#52ancestors: Post Five: Hugh Brown Hairston in the Census

Hugh Brown Hairston is #11 in this tree.

The solid lines indicate that the connection to the family is documented while the dotted lines indicate that direct evidence has not yet been found. To see a larger, readable image, click on the tree. 

Research suggests the father of my great-great-grandfather, John Lewis Hairston, was Hugh Brown Hairston. He was born in South Carolina and said to be the son of John Hairston and Ann Mary Robertson. His wife was Sarah McElhaney.

Today's writing prompt for #52ancestors is in the census. My Hairstons are always difficult to find in the census as their names were frequently pronounced and spelled in many different ways. I look for Hairston, Hairstone, Hearston, Harston, Herston, Hurston, Hirston, Harriston, Hariston, Huston, Haistin, Hairstin, Hairsten, Haston, Hanston, Hainston, and sometimes even Houston. 

The following census records are thought to be that of the Hugh Brown Hairston family. 

Brown Herston was living in Abbeville, South Carolina in 1810. He would be the male between the ages of 16 and 25. Others, residing in the household, were two children under the age of 10, a female between the age of 16 and 25, and a female over the age of 25. All were listed as Free White Persons. The male under age 10 would be James McElhaney Hairston and I suspect the female is Rebecca. 

In 1820, H. B. Hearston lived in Elbert County, GA. The census listed two Free White Persons over the age of 25 and six Free White Persons under the age of 16. Children known to have been born by 1820 were James McElhaney, John Lewis, William T., and Rebecca. The remaining two children are unknown to me. They may be siblings, but could also be cousins or family friends. 

The 1830 census for Butts County, Georgia revealed that Hugh B. Hirston was living with eight other persons. He and one female were between the ages of 40 and 49 while the other seven were all listed as Free White Persons under the age of 20. The seven, under age 20, might be John Lewis, Samuel B., Jane, Rebecca, Vinson, William T., and Robert. 


In my post about Hugh Brown Hairston, written in March 2014, I wrote, In the Hairston Family History, it states that Hugh Brown Hairston can be found in Henry County on the 1840 census. I could not find him using traditional search engines so read the census for Henry County in both Georgia and Alabama without success. And, also without success, read all census records for counties surrounding Henry County. 

Revisiting my source, the printed version of the Hairston Family History sent to me in 1999, I realized it was not written that Hugh Brown Hairston was found in the 1840 census. It states he was living in Henry County in 1840. There could be land or other records. I shouldn't have assumed he was found on the census records. 

Hugh and his wife Sarah could be the 50 to 59-year-old members living with Vincient [Vinson] Herston in Meriwether County in 1840. Also found in Meriwether County were James M. Herston (son of Hugh B.) and a John Haistin.

If you want to know more about the families I research, click here to like my Facebook page where you will see each post and other genealogical finds. 

Diana

© 2018

Sources

1810 US Census; Census Place: Abbeville, Abbeville, South Carolina; Roll: 60; Page: 82; Image: 00047; Family History Library Film: 0181419

1820 U S Census; Census Place: Talom, Elbert, Georgia; Page: 182; NARA Roll: M33_8; Image: 127.

1830 US Census; Census Place:  Butts, Georgia; Page: 163; NARA Series: M19; Roll Number: 16; Family History Film: 0007036. 


1840 US Census Place: Meriwether, Georgia; Roll: 46; Page: 138; Image: 866; Family History Library Film: 0007045.
Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn

Hairston, Victor, and Edward Bregenzer. The Hairston History.  1998. Print.

Quinn, Diana Bryan. Moments in Time, A Genealogy Blog: 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #11 Hugh Brown Hairston - Is He My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather?. Blogger., Mar 2014. Web. 3 Feb. 2018. <https://momentsintimeagenealogyblog.blogspot.com/2014/03/52-ancestors-in-52-weeks-11-hugh-brown.html>.