Rev. Thomas Hansford had many brothers and sisters, and I'm not sure how accurate some of the information on Ancestry is. Rev. Hansford was my 4 times great grandfather. Let's explore some more of my great times 5 aunts and uncles. Yes, they become 5 times greats, because a grandfather's brother is already a great uncle. Thus a great grandfather's brother is a great great uncle.
Richard Hansford, (1763-1813) has 2 birthplaces listed on Ancestry, but no original documentation. I'll just accept it was somewhere in VA at this point. He married in 1791 to Catherine Acree, and they have 3 sons recorded. The oldest was named after his brother (or maybe Richard's father) William Sallis Hansford. The second son carries his mother's surname as his middle name, which often happened, John Acree Hansford. And the third was David William.
The Virginia Military Records Appendix of State-wide and Miscellaneous Records, pg 542 lists Richard Hansford as receiving payment for "provisions furnished Capt Lynn's company. These payments were from the Revolutionary War. There are 1032 pages of microfilms of these payments, and this section just says to Virginia Militia in the Revolution. Apparently many of theses pages were loose and have dates anywhere from 1775 to 1781. As Richard may have been only 12 in 1775, it's more likely he did provisions toward the later date. But since he didn't even marry until he was 28, it's hard to see that he had his own farm at the age of 18 (in 1781).
A lot of conjecture on my part. Who knows the truth.
--------------------------
Sarah (Sallie) Hansford White (June 17, 1767 - ?) has little information about her on Ancestry...like many women who weren't part of the written records of early America. She married Samuel White in 1787 in Botetourt County VA. I've never heard of that county, so did a bit of a search. It's in the Appalachian Mountains area near Roanoke.
Great Aunt Sallie had at least 4 children, Susannah, Nathaniel, Samuel Morris White, and William Henry White, the last of whom was born in 1795. So though we don't know when Sallie died, it must have been after 1795. The records on Ancestry have her 4 children born in 4 different counties of VA, and though she had been born in Orange County VA, her death (of unknown date) is listed as being in Pratt, Kanawha County WestVirginia.
But of course we know it wasn't West Virginia at that time since the state didn't come into being until 1861. And I just found that Charleston, WV (the state capital) is in Kanawha County. Having driven through that area last year, I am in awe that anyone grew any food in those mountains, which are such a great source of coal but give very few flat areas for fields. But that's just my perspective. The town of Pratt used to be Clinton (until 1905) so again the records would have changed names...but how did anyone decide that was where she died, I wonder. So this is conjecture on top of geography which got names changed through history. Phaw!
---------------------------
Elizabeth Hansford
may have been born 17 May 1768, in Orange County VA. The Ancestry records seem to depend upon some from England, Dorset County. But I think there was another couple named William and Mary Hansford having their children in England, and there's no way this family went over there and had any of their children. The Elizabeth that I have listed doesn't necessarily have a husband on 33 out of 35 Ancestry trees, but on one of them she married a William Boone, but there's nothing to substantiate it. Again she died on an unknown date in Pratt, Kanawha, West Virginia.
---------------------------
Great times 5 Aunt Frances Hansford Whitmore was born 17 July 1773 in Russell County VA. She died in in 1813 in Rockingham County VA. She married in 1805 to John Whitmore, and they had daughters, Catherine and Mary. She died at age 40, leaving very young daughters. So of course I want to check and see if Uncle John remarried. I know he lived until 1850, and died in Ohio. It looks like he'd been married before marrying Frances, and possibly he married again after her death. He also spelled his name either Whitmer or Whitmere.
Research for 3 branches of my family: Rogers, Booth and Swasey
Showing posts with label Rev. Thomas Hansford. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rev. Thomas Hansford. Show all posts
Saturday, July 6, 2019
Thursday, July 4, 2019
Another sibling of Rev. Thomas Hansford
To continue...
Let's look at other children born in the family of William and Sarah Mary Polly Hyde Hansford siblings of Rev. Thomas Hansford, my 4 greats-grandfather.
An interesting brother was Major John Hansford 1765-1850.
I didn't find who Martha Jane Hansford Smith might have been, who had seen him when this description was written. It does say he was a Capt. of the militia of Virginia as of 1809.
As mentioned above, he received some of his property from his father-in-law. He (John Hansford) wrote his own will, where he named his 10 sons and 1 daughter (but left off her last name) and 3 grandsons (just by their first names.) Actually with a bit of search on Ancestry records I found his daughter Sary's husband's name as Morris (like her mother's family) but there are 2 possible men, and many children but only 2 of whom are among those grandchildren mentioned by John Hansford in his will. I'm not going to spend any time trying to figure out who Sarah (Sary) married, and she had died before her father, John actually.
John Hansford's wife, Jane Morris Hansford was mentioned in her mother's will, Catharine Morris.
I also can't find any records of his being a Major, or having served in the Revolutionary War. But in his will he gives each of his 10 sons (or had already given them) one thousand dollars. That's pretty well off, I'd say. There is an inventory of his estate, as well as a list of the enslaved people he owned, those on whose backs he made his fortune, you might say. Most of the plantation owners in Virginia did the same, unfortunately. But I'll give them credit whenever I see their names listed in a census or a will.
And another interesting note is that his home was in what became West Virginia...Kanawha...though it had been part of Virginia at the time.
-------------------
So to continue to see if there's anything interesting to learn about other siblings of Rev. Thomas Hansford...next time, folks!
Let's look at other children born in the family of William and Sarah Mary Polly Hyde Hansford siblings of Rev. Thomas Hansford, my 4 greats-grandfather.
An interesting brother was Major John Hansford 1765-1850.
 |
| Major John Hansford House |
(Copied from Early West Virginia settlers 1600-1900's, page 41-45)
Major John Hansford
Genealogy.com Family Archive Image
Genealogy.com Family Archive Image
John and Jane lived near the home of William Morris until they built in 1798 on the opposite side of the river.His house that he first lived in was near where J.G.W. Thompkins built his brick house, which is not far from the mouth of Kelly's Creek.
John Hansford built his house in 1798, below Paint Creek on land given
to him by his father-in-law William Morris. John had patent for 530 acres on
Kanawha River which he obtained in 1793, also for 400 acres on Paint Creek
in 1800, and for 410 acres on Kanawha River in 1818, and for 197 acres on
Paint Creek in 1822. His house was the best when built that was in the valley.
It was a frame two story, the lumber was made by hand and the nails were hand
made. The bricks were brought from England. The inside finish was of cherry and
walnut.
to him by his father-in-law William Morris. John had patent for 530 acres on
Kanawha River which he obtained in 1793, also for 400 acres on Paint Creek
in 1800, and for 410 acres on Kanawha River in 1818, and for 197 acres on
Paint Creek in 1822. His house was the best when built that was in the valley.
It was a frame two story, the lumber was made by hand and the nails were hand
made. The bricks were brought from England. The inside finish was of cherry and
walnut.
Mrs Martha Jane Hansford Smith says that he was a handsome clean shaven
man, and dressed in blue broadcloth and silk hat and entertained most hospitably.
That at the age of eighty years he could mount and dismount from his pony and
would come into the house as gay as a boy.
man, and dressed in blue broadcloth and silk hat and entertained most hospitably.
That at the age of eighty years he could mount and dismount from his pony and
would come into the house as gay as a boy.
He represented Kanawha County in the House of Delegates of Virginia at Richmond
in 1811 thru 1818. He was a Magistrate of his county, and was a Capt. in the Militia
of his state. The original commission was signed by George W. Smith, Lt. Gov.
of Virginia, dated July 3,1809. It appointed him Capt. of the 80th. reg. in the 13th.
brigade in the 3rd. division of the Virginia militia. He was a Whig and a baptist, a
farmer and a salt maker and a man of affairs. He owned two salt furnaces,one of
which he ran himself and the other he rented out.
in 1811 thru 1818. He was a Magistrate of his county, and was a Capt. in the Militia
of his state. The original commission was signed by George W. Smith, Lt. Gov.
of Virginia, dated July 3,1809. It appointed him Capt. of the 80th. reg. in the 13th.
brigade in the 3rd. division of the Virginia militia. He was a Whig and a baptist, a
farmer and a salt maker and a man of affairs. He owned two salt furnaces,one of
which he ran himself and the other he rented out.
He died Oct.6,1850 and is buried on his property on a hill where other members of
his family are buried.
his family are buried.
1850 census Kanawha Co.Virginia family #1040
Hansford,John age 83 born VA.
Jane age 79 born VA.
Alva age 47 born VA.
Marshall age 43 born VA.
Milton age 39 born VA.
-----------------------Jane age 79 born VA.
Alva age 47 born VA.
Marshall age 43 born VA.
Milton age 39 born VA.
I didn't find who Martha Jane Hansford Smith might have been, who had seen him when this description was written. It does say he was a Capt. of the militia of Virginia as of 1809.
As mentioned above, he received some of his property from his father-in-law. He (John Hansford) wrote his own will, where he named his 10 sons and 1 daughter (but left off her last name) and 3 grandsons (just by their first names.) Actually with a bit of search on Ancestry records I found his daughter Sary's husband's name as Morris (like her mother's family) but there are 2 possible men, and many children but only 2 of whom are among those grandchildren mentioned by John Hansford in his will. I'm not going to spend any time trying to figure out who Sarah (Sary) married, and she had died before her father, John actually.
John Hansford's wife, Jane Morris Hansford was mentioned in her mother's will, Catharine Morris.
I also can't find any records of his being a Major, or having served in the Revolutionary War. But in his will he gives each of his 10 sons (or had already given them) one thousand dollars. That's pretty well off, I'd say. There is an inventory of his estate, as well as a list of the enslaved people he owned, those on whose backs he made his fortune, you might say. Most of the plantation owners in Virginia did the same, unfortunately. But I'll give them credit whenever I see their names listed in a census or a will.
And another interesting note is that his home was in what became West Virginia...Kanawha...though it had been part of Virginia at the time.
-------------------
So to continue to see if there's anything interesting to learn about other siblings of Rev. Thomas Hansford...next time, folks!
Thursday, June 27, 2019
Rev Thomas Hansford's siblings Part 1
Before we go back another generation I need to pursue the siblings of Rev. Thomas Hansford. There were a lot of them too! But it isn't easy getting information that I can count on. So I'm presenting some information which may need to change later, as I may find different information.
Rev. Thomas Hansford (my four times great grandfather) was the son of William Jr. Hansford (that's the way he is listed on various ancestry tree) (1727-1779) and Mary Sarah Hyde (1729-1779). They had married in Virginia in 1753.
First son was William (Sallis) Hansford born 1754. The Sallis in his name was his father's mother's maiden name. Since it's in parentheses on Ancestry, it was probably added by a descendent, rather than being known a his name.
William S. married someone named Mary, (b. 1752) and they had one son named Thomas (b. 1784). William S. is probably the soldier listed on Revolutionary War Rolls for Dec. 1777 in Virginia.
He and wife Mary Hansford moved to Kentucky by 1800. He died either in 1810 or after 1821.
And now let's look at the first of the confusing attempts to understand who was related to whom.
1. Benoni Hansford.
2. Mary Hansford married John Short. Source: tanjean59, an Ancestry member.
William (Sallis) Hansford, doesn't seem to have married his mother...but again, having a father of the same name makes it hard to discern, and the records now are giving his mother the name Mary Sarah Hyde Hansford...rather than mother being Sarah Hyde and wife being Mary Hyde. I give up!
Next child (on my Ancestry tree) is Mary Ann Hansford, born 13 Jan 1756, married to John P. Short in 1780. Here's the entry on Find A Grave.
There were several other children of the Shorts on my Ancestry Tree...but I won't go into them, as they are about first cousins 5 times removed.
Next comes Benjamin Hansford:
He may have been born in 1763, or maybe 1770 or as late as 1793...but I'll take the average date.
Rev. Thomas Hansford (my four times great grandfather) was the son of William Jr. Hansford (that's the way he is listed on various ancestry tree) (1727-1779) and Mary Sarah Hyde (1729-1779). They had married in Virginia in 1753.
First son was William (Sallis) Hansford born 1754. The Sallis in his name was his father's mother's maiden name. Since it's in parentheses on Ancestry, it was probably added by a descendent, rather than being known a his name.
William S. married someone named Mary, (b. 1752) and they had one son named Thomas (b. 1784). William S. is probably the soldier listed on Revolutionary War Rolls for Dec. 1777 in Virginia.
He and wife Mary Hansford moved to Kentucky by 1800. He died either in 1810 or after 1821.
And now let's look at the first of the confusing attempts to understand who was related to whom.
William Hansford, Jr., son of William and Sarah Hansford, lived in Orange Co., Va., but did not appear on the 1790 census. Researcher Mildred Hansford, however, has concluded that William and wife, Mary Hyde, moved to the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia where they died in a smallpox epidemic. Researcher Penny Fields Gardner in an e-mail of March 2002 noted:"William Hansford and his wife, Mary Sarah Hyde. They both died of a Smallpox epidemic in 1779 in Orange Co., VA. This was just before their daughter, Mary, married John Short.. Their second child and only daughter, Sarah, was my ancestor. She married Stephen Fields and they are buried in the same pioneer cemetery with John and Mary, in Lawrence Co, Indiana, close to where both my parents were born and raised." She identified William, Jr. as an uncle, not the father of William, Jr. The only other possibility then would be John Hansford. "Hansford" has William, Jr. as the father of Benoni Hansford.Known issue:
1. Benoni Hansford.
2. Mary Hansford married John Short. Source: tanjean59, an Ancestry member.
William (Sallis) Hansford, doesn't seem to have married his mother...but again, having a father of the same name makes it hard to discern, and the records now are giving his mother the name Mary Sarah Hyde Hansford...rather than mother being Sarah Hyde and wife being Mary Hyde. I give up!
Next child (on my Ancestry tree) is Mary Ann Hansford, born 13 Jan 1756, married to John P. Short in 1780. Here's the entry on Find A Grave.
| Name: | Mary Hyde Short |
|---|---|
| Maiden Name: | Hansford |
| Gender: | Female |
| Birth Date: | 13 Jan 1756 |
| Birth Place: | Frederick County, Virginia, United States of America |
| Death Date: | 30 Jul 1821 |
| Death Place: | Lawrence County, Indiana, United States of America |
| Cemetery: | Ferguson Cemetery |
| Burial or Cremation Place: | Lawrence County, Indiana, United States of America |
| Children: | Sarah Short Fields Ezekiel Short Hansford Short Thomas P. Short Wesley Short Samuel Short John Short |
There were several other children of the Shorts on my Ancestry Tree...but I won't go into them, as they are about first cousins 5 times removed.
Next comes Benjamin Hansford:
He may have been born in 1763, or maybe 1770 or as late as 1793...but I'll take the average date.
BIRTH APRIL 17,1770 • Culpeper County, Virginia,
DEATH 15 NOV 1853 • Pulaski, Kentucky,
Other Benjamin Hansford's seem to have not had this William and Sarah Handsford as parents, one moving to GA, another staying in Virginia.
But to go backwards in his life, here's a KY hand written list of deaths, and he is there, with his father William P. and mother as Polly Hansford, dying himself on Nov 15. in Pulaski KY.
It states his condition as widower, and I believe the next entry says formerly Baptist pastor, dying of pneumonia. Though it does clearly state his age as 90, he had been giving his age as 80 in the 1850 census, just 3 years earlier.
I here include the 1850 Census for Pulaski County, KY. I'm so glad to have some people finally named.
Lydia Hansford at 40 was his daughter. And she had married Samuel Hawk, thus the 2 children with surname of Hawk are Benjamin's grandchildren.
Though Benjamin might have been listed as born in 1763, I believe that he was only 83 when he died, rather than 90. I doubt that he celebrated many birthdays in his life, or maybe the person (was it Lydia?) who gave the information didn't know his real birth.
There were other children born in the family of William and Sarah Mary Polly Hyde Hansford. But they will have to wait till another date.
Tuesday, June 25, 2019
Rev. Thomas Hansford
Thomas Hansford was born in Orange County VA, Apri 10, 1758, in a family of 8 children. His parents were William Jr. Hansford (1727-1779) and Mary Sarah Hyde Hansford (1729-1779.) He married Margaret Beattie (1762-1861) before 1788 when the marriage was recorded by the Virginia Colonial Abstracts, where there's even a complaint that the dates were not accurate. Since the Hansford newly weds had their first child in 1784, it's likely that they were married before that time. Their child's birth or baptism (Thomas Jr.) was recorded in the Charles Parish Registry of York County, VA on Sept. 14, 1784. They had one more son (William) in Virginia in 1790, then the next child, (Jane) was born in 1792 in Crab Orchard, Lincoln County, KY.
--------------
Background of the history of Kentucky and its geography:
The state of Virginia included land to the west of the Appalachian Mountains (supposedly to the Mississippi River) and there was a county established called Kentucky County, Virginia in 1776, effective 1777.
In November 1780, Virginia divided Kentucky County into three: Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties.
-----------------
"Somerset (KY) was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the settlers once lived. Somerset became the county seat of Pulaski County in 1802 and was incorporated as a city in 1887. ...Somerset is also near Cumberland Falls and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; its tourism industries are, in part, due to its scenic and varied landscape.
--------------
 |
| Migration from Virginia to Kentucky |
Background of the history of Kentucky and its geography:
The state of Virginia included land to the west of the Appalachian Mountains (supposedly to the Mississippi River) and there was a county established called Kentucky County, Virginia in 1776, effective 1777.
 |
| Map of Kentucky 1784 |
In November 1780, Virginia divided Kentucky County into three: Fayette, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties.
In January 1781, Governor Thomas Jefferson appointed George Rogers Clark as brigadier general, a special position created for an expedition against British and Native Americans at Detroit, but this never materialized, because of lack of money and soldiers. As a general, Clark was the highest-ranking militia officer in Kentucky and supervised the work of the three Kentucky County colonels.
The westernmost part of Kentucky, west of the Tennessee River, was recognized as hunting grounds belonging to the Chickasaw by the 1786 Treaty of Hopewell, and remained so until they sold it to the U.S. in 1818, albeit under pressure. This region is still sometimes known as the Jackson Purchase in reference to President Andrew Jackson of the period.
----------
Several factors contributed to the desire of the residents of Kentucky to separate from Virginia. First, traveling to the state capital was long and dangerous. Second, offensive use of local militia against Indian raids required authorization from the governor of Virginia. Last, Virginia refused to recognize the importance of trade along the Mississippi River to Kentucky's economy. It forbade trade with the Spanish colony of New Orleans, which controlled the mouth of the Mississippi, but this was important to Kentucky communities.
The magnitude of these problems increased with the rapid growth of population in Kentucky, leading Colonel Benjamin Logan to call a constitutional convention in Danville in 1784. Over the next several years, nine more conventions were held. During one, General James Wilkinson proposed secession from both Virginia and the United States to become a ward of Spain, but the idea was defeated.
In 1788, Virginia granted its consent to Kentucky's statehood in the form of two enabling acts. The second and operative act required that the Confederation Congress admit Kentucky into the Union by July 4, 1788. A Committee of the Whole reported that Kentucky be so admitted, and on July 3, the full Congress took up the question of Kentucky statehood. Unfortunately, one day earlier, Congress had learned of New Hampshire's all-important ninth ratification of the proposed Constitution, thus establishing it as the new framework of governance for the United States. In light of this development, Congress thought that it would be "unadvisable" to admit Kentucky into the Union, as it could do so "under the Articles of Confederation" only, but not "under the Constitution"
Kentucky's final push for statehood, now under the Federal Constitution, officially began with a convention, again held at Danville, in April 1792. There delegates drafted Kentucky's first Constitution and submitted it to the United States Congress. On June 1, 1792, Kentucky was admitted into the Union as the fifteenth state.
From Wikipedia: Kentucky History
"Somerset (KY) was first settled in 1798 by Thomas Hansford and received its name from Somerset County, New Jersey, where some of the settlers once lived. Somerset became the county seat of Pulaski County in 1802 and was incorporated as a city in 1887. ...Somerset is also near Cumberland Falls and the Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area; its tourism industries are, in part, due to its scenic and varied landscape.
Source: Wikipedia
------------------------
--------------
 |
| Waterfall and creek possibly on Thomas Hansford early land |
A significant incident is recorded that places Rev. Thomas Hansford in the early county of Pulaski Kentucky, when the second Kentucky governor James Garrard, Esq. took the oath of his office.
"The courts of Quarter Sessions for said county shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in the months July, October, January, and March in every year, and the court of said county shall be held on the fourth Tuesday in every month in which the courts of Quarter Sessions are not hereby directed to be held.
"The justices to be named in the commission of the peace for said county of Pulaski, shall meet at the house of Thomas Hansford upon the first court day after the said division shall take place; and having taken the oath prescribed by law, and a sheriff begin (being) legally qualified to act, shall then proceed to fix upon a place to hold courts in said county, in such place as shall, deemed the most central and convenient to the people, and then after the county court shall proceed to erect the public buildings at such place; and until such buildings are completed the court of Quarter Sessions and county court may adjourn to such place or places as they may severally think proper.''
"The first record of this county court, according to Pulaski court record. was:
" 'At the house of Thomas Hansford, in the county of Pulaski on Tuesday, the 25th of June, 1799, a commission of the peace from his excellency James Garrard, Esquire, governor of the commonwealth aforesaid, where upon the said Samuel Gilmore, Esq., took the oath of office and the oath to support the constitution of the United States, who, then afterward administered the said oath to the other justices.'From http://kykinfolk.com/pulaski/History2.htm
-------------------
And...
Thomas Hansford ... was born in Virginia, near Abington. He was married to Miss Margaret Beatty, and they immigrated to Lincoln County, Ky., when it was a wilderness. They reared a family of ten children, of whom the only survivors, Margaret (Stevenson) and Lucinda (Stevenson), are living in Harrodsburg.
Thomas Hansford was a farmer and a minister of the Baptist Church the early part of his life. He and his wife died and are buried in Lincoln County. The Hanford family are purely of English origin and there is but the one family in Kentucky.From: #10524: Kentucky Genealogy and Biography Volume V, Battle-Perrin-Kniffin, Mercer Co. NO DATE GIVEN FOR PUBLICATION
------------------
Find-a-Grave describes his life in this way:
THOMAS HANSFORD, the first pastor of the sinking Creek Baptist church, was an early settler in Pulaski county.
HANSFORD STATION --
Thomas Hansford, a Baptist preacher, built his station in the fall of 1792, half way between Fort's and Troutman's, about where a Mr. McIlvain lived when Shane interviewed Wade. After the sack of Morgan's Hansford stockaded his place but soon evacuated it and moved to Clark and never returned. However, his station was settled again in the fall.
He went into the constitution of Flat Lick church the 4th Saturday in January, 1799. On the 8th of June of the same year he went into the constitution of Sinking Creek, and became its pastor. After remaining in this position a number of years, he moved to Wayne county, and became pastor of the church of Monticello. In his old age he imagined himself slighted and neglected by some of the younger brethren in this church. Earnest efforts were made to remove his grievances, but all in vain. He still insisted that he was illy treated, and, as a dernier resort to obtain satisfaction, joined the Campbellites. He was a plain, illiterate old preacher of excellent character. Among the early settlers of Pulaski and the southern part of Lincoln county he was held in high esteem, and accomplished much good in laying the foundation of the early churches of that region. Under his preaching, the famous Jeremiah Vardeman was reclaimed from his backsliding, and brought into the ministry. He was the first moderator of Cumberland River Association, and filled that position several years at a later period.
Source: Melanie Clare and http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/spencer.ky.bap.v1.chp23.html
-------------------
Margaret and Rev. Thomas Hansford had 9 children. They all lived long enough to marry, and most of them had children.
Margaret and Rev. Thomas share the same headstone over their graves. They are buried in Crab Orchard Cemetery, Lincoln County, Ky.
There is a microfilm record of a Thomas Hansford serving in the War of 1812. It could have been his son...since Rev. Thomas would have been 54 in 1812. His son Thomas would have been 28.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)