 cattle, 31 sheep and 23 swine in 1850 for a total value of animals = $600). Other assets were farm implements ($160), wool ($50), home management ($10 – I wonder what that was!), and slaughtered meat ($200) . According to the 1860 census, he owned 22 slaves (20 in the 1850 census) -- thirteen males and nine females. Once again we see evidence of the impact slaves had on a farmer's personal worth, as in 1870, Joshua's worth was only $1200! As a young farmer though, he did have his struggles. In the same letter referred to above, written to his brother Alexander in 1852 , Joshua stated that he had been "fired out" -- his barns containing all his corn, wheat, and farm "utensils" had been torched. The "perpetrator" was a slave named Caesar who "by his own confession" was hired to commit the crime by a storekeeper. Joshua was asking his brother's advice in this time of misfortune and near bankruptcy. Judging from the above census figures, however, he must have come out from under this setback and done quite well for himself as we see in the 1860 agricultural schedule. By 1860, his agricultural holdings included 388 acres (300 improved, 88 unimproved), as well as: farm implements (valued at $400), 6 horses, 5 mules, 5 cows, 5 oxen, 13 cattle, 14 sheep, 57 swine – total value of animals = $1150; wheat ($650), corn ($2500), oats ($400), peas ($40), potatoes ($40), sweet potatoes ($100), orchard ($5), butter ($175), hay ($8), slaughtered meat ($680). Joshua was also involved in civic affairs in Mathews County. In April, 1858, he was appointed school commissioner. It is not known if there was a close relationship between Joshua and his first cousin, Zelotes Gayle, who lived in Gloucester (Ware Neck), but they did know each other. Zelotes was eleven years older and his children were older that Joshua's. Since their grandchildren (Bertha White and Roland Anderton) eventually were married, it is safe to assume that there was some communication between the two families. In the 1860 census, Sarah E. Billups (Sally Bet) is listed as part of the household of Joshua and Lizzie. She was 14 years old and Lizzie's first cousin -- a daughter of Lizzie's uncle, Thomas Billups and his wife Elizabeth Terrill who had recently died, leaving several minor children. These children were dispersed among various relatives. Sally Bet Billups later married Lizzie's younger brother and her own first cousin, Thomas George Billups -- who had inherited "Green Mansion", as mentioned above. She was the grandmother of Sally Bet Walker, discussed in the White chapter. Joshua died on July 10, 1876, just six months after filing his will. This might suggest that he was in poor health, as 54 was a relatively young age to be filing a will. Men who died that young and even much older back then usually died intestate (without a will). After his death, Lizzie continued to live at Edgewater, with their son, Robert, until her own death on December 13, 1896. According to her death certificate, Lizzie actually died in Norfolk of "general debility" – maybe she was visiting a relative or in the hospital. Informant on her death certificate was son, Robert Gayle.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Joshua Gayle's memorial?
Joshua Gayle's memorial is located at: Gayle Burying Ground, Pribble, Mathews County, USA.
When did Joshua Gayle death?
Joshua Gayle death on 10 Jul 1876 in Mobjack, Mathews County, Virginia, USA