James Lee Holland Marries Mary Virginia Godwin

February 20, 1889 James Lee Holland age 26 and Mary Virginia Godwin age 19,  were married in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.

James Lee Holland

James Lee Holland was the only living child of  Sebril Holland and Martha Garner. He was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, October 10, 1863.

James Lee Holland circa between 1935 - 1940

The 1880 US Federal Census lists James Lee, age 16,  living with his mother Martha Pruden age 50, stepfather Joseph Pruden age 62, stepsister Mary R. Pruden, age 13 and stepbrother James E. Scutchins age 8.

 The 1880 Census also states James Lee works on a farm and attended school during the census year, yet could not write.

Civil War

In the handwritten notes handed down by Mabel (Drake) Wilkins, it is stated that Sebril Holland served in the Civil War and family lore has it that when he returned, he was so dirty and ragged that nobody recognized him.  Since we have not definitively been able to link the names Sebril and Mallory as one, his Civil War enlistment cannot yet be verified, but Cousin Art has found an enlistment document under the name Malory that could very well be our man, yet....we are still unsure.

 

 Malory Holland;  Enlistment Date: 24 Feb 1862;  Enlistment Place: Isle of Wight Court House, Virginia; Side Served: Confederacy; State Served: Virginia; Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 24 February 1862, Enlisted in Company I, 3rd Infantry Regiment Virginia on 24 Feb 1862.  As noted on the image above, Company I, 3rd Infantry is not listed and did not come through on the image, yet it is listed in Ancestry.com.

Another record from Art:

PRISONER OF WAR RECORD

Malory M. Holland (is the M. a typo?),  3rd Va Company I, captured near Farmville Virginia  April 6, '65

Sebril's Marriage to Martha Heath

As stated in the last post, Sebril Holland and Martha (Garner) Heath were married 18 June 1859 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, and both are listed as widowed. There hasn't been any information found as to who Sebril could have been married to previously. On the other hand, we do know Martha was previously married to Samuel J. Heath.
Sebril and Martha had two children, an infant who died and a son named James Lee Holland, born Oct 10, 1863.


Handwritten notes passed on from my grandmother Mabel (Drake) Wilkins:

Is Sebril Holland really Mallory Holland?

As stated earlier, we cannot verify that Sebril Holland's name is actually Sebril. This branch of the Holland family was very fond of using middle names as first names and also using nicknames.  There has been no record of a "Sebril" after the 1850 census, yet we know John Holland and Nancy Turner had a son who married Martha Heath.

 The information contained in the above document was found on FamilySearch.com and links a Mallory Holland, aged 24,  b. 1835 from Isle of Wight Co., Virginia to marrying Martha Heath in the right time frame. John Holland and Nancy Holland are also listed as Mallory's Parents.

This is the closest we have been able to link the name Mallory and Sebril as one.

So, could Sebril Holland really be Mallory C Holland? Martha and Mallory married June 18, 1859 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. They are both listed as Widows. Who was Mallory married to previously?

Sebril Holland's Parents

John Holland was born circa 1800 and Nancy Elizabeth Turner was born circa 1796. John married Nancy when he was 25 years old and she was 29.  

Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850

Groom Name:	John Holland
Bride Name:	Nancy Turner
Marriage Date:	1 Mar 1825
County:	Isle of Wight
State:	Virginia

Source Information: Virginia Marriages, 1740-1850.

The date of John's death is unknown, but it is believed to have been before the 1850 Census was enumerated. Nancy died circa 1854.

Sebril Holland

Sebril Holland was born in Isle of Wight County, Virginia the son of John Holland and Nancy Elizabeth Turner. There is some question as to the year of his birth. According to the 1850 U.S. Federal Census of the Isle of Wight County, Eastern District, his age is stated as 17 years which implies his birth year to be 1833, yet the Virginia marriage register 1785 - 1940 has his birth year as 1835.




Sebril's occupation is that of a laborer on a farm owned by Exum Bracy. His mother, Nancy Holland and sister Polly are shown to live at a neighboring residence. Also listed as an occupant of this home is Georgianna Gaskins. Georgianna's relationship to the Holland family has not been determined.

This is the only known census record for Sebril Holland.