Arthur Hill Gillmor : Short Biography

Arthur Hill Gillmor 1752

County Dublin Belfast (Antrim) County Down County Antrim

Back to List

Hello!! It seems I’ve hit that brick wall that comes with having Irish Ancestors. I have been researching my great (x4) grandfather for many years. However, finding anything from before he came to America has proven unproductive for the most part. What I am seeking: Information about his life in Ireland, Birth Record, Proof of Parents, Siblings, where was he educated? There are many references about him being educated there, possibly at Dublin University, but I have no proof. Possibly a wife and four sons (two died in a war and two died at sea…EDIT: I found a letter written by Arthur Hill Gillmor himself where he wrote this information about his sons - I believe one of them may have been named Charles after Arthur's father). Court Documents and/or arrest records for August 1786. FULL NAME: Arthur Hill Gillmor (1752-1824) **Please NOTE: There are several spelling variations in which I’ve found information about Arthur Hill Gillmor/Gilmore/Gillmore. These are the most common. We use ‘Gillmor'. BIRTH: 1752 Hillsborough County Down, Ireland – this information is what has been passed along. I have no records showing his birth year. There have been many stories about his parents. There was a story that his father was Sir Arthur Hill of England and that he was an illegitimate son. However, I have written documentation by his great grandson from a family bible stating his father was Charles Gillmor of Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland. Many people on Ancestry have listed Sir Arthur Hill Gillmor and Elizabeth Vail as his parents but I don’t believe this information to be true.

TIMELINE FROM IRELAND TO AMERICA:

August 24, 1786 -Arrested or appeared in court.

Sept 17, 1786 - Sentenced to be executed.

Oct. 10, 1786 (NOTE: There are several newspaper articles regarding this incident however we have not proven if this was indeed our AH Gillmor but the timeline is consistent).

October 16, 1786 -Newspapers state sentence was changed to transportation and it seems he was detained for several months.

March 17, 1787 -Left Dublin on the Brig Nancy, Captain Reily.

July 14, 1787 -Arrived in Machias.

July 17, 1787 -deposition was taken.

July 30, 1787 -arrived in Newbury Port with copy of deposition.

August 11, 1787 -John Hancock wrote a letter to the Continental Congress protesting the arrival of "a number of persons some probably convicts and all of them people who manners and conduct will be detrimental to the state".

September 28, 1787 -Report of the Secretary of Foreign Affairs on Letter of Governor Hancock.

Arthur Hill Gillmor taught school for several years in Machias, ME. Some sources say he was the first teacher in Machias.

March 22, 1791 -Petitioned and received United States Citizenship.

MARRIAGE: April 3, 1791 in Jonesboro, Washington Co., Maine to Mary ‘Polly’ Knight (1770-1858).

Sometime after 1800, he moved his family to New Brunswick, Canada to avoid having to join the militia against the British. I have a letter where he wrote this information.

DEATH: May 5, 1824 St George, NB, Canada; no death certificate, record or obituary. His great grandson did write in the family Bible that Arthur died on May 5, 1824 aged 61. This would put his birth year about 1762-3 rather than 1752.

BURIAL information: Second Falls United Baptist Cemetery, Charlotte County, New Brunswick, Canada.

SPOUSE: Mary ‘Polly’ Knight: born in 1770 in Machias, Maine and died in 1858 in St George, NB, Canada. Her parents were Jonathan Knight (1735-1828) & Mary Atkins (1748-1824) married Jan 27, 1760 Englishman’s River near Machias, ME, USA. SIBLINGS: I have no siblings for Arthur Hill Gillmor of Ireland.

RESIDENCE INFO: Arthur Hill Gillmor was born in Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland as per what’s been written in the family bible and stories. We believe he may have been arrested and convicted for a crime sometime around August 1786 in Belfast, Ireland. He was transported for said crime in March 1787 to America. He arrived in Machias, ME under deplorable circumstances. See link to Deposition below. Around 1800 or so, he moved his family to St David, New Brunswick, Canada. He later settled the area of St George, Bonny River, Second Falls and Upper Mills (all places closely tied together in one area).