Tilghman Hilleary (b. 1751 - d. 1835)
MSA SC 5496-002781
War of 1812 Claimant, Prince George's County, Maryland, 1828
Biography:
Tilghman Hilleary was born February 4, 1751 in Prince George’s County to Thomas and Sarah Odell Hilleary. Hilleary married Anne Wheeler, daughter of Clement Wheeler and Lucy Brooke of Prince George's County, on January 10, 1782. Together the Hilleary's had eight children: Clement, Thomas T., Tilghman, Mary, Sarah Ogle, William, Anne, and George Washington Hilleary. Marriage to Anne Wheeler would prove to be a wealthy investment. Tilghman Hilleary and his wife owned a large slave labor force by Maryland standards, which consisted of at least 54 slaves in Bladensburg. The Hilleary's slaves were inherited through family or purchased over time. Anne's father, Clement, willed to her six slaves that added to the Hilleary slave population. Lucy Wheeler, Anne Hilleary's mother, willed a negro man Daniel to Tilghman Hilleary. Hilleary purchased a negro woman Sall and her two children from the estate of Marsham Waring in 1813.
During the War of 1812, many Maryland slaveholders suffered the loss of enslaved labor as the British attacked their homes and carried off their slaves. In 1814, two of Tilghman Hilleary's slaves, Peter Ridout (25) and Andrew Ridout (21), ran off to the British forces and enlisted in the Colonial Marines. About the same time, another slave belonging to Hilleary, Ben Orme, escaped from his plantation in Bladensburg. Orme eventually returned to Hilleary. In 1828, Hilleary made a claim for the escape of his two negroes Andrew and Peter. In the claim, Ben Orme gave a deposition and swore on the bible that he saw the two runaways ride off on horses with the enemy and persuaded him to come along. Orme was the brother of Nellie Orme Saunders Arnold, whose descendants, the Plummer family, were also owned by the Hilleary's.
Tilghman Hilleary died January 29, 1835, appointing his son Tilghman sole executor of his last will and testament. Hilleary divided various slaves between his children and grandchildren. His son Thomas had died earlier in January 1835, so his children received Ben and others. Tilghman left six slaves to his daughter Sarah to be chosen at her disposal. Sarah eventually became the owner and head of household at her father's home. Hilleary's son Tilghman and the children of his deceased son Thomas would also reside at the home with Sarah Hilleary.
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