Igleheart Will

While I have not succeeded at finding a will, probate file or even a mention of the death of John Thompson’s father, it was fairly easy to locate a will for his father-in-law, Jacob Igleheart. I originally found this will on Ancestry, in their Ketucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989 database. While that database included images of the will, it also provided the date and page numbers which allowed me to locate the original in the Ohio County, Kentucky will books.

Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989
Ohio — Wills, Vol A-D 1801-1988

Image 473
page 161

In the name of God amen
I Jacob Igleheart of the County of Ohio and
State of Kentucky, being of sound mind and
[disposing] memory (for which I thank almighty
God) and Cling to mind the uncertainty of
human life, and being desirous to dispose
of all such worldly estate as has pleased
God to bless me with I give and bequeath
the same in manner following that is to say
First – I give and bequeath to my dear wife
Easter Igleheart all my home property both
real and personal during her natural life
and at her death I will and wish disposed
of as follows to wit:
Secondly, I give and bequeath to my daughter
Juliann Bennett fifty dollars cash also
one feather bed and furniture
Thirdly — I give and bequeath to my daughter
Sally Thompson fifty dollars cast
Fourthly I give and bequeath to my son
Jacob H Igleheart fifty dollars cash
Fifthly I give and bequeath to my daughter
Eliza Igleheart heirs ten dollars cash
Sixthly I give and bequeath to my son
William B Igleheart Heirs (Anne William
Igleheart) ten dollars cash
Seventhly I give and bequeath to my
daughter Jennette Miller heirs ten
dollars cash
Eighthly I give and bequeath to my
daughter Matilda Miller ten dollars and
Ninthly I give and bequeath to my son
John D Igleheart heirs ten dollars and
Tenthly I give and bequeath to my daughter
Rebecca Bennett for the benefit of his
and her heirs my black woman Ann and
her child (boy named Joshua.

page 162
Also one feather bed and furniture
for the same
Eleventhly I give and bequeath to my
son James Sopen Igleheart my black
man named John (Jack) and also all
the real (land) estate I may and shall
own and be seized with (of) at my
death — Provided he the same James
Sopen Igleheart at the death of his mother
Easter Igleheart will well and truly pay
all the legacies named in this my last
will and testament and also all and
singular each and every piece and particle
of the farming utensils and appurtenances
thereunto belonging and appertaining
Named will included and as for the
house hold and kitchen furniture (be the
same more or less) often filling all the
above bequests I will shall be equally
divided between my son James Sopen
Igleheart and my daughter Rebecca Bennett
at and after their mothers death Provided
nevertheless the said James Sopen Igleheart
is bound on [doer] and will well and truly
support and maintained his father and
mother during their natural lives and
after their deaths pay all their just
debts and funeral (burial) expenses and
give to my son Jacob H Igleheart or his
heirs one good feather bead
And twelfthly and lastly I appoint my
dear wife Easter and my son James Sopen
Igleheart as my executors of this my
last will and testament
In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and affixed my seal this tenth
day of March in the year of our

page 163
Lord One Thousand Eight Hundred and fifty
two.
Jacob Igleheart (Seal)
Signed Sealed & Published
and declared as and for
the last will and testament
of the above named Jacob
Igleheart in presence of us all
Jacob L Condict Senr
Charles A Tanne[n]
John (his mark) France

I Jacob Igleheart of the County of Ohio
and State of Kentucky do hereby make and
public this codicil to be added to my
last (foregoing) will and testament in manner
following to wit:
I do hereby declare that my will is that
my daughter Rebecca Bennett or her heirs
on the reception of the black boy Joshua
as named in the tenth bequest of my
last will shall well and truly pay to my
son James Sopen Igleheart or his heirs the sum
of fifty dollars cast and of their own
estate
And lastly it is my will and desire
that my powers of Codicil be annexed
to and made part of my last will and
testament aforesaid
In witness whereof I have hereunto set my
hand and affixed my seal this thirteenth\
day of March in the year of our Lord
Eighteen hundred and fifty two
Jacob Igleheart (seal)
Signed sealed and
published & declared
as and for a codicil to test

Will and Testament of
the above named Jacob
Igleheart in presence of us all
Jacob L Condict Senr
Charles A Tamen
John (his mark) France

State of Kentucky, Ohio County
Monday June 2nd 1856
J. R. Seth Mosely clerk of the county
Court of said county certify that this
last will testament and codicil of
Jacob Igleheart Decd was produced in
court and duly forever to be the act
and Decd of said Jacob Igleheart by
the oaths of Jacob IL Condict Senr
and John France subscribing witnesses
thereto which being examined and
approved of by the court in order to
be recorded and thereupon on motion
of James S Igleheart who took the oath
to qualify him as excr aforesaid entered
into bond as the law directs with James
B Bennet and J. H. C. Lindley as his [a?t?]
The widow of said deceased relinquished
her right to administration qualify by her
consent in writing filed duly from
att
R eth Mosely Clk
Ohio Co [?]

page 165
by the Court is ordered to be recorded
And thereupon Richd T Brown came
into court and took the oath to qualify
him as Admr with the will annexed of
Paulett Clark Decd and entered into bond
to the commonwealth of KY conditioned as
the law requires with Moses T Reid &
S A Taylor his securities
R Seth Mosely, Clk

Kentucky, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1774-1989, Jacob Igleheart, 10 March 1852; database with images, Ancestry.com (www.ancestry.com : viewed online 3 May 2023).

Since I was able to locate this will in the county records, I was also able to attach it to Jacob Igleheart along with everyone mentioned in his will. Below is FamilySearch’s citation for the will.

“Kentucky Probate Records, 1727-1990,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33S7-9P3K-9F62?cc=1875188&wc=37R5-L29%3A173618801%2C174121601 : 20 May 2014), Ohio > Will records, Index, 1841-1862, Vol. C > image 89 of 148; county courthouses, Kentucky.

Orphan

Have you ever wondered whether there could be another definition for a familiar word? That’s my case with the word, orphan.

I recently uncovered several apprenticeship documents in Ohio County, Kentucky, that refer to John Thompson as a 14 year old orphan. Having assumed that an orphan is a child who has lost both parents, I searched the order books prior to the apprenticeship for a mention of the death of John’s father. So far, I have not found a record for a Thompson death in Ohio county, Kentucky prior to John’s apprenticeship in 1810.

Since Anthony Thompson appears in multiple entries in the same Ohio County, Kentucky court order books prior to 1810, he is a potential guardian for John. A second potential guardian is William Thompson, who was appointed constable in the first district of Ohio County in 1805. Unfortunately, I have not found any mention of a guardian for John Thompson in those Ohio county court order books.

Could one of these men been John’s guardian and arranged for the apprenticeship so John could learn a trade? If so, where is a guardian record? If so, why aren’t they mentioned in the apprenticeship record?

Perhaps, I need to broaden my understanding of the word, orphan. A check of the Merriam-Webster dictionary confirms that my interpretation of the word orphan to mean the loss of both parents is too narrow an interpretation.

a child deprived by death of one or usually both parents.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/orphan

For the legal definition of the term, I turned to The Law Dictionary, where I also found a broader definition.

Any person (but particularly a minor or infant) who has lost both (or one) of his or her parents. More particularly, a fatherless child.

https://thelawdictionary.org/orphan/

Based on these broader definitions of the word orphan, it is possible that John’s mother was still living. If so, a re-marriage may have pushed John Thompson out of the household and thus needing to be apprenticed.

Thus, my search for guardian records continues and may need to be broadened to other early Kentucky counties.

Thompson Theory

My recent Friday Finds post was about an apprenticeship record for a John Thompson in Ohio county, Kentucky. Hoping to find the name of John’s father, I recently scanned the court order books up to the entry for the apprenticeship. Unfortunately, my scanning of these court orders did not uncover any mention of a Thompson estate.

However, I did find two more mentions of the apprenticeship of John Thompson. That makes three entries all in book 3.

Book 3 page 39 (image 304)
September Court 1810 [12 day of Sept 1810]
On the motion of George Brown It is ordered
that the clerk of this Court do bind out to him according to
law John Thompson infant orphan aged thirteen years four
months and six days. It appearing to the court
that the said Orphans Estate is not sufficient
to maintain him.

image 310
book 3 page 50
November Court 1810
On Motion of Walker Greenwood Sr
For reasons appearing to the Court it orders that
John Thompson who was ordered to be bound an apprentice to George
Brown at the last court [be & he] is hereby released
from from said order & it is further
ordered that the deed of apprentice
ship entered into by the Clerk of this
Court to said Brown agreeable to
said order be considered of no affect

Image 326
page 82
May County Court 1811

On the motion of John Taylor It
is Ordered that the Clerk of this Court
do bind out to him according to law
John Thompson infant orphan aged
fourteen years two months and four days
It appearing to the court that the said
Orphans Estate is not sufficient to
maintain him to learn the art &
mastery of a blacksmith

Even though I didn’t find a mention of a Thompson estate, I did find references to two Thompson men during the 1800-1810 time frame. Both of these entries were on page 199 of Book 1.

Image 120
Book 1
page 199
February Term 1805
William Thompson Esquire is appointed constable
in the first district of Ohio County. Whereupon he took
the Oaths required by Law to qualify him to act as Consta
ble and Together with Daniel Barry and Stephen Stat
ler his securities entered into and acknowledged bond in
the penalty of five hundred dollars Conditioned as the Law
directs

Ordered that Anthony Thompson & John Davis
be recommended to his Excellency Christopher Greenup Es
quire Soverein of Kentucky, as proper persons to fill the of
fice of Justice of the peace in the county in the neighborhood
of Vienna any additional justice being need to in this
county and [a majority] of Justices of the Court being pre
sent and [Con?] in the recommendation

Having struck out with the court order books, I decided to see what I could find in Ancestry trees. My search criteria were as follows:

• Thompson
• Died 1806 +/- 5 years
• Died in Ohio County, Kentucky or adjacent counties

That search turned up only FOUR possibilities:

• Benjamin Thompson – resided Ohio County, KY in 1800 and died 1810 in Ohio County, KY – ONE tree
• George Thompson – died 1803 in Davies County, KY (even though Davies county wasn’t formed in 1803) – 72 Trees
• Raphael Francis Thompson – died 1815 Nelson County, KY – 1892 trees
• Athenius Thompson – died 1810 Nelson County, Ky – ONE tree

Even though George Thompson and Raphael Thompson have a lot of trees, I’m eliminating them as possibilities. The first 10 trees for George Thompson did not show any children. Raphael Thompson died too late to be the father of the apprenticed John Thompson. In addition, his sons named John had birth dates making them too old to be the apprenticed John Thompson.

That leaves Benjamin Thompson and Athenius Thompson as possiblities. The tree for Athenius Thompson does not show a spouse, children or parents. For now, I’m eliminating Athenius as a possibility.

That leaves the lone Benjamin Thompson tree. This tree has a son named, John B. Thompson who happens to have a family structure matching my John B Thompson. In addition, that tree has a source for Benjamin Thompson placing him in Ohio county, Kentucky in 1800. And, the owner of that tree is a DNA match to my mother.

So, it is possible that Benjamin Thompson is the father of John Thompson. However, much more research is needed!

Friday Finds

Last week, I posted about marriage records from the book, Ohio County Kentucky Records, Volume I by Michael L. Cook and Bettie A. Cummings Cook. In my photocopy of the book, I also a copy of page 242 which contains information about the apprenticeship of John Thompson as a blacksmith.

P. 480 13 May 1811, Charles Henderson, Clerk of the County Court, to John Taylor, blacksmith, does Apprentice John Thompson, infant orphan of [blank] dec’d, aged fourteen years, two months and fourteen days, to learn the craft of blacksmithing until he is twenty one years old. Taylor agrees to tech the Apprentice, John Thompson, reading, writing, and common arithmetic, and to pay him $100 and a new suit of clothes at the expiration of his service. Recorded 13 July 1813.

When I first tried locating this apprenticeship in the original records, I was looking for a record on page 479 with an 1811 date. I retried my search of court and land records for just the date and I found a similar record!

Ohio County, Kentucky Court Order Book #3. (Image 326 on DGS 007646780 on FamilySearch)

This document was recorded in the Order Books for Ohio County, Kentucky courts. While the information in the order book is similar to the photocopy for John Thompson’s apprenticeship, there are discrepancies between the book, Ohio County Kentucky Records and the order book. First, the page numbers do not match. Secondly, the information in the court order book before and after the entry for John Thompson do not match the information in my photocopy above and below John Thompson. Lastly, the order book does not mention the payment John Thompson was to receive when he completed his apprenticeship.

The next question is whether this is my John Thompson. My ancestor

• married Sarah Iglehart on 1 February, 1820 in Ohio County, Kentucky, thus placing him in Ohio County nine years after the apprenticeship record.
• was born March 4, 1797 which would have made him 14 years, 2 months and 9 days old on May 13, 1811 instead of 14 years, 2 months and 4 days old.
• was recorded as a farmer on the 1850 census at the age of 53. While he is mentioned in two county histories, neither mentions blacksmithing.

Since the court record refers to an ‘orphan estate’, I will need to read these unindexed order books to see what other information I can glean about John Thompson and his family.

Friday Finds

Have you been researching your family history for a while? If so, do you have either photocopies or scanned images from books and other sources buried in your files? Unfortunately, I do.

Thus, I’m using my ‘Friday Finds’ blog posts to not only dig thru those old files and see what I have but to also share those finds with others. Today’s find comes from my folder of Igleheart research. My 4th great grandfather, John Thompson, married Sarah Iglehart in 1820 in Ohio county, Kentucky. At some point I found the book, Ohio County Kentucky Records Volume 1 by Michael L. Cook and Bettie A. Cummings Cook. Unfortunately, I didn’t photocopy a table of contents or introduction. Based on the pages I did photocopy, this book appears to be a transcription of marriage records.

Page 49 – Marriage Records
Groom Bride Marriage Official
Igleheart, Benjamin T Tichenor, Lucinda November 22, 1876
Igleheart, Dennis Humphries, Winnie P. March 23, 1815
Igleheart Henry D. Bennett, Amelia Ann December 10, 1834 by William Sandefu
Igleheart Henry N. Bell, Eliza October 5, 1853
Igleheart, Jacob Tichenor, Ann September 17, 1829 by Wililam DOwns
bond Timothy Tichenor
Igleheart, James B. Humphrey, Sally no date by James Davis
Ministers return November 7, 1813
Igleheart, Jame sB Humphrey, P. J. November 1,4 1863 by John Davis
Bond: Dan Humphrey
Igleheart, John Conditt, Emaline November 29, 1832 by William Downs
Bond: Jacob Conditt
Igleheart, John C. Prewett, Pelina E. November 29 1862
Igleheart, John C Tichenor, Martha E May 6, 1875
Igleheart, Levi J Chapman, Louvina September 9, 1861
Iglehart, Moses C. Bennett, Hannah A March 14, 1857
Igleheart, R. T. Pruden, Lucy C. January 31, 1876
Igleheart, Silvester Condict, Rhoda E November 18, 1872
Igleheart, Thomas Warden, Nancy February 17, 1835 by William DOwns
Bond James Warden
Igleheart, Thomas N. Igleheart, Eliza March 16, 1826 by J. Tichenor
Bond: J. Igleheart
Iglehart, Thomas N. Warden, Nancy March 19, 1835
Igleheart, Warren L. Igleheart, Jane August 13, 1879
Iglehart, William Conditt, Rhoda November 1, 1827 by George McNeilly
Bond: William Condit

page 94
Groom Bride Marriage Official
Thompson, Drury Roby, Jane December 15, 1870
Thomson, Franklin (col) Lindley, Sophia September 30, 1870
Thompson, Henry Harris, Mahala July 24, 1832 by Bluford Henry
Bond: J. Berryman
Thomson, Henry Bell, Catherine January 8, 1844
Tomson, John Igleheart, Sarah February 1, 1820 by T. Taylor
Bond: Jacob Igleheart
Thompson, Nelson Owen, Nelson January 9, 1854
Thomson, R. B. Duke, Sarah A March 10, 1859

Page 10
Bennett, James Iglehart, Julia no date by Benjamin Talbert
Ministers return September 14, 1817
Bennett, James Moore, Rebecca January 13, 1838 by B. Burden
Bond: Jacob Igleheart

page 64
Miller, Hiram Iglehart, Matilda September 4, 1828 by J. Tichenor
Bond: Jacob Iglehart

page [65]
Moore, David Iglehart, Rebecca May 23, 1833 by William DOwns
Bond: Jacob Iglehart

INDEX
IGLEHART
Ann 86
Delila V 102
Eliza 4, 49
Emma 71
Jane 49
Janet 64
Julia 10
Julian 7
Martha 86
Matilda 4, 64
Nancy S. 22
Polly 9
Rebecca 66
Rebecca I. 80
Rhoda 28
Sallie C. 11
Sarah 90, 94
Sarah M. 74
Sue M. 15

Thompson, Thomson
Annie J. 31
Catherine 44
Hetty (Catherine) 31
Manerva Jne 99
Margaret 11
Margaret B. 41
Mary 59
Mary Ann 34
Mary L. 37

It also appears that I was not aware of the FAN club method of researching since I did not photocopy all of the pages for the Igleheart or Thompson brides. Fortunately, others have submitted transcriptions of the marriage records to the Genweb archives for Ohio County AND those pages are still available on the Internet!

• ‘I’ Surnames – MARRIAGES: 1795 – 1905, Ohio County, Kentucky, submitted by Joe Taylor
• ‘T’ Surnames – MARRIAGES: 1795-1905, Ohio County, Kentucky, submitted by Joe Taylor
• ‘I’ Surnames – Ohio County KY Marriages submitted by Brenda Jordan Raymond
• ‘T’ Surnames – Ohio County KY Marriages submitted by Brenda Jordan Raymond

I also found a PDF file titled: Ohio County Unindexed Marriages by Jerry Long. Unfortunately, I did not find a digital copy of the book, Ohio County Kentucky Records Volume 1. According to World Cat, a copy of Ohio County Kentucky Records is in the Midwest Genealogy Center.

This index of marriage records will help me locate the records of these marriages in the county records. While I need to search for the marriage records for the siblings of John Thompson and Sarah Igleheart, I already have the record of their marriage.

I certify that the following persons have been married this year viz
John Tomson to Sarah Iglehart on the 1st day of February 1820

Given under my hand the first day of ? 1820
Thos Taylor

Ohio, Kentucky, Marriage Bonds, V. A-F 1808-1865:Vol. A page 39, image 74, John Tomson – Sarah Iglehart, 1 Feb 1820; digital image, Clerk of the County Court, Morgantown, Kentucky. film 494956 DGS 6463424. digital image. Family Search (www.familysearch.org: accessed Sept 2018).

Oaken Heart

Do you have goals for your genealogy research? Are you making progress on those goals? I have to admit that I’m not making much progress on my goals. Lately, I’ve been researching the descendants of John Thompson and Sarah Iglehart. Even though this research is slow, it will hopefully help identify my Thompson and Evans DNA matches.

At times, I get bored with the monotony of adding children, census and Find a Grave records. During those times, I often research county records or follow hints for my 3rd or 4th great grandparents. In other words, I follow those ‘shiny bright objects’. Until recently, I felt somewhat guilty about these diversions. That was until I watched a recent video by Amy Johnson Crow titled, “My Most Controversial Genealogy Advice”

Now, I don’t feel guilty about diverting from my descendancy research. And that diversion led me to some really interesting information about my Igleheart ancestry.

My ancestor, John Thompson (1797-1857) married Sarah Iglehart in 1820 in Ohio County, Kentucky. Sarah was the daughter of Jacob Iglehart and Ann Beall. One of the hints for Sarah Iglehart was a photo of a newspaper clipping about the Jacob Igleheart family.

Fortunately, this article had enough information to allow me to locate the article and an article with additional information about the Igleheart family.

The Ohio County Times (Hartford, Kentucky)
April 6, 1972
page 15

The Family Tree
By Mrs. Agnes D. Ashby of Centertown

Jacob Igleheart
Jacob Igleheart was born in Maryland on March 30, 1774. He was the brother of John J. These 2 brothers came to Ohio County in 1816. Jacob was married twice, first to Anna Beall and by her he had 8 children:
Julia Ann was born November 8, 1798 and died March 1, 1861. She was married on September 14, 1817 to James Bennett. He was the son of Thomas and Nancy Ann (Tillet) Bennett. They had 8 children:
Samuel Bennett was born July 5, 1830 and died February 20, 1898. He married Fannie Ann Brown who was born February 26, 12837 and died August 12, 1920. She was the daughter of Isaac and Sally (Tichenor) Brown. This family I gave some time ago.
Charles Bennett
James S. Bennett
Jacob T. Bennett was born November 127, 1837 and married Fannie Jagoe on September 23, 1859. They had: Mary who married Richard Tichenor, Horace who married Sudie White, Lola who married Herman Render, Nancy who married Sciota Hocker, William who never married and Nellie who married W. E. Pate.
Mary Jane Bennett married George W. Barnard. These 5 lived in Ohio county
Alfred Bennett married Anna W. Igleheart.
Matilda Bennett married Joseph. These lived in Warwick County, Indiana.

2. Sallie Igleheart ws born November 24, 1800 and died February 5, 187. She married John Thompson on February 1, 1820. They resided in Warrick County, Indiana, then onto Iowa. Their children were William T., Jacob, Benjamine F., Martha John, Jackson, Mary, Marion, and James.
3. William B. Igleheart was born March 21, 1802 and married Rhoda Conditt in October of 1827. He was drowned in the Ohio River on April 10, 1828, at the time of the collision between the steam ship “General Carol and Lady Huntley”. They had one daughter, Anna William who married her cousin, Alfred Bennett.
4. Janet Igleheart was born December 21, 1803 and married Jesse B. Miller. They moved to Warwick County, Indiana. She died on February 5, 1843. They married on March 17, 1825 and had 7 children: David L., Jacob H., Isaac N., John, Hester, Jesse Jr., and Janet.
5. Eliza Igleheart was born December 14, 1805 and died August 12, 1834.
6. Jacob Henderson Igleheart was born May 27, 1807 and died in August 1871. He married Anna Tichenor on September 17, 1829 and they had 12 children: William B. was born March 4, 1831 and died December 31, 1921 and married on June 13, 1866 to Davidella Long who was born March 3, 1848 and died February 29, 1908. They had 3 children, Jacob, David and Lula.
   Matilda J. Igleheart married Elias Atherton and had William. They lived in Central City and Jacob died in youth.
7. Rebecca Urusla Igleheart was born in 1836 and married John Plain Rowe. They had Richard Perry, James A., Jacob and Robert Rowe.
8. Levi Judson Igleheart was born November 25, 1838 and was married on September 9, 1861 to Louvenia Chapman. She was the daughter of Ellis and Nancy (Southard) Chapman. They had 4 children: Ellis F., was born September 25, 1862 and died in 1864; William was born December 8, 1864 and died in 1945; Ada – was born May 15, 1867 and died October 12, 1925; and Ettie was born April 22, 1871 and died February 20, 1922.
9. John Collins Igleheart was born on November 25, 1840 and died on November 16, 1927. He married Mattie Ellen Pruitt who was born October 20, 1847 and they had 1 child.
10. Nancy Sydney Igleheart was born in 1845 (had a twin sister who died at birth). She married James E. Coleman, son of Nathan and Judith (Southard) Coleman. They had Cortis, Jacob, Mary and Onas.

http://tnh.stparchive.com/Archive/TNH/TNH04061972P15.php?tags=jacob%20igleheart

The next week, another column appeared in the paper with additional information about the Igleheart family.

The Family Tree
The Ohio County Times (Hartford, Kentucky)
April 13, 1972 page 13

Jacob Igleheart Family

Last week I gave among others, the children of Jacob T and Fannie (Jagoe) Bennett and omitted A. Lee Bennett, a school teacher. He married but had not children.
Also see more notes on family of George W. Barnard and wife Mary Jane Bennett. They had a son Herman W. who was born February 14, 1875 near Smallhouse and died in Bowling Green, Ky. July 23, 1964 at home of his son, Jacob H. Barnard and buried in Cave Hill Cemetery in Louisville. He married Amelia R. Summers who preceded him in death February 1962. Other survivors were Boggess W. Barnard, 3 daughters Mrs. Georgia Zanger, Miss Mary W. Barnard and Mrs. Jane Williams of Los Angeles, California.
The numbers in last week’s paper were slightly mixed. The last listed was Nancy Sydney Igleheart, daughter of Jacob H. and Anna Tichenor. Next in order of birth was Edwin Macay Igleheart, born November 23, 1847 who moved to Oklahoma and had Orville H. Millie M., Ursula Bell, Jacob Henderson, Bessie Grover C., Samuel DeWett, and Rosie B. then March 15, 1851, Sallie Christine Igleheart was born. She died July 2, 1885. She married 1st day of March, 1876 to Thomas Bishop. They had Rada and Minnie.
My near neighbor, years ago, was Lula Melvin Igleheart, born in 1854 and married Elijah Collins Brown, son of Robert and Lucinda (Ashby) Brown. I am sorry, but I have few dates. Igleheart material was given to me in 1957 and put aside and not filled in. They had Justson and William twins. Jutson never married and neither did his brother, Hardin, so many considered. Jut and Hardin twins. Another brother was Otis. Then, Lizzie, Ora, and Ida. Ora, who married Luther Addington is the only one living.
Other descendants of Jacob were James Wade, Betsy, Mary and Benjamine Tolbert Igleheart. Benjamine, born February 17, 1835, 1st married in 1860 to Catherine Patterson of Bullitt County, Kentucky. They had Clinton, Deborah, Harvey, Archie and Clark. His 2nd marriage was to Mrs. Lucy A. (Tichenor) Tichenor and by her he had Eunice.

http://tnh.stparchive.com/Archive/TNH/TNH04131972P13.php?tags=jacob%20igleheart

Curious to see what else I could find about the Igleheart family, I did a Google search and uncovered a reference to a book titled ‘Oaken Heart’. This book was compiled by Donald and Clara Cureton of Evansville, Indiana. Thankfully, it is available on FamilySearch.

According to the book, the surname Igleheart means Oaken Heart and had its origins during the Third Crusade.

The Third Crusade was then organized under Philip Augustus of
France, Richard Coeur-de-·Lion England, and Frederick Barbar­ossa, the German ruler of the Holy Roman Empire. The English and French Knights went to the Holy land by sea, but the Germans marched overland by way of Constatinople and forced their way through Asia Min0r toward Jerusalem, following the course which Alexander the Great had taken centuries before. The German knights defeated the Turks at Iconium in Asia Minor and marched on to Antioch. While camping for the night at river Calycidnus, the Emperor Frederick Barbarossa, fatigued by the day’s march in the heat, ventured to swim in ·the river and was swept away by the cold swift water and drowned. It is noteworthy that Alexander the Great, swimming in the same river, was also swept downstream but fortunately was rescued by his companions. The river, fed by the snows of the Anat0lian mountains is notorious for ite chilling· cold water and treacherous currents. After recovering the body 0f their Emperor, the German crusaders occupied Antioch, where Barbarossa’s remains were embalmed and returned to Germany. They were buried in a cave in the Lyffhauser forest, where it is said that he will sleep until the ravens no longer fly over the mountain forests. Then he will awaken and restore the Golden Age

page I-2
of the Holy Roman Empire. In accordance with the wish of the Emperor, his heart was removed from his body, embalmed and placed in a small oaken casket to be taken to Jerusalem to be buried in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. the casket was entrusted to one of the most faithful knights of his bodyguard, who overcame all obstacles and, upon reaching the Holy City, was chivalrously permitted to deposit the heart of the Emperor in the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Having accomplished his mission, the gallent knight returned to Saxony, where he was designated the knight of the oaken heart — in German von Eichelhardt. In 1309, a date which often is used on the family coat-of arms, one of his descendants was confirmed as a count of the Holy Roman Empire.

https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/viewer/588673/?offset=1#page=5&viewer=picture&o=download&n=0&q=Thompson

Unfortunately my adventure into Igleheart family information has not uncovered a family crest with the 1309 year on it. However, I now have quite a bit of information to verify for my ancestor Sarah Iglehart Thompson, her parents Jacob and Ann (Beall) Iglehart and her siblings.

Whether the story about the Crusades has any truth to it or not, this was a fun and interesting side adventure.

Crawfords in Early Kentucky

Do you have family in early Kentucky? If so, have you wished for a statewide census to help you locate various family members? Unfortunately, those early statewide census records don’t exist. Instead, various sources used the county tax records to create a list of inhabitants.

While looking for books for Nemaha county, Kansas, I stumbled across the book Crawford Family History [Genealogical Research Institute, c1973] on my bookshelf. In that little book is a chapter titled, 1790 Census. This chapter includes a list of CRAWFORDs arranged by state.

While the chapter implies that these names are from 1790 records, a reading of the chapter indicates differently for Kentucky.

Additional names from a reconstructed 1800 census schedule (compiled from lists of taxpayers) for the state of Kentucky are also included.

Thus, the names listed for Kentucky are for 1800 and not 1790.

While the above list is helpful, it is also deceiving. Since the list was created from tax lists, one is dependent on the availability and legibility of those tax lists.

For example, based on other research, I’m aware of a David Crawford in Barren County. However, there isn’t a David Crawford on the compiled list. The 1799 tax list for Barren County includes a David Crawford.

There is also only one James Crawford in Barren County and none in Garrard or Madison counties.

1800 Tax list Barren County Kentucky

In 1801, the tax list again shows a David Crawford along with James Crawford with multiple parcels of land.

1801 Tax List Barren County, Kentucky

By 1802, there are now two James Crawfords but David is missing.

1802 Tax List Barren County, Kentucky

Since I was aware of several James Crawford families in early Kentucky, I also wanted to identify those in Kentucky around 1790. I found a copy of the book, “First Census” of Kentucky 1790 on the FamilySearch site. This book is a compilation of residences from tax records. It lists the following CRAWFORDs living in Kentucky.

page 24
Craford, James Fayette 11/16/1790
Craford, James, Sr. Fayette 1/11/1790
Craford, William Fayette 1/11/1790
Crawford, Hugh Nelson 11/26/1792
Crawford, Hugh, Sr. Nelson 12/3/1792
Crawford, Isaac Fayette 2/27/1790

page 25
Crawford, James Madison 4/28/1789
Crawford, Jno. Lincoln 4/21/1790
Crawford, John Nelson 10/24/1792
Crawford, Joseph Jefferson 4/30/1789
Crawford, Mary Madison 4/22/1789
Crawford, Mary Madison 4/22/1789
Crawford, Robert Jefferson 5/2/1789
Crawford, Samuel Nelson 12/3/1792
Crawford, William Madison 4/29/1789

Heinemann, Charles B., compiler. “First Census” of Kentucky 1790. Provo, Utah: Stevenson’s Genealogical Center, 1940. available online at FamilySearch.org.

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Since I had already done a bit of research in Kentucky tax records for the early counties, I decided to check the remaining counties that were present in 1789. (map on mapofus.org/kentucky)

Based on that search of Kentucky tax records, I came up with the following CRAWFORD listings.

1787
• Lincoln County, KY Image 5 — Crofford John – 4 horses, 4 cattle
• Lincoln County, KY Image 21 – Crawford Rebekah (widow) – recorded on July 5th – no horses or cattle
• Madison County KY – Image 10 – Crawford Mary – 3 horses, 11 cattle
• Madison County, KY – image 10 –Crawford James – 6 horses, 15 cattle
• Madison County, KY – Image 11 – Crawford Willm – 6 horses, 8 cattle

1788
• Madison County, KY – Image 63 Crawford William – 1 white male taxable – 6 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 63 – Crawford, James – 1 white male taxable – 5 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 62 – Crawford Mary – 2 horses

1789
• Jefferson County, KY – image 9 – Crawford, Joseph 1 horse
• Jefferson County, KY – image 9 – Crawford, Robert, 1 male 16-21, 2 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 61 – Crawford Rebeca – 1 male 16-21; 6 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 104 – Crofford, Alexander – 9 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 117 – Crawford, John – 5 horses
• Madison County, KY – Image 82 – Crawford, Mary – 1 white tithable >16, 3 horses
• Madison County, KY – Image 82 – Crawford, James – 1 white tithable >16 – 7 horses
• Madison County, KY – image 82 – Crawford, William – 1 white tithable > 16, 4 horses
• Mercer County, KY – NIL

1790
• Lincoln County, KY Image 128 – Crawford John – 4 horses
• Lincoln County, KY Image 140 – James Crofford – 3 horses

1791
• Jefferson County, KY – image 40 – Crawford, Joseph – no horses (nothing)
• Madison County, KY image 123 – Crawford William – 2 [tithables] 5 [horses]
• Madison County, KY – Image 123 – Crawford James – 1 [tithable] 7 ]horses]
• Madison County, KY – image 123 – Crawford Mary 1 [tithable] 3[ horses]
• Mason County, KY – Image 17 – Crawford John 1 male > 16, 1 black > 16
• Woodford County, KY – image 54 – Josiah Crawford – 1 titheable, 2 horses

1792
• Bourbon County, KY image 134 – Crofford William – 1 male > 21, 2 horses. 5 cattle
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford William – 1 male >21; 2 males 16-21; 13 horses; 16 cattle; 180 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford Mary — 1 male 16-21; 4 horses; 10 cattle; 100 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford James – 1 male > 21; 2 horses – 1 cattle
• Madison County, KY Image 132 – Crawford James – 1 male > 21; 9 horses; 25 cattle; 150 acres
• Madison County, KY Image 133 – Crawford Alexander – 1 male >21; 1 horse; 9 cattle; 64 acres
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford John – 1 male > 21, 1 horse
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford Hugh – 1 Male > 21, 1 black < 16, 2 horses, 9 cattle, 112 acres

• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford Hugh Snr – 1 male > 21, 4 horses, 11 cattle
• Nelson County, KY – Image 7 — Crawford, Samuel 1 male > 21, 1 horse

Mercer County missing 1790-1794

1795
• Mercer County, KY – Image 12 Crawford Jas 1 white male > 21, 1 horse, 5 cows
• Mercer County, KY Image 23 Crawford William 1 male > 21, 2 horses, 9 cows

As with the 1800 list, I found people in the earlier tax lists that are not in the “First Census” book. The most obvious discrepancy is Rebekah who is found on the 1787 and 1789 tax lists in Lincoln County, Kentucky.

Rebekah purchased 100 acres of land on the headwaters of Boone and Sugar Creeks in 1786. This land in Garrard county isn’t sold until after 1800. Thus, one would think there would be a tax record for this land.

This study of census/tax records will help me figure out the various Crawford families in early Kentucky and their migration.

Low Dutch

Have you ever felt like finding one ancestor opens a door to an abundance of historical information about a group of ancestors? That’s the experience I’m having after finding a small thread of information connecting Rachel Harris Currey to her father, Peter Harris and grandfather, Daniel Harris.

While the HARRIS surname is likely of English origin, many of Rachel’s ancestors trace their roots back to the Dutch settlement of New York. Several of these Dutch settlers appear to have migrated together, going first to New Jersey. From New Jersey, they migrated to the Conowago settlement in Pennsylvania and then to Kentucky where they are known as the ‘Low Dutch Settlement’.

Using the term, ‘low dutch’, I was able to locate a wealth of information about these settlements and the families in The Gettysburg Times on Newspapers.com. While there could be more that I didn’t find, I’ve identified three different sets of articles published in 1925, 1942 and 1961. Below is a list of what I found. (Note: I took liberty with some of the references to identify the subject of the article.)

1925

• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 1,” The Gettysburg Times, 31 Aug 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of The Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 2,” The Gettysburg Times, Sept 7, 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 3,” The Gettysburg Times, 14 Sep 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 4,” The Gettysburg Times, 21 Sep 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of The Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 5,” The Gettysburg Times, 28 Sep 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 6,” The Gettysburg Times, 5 Oct 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of The Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 7,” The Gettysburg Times, 12 Oct 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 8,” The Gettysburg Times, 19 Oct 1925 page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 9,” The Gettysburg Times, 26 Oct 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev., Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago: Chapter 10,” The Gettysburg Times, 2 Nov 1925, page 4
• Demarest, Rev. Dr., “History of the Low Dutch Colony of Conowago,” The Gettysburg Times, 3 Nov 1925, page 3

1941-1942

• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County: No. 196” The Gettysburg Times, 14 Jun 1941, page 4.
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 223 The Children of the Fifth David Demaree,” The Gettysburg Times, 10 Jan 1942, page 4
• MacPherson, B. V., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 224 Last of the Demarees,” The Gettysburg Times, 17 Jan 1942, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 225 – The Bard Family Captured by Indians,” The Gettysburg Times, 24 Jan 1942, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 230 More Indian History,” The Gettysburg Times, 28 Feb 1942, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 231 Ancestry of Mary Cassatt,” The Gettysburg Times, 7 Mar 1942, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County: Odds and Ends of Low Dutch History- Cosine” The Gettysburg Times, 14 March 1942, page 4.
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County: No. 235 – The Monfort Brothers,” The Gettysburg Times, 4 Apr 1942, page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 236 The Monfort Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 11 Apr 1942, page 8
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County: No. 237 Monfort Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 18 Apr 1942, page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 238 – The Lashells Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 25 Apr 1942, page 6
• MacPherson, B. V., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 139 More about the Lashells Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 2 May 1942, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County: No. 240 Families in the Low Dutch Settlement,” The Gettysburg Times, 9 May 1942 page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 241 Jan and Catriena Kouenover,” The Gettysburg Times, 16 May 1942, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 242 Wilhelmus and Elizabeth Hooghtelain,” The Gettysburg Times, 22 May 1942, page 14
• MacPherson, B. F., “Backgrounds of Adams County, No. 243 Two Thomas Barton Letters,” The Gettysburg Times, 6 Jun 1942, page 8

1952

• “A Bit of History about Your Own Adams County,” The Gettysburg Times, 4 Dec 1952 page 15.

1960-1961

• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Indian Captives Returned,” The Gettysburg times, 28 Mar 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The ‘Low Dutch’ Settlement,” The Gettysburg Times, 4 Apr 1960 , page 4.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Holland Dutch and French Hugeunots,” The Gettysburg Times, 11 Apr 1960, page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Brikerhoff,” The Gettysburg Times, 18 Apr 1960, page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Low Dutch Burials,” 23 Apr 1960, page 3
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Lashells Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 30 Apr 1960, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Big of History about Early Settlers: Buffalo Crossroads Graveyard,” The Gettysburg Times, page 7.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Lashells,” The Gettysburg Times, 14 May 1960, page 8.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of Early History about Early Settlers: Cossart,” Teh Gettysburg Times, 21 May 1960, page 5.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Cassatt” The Gettysburg Times, 30 May 1960, page 7.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Cassatt,” The Gettysburg Times, 4 Jun 1960, page 7.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Osborn Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 11 Jun 1960 page 3.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Fled Wyoming,” The Gettysburg Times, 18 Jun 1960, page 7
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Frontier Warfare,” The Gettysburg Times, 16 Jul 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Gen Hand,” The Gettysburg Times, 23 Jul 1960, page 10
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Coleman Tragedy,” The Gettysburg Times, 15 Aug 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Low Dutch,” The Gettysburg Times, 23 Aug 1960, page 5
• MacPherson, B. F. M. “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Osborn,” The Gettysburg Times, 31 Aug 1960 page 10.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Van Arsdal,” 2 sep 1960, page 8
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Demaree,” The Gettysburg Times, 12 Sep 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Demaree,” The Gettysburg Times, 17 Sep 1960, page 4
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Girty,” The Gettysburg Times, 26 Sep 1960, page 12
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Girty,” The Gettysburg Times, 22 Oct 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Fort Granville,” 30 Oct 1960, page 7
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Graves of the Demaree Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 5 Nov 1960, page 23.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Demaree,” 5 Nov 1960, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Monfort Family,” Gettysburg Times, 12 Nov 1960 page 3.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Monforts,” 19 Nov 1960, page 2
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Random Low Dutch Notes,” The Gettysburg Times, 28 Nov 1960 page 6.
• MaPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Van Arsdal,” The Gettysburg Times, 3 Dec 1960, page 2.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Johnson-Van Arsdal Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 14 Dec 1960, page 10.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Bercaw,” The Gettysburg Times, 19 Dec 1960, page 8.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Bercaw,” 28 Dec 1960, page 8
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers; Bercaw,” 31 Dec 1960, page 3
• MacPherson, B. F. M. “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Kouenover (Conover) Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 7 Jan 1961, page 9.
• MacPherson, B. F.,M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Again – The Low Dutch (Conover),” The Gettysburg Times, 25 Feb 1961, page 6.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about early Settlers: The Brinkerhoff Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 10 Mar 1961, page 10
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Brinkerhoff,” The Gettysburg Times, 13 March 1961, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History About Early Setters: More Brinkerhoff Genealogy,” The Gettysburg Times, 20 Mar 1961 page 7.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Low Dutch Move On (Brinkerhoff),” The Gettysburg Times, 29 March 1961 page 7.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History About Early Settlers; Brinkerhoffs,” The Gettysburg Times, 10 Apr 1961, page 10
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: More Brinkerhoffs,” The Gettysburg Times, 19 Apr 1961, page 6
• MacPherson, B. F. M. “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Jan, Pieter, and Cornelius Cosine,” The Gettysburg Times, 4 May 1961, page 12.
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers; Cosine Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 11 May 1961, page 17
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Marie (Cox) Penn,” The Gettysburg Times, 13 May 1961, page 10
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Robeson,” The Gettysburg Times, 29 Jul 1961, page 12
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlrs: The Saltzgiver Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 7 Aug 1961, page 7
• MacPherson, B. F. M. “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Van Duyn Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 14 Aug 1961, page 7
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Grave Charles Thomson,” The Gettysburg Times, 19 Aug 1961, page 11
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Lt. Wilhelmus Houghton, ” The Gettysburg Times, 25 Oct 1961, page 9
• MacPherson, B. F, M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: Hooghtelin Family,” The Gettysburg Times, 26 Oct 1961, page 8
• MacPherson, B. F. M., “A Bit of History about Early Settlers: The Hooghtelin Famaily,” The Gettysburg Times, 26 Oct 1961, page 8

The ‘low dutch’ search term also found articles in Kentucky papers.

• Edwards, Brenda S., “Dutch Left Marks on Mercer,” The Kentucky Advocate Magazine 15 May 1983 page 3
• Crawford, Byron, “Remnant Survives of Dutch Settlement,” The Courier-Journal, 20 Aug 2003, page B6.
• Crawford, Byron, “Low Dutch Meeting House Rises Again,” The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY) 5 Nov 2004 page B1.
• “Dutch Cousins to Gather in Mercer: Early Kentucky History to Be Studied,” The Advocate-Messenger, 31 Aug 2005, page 2.
• “Dutch Treat: Cousins Plan Reunion in September,” The Advocate-Messenger 18 Mar 2007 page 30.
• “Dutch Cousins Coming to Harrodsburg,” The Advocate-Messenger” 18 Aug 2009, page 2
• Leonard, Carolyn B., “Low Dutch Gather in Kentucky This Week,” The Advocate-Messenger, 27 Sep 2011, page 2.
• Leonard, Carolyn B., “The Low Dutch Cousins Are Coming,” The Advocate-Messenger, 4 Aug 2013 page 23
• Auchampaugh, Laurel, “From Conewago to Owasco and Back,” The Citizen (Auburn, NY), 23 April 2017, page C1.

Anyone with ancestral lines going back to the Dutch settlement of New York may find a wealth of historical and family information in these articles. My dream is to find similar articles about the Crawford family’s settlement in western Virginia and Kentucky!

Corn Stalk Militia

As you’ve watched one of the many genealogy videos on YouTube have you ever heard a reference to a uniquely named source that you thought ‘I just have to check that’! That was my experience as I watched video of a webinar discussing Kentucky records prior to 1850.

While the webinar mentioned many sources that I need to research, the book Corn Stalk Militia caught my attention. The preface of this book discusses the organization of the militia prior to 1811. The bulk of the book identifies the commissioned officers in the militia from 1792 thru 1811.

Hoping that I could learn a little more about the Crawford lines I’m researching in early Kentucky, I searched this book for the Crawford surname and found the following serving as an officer in the militia.

Page 21
Madison County Regiments
[19th Regiment laid off March 2, 1795]
page 22
Crawford, Edward Ensign, 19th Regiment May 20, 1795

page 101
Henry County Regiment
[Laid off December 11, 1799]
page 102
Crawford, James Lieutenant, 2nd Battalion, 38th Regiment April 9, 1800
Crawford, James Captain 38th Regiment March 23, 1801

page 134
Nelson County Regiments
Crawford, Hugh Ensign, 2nd Regiment July 27, 1801

page 137
Ohio and Breckinridge Regiment
[Laid off December 13, 1800]
[Designated as Ohio County Regiment December 10, 1804]
Crawford, Mason Ensign 49th Regiment August 3, 1802
Crawford Samuel, Lieutenant, 49th Regiment October 10, 1802

page 148
Warren County Regiments
[61st Regiment created December 10, 1804]
Crawford, Anthony Lieutenant, 25th Regiment July 4, 1804

My search also turned up two members of my James Crawford FAN Club: Thomas Kennedy, Moses Dooley and John Anderson.

Page 1
General Officers
Kennedy, Thomas Brigadier General, 2nd Brigade Disqualified

page 7
Madison County Regiment
Page 8
Commissioned Officers
Dooley, Moses Captain, 7th Regiment August 9, 1792

While I don’t know whether the John Anderson serving as a lieutenant in the 19th regiment from Madison County is the father of Rebecca Anderson, it is possible the militia officer is her father. He is listed on page 21 in the same regiment as Edward Crawford whose entry is on page 22.

Not only does the preface contain historical information for the formation of these militia companies, it also contains information to access the original sources for the commissioning of the officers.

So, if you have ancestors in early Kentucky, remember to check out the Corn Stalk Militia book!

Fort Ruddell

Since I’ve been updating my research of several SELLERS bushes in my tree, I decided to look at some of my old files and found information about a Sellers family and Fort Ruddell in early Kentucky. My photocopies from the book, Paris (Hopewell) Sesquicentennial, provides a list of the inhabitants of the fort when Captain Bird, his British troops and Indian warriors attacked the fort.

Page 13
Forts
Ruddles Fort
Built 1779 by Isaac Ruddel one mile from Lair Station near Bourbon County line, now Harrison County.
The following list of persons resided at Ruddle’s Station at the time that fort was taken by Captain Bird and his British and Indian warriors. Ref.: Draper Mss. and Depositions filed in suits.

Capt. Isaac Ruddell
Elizabeth Bowman Ruddell
John Rudell, son of Isaac
Isaac Ruddell, Jr., son of Isaac
Stephen Ruddell, aged 8, Son of Isaac
Elizabeth Ruddell, small child
Capt. Jhn Hinkson
Lieut. __ Ravenscraft
Capt. John James Trabue
Nicholas Hart
John Burger
Samuel VanHook (later at Martin’s)
James Ruddle
John McFall
Mrs. John McFall
Robert McDaniel
Mrs. Robert McDaniel
McDaniel Children
Martin Toffelmire
Mrs. Toffelmire
Six Toffelmire Children
Jacob Markle
Christian Spears
Anna Maria — his fiancee
John Long
Mrs. John Long
Rhoda Long, young child
Four other Long children
Michael Goodnight
Peter Goodnight
John Goodnight
Misses Goodnight
David White
John Conway
Mrs. John Conway
Seven Conway children
Samuel Brook
Thomas Davis
Sarah Ruddle Davis
Capt. John Duncan
Nellie Sharp Duncan
Master Duncan, son
Frank Berry — tradition
Nelly Sharp Berry
Patrick Mahan taken to Detroit
John Mahan
Thomas Mahan
Miss Mahan — married Wilson
Wm. Mahan, youth, kept journal at Wilson’s station when he returned from Montreal, about 18 years old
Margaret Mahan
Isabella Mahan
Jane Mahan
Isabella Mahan Morrow
James Mahan
James Morrow
Mrs. Agnes Mahan
Mrs. Lapost
Master Lapost
Judy Lapost
Wm. Whitesides
Mr. Purseley
Henry Groff
John Denton
Miss Denton
Mrs. Denton
Mrs. Horn

PAGE 14

Catherine Horn
Mr. Sellers
Mrs. Sellers
Sellers children
Samuel Conway
Miss Conway
Mrs. Samuel Conway
Two Misses Conway
Mr. and Mrs. Lail
Capt. Charles Gatliffe
Give Gatliffe children
Robert (or Charles) Knox
Wm. Marshall
*Gasper Casner, 1780
George Finley, 1780
Benj. Harrison, 1780
George, Givens
Samuel Givens

* Capser Karner ?

Ardery, Mrs. Wm. Breckenridge. Paris (Hopewell) Sesquicentennial. np: Mrs. W. B. Ardery, 1939.

While the book indicates Fort Ruddle was attacked, it does not provide details about the attack or what happened to the occupants. Fortunately, a detailed account of this attack was published by the Kentucky Historical Society in the October 1956 edition of their Register.

Below is an account of the capture and plundering of Fort Ruddle.

Lafferty, Maude Ward, “Destruction of Ruddle’s and Martin’s Forts in the Revolutionary War” The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 54, October, 1956, No. 189.

Many of the captured prisoners were marched from Kentucky to Detroit, with some going on to Montreal.

Lafferty, Maude Ward, “Destruction of Ruddle’s and Martin’s Forts in the Revolutionary War” The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 54, October, 1956, No. 189.

Captain Bird related the conditions of the march to Detroit in his letter written in July of 1780.

Lafferty, Maude Ward, “Destruction of Ruddle’s and Martin’s Forts in the Revolutionary War” The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 54, October, 1956, No. 189.

While the article in the Register does not discuss their release, the book, The British Invasion of Kentucky , by Winston Coleman provides details about their release in 1782 with some held prisoner until 1795.

Coleman, Winston. The British Invasion of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: Winburn Press, 1951.

While Nathan Sellers of Preble County, Ohio is said to have migrated to Preble county from Bourbon County, Kentucky, I currently have no record indicating that the Sellers family at Fort Ruddle was Nathan Sellers – or even related to him.

Since Nathan Sellers of Preble County, Ohio has a DAR marker on his grave, I decided to look up his military record to see if he was serving in 1780. That’s when I discovered that the DAR has indicated that future applicants must prove correct service for Nathan Sellers of Preble County, Ohio. While it is possible that Nathan Sellers was at Fort Ruddle, one would think that there would be mention of this in county histories.

Until I find more information, the identity of the SELLERS family at Fort Ruddle will remain a mystery.

Sources:

• Coleman, Winston. The British Invasion of Kentucky. Lexington, KY: Winburn Press, 1951.
• Lafferty, Maude Ward, “Destruction of Ruddle’s and Martin’s Forts in the Revolutionary War” The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, Vol. 54, October, 1956, No. 189.
• Ruddle’s Station Historical Marker
• British Invasion of Kentucky (Wikipedia)
• Ruddell’s and Martin’s Station Historic Association