52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #52 John Lewis Hairston - A Timeline

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
make the connection. Click on the family tree to see a larger image.

No Story Too Small

1812 - #52 John Lewis Hairston was born about 1812 in South Carolina. If his parents are said to be #11 Hugh Brown Hairston and #29 Sarah McElhaney, he was probably born in Abbeville. 

1820 - Hugh B. Hairston and family were thought to be living in Elbert County, Georgia in 1820 as H. B. Hearston was found on that county's 1820 United States census record. Those thought to be the children of Hugh B. Hairston and Sarah McElhaney are #26 James McElhaney, John Lewis, #22 Robert, #25 Vinson (also seen as Vincent), #12 Sam (also seen as Samuel), #18 Rebecca, #15 Jane, and #14 Mary.

A true return of the children of the 19th
Company District between the ages of 8 and 18
whose parents have not paid a tax of fifty cents
May 19, 1823

1823 - In 1823, John L. Hairston was found on a list of students whose parents had not paid a school tax in Elbert County, Georgia.  Listed with John L. was a James M. Hairston and a Rebecca A. Hairston also thought to be the children of Hugh Brown Hairston. #27 William T. Hairston was unknown prior to this record.

1832 - John L. Hairston, along with Hugh Brown Hairston, of Butts County, were granted land in the 1832 Cherokee Land Lottery. 

1835 -  J. L. Hairston and H. B. Hairston shared a note due to be paid on the estate of Sterling Camp, of Butts County, on July 1, 1835.

1836 - J. L. Hairston and H. B. Hairston shared a note due to be paid on the estate of Sterling Camp on December 25, 1836.

1838 - In Meriwether County, Georgia, John L. Hairston sold land situated in Butts County, Georgia to his said to be brother, James M. Hairston of Meriwether County, on November 8, 1938.  

1839 - Hugh Brown Hairston owned the north-east half of Lot 81 in the 1st District of Butts County while John L. Hairston owned the adjoining South-West half of Lot 81. In May of 1839 this land was auctioned to pay debts owed to John Hall and others. 

1840 - Daughter, #20 Mary Hairston was born between 1840 and 1842 in Arkansas.

1843 - Daughter, Permelia Hairston was born on March 15, 1843 in Bradley County, Arkansas.

1845 - Daughter, #9 Sarah Jane Hairston was born in Arkansas.

1846 - Son, #8 William Hairston was born in about 1846. He is only found, at age four, on the 1850 census of Hinds County, Mississippi. 

From the Hinds County Tax Rolls - 1848

1847 John L. Hairston and said to be brothers, Vinson and Robert Hairston, paid taxes in Hinds County, Mississippi. Robert and Vinson paid the $.50 required of each male. John paid the $.50 and tax of $1.20 on "two slaves under the age of sixty."

1848  John L. Hairston and said to be brothers Vinson and Robert Hairston paid taxes in Hinds County, Mississippi. They owned no property, but males between the ages of 20 and 50 were taxed $.50. 

1849 - Daughter, # 10 Adeline Hairston, was born about 1849 in Mississippi. She is last found on the 1860 census with her family in Hinds County. 

1850 - John L. Hairston appeared with family on the 1850 United States census record in Hinds County, Mississippi. His wife was named as Eliza (#51).

Phillip A. Hairston with wife,
Lodema Criswell and daughter, Myrtie
about 1892

1852 - Son, #7 Phillip A. Hairston was born May 17, 1852 in Hinds County, Mississippi. 

1855 - On December 8, 1855, John L. Hairston purchased land in Hinds County for $300 from Dudley D. Williams – both parties were residents of Hinds County.

1858 - Daughter, #34 Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston was born on August 2, 1858.

1860 - John L. Hairston appeared with family on the 1860 United States census record in Hinds County, Mississippi.

1861 - John Lewis Hairston paid taxes on 120 acres of land valued at $480 in Hinds County.

1864 - Mary Hairston married # 21 Thomas B. Gilbert in Hinds County on September 19, 1864.

1865 - Permelia Hairston married Joseph Sidney Noah on June 11, 1865 in Hinds County, Mississippi. 

On October 10, 1865, John L. Hairston and his wife Louiza of Hinds County sold land to George W. Prince, also of Hinds County, for $600. 

Clearly written as Hairston - November 3, 1870

1868 - John L. Hairston married Cynthia H. Moffitt on Sept. 21, 1868 in Falls County, TX. In a transcription of the faded ink in the courthouse marriage book, John L. Hairston was written as John L. Houston. His name, along with his wife Cynthia, in later land records confirmed that John L. Houston was indeed John L. Hairston. 

February 13, 1869

1869 – Cynthia Hairston sold land to Harris Kay at Blue Ridge in Falls County, TX on February 13, 1869.  John L. Hairston signed the deed.  

The Houston Telegraph, April 14, 1870

1870 – On April 2, 1870, the Hairston home was consumed by fire. John L. Hairston, Phillip A. Hairston, Mattie Hairston, and the Noah family cannot be found on the 1870 census. John's daughter, Mary Gilbert, and her husband and children were living near Marlin and his wife, Cynthia, was living in Marlin. 

1872 - According to his obituary, Phillip A. Hairston was married to #17 Lodema Walker Criswell on January 3, 1872 in Falls County, Texas. 

1873 - Permelia Hairston Noah reported on her application for a Confederate pension that her husband, Joseph Sidney Noah, died in 1873 in Falls County. It is said by family that Joseph Sidney was kicked in the head by a mule, resulting in his death. 

1875 - Martha Elizabeth "Mattie" Hairston married #44 James C. Chisum on November 4, 1875 in Falls County.

The Hairston Family in 1880

1880 – The 1880 U. S. Census showed John L. Hairston living with son, Philip Hairston, and other family members in Falls County. Cynthia Hairston (spelled Houston) was living with or near her son.

1881 - A release of land on the waters of Bushy Creek, to John L. Hairston on November 1, 1881, was found in the Falls County Courthouse. This was not not filed until 1887.

1883 - Phillip A. Hairston and wife, Lodema, sold land to L. Jeeks of Limestone County, TX on September 5, 1883. This land was on Bushy Creek in Falls County. Phillip, Permelia, Mattie, their families, and probably Sarah Jane moved to Erath County at the end of the year. 

No record was found indicating that John L. Hairston had died, remained in Falls County, or moved to Erath with his family.  

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

By participating in the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks challenge, my goal was to prove or disprove the theory that Hugh B. Hairston was the father of John L. Hairston. I have not done so, but know that I have enough indirect evidence to see that there is a definite connection between the two.  

This is not all of the information that I have collected about John L. Hairston.  I know that I will find even more and will add to this timeline in later posts. 

These Hairston posts will continue beyond the 52 ancestors.  Check out my next post, 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: I Completed the Challenge!!

Diana

© 2014

Sources

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.

1880 U.S. census, population schedule, Falls County, Texas, Phil Hairston household; National Archives microfilm publication roll M432; digital image, Ancestry.com, http://www.ancestry.com (accessed 27 Feb. 2014).

Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.

Ancestry.com. Georgia Cherokee Land Lottery, 1832 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000.

Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Ancestry.com. Texas, Death Certificates, 1903–1982 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Anderson, Mary Lee. Volume II The WHITAKER and Related Families. Date unknown. Print and online. 

"Butts Sheriff's Sales." Macon Weekly Telegraph.  Macon, Georgia. 16Apr. 1839, 29 issue: 4. GenealogyBank.com.

Deed of Sale from John L. Hairston and Luiza Hairston to Geo. W. Prince, 10 Oct. 1865. (filed 15 Nov. 1865), Hinds County, Mississippi, Deed Book 28, page 697. Chancery Clerk's Office, Raymond, Mississippi.

Deed of Sale from John Lewis Hairston to James M. Hairston, 8 Nov. 1838. Meriwether County, Georgia . Copy of the original deed obtained from Billy G. Hairston on July 28, 2000. 

Family photographs and documents from the collection of Diana Bryan Quinn. 

"Georgia, Elbert County Records, 1790-2002," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22905-22001-61?cc=2071974&wc=M77F-9P6:355761601,355829101 : accessed 07 Jul 2014), Court records > Court records-poor schools box 5 1802-1950 > image 49 of 511.

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

Houston, John L. and Moffitt, Cynthia, Falls County Marriages, County Clerk's Office, Marlin, Texas.

Lucas, S. Emmett, and Edward E. Schaick. Some Georgia county records, Vol. 3. Easley, S.C.: Southern Historical Press, 1977-2000. Print.

Texas State Library and Archives Commission; Austin, Texas; Confederate Pension Applications, 1899-1975; Collection #: CPA16526; Roll #: 183; Roll Description: Pension File Nos. 41391 to 41425, Application Years 1921 to 1925.

Year: 1850; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M432_372; Page: 165A; Image: 336

Year: 1860; Census Place: Hinds, Mississippi; Roll: M653_582; Page: 674; Image: 206; Family History Library Film: 803582

Year: 1870; Census Place: Precinct 2, Falls, Texas; Roll: M593_1584; Page: 27A; Image: 57; Family History Library Film: 553083

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #26 James McElhaney Hairston

James McElhaney Hairston is said to be the first child of Hugh Brown Hairston and Sarah McElhaney and quite possibly the brother of my great-great-grandfather, John Lewis Hairston. Of all of the said to be siblings of John L., James McElhaney Hairston appears to be the most researched sibling.

Carolyn Danforth, a descendant of James M. Hairston, was the cited as the source for the information about the Hugh Brown Hairston family in the Volume II The WHITAKER and Related Families and also cited in several other genealogical works in regards to the James M. Hairston family. 

James M. Hairston can be found in numerous Public Member Trees at Ancestry.com and a picture of his gravestone can be seen at Find A Grave.

Carl Greenway, a descendant of James M. Hairston, donated letters and research notes to New York Public Library. Some of his letters can also be found in the Georgia Archives and in the Bassett Historical Center in Henry County, Virginia. 

Carl Forrest Greenway 1917 -1974
Picture courtesy of Marylyn Caraway

In 1965, Carl Greenway wrote an eight page letter to Mrs. William Nelson Hobbie, of Roanoke, Virginia, describing his findings and thoughts about the Virginia, Georgia, and South Carolina Hairstons. 

On page seven, Mr. Greenway wrote about his ancestor James. M. Hairston and wrote the following statement about his inability to connect James with a particular Hairston family. As I mentioned the other day, because of the paucity of records I have not to date connected my James M. Hairston of son of whom, which is also true of Lillian Schwertz's John Robertson Hairston, and Irene Malone's Thomas Hairston. We hope that this will come with more time and work.   

He went on to say that census records indicate that James M. Hairston and his parents were born in South Carolina and that from a family bible owned by William Harris Hairston and from the tomb slab in Harmony Cemetery, that he had both birth and death dates for James. M. Hairston. 

Mr. Greenway associated James M. Hairston with Hugh Brown Hairston and John Lewis Hairston in the following excerpts from the letter.

Because of a deed record associating him with H. B. (Hugh B.) Hairston, I know that James M. Hairston would be of the Abbeville, S. C. group. The first record I have to date located is a deed from J M Hairston of Butts Co., Ga. for land in Butts Co., formerly in Henry Co. I have been unable to find the grantee deed for this land in either place. The grantor deed was dated 30 July 1830. Then, on 27 Nov 1830 James M. Hairston purchased land in or lying on both Henry and Butts, but recorded in Butts, from his future brother-in-law, William McCallay, witnessed by John L. Hairston and H. B. Hairston. This would have been Hugh B. Hairston, since he was listed that summer in the 1830 census of Butts as such. The deed in question is in Butts Co Deed Bk F p349/50.

James McCallay and his son William purchased land in the "O'Neil's Mills" or 699th Ga. Militia Distr. of Troup Co. (south of La Grange toward Harris Co.) in 1832/3, selling their holdings in Henry and Butts and I presume moved at that time. James M. Hairston must have followed shortly, for he married James McCalley's daughter, Matilda, in Troup in 1834. He then purchased lands in Meriwether, which adjoins on the east and was originally a part of Troup. He was living there in 1838 when deeded land in Butts County by John Lewis Hairston. Cousin Will has the original deed and I have an excellent xerox of it, but for whatever reason we cannot locate a record of its having been filed. James M. moved to Troup Co. in 1842 after selling his Meriwether holdings to Vincent Hairston, whom he adjoined in the 1840 census. He settled in the Abbottsford or West Vernon community of the County (735th G.M.D.) which is on the west side of the Chattahoochee, and had a number of farms there extending into Chambers Co., Ala.

A visual showing the many Hairston homes mentioned in this post. 

James McElhaney Hairston was born on December 14, 1808 in South Carolina. If he is the son of Hugh Brown Hairston, then he was living in Elbert County, Georgia by 1820 and soon after that, in Jasper County.

James was in his early twenties when he purchased that Butts County land in 1830 in the deed records found by Carl Greenway. My earliest finding was an arrest in Butts County on January 25, 1831. James M. Hairston was arrested in Butts County with a Lewis Hairston and Hezekiah McElhaney for gambling in the dance hall.

James M. Hairston married Matilda McCallay on December 4, 1834 in Troup County and was soon living in nearby Meriwether County. Matilda died in 1851 and it is said that James married a Louisa Gatchet in about 1854.  James and Louisa were living in Chambers County, Alabama in 1880. He died on June 13, 1881 and is buried in Troup County, Georgia

Although not familial, it's nice to see the connections between James M. Hairston, John Lewis Hairston, Hugh Brown Hairston and Vinson/Vincent Hairston. 

More investigation is needed in Troup County as my earlier notes indicate that James M. Hairston was involved in numerous estate settlements. James also lost land for taxes owed in Chambers County, Alabama in 1873. The record of this land needs to be looked at as well as other possible land transactions. 

Diana

© 2014

Sources

Ancestry.com. Public Member Trees [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2006.

Anderson, Mary Lee. Volume II The WHITAKER and Related Families. Date unknown. Print and online. 

Dodd, Jordan. Georgia Marriages to 1850 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 1997.

Georgia. Inferior Court (Butts County). Inferior court minutes 1826-1850, Butts County, Georgia. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1958. Microfilm.

Greenway, Carl (New York, New York) to "Dear Mrs. Hobbie" [Mrs. William Nelson Hobbie]. Letter. 22 November 1965. Formby Family Genealogical Collection [Manuscript]. Georgia Archives, Morrow, Georgia.

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

"A New Map Of Georgia With Its Roads & Distances. / Mitchell, Samuel Augustus, 1803-1875 / 1846." N.p., n.d. Web. 2 Jul. 2014. 
http://www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1985~150021:New-Map-Of-Georgia-?sort=pub_list_no_initialsort%2Cpub_date%2Cpub_list_no%2Cseries_no&qvq=q:georgia;sort:pub_list_no_initialsort%2Cpub_date%2Cpub_list_no%2Cseries_no;lc:RUMSEY~8~1&mi=49&trs=743

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

Year: 1840; Census Place: Meriwether, Georgia; Roll: 46; Page: 138; Image: 866; Family History Library Film: 0007045.

Year: 1870; Census Place: Troup, Georgia; Roll: M593_178; Page: 398A; Image: 357; Family History Library Film: 545677.

Year: 1880; Census Place: Fredonia, Chambers, Alabama; Roll: 5; Family History Film: 1254005; Page: 62A; Enumeration District: 019; Image: 0333.

52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: #11 Hugh Brown Hairston - Is He My Great-Great-Great-Grandfather?

According to the Hairston Family History, Hugh Brown Hairston was the son of John Hairston and Ann Mary Robertson. He was born in South Carolina and authors, Ed Bregenzer and Victor Hairston, suggested that he was my great-great-great-grandfather. The more that I find, the more that I believe that Ed and Vic may have been correct. As much as I want to, I cannot definitely say that Hugh Brown Hairston is the father of my great-great-grandfather, John Lewis Hairston. So, on my tree above, note the dotted line from Hugh to John.

No Story Too Small

Mary Lee Anderson wrote in her manuscript, TheWHITAKERS and Related Families, that Hugh Brown Hairston married Sarah McElhaney (sometimes seen as McElhenny) and had children, James McElhaney, John Lewis, Robert, Vinson (also seen as Vincent), Sam (also seen as Samuel), Rebecca, Jane, and Mary. I would love to have her source - maybe a family bible with answers to many of my questions.