Dilmus Lyle

Other Events:

• Census: 1820, Jackson Co., Georgia
• Census: 1830, Jackson Co., Georgia
• Census: 1840, Jackson Co., Georgia
• Probate: 11 Feb 1848, Jackson Co., Georgia; Estate appraisal, total value not given but the list of items (including slaves) is quite long
• Probate: 23 Mar 1848, Jackson Co., Georgia; Estate sale of personal property excluding slaves raises $10,171.56¾
• Probate: 5 Sep 1848, Jackson Co., Georgia; Sale of lands in "the Cherokee counties" for $499
• Probate: 3 Oct 1848, Jackson Co., Georgia; Sale of lands in Jackson Co., Georgia for $2,021.31¼; a sale of slaves for $7156.25
• Residence: 1820, Jackson Co., Georgia; With a boy and three girls under age 10, three boys age 10 to 15, a woman age 16 to 25, a man and woman age 26 to 44, and eight slaves
• Residence: 1830, Jackson Co., Georgia; With a boy and girl age 15 to 19, a woman age 40 to 49, a woman age 60 to 69, and sixteen slaves
• Residence: 1840, Jackson Co., Georgia; With two men age 20 to 29 and a woman age 50 to 59

Notes:

"Dilmus Lyle was married to Kathrine Reed. Shortly after the signing of the Declaration of Independence, Dilmus and his young bride left Virginia to enter a new and practically unknown country. Leaving behind them all signs of white men, the intrepid pair penetrated the wilds of northwest Georgia. They were the first white people to see much of the new country. For years theirs' was the only white family in that part of the state. Dilmus intended to build a mill close by some mountain stream, whose swift current would turn the stones and furnish him and his family with flour. While searching for the stream, he found gold. Dilmus and his wife lost no time in staking a claim on the banks of the little river. They also decided to give their families a chance to share in their good fortune. Turning their backs on the bonanza, the pioneers set out on the long journey back to Virginia (probably the writer meant South Carolina). As may be imagined, their families lost no time in beginning the long trip to Georgia. Maher Shalal Hashbaz Lyle, father of Dilmus was as enthusiastic as his son over the discovery. Two brothers of Dilmus, John and George Lyle, decided to move their families to Georgia. They hastened to close up their affairs at home and to join the party on its return trip. Dilmus never had the slightest doubt of his ability to lead the party straight to the gold, but after months of searching the party was forced to admit their failure. The creek with its precious contents, to this day has not been found. The pioneers settled on the north shore of the Mulberry River, near the spot where the Winder-Gainesville Highway now crosses that. At that time the Mulberry River, was known as the Tishmauga. As soon as homes had been built and the bare necessities of life provided for, Dilmus began work on the first grain mill in northwest Georgia. By the turn of the century the Lyle home was a scene of rushing business. Indians and a few white settlers, the closest of whom, with the exception of the Reed family, lived ten miles away, brought corn and wheat to the grist mill and lumber to the first saw-mill.

Another important industry which sprang up on the banks of the Tishmauga was the distilling of whisky. Reared in Virginia, Dilmus Lyle could and did make the best whisky to be found anywhere in the new country. In fact, his reputation became so great that when the War of 1812 broke out the neighbors were unanimous in their refusal to allow Their Friend to go off to war. No amount of pleading on the part of Dilmus could convince the pioneer Georgians that duty to country was as important as the production of 'Spirits'.

As soon as the English blockade was broken and shipping again resumed, Dilmus Lyle sent to Nova Scotia, for two pairs of the finest flint millstones that could be obtained. They were four feet in diameter, eighteen inches thick and made of the hardest blue white and yellow flint, commonly know as quartz. Finally they arrived and were deposited on the wharf at Charleston, there the real work began. It was necessary to haul those four massive rocks by ox cart through an almost impassable wilderness. After weeks of cutting trails and laying corduroy roads over swamp stretches, the four huge rocks were finally delivered at the Lyle mill. From that time until around World War I, the rocks second in hardness only to diamond, ground almost incessantly. For years they were the only millstones within a radius of thirty miles. All corn and wheat to be converted into meal and flour had to be hauled to the Lyle home.

Thirty two years after their arrival in this country, the rocks caused the death of the man who had imported them. At intervals, it was necessary to hoist the massive millstones out of their places for re-dressing and cleaning. It was during one of these periods of repair that one of the rocks, which had been propped up on edge for work, fell on Dilmus Lyle's foot and crushed it. The pioneers were miles from medical aid, and knew nothing of the dangers of infection. In a short time gangrene had set in and Dilmus Lyle was dead. Dilmus Lyle died on November 1, 1847 and is buried near the Mulberry River, in the Lyle cemetery, in what is now south Jackson County. Dilmus Reed Lyle, son of the pioneer, continued to operate the mill until his death in 1889."

(This information from an article by Robert Poor, published in an Atlanta newspaper, 1934)

Name:
Grave stone is a field stone that seems to be marked "W D LYLE"; full name may have been Winston Dilmus Lyle

Buried:
Lyle Cemetery

Dilmus married Catherine Reid 14 Feb 1799, Jackson Co., Georgia. Catherine was born 19 Aug 1781, Rowan Co., North Carolina; died 25 Dec 1856, Jackson Co., Georgia; was buried Jackson Co., Georgia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Children:
Elizabeth Lyle (B 27 June 1800 Jackson Co., D 07 Oct 1866 Barrow Co.)
Frances Lyle (B 03 Apr 1802 Jackson Co., D 25 Jan 1891)
David James Lyle (06 Oct 1803 Jackson Co., D 03 Sept 1857 Athens, Clarke Co.,)
William A. Lyle (B 1802 Jackson Co., D Aug, 1862 Elmore, Ala.)
Thomas G. Lyle (B 1807 Jackson Co., D 1860 Chambers, Ala)
Catherine Reid Lyle (B 20 Dec 1809 Jackson Co., D 11 July 1867 Jackson Co.,)
Sarah Lyle (B 1811 Jackson Co., D?)
James B. Lyle (B 06 Aug 1813 Jackson Co., D. ?)
Dilmus Reid Lyle (B 03 Dec 1815 D 03 Oct 1889 Jackson Co.,)

Other Events:

• Census: 1800, Union Dist., South Carolina
• Residence: 1800, Union Dist., South Carolina; With a boy under age 10, a boy age 10 to 15, two men and a woman age 16 to 25, a woman age 26 to 44, and a woman over age 45

Notes:

Available online probate records for Jackson Co., Georgia stop weeks before his death (8 Jan 2014)

In the Bible records for Maher he is called a "Scotchman by birth" but this is assumed to refer to his Scoth ancestry rather than his place of birth for Bible records also say he was born in Ireland. The unusual name, Mahershalalhashbaz, is found in the Old Testament, Book of Isaiah, "Moreover the Lord said unto me, Take thee a great roll, and write in it with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-baz," meaning "Spoil Speeds. Prey Hastens", an ominous sign concerning the imminent fall of Damascus (Syria) and Samaria (Israel).

In the Oscar K. Lyle book the name of the son of David Lyle and Mary Blair was given as Robert. However the names and dates of birth for all of his sons were exactly the same as those for Maher Lyle found among numerous Bible records preserved by descendants of Maher and Elizabeth Lyle in Georgia; no names of females were given under Robert Lyle in the book. It was also reported by descendants early in the 20th century that Maher was known to have been a nephew of the three Lyle men who lived at Timber Ridge, Virginia, Matthew, Daniel and John Lyle.

Their home in the section of Bedford County, Virginia, became Campbell County in 1781/82 was very near the Halifax County border area.

In family papers it is said Maher Lyle served as a private during the Revolutionary War; was present when General Cornwallis surrendered to General George Washington at Yorktown. No record of his actual service has been found and neither he nor Elizabeth lived long enough to apply for a pension offered in 1832 but when Elizabeth, then living in Winn's District, Jackson County, Georgia, was awarded land during the Land Lottery of 1827, the grant reveals that she was the widow of a Revolutionary War Soldier. There is a record in Campbell county, Virginia at a court held September 1782, which records that Maharshalalhazbaz Lyle proved he furnished Christopher Irvine, Commissioner of Provost Law, with 275 Grass Beef. This was when citizens who had rendered service to the Continental Army during the conflict came before the court requesting payment after the war ended. The Irvines were neighbors of the Gibsons.

It is not known how well Maher got along with his wife's family as it appears in this court case Maher had some problems with what appears to be Elizabeth's brothers:

Union County, South Carolina, Minutes of the County Court June 2, 1794
The State vs William Dasefield, Robert Gibson, John Gibson and william Gibson: "Breaking the Peace"
Maher Liles, came into open court and took the necessary oath prescribed by Law and prayed the court for a continuance of the defendant recognizance, whereforce came the said defendants, together with James Lockhead, Thomas Dean, James Maberry, John Beckham, Senr. Their securities and acknowledged themselves indebted to the state in the sum of viz the said defendants in the sum of twenty five pounds and their securities in the sum of ten pounds, to be levied on their certain goods and chattels, for their good behavior towards Maher Liles and his son Delmar Liles for the term of twelve months and one day.

Records show on November 5, 1783 Mahershalalhashbaz Lile and Betty, sold 166 acres on Cheese Creek in Campbell County, Virginia. It was about this time Maher moved to the 96TH District, Union County, South Carolina. On January 2, 1786, Mark Mitchell of Washington County, South Carolina sold to Mahar Lyle, part of a 300 acre grant to Joab Mitchell. There is also a grant February 12, 1793 for Maher Lyle in the 96th district of Union County for 165 acres on a branch of Mill Creek and Jumping Run of Pacolet River.

From traditional accounts and tax records, Dilmus and William, sons of Maher, moved to Jackson county, Georgia before 1800, settling on land on a branch of the Mulberry river, near the Gainesville-Midland Railroad. It was not long after this that Maher and the rest of the family joined them in Georgia.

There is no record of a deed for Maher Lyle in Jackson County, Georgia and he is not taxed for land but does pay for one slave in the Jackson County Tax List for 1809. Family history relates that the slave was named George, that Maher freed him but that he remained with the family continuing to care for Maher. Maher and Elizabeth are believed to have lived with their son William.

Maher and Elizabeth are said to be buried in a family cemetery near the home. One account says they are buried at the forks of the Little Oconee and Mulberry, but there are no markers or headstones to identify their graves as there are with other members. It is said that Dilmus Lyle and his wife, Katherine Reid, moved to Jackson County Georgia soon after their marriage in 1799. While seeking a swift-flowing stream on which to build a mill, Dilmus, instead, found gold. After staking a claim, Dilmus and Katherine set out to inform their families of this find. It is said that Maher and others of his family decided to move to Georgia to share in this discovery of gold, but upon returning, Dilmus could never locate the site of the stream of gold. Mahar and Dilmus with their families settled on the north shore of the Mulberry River on a road that today branches off of State Road 55. The Lyle family cemetery is here, located on part of what was their property. Maher and Elizabeth Lyle are buried in this cemetery. It is believed their graves are located nearer to the house that presently stands on the property for there are no markers or other means to identify the exact spot.

Birth:
Probably in Larne, County Antrim

Buried:
Lyle Cemetery

Maher — Elizabeth Gibson. Elizabeth (daughter of John Gibson and Elizabeth Call) was born 13 Feb 1741, Virginia; died 15 Jan 1831, Jackson Co., Georgia; was buried Jackson Co., Georgia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Birth:
Sources differ on the year because of the calendar change in the early 1700s to begin the new year on 1 Jan rather than 25 Mar; the William C Lyle Bible cited here establishes her age at death as 89 years rather than 90

Buried:
Lyle Cemetery

John — Elizabeth Call. [Group Sheet]