My Jolly Family Connection
These are the family Surnames that are associated with my mother's Jolly line (mostly from the Spartanburg Co. and Cherokee Co. areas of SC and the Rutherford Co and Cleveland Co. areas of NC). They are : ALLISON, BLANTON, McCRAW, WOOD, WRIGHT, MARTIN, HICKS, WATKINS, RUPPE, HUSKEY, HUMPHRIES/HUMPHRYS and more. I will be making separate pages for some of these surnames as time permits.
A little about what I know about the Jolly/Jolley/Joly family. I have traveled to France which is the country of origin. While there I discovered what appears to be the original spelling, which was Joly (pronounced 'sholle'). This family originated from the mountainous regions of Alsace-Lorraine, some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen.
The name Jolly has its roots in many European countries and I believe that is due to the unrest that was in the area for so long. The name comes from a French word meaning 'festive or merry'. The Jolly people were most likely boatman in France. As many people have gotten their names from their profession so it is with the Jolly family. There was a small boat called the Yawl or Jolle later to be called the jollie or joly boat and it is likely that the first Jolly/Jolley were skilled boatmen.
My Jolly family seemed to have come over to America from Ireland. There is no evidence that the family lived in Ireland very long. They came to America in the 1700 's the exact date uncertain. It is believed that my group is from of group of Jolly's that arrived in Virginia in the mid 1700's. Now for the my Jolly family heritage that I have thus far.
My Jolly Heritage
I will be starting with my grandfather (my mother's dad)
6- Julius Vernon Jolly b: 5 May 1897 in Gaffney, Cherokee Co., SC m: Lillie Inez ALLISON on 24 Jan 1918 in Gaffney, SC. d: 23 Jul 1960 in Columbia, SC. Both are buried at Providence Church Cemetery in Gaffney, SC. Vernon and Lillie had only two children. Both of which are still living so will not be included here.
12- Joseph Henry Fetherson Jolly "called Joe Henry" b: 23 Apr 1866 in Cleveland County, NC (like all of his brothers and sisters) m: Emmie Lou Edna BLANTON 10 Mar 1890 in Spartanburg Co., SC later to become Gaffney, Cherokee Co., SC. d: 13 July 1943 in Gaffney, Cherokee, SC. They both are buried at Providence Church Cemetery in Gaffney, SC. Joe Henry and Emmie Jolly had 13 children, of those 11 grew to adulthood and had families of their own. **Some records indicate that her name was Emma but she was called Emmie. It is uncertain so I will leave it as this for now**.
24- Richard "Dick" Meredy Jolly b: 22 Feb 1842 in #1 Twp. Rutherford Co., NC m: Louisa Wood 25 Apr 1865 d: 14 Sep 1928 Gaffney, SC.
Louisa died in childbirth with their 6th child. Louisa Wood is buried next to her father Henry Smith Wood at New Prospect Church Cemetery in Cleveland County, NC. Dick and Louisa had 5 children. Dick then married Margaret Beattie and they had three children together. Both are buried at Grassy Pond Cemetery, Gaffney, SC
48- Fetherson Jolly b: 10 May 1811 in #1 Twp Rutherford Co., NC m: Delia Burton Wright 7 Sep 1834 in #1 Twp Rutherford Co., NC
d: 13 Jan 1875 in #1 Twp Rutherford Co., NC.
They are buried at Camps Creek Church Cemetery in Cleveland Co., NC (which was No 1 Twp Rutherford Co., NC at one time).
Fetherson and Delia had 8 children and all but one married and had children. ** This family was found in the Cleveland Co., NC Census in 1850 but was found in Grassy Pond TWP of Spartanburg Co., SC in 1860 and in Limestone Springs Twp of Spartanburg Co., SC in 1870. This area was later to become Gaffney, Cherokee, SC.**
96- James Jolly b: 9 Apr 1776 Dinwiddie Co. Va m: 19 Jul 1798 to Kesiah Jolly in Orange Co. NC d: 6 Jan 1853 #1Twp Rutherford., NC buried in Boiling Springs, NC. James and Kesiah/Kisiah had 10 children together. ** I will be making a chart for this family and its descendants and adding it soon. **
192- John Jolly possibly born in Ireland but data is uncertain but John and his family are found in Orange Co, NC in 1798.
This is the point at which I have stopped. Things are uncertain from this point and I want my information to have documentation before adding it to this page. My 3rd great- grandfather, Richard Meredy Jolly, was better known as Granpa Dickey, wrote the book 'My Reminisces' and that book was a primary source for this compiler's research.
The more research I did on this family I began to find errors in some family legends. The family believed they were Dutch-Irish. That is easy to understand why they would come to this conclusion. The family came to America by the way of many countries and with many stops along the way. So children were born in Ireland on their way to America. It appears that the some of the Jolly family left France as early as 1300's. Jolly family members have been found as early as that date in England.
Any questions about anything here please contact me.
Click below to reach my main genealogy page from there you can email me.
This page was last updated April 5, 2001.
