Willcox Family Genealogy

Tales of the Willcox family of Charles City County, Virginia

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Chiles McGee Willcox (1834-1920)

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Chiles McGee Willcox was born October 26, 18341 in Maury County, Tennessee, to Robert J. and Jane Wallis Willcox.  In some records, his name is spelled Childs or even Charles.  However, several official documents with his original signature confirm that his name was Chiles.  He most certainly had to have been named after the husband of his Aunt Nancy Ann Willcox, Chiles McGee. Chiles was the 3rd of nine children and the oldest son.

Chiles’ family moved to Dallas County, Arkansas, sometime in the mid-1840s and he lived there the remainder of his life.  Not much is known about his childhood.  It is presumed that he went to school and did the things that all boys did during those times.  He was 18 years old when his father died at the age of 52.2  This must have been quite a blow to the family as there were still eight children living at home, the youngest less than two years of age.  The oldest child, Ann, married and moved out two years later in 18543 leaving Chiles the oldest child at home at the age of 20.  As the oldest son, no doubt it was expected that he would become the man of the house.  One can only assume that he felt an obligation to help his mother run the farm and provide for the children.  The 1860 census shows that he was still living at home with his mother at the age of 25 along with the four youngest children.4

While living at home, Chiles began preparing for his own future.  In 1857 and 1859, Chiles applied for swamp land patents (or titles) on 160 acres in Dallas County.5  After the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, the federal government owned all of the land that is now the state of Arkansas.  Over 7 million acres in Arkansas were swampy and unfit for cultivation.  Since they were of no use to the federal government, the swampy lands were transferred to the state of Arkansas under the Federal Swamp Land Act of 1850.  Arkansas then issued patents on these lands (at little or sometimes no cost) on the condition that the lands be drained and put back into productive use, presumably for agricultural purposes.  On May 15, 1860, Chiles purchased the 160 acres for $120.6 The lands were in Section 11, Township 9 South, Range 18 West.

WAR TIME AND ADULTING

At 26 years old, Chiles is in possession of land to farm and one slave.7  It is now time to move on to the next phase of life, starting a family.  Chiles married Susanna Chaney Rambo on February 28, 1861, in Dallas County.8 She was the daughter of Augustus Baldwin and Julia Ann Malone Rambo.9 They had been married little more than a year when Chiles was conscripted into the Civil War.  While we do not know his feelings about the Confederacy or joining the fight, we do know that he had no choice.  The Confederacy passed their conscription law in April 1862 which required all white men between the ages of 18 and 35 to enlist for three years of military service.  He enlisted as a private in Company E, 37th Arkansas Infantry on May 8, 1862 in Princeton, Arkansas.  By this time, Chiles had increased his slave holdings to four.10  Perhaps this was so that the farming work could continue while he was off at war.

Shortly after enlisting, Chiles caught the measles and had to be separated from his unit for over two months. His sergeant reported that he was suffering with “bilious diarrhea,” “throat abscesses” and “general physical disability.” During the time of his illness he stayed at the home of Dr. Gibson in Little Rock.  He eventually returned to his unit and served as the Detached Brigade Forage Master, the official in charge of securing food, animal feed, and other vital resources required to keep the unit moving.  Later, he was given extra duties in the ordnance department.  Chiles’ regiment was also designated at various times as 1st Regiment Trans-Mississippi Infantry, Pleasants’ Regiment Arkansas Infantry, Bell’s Regiment Arkansas Infantry, 1st Regiment Arkansas Infantry, 29th Regiment Arkansas Infantry and 37th Regiment Arkansas Infantry.11

The war ended in April 1865 and Chiles was honorably discharged in May.12 Now that the war was over, he no longer had slaves to work his land.  So, like his mother, Chiles entered into employment contracts in 1867 under the Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands.  While their names are not listed in the contract, the men he employed were most likely Chiles’ former slaves. Under the terms of the contract, he furnished the land, team (mules for plowing), farming tools and food for the team. The employees were to keep the farm in repair, care for the stock, cultivate the garden and keep the family in wood.  They could keep half of what they raised on Chiles’ land.13

After the war, Chiles and Susanna quickly began raising a family.

  1. Dennis Trigg (born 1865)14  
  2. Lena Sue (born 1868)15 
  3. Robert (born ca. 1871)16
  4. Augustus “Gus” Edward (born 1873)17
  5. Berry James (born 1875)18

Up next … Chiles expands his empire …

(See posts in chronological order)

  1. “Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61777/: accessed 31 Aug 2026) > 1920, 047-062 > image 1528 of 3030, certificate 467, entry for Childs M. Willcox, Dallas County, 12 August 1920; citing Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Death Certificates. ↩︎
  2. Dallas County, Arkansas, “Deed Record B, Dallas County,” 413-4, Jane Wilcox, 18 November 1853; imaged “Deeds, 1845-1887; index, 1845-1931,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C37F-Y3PK-5: accessed 29 July 2026) > Deeds, v. B 1847-1855 > image 278-9 of 361; citing Dallas County Courthouse, Fordyce, Arkansas. ↩︎
  3. Dallas County, Arkansas, “Marriage Record, Book A, Whites, 1845-1854,” 151, Benjamin Abbott and Ann J. Wilcox, 7 September 1854; imaged “Marriage records, 1845-1954, index, 1846-1976, 1980-1985, 1845-1985,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-DBGS-282/ : accessed 26 August 2026) > Dallas Co. Marr. records, whites (index with this vol. not filmed due to copyright; partially indexed [from Aug. 1846] above), v. A, 1845-1854 > image 538 of 887; citing Dallas County Courthouse, Fordyce, Arkansas. ↩︎
  4. 1860 U.S. Census, Dallas County, Arkansas, population schedule, Manchester, page 12 (unmarked), dwelling 83, family 83, Jane D. Willcox; imaged, “1860 United States Federal Census,” FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/en/search/collection/1473181/ : accessed 26 August 2026). ↩︎
  5. Washington County, Arkansas, State Land Agent’s Office, Application to purchase “Swamp and Overflowed Lands,” first application filed 29 September 1857, application number 1041, applicant, Chiles M. Willcox, second application filed 5 November 1859, application number 1445, applicant, Chiles M. Willcox; Box 89, File 1, Vault 2, Location 20/23/08; MS.987: Arkansas State Land Records: Record type, Swamp Land Application; Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas. ↩︎
  6. Washington County, Arkansas, State Land Agent’s Office, Certification of purchase of “Swamp and Overflowed Lands,” 15 May 1860, first tract, patent number 5742, applicant, Chiles M. Willcox, second tract, patent number 5743, applicant, Chiles M. Willcox; Box 660, File 5, Vault 2; MS.987: Arkansas State Land Records: Record type, Swamp Land Patent; Arkansas State Archives, Little Rock, Arkansas. ↩︎
  7. Dallas County, Arkansas, “Dallas County Tax Book for the year 1861,” n.p., Childs M. Wilcox, 11 June 1861; imaged “Arkansas tax records, 1821-1884,” database with images FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTT-C97D-2/: accessed 2 September 2026) > Arkansas county tax records Dallas County 1845-1867 Desha County 1840-1842 > image 535 of 879; citing Arkansas History Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas. ↩︎
  8. Dallas County, Arkansas, “Marriage Record, Book B, 1854-1895,” 102, Chiles M. Wilcox and Susanna C. Rambo, 28 February 1861; imaged “Marriage records, 1845-1954, index, 1846-1976, 1980-1985, 1845-1985,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HT-DHP9-YTN/ : accessed 26 August 2026). > Dallas Co. marr. records, colored, v. A, 1866-1874; Dallas Co. marr. records, v. B, 1854-1895 > image 193 of 335; citing Dallas County Courthouse, Fordyce, Arkansas. ↩︎
  9. Richter, Wendy Bradley, Clark County, Arkansas : Past and Present (Clark County Historical Association, Arkadelphia, Arkansas : 1992), 680. ↩︎
  10. Dallas County, Arkansas, “Dallas County Tax Book for the year 1862,” 68, Chiles M. Wilcox, June 1862; imaged “Arkansas tax records, 1821-1884,” database with images FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTT-C9ZM-9 /: accessed 2 September 2026) > Arkansas county tax records Dallas County 1845-1867 Desha County 1840-1842 > image 621 of 879; citing Arkansas History Commission, Little Rock, Arkansas. ↩︎
  11. Compiled Military Service Record, C. M. Willcox, Sergeant, Co. E, 37 Arkansas Infantry, Civil War; imaged, “US, Civil War Service Records (CMSR) – Confederate – Arkansas, 1861-1865,” Fold3 (https://www.fold3.com/file/227777827/willcox-c-m-us-civil-war-service-records-cmsr-confederate-arkansas-1861-1865: accessed 19 Nov 2024); citing NARA microfilm publication M317, records from NARA catalog ID 586957: Carded Records Showing Military Service of Soldiers Who Fought in Confederate Organizations , compiled 1903 – 1927, documenting the period 1861 – 1865, Record Group 109. ↩︎
  12. “Arkansas, Confederate Pensions, 1901-1929,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939J-TNS5-YL/: accessed 3 September 2026) > Wiggins, John – Williams, Jim > image 86 of 1307 for C. M. Wilcox or Willcox, Co. E, discharged May 1865; citing Arkansas State Auditor, History Commission, Little Rock. ↩︎
  13. “U.S., Freedmen’s Bureau Records, 1865-1878,” database with images Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/62309/ : accessed 26 August 2026) > Field Offices > Arkansas (M1901) > Princeton > Roll 022, Contracts and Monthly Statements of Property, 1866-1868 > image 91 of 116, C. M. Willcox, 1867, page 55, numbers 31 and 32; citing The National Archives at College Park, College Park, Maryland. ↩︎
  14. 1880 U. S. Census, Dallas County, Arkansas, population schedule, Manchester, enumeration district (ED) 70, page 5 (penned), dwelling 37, family 37, C. M. Wilcox; imaged, Ancestry “1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : accessed 26 August 2026). ↩︎
  15. “Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/61777/ : accessed 31 August 2026) > 1943, 073-086 > image 1629 of 2513, certificate 165, entry for Lena Sue Wilcox Rutherford, Dallas Co., 31 December 1943; citing Arkansas Department of Vital Records; Little Rock, Arkansas; Death Certificates. ↩︎
  16. 1880 U. S. Census, Dallas County, Arkansas, population schedule, Manchester, enumeration district (ED) 70, page 5 (penned), dwelling 37, family 37, C. M. Wilcox; imaged, Ancestry “1880 United States Federal Census,” Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6742/ : accessed 26 August 2026). ↩︎
  17. “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482 : accessed 31 August 2026) > Arkansas > Dallas County > ALL > Draft Card W > image 126 of 254 > Augustus Edward Wilcox: registration card, 1416, Local Draft Board: Fordyce (Dallas County), Arkansas; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509. ↩︎
  18. “U.S., World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918,” database with images, Ancestry (https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/6482 : accessed 31 August 2026) > Arkansas > Pulaski County > 2 > Draft Card W > image 163 of 305 > Berry James Willcox: registration card, 488, Local Draft Board: North Little Rock (Pulaski County), Arkansas; citing NARA microfilm publication M1509. ↩︎

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