Pylant Geneology

Mills received a 3rd class land grant in Red River Co, TX. The document states that he arrived in Texas on 21 Nov 1839. (From: 1840 Citizens of Texas, Vol. 1, Land Grants, by Gifford White, pg. 200.)

 "Mills Piland is believed to have been the ancestor of all Pilands in Texas, at least through 1910.  This does not include Pylands, Pylants, and Pilants who were descendants of Robert Pylant of Chatham County, NC or a George Piland whose descendants came west from South Carolina. "Mills came to Texas in 1839 after spending several years in Tennessee.  He and his wife (or wives) had seven children, five boys born in NC, and two girls, born in TN.  They had forty-one grandchildren.  The family settled in what is now Lamar County near Paris, Texas.  The children subsequently migrated to a number of other Texas counties. "Mills was one of eight sons of James and Milly Piland of Gates County, NC.  He was the only one of the eight that migrated west, although two of the sons apparently died in Kentucky before they had established families.  He was born circa 1793 and died in 1869 at the age of seventy-six.  He married Penelope Harrel in 1819, sister of Thomas Harrel. "In 1830 Mills received a number of acres of land from the division of his father's property.  Earlier he had received a house and property from his father.  Mills and his household appear in the 1820 and 1830 census records of Perquimans and Gates County respectively.  Mills was apponted guardian for his brother Elisha's three children after his death in 1829.  Court records show that he traveled to Kentucky in 1834 to settle the estates of his brothers, Isaac and James.  The circumstances of their deaths are unknown. "Mills and his family left NC in the 1835/36 time period.  At that time he had five sons.  The family went to Tennessee where they stayed for several years during which time two daughters were born.  The family then moved to Texas in 1839.  An entry in 'Red River County - Texas First Settlers', page 57 records that a traveling commission certified Mills' ownership at that time of 640 acres; and sons Jesse H. and Elijah H. owners of 320 acres each.  The date was 5 December 1839.  At this time Red River County encompassed fifty or more of the present counties of northeast Texas.  Mills' property was in what is now Lamar County, near the city of Paris, Texas. "As previously noted, the five sons were born in NC and the two daughters were born in TN, specific location unknown.  Wife Peninah presents something of a mystery.  It is known that Mills married Penelope Harrel in NC in 1819.  Possible explanations are that Penelope and Peninah are the same person and there is a recording error.  This would have been in NC since there are numerous Texas records listing Peninah, or Penina.  Peninah is possibly a second wife, which might explain the six year difference between the second and third child.  Peninah died between 1860 and 1859.  Note that Mills named the third child, born in 1830, Elisha, after his brother who had recently died.  Note also the similarity of all the names with the names of Mills' brothers and their chiildren."  (Written by Robert Owens Piland)