Our Historical Past and Present

Jolley Began Writing His Reminiscences At Age 82

   Occasionally we come across an out-of-print family history which pertains to early families of this area, (North Carolina) and today we will briefly review such a book, "The Story of My Reminiscences" by Richard M. Jolly was originally published in 1924 and probably only a few dozen copies were printed. We know of only about two of the books in this section.

   Richard M. Jolly was born February 22, 1842 in Cleveland County, N.C., a son of Featherston Jolly. He served as a volunteer in the 5th Regiment of South Carolina Militia during the Civil War, and when he was about 82 years of age, he was encouraged by friends to write this book of his reminiscences. The book contains a detailed account of his war-time service, but is mostly genealogical data beginning with his grandparents, James & Kisiah Jolly, the first of his lineage to come to the Rutherford - Cleveland County area.

   James Jolly was born April 9, 1776 on the Big Stanley Creek of Dinwiddy County, Virginia. He married Kisiah Jolly, and both he and his wife were of Dutch - Irish extraction. The parents of both James and Kisiah Jolly had migrated to America from Ireland.

   According to data which was recorded in James Jolly's family Bible, he moved to Chatham County, N.C. in December 1797, and then to Rutherford County, N.C. in December 1803, where he settled on 800-acres tract of land near Broad River in what is now Cleveland County. The date of his death and place of burial is not recorded in this book; however, mention is made in several instances of the old Jolly Family Cemetery.

We have located the old cemetery about 2 miles East of Boiling Springs near Broad River, and the tombstone of his wife Kisiah Jolly indicates that she died in 1869. It is presumed that James Jolly was also buried there.

   James & Kisiah Jolly raised a large family of ten children: (1) Barney; (2) Meredith or Meredy; (3) Jesse; (4) Featherston; (5) Thomas; (6) Hood; (7) Elizabeth or Betsey; (8) Mary or Polly (9) Arraner; and (10) Dock Lewis.

   The "Reminiscences" of Richard M. Jolly gives considerable additional data on the descendants of James and Kisiah Jolly, as well as other interesting facts about the family. He also gives some brief data about other connecting family lines: the Wood family, McCraw families, Harris families, Watkins, Goforth, Martin, Wright, Jones, Beattie, Surratt, and others who were connected on some way to the Jolly family either by marriage, or as neighbors. He also has some historical notes on the first settlers of the town of Gaffney, S.C.

      A later publication by Constance Jolley Duncan, "Through Tinted Lenses", published in 1959, picks up one line of this family and continues with a detailed narrative of her branch of this interesting family.

  The preceding article excerpt is from book: Bridges To The Past (page 149-150, section 1) by: Roy Brooks and Mrs. Earnest Newton.  

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