The Titchenal Saga The Rivers Run West
Chapter VI
David Titchenal moves his family to Harrison County, Virginia
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Not long after David and his family arrived in Harrison County, another early Virginia family entered the Titchenal lives.
The Harbert family
Thomas b. Oct 27 1694 d. 8-18-1735 Monmouth, N.J.
Mary b. 1-30-1695
Richard b. 1-22-1696
Johnathan b. 11-2-1697
David b. 4-8-1701
Daniel b. 1694 d. 1747, Middletown, NJ m. Susannah, 2nd Amy (Borden) Oct 1745
Children of Daniel & Susannah:
Mary b. 1-6-1732
Thomas Sr. b. 7-9-1734 Chris. 8-11-1734 d. 3-3-1778 m. 8-6-1758 Isabelle Wright, Burlington, NJ
Children of Thomas & Isabelle
Samuel b. 1760 m. Abigail Loofbourrow
Edward b. 1762 m. Elizabeth Hul?
William b. 1765 m. 1795 m. Mary Berkeley d. 1818
Thomas Jr. b. 1768 m. Before 1789 Hannah Jacobs d. 1847?
Children of Thomas Jr. & Hannah JacobsI
Isabelle b. 1790 m. Reese Nov. 1803 d. before 1810
Thomas III b. 1791 m. 1814 Elizabeth Houston d. __
Children of Thomas
Polly Ann (1814)
Paul Houston (1815)
Thomas J. (1817)
Rebecca Jane (1826)
Joshua (1828)
Mitchell (1819)
Ellen (1832)
Hannah (1834)
Joseph b. m. Isabella Harbert d. __
Rebecca b. 1796 m. 1814 John R. Tichenal d. after 1860
Children of Rebecca
Mary Ellen (1815)
William H. (1817)
Child (1819)
Male (1820)
Female (1822)
Sarah Ann (1823)
John R (1826)
David K (1828)
Susan Eliza (1830)
Elias b. 1798 never married d. before 1822
Elisha b. 1800 m. Polly Madden d. __
William b. 18801 m. 1823 Matilda Shinn d. __
Mary b. 1805 m. 1821 Ben Madden d. __
Vianna b. 1817 m. 1836 Samuel Roach d. __
Elijah b. 1810 m. Rebecca Harper d. __
John b. 1769 m. 1789 Sarah Loofbourrow d. 1847?
Anne b. 10-21-1736
Johnathan b. 10-19-1739 m. 1-11-1761 E Elizabeth Corlies
Elizabeth
James
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Thomas Sr.
Thomas Harbert Sr. and his siblings were all born [1732, 1734, 1736 and 1739] into the Liberty Generation [born 1724 to 1741]. Moses Titchenal was born as the period ended in 1743 at the beginning of the Republican Generation. I am not sure how much Thomas or Moses and their families were affected by the mores of the Liberty Generation and the following Republican generation [born 1742 to 1766]. While Thomas and Moses were raised in New Jersey cities, they both moved early in their midlife to the frontier which was full of individual problems and a life style of its own. They both died early: Thomas, Sr. at 44 [1778] and Moses at 53 [1796]. All of their sons were raised on the frontier, learned to be independent, and, of necessity developed their own individual life style. However, as quoted before, Strauss and Howe believe:
“The liberty generation was by far the most war -ravaged generation of the colonial area. Boston had experienced the equivalent of two twentieth-century world wars in one generation. One-third of all men in Massachusetts enlisted for at least one season between 1754 and 1759. The casualties during the French and Indian War were very high, stockade and ship records indicate that disease and bad nutrition killed an estimated 5 to 10 percent of all recruits during each year of service. Having grown up during the era of falling rum prices and public disorder, the Liberty Generation matured into a notorious generation of drinkers, thieves and rioters. They consumed more alcohol per capita than any other colonial generation. They coined the words 'regulator' (for vigilante) and
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‘lynch’ (after the Liberty Virginia Colonel Charles Lynch). The Liberty Generation comprising only half of all members of the Continental Congress accounted for all five delegates accused of complicity with the British: Benedict Arnold and Benjamin Church and Ira Allen (brother of Ethan Allen) who secretly considered selling Vermont to the British. Also the largest wave of colonial immigration came in that period. Mostly poor, fierce (and anti-English) Scots-Irish who embarked in Philadelphia and sped south, west and north to the frontiers.”
Thomas Harbert Sr.’s son, Thomas Harbert Jr. [born 1768] and Moses’ son David [born 1764] were born toward the end of the Republican Generation [1742 to 1766]. Strauss and Howe believe:
“the republican generation reversed the public apathy of brutality among and against teenagers. Their parents wanted to ensure that this crop of children would grow up to be smart and cooperative servants to a dawning vision, a republic of virtue. In the 1770s parents begin avoiding corrupt English schools and sent kids to newly founded academies in the colonies. Here Republican teenagers could imbibe the new fever of “civic revival” and the new Scottish school of practical and optimistic curricula. Most frontier people had no choice as these schools were scarce or nonexistence and children taught by their parents.
During the 1770s when first wave Republicans began graduating from collage. The share of graduates entering clerical careers fell from four-fifths to one-half. Many young men turned instead to radical Masonry, a male brotherhood dedicated to teamwork good works and secular progress. No until the GI generation of the 1910 to 2000 has any other generation of leaders been so aggressively secular in outlook. Most of the Republican candidates for president (especially Jefferson, Madison, Burr, Pinckney and King) avoided any display of Christian piety and were widely regarded as atheists by their contemporaries. When asked by a clergyman why the Constitution did not mention God, the young Hamilton pertly replied, “I declare, we forgot.”
These changes were going on all around them, and surely affected Thomas Harbert, Sr. and Moses Titchenal in profound ways. We know Thomas Sr. went school in Monmoth, New Jersey because his sixth grade workbook has been saved. He wrote in the “booke” in 1754, “Tis Thomas Harburt booke, upon wh’ch you now looke.” Their sons, David Titchenal and Thomas Harbert, Jr., were lucky to get an education at all, with the interruption of the Revolutionary War and living on the frontier as they did. David had lived in Morristown in his early years and might have gotten some schooling there before they moved to Virginia. David lived long enough to see many changes take place. However, Thomas, Jr. was too busy improving his fortune and he died too early [1818] to have been affected very much by the country’s changing mores. However, they were both affected by the Declaration of Independence, the Revolutionary War, the ratification of the Constitution, the election of the first president, the Louisiana Purchase, The Monroe Doctrine and the western movement of the population and the war of 1812.
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The Titchenal's, Harbert's and Buckalew's were among the early settlers of Harrison County, and Hampshire County, Virginia. But, as early as 1747, expeditions were being made into the Monongalia Valley in search of desirable lands. About 1749, King George II of England granted the Ohio Company rights to all the land between the Allegheny mountains and the Ohio River. Fort Pitt and Redstone were built in 1754, and soon settlers began to locate along the Monongahela River between these two villages.
Life was very different for the early pioneer homesteader settling colonial Virginia before the Revolutionary War. How much of this life style, fits the life of the early Harbert or the Titchenal family, I don’t know, but the Harbert pioneer life in Virginia, must at least overlapped that of the early pioneers: A description of the pioneer homesteader’s life style contained in the History of Harrison County, by Dorothy Davis is interesting:
When tales of fine “land for the taking” simulated a desire to move to a new frontier, the man of the house usually made a journey across the mountains to search out suitable land. The land was chosen for fertility of the soil, and availability of a good water supply from a spring or clear running stream. Once chosen, a tree was marked at each corner of the land with a tomahawk (literally “belt axe”). Hence the term “tomahawk claim. Before he returned for his family, often a crude shelter was built to offer minimal shelter for the family he would bring to the frontier. Most of the time all of the family’s possessions had to be transported across mountains, trails or water in packsaddles on a horse or cow and on the backs of the family themselves. Household goods were sold, only a few simple tools, a cook pot or two, family clothing, a little grain with which to feed the family and plant the first crop were taken. Under the circumstances the trips were normally undertaken in the spring to allow for crops to mature. Upon arrival, the family would build a cabin as large as their ability to handle materials would permit. If the land had been previously claimed, they negotiated a price. Maybe a shelter was already on the property or neighbors were near to help build a cabin. If roads to the new location and land had been built, they used a wagon and could bring more personal items to help get started in their new home.
The so called roads were little more than blazed trails over which the annual pack train trading trip was made to obtain salt and other essentials The pioneer dress was quite different, men and boys universally wore a hunting shirt, a lose frock reaching halfway down to the thighs with large sleeves. The frock was so wide it might overlap a foot or more when belted. The cape was also large and sometimes fringed with a raveled piece of cloth of a different color from that of the hunting shirt. The belt, which was always tied behind answered several purposes, other than holding the dress together. In cold weather mittens and
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a belt bag occupied the front part of it. To the right was suspended the tomahawk (or belt axe), to the left a scalping knife in a leather sheath. The hunting shirt was generally made of lindsey, sometimes coarse linen, and a few dressed deer skins, witch were very cold and uncomfortable in wet weather. A pair of drawers or undergarments (a kind of light or thin breeches). The outer garment were breeches and leggings for the legs and thighs. A pair of moccasins were better than shoes for the feet. (Breeches were really knee-length trousers and the garment we know as trousers was called “overalls”). The dress of women was a lindsey petticoat (an undergarment) and a bed gown (a long loose fitting dress.... with a home made handkerchief. They went barefooted in warm weather. In cold weather their feet were covered with moccasins, coarse shoes, or shoe packs. Children wore a loose fitting dress until around the age of six to eight years. An old tradition indicates this was important because the Devil sought to destroy all little boys but could not differentiate between the sexes when they were dressed alike. After six or eight he no longer tried to destroy little boys.
The Delaware and Iroquois tribes objected to the pioneer encroachment. King George III decreed that all lands west of the Allegheny mountains were Indian Lands and forbade settlement on them. Since this decree was not issued until 1763, a number of people were already settled along the rivers from Fort Pitt, south, well into present day West Virginia. The years 1774 through 1795 were again periods of unrest. Indians showed their displeasure with the settlers by raids on the settlements. Retaliation by the settlers, plus the fact that the Indians were allies with the British during the Revolutionary War, encouraged the Indians to again raid the settlers. About 22 forts had been built along the Monongahela and West Fork Rivers by 1774. Ten more were built between 1774 and 1794, four of these along the West Fork River alone (including Fort Harbert). Twenty or more were built along the Ohio River.
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Harbert’s Blockhouse served as place of refuge for settlers who came into the community. It was one of 12 such forts that had been built along the Monongahela River and its branches, the West Fork and Tygart Rivers.
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It was not until 1777 that an act of the Virginia General Assembly negated the decree of King George III (1763), and made settlement legal in the Monongalia Valley. In doing so they granted all persons who had settled on the western waters prior to June 24, 1778 four hundred acres of land for each family. Thomas Harbert’s family was one of those families.
On August 6, 1758 Thomas Harbert married Isabel Wright. She was born in Burlington County, New Jersey about 1738. Around 1773, Thomas, with his wife and their five sons, Samuel (13), Edward(11), Thomas Jr. (8), William (6) and John (4) settled in Deckers Creek in the Monongalia Valley, now Monongalia County.
Thomas Harbert was born in Burlington county, New Jersey on August 9, 1734. He was a fourth generation American. His great grandfather, Walter Herbert, is said to have been a son or grandson of Philip Herbert. In 1606, Philip was made Earl of Montgomery, and succeeded his brother to become the Earl of Pembroke in 1630. A Francis Harber, thought to be Walter’s son, took allegiance to the King of England in Ellizabethtown, New Jersey February 19, 1665. The family settled around Burlington County, New Jersey sometime before 1671. Francis received a deed from Sir George Carteret (to Francis Harbor) in 1677 for 182 acres of land. About 1775, Thomas Harbert, Sr. moved to Jones Run, a short distance northwest of what is now Lumberport.
Assisted by others in the area, Thomas Harbert, Sr. built a blockhouse, later known as Harbert’s Fort or Harbert’s Blockhouse. The forts like Fort Harbert became a part of the frontier defense which was first ordered by King George II before the revolution started. This defense was to consist of a group of volunteers serving under officers as follows: A colonel and a major directing their activities with a county Lieutenant charged with the responsibility of raising the men. These officers were recommended by the County Court and appointed by the Governor of the State. Additional officers were elected by the militia volunteers, or commissioned after raising a set number of men. These were captains, lieutenants, ensigns and sergeants. The men were formed into companies of 50, but this number sometimes varied. Thomas Harbert (Sr.) was a part of this militia. In April, 1775, captain Morgan formed the first known company of the militia in the area. The roster of his battalion lists 126 names. Thomas Harbert, Sr. was among them. The enlistment ran from 3 days to 12 months. The pay was given in pounds sterling. Translated into continental currency, this was: Major $2.64 /day, Captain $2.20/ day, Scout $1.10 /day, Private 24c / day. In addition to pay, which was not always paid, each man was entitled to claim land in Ohio, and unclaimed land in Virginia, as an additional reward for his service. This is one of the main reasons so many of the early defenders left the area later to settle in Ohio.
“The first entry of land in this district was made March 12, 1775. The actual settlement was made on Jones Run; Thomas and Edward Cunningham; John Hull; Capt. Thomas Harbert, John Wood, Benjamin Robinson, Samuel Harbert; Peter, John and Elizabeth Cornelius and Nathan Reece, first settlers”
Thomas Harbert, Sr. served as a captain in the militia under major Benjamin Robinson.
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Two of Thomas Harbert’s sons, Edward and Samuel, were also Revolutionary War veterans. They served as Indian scouts and spies and received pensions. In 1832, Edward, Samuel and their brother, John, applied for pensions. Samuel’s and Edward’s application were first accepted and then rejected after one year, as the type of service did not qualify for a pension. John’s application was never accepted, being rejected out of hand as he was thought to be too young. There was no application on file for Thomas Harbert, Sr. or Jr.. However, this is not surprising because it was not possible to file until 1832. Both Thomas Sr. & Jr. were dead before that time, although their widows could have filed for a widow’s pension. Haymond’s "History of West Virginia" said a Thomas Harbert also received pay for scouting.
On the 3rd of March 1778, the Harbert Blockhouse was attacked by Indians. Thomas Harbert, John Murphy and some children were killed and one or two children captured. The “Attack on Harbert’s Blockhouse” was described as follows in the book, the "History of Harrison County":
“By early 1777 the war of the Revolution was now in high tide and Great Britain considered it a legitimate mode of warfare against the rebellious colonies to let loose a horde of savages against peaceful settlers and children. However the winter of 1777 was so severe that it prevented the Indians from penetrating the county and committing further aggressions. The settlers became assured of safety and devoted much of their time to repairing the old forts for the storm that everyone expected would break upon the defenseless frontier in the spring of 1778. The murder of Cornstalk, while a prisoner in the hands of the whites, had stirred the war-like nation of Shawnees to avenge the death of their chief. Other tribes were urged to attack settlements by English officers, who furnished them with arms, ammunition and supplies and gave rewards for prisoners.
Anticipating the commencement of hostilities at an earlier period of the season than usual several families retired into Harbert’s blockhouse situated on Jones Run in Eagle district a tributary of Ten Mile, about eleven miles from Clarksburg in the month of February. But notwithstanding the prudent caution manifested by them in the step thus taken, yet the state of the weather lulling them into false security, they did not afterwards exercise the vigilance and provided care which was necessary to insure their future safety.
One the third of March 1778, some children were playing with a crippled cow at a short distance from the yard, espied a number of Indians proceeding towards them, and running briskly to the house told that “a number of red men were close by.” John Murphy stepped to the door to see if danger had really approached, when one of the Indians turning the corner of the house, fired at him. The ball took effect and Murphy fell back into the house. The Indian, springing directly in, was grappled by Thomas Harbert and thrown on the floor. A shot from without wounded Harbert, yet he continued to maintain his advantage over the prostrate savage, striking the Indian as effectively as he could with his own tomahawk. Another gun was fired at Thomas from without the house. The ball passed through his head and Thomas Harbert fell lifeless. His antagonist then slipped out of the door, sorely wounded in the encounter.
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Just after the first Indian had entered, an active young warrior, holding in his hand a tomahawk with a long spike in the end, also came in. Edward Cunningham instantly drew his gun to shoot him, but the gun flashed [misfired] and they closed in doubtful strife. Both active and athletic and sensible for the high prize which they were contending each put forth his utmost strength, and strained his every nerve to gain the ascendency. For a while the issue seemed doubtful. At length by great exertion Cunningham wrenched the tomahawk from the hand of the Indian and buried the spike to the handle in his back. Mrs Cunningham closed the contest, seeing her husband struggling closely with the savage, she struck at him with axe. The edge wounding his face severely, he loosened his hold and made his way out of the house. The third Indian who had entered before the door was closed, presented an appearance as frightful as the object he had in view. He wore a cap made of the unshorn front of a buffalo with the ears and horns still attached to it., and which, hanging loosely about his head, gave to him a most hideous aspect. On entering the room this infernal monster aimed a blow with his tomahawk at Miss Reese, which alighted on her head wounding her severely. The mother of the girl, seeing the uplifted arm about to descend on her daughter, seized the monster by the horns, but his false head coming off, she did not succeed in changing the direction of the weapon. The father then caught hold of him, but being far inferior in strength and agility, he was soon thrown on the floor, and might have been killed but for the timely interference of Cunningham, who, having succeeded in ridding the room of one Indian, wheeled and sunk a tomahawk into the head of the other. During all this time the door was kept by the women, though not without great exertion. The Indians from without endeavoring several times to force the door open and gain admittance. The Indians would have succeeded as it was yielding to their efforts to open it. But the Indian who had been wounded by Cunningham and his wife, was squeezing out of the aperture which had been made. This caused a momentary relaxation of the exertions of those without. This enabled the women to again close the door and prevent the entrance of others. The Indians outside were engaged in securing such children in the yard as were capable of being carried away as prisoners, and in killing and scalping the others, after which, despairing of being able to do further mischief, they retreated to their towns.
Of the whites in the house only one was killed and four were wounded, and seven or Cunningham wheeled and sunk a tomahawk in the head of the Indian, while William Harbert, a young boy (11) crawled under the bed and ate turnips during the fight. Eight children in the yard were killed or taken
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prisoners. One Indian was killed and two badly wounded. Had Miss Reese’s father engaged sooner in the conflict the other two Indians who had entered the house would no doubt have also been killed, but being a Quaker he looked on without participating in the conflict until his daughter was wounded. Having then to contend singly with superior prowess, he was indebted for preservation of his life to the assistance of those he refused to aid earlier. One of Thomas’ son, William Harbert a young boy (11) at the time of the attack was in the garden gathering turnips, he ran towards the house, in the fight he dodged between the legs of an Indian who struck at him with a tomahawk but missed. After he gained entrance to the house he crawled under the bed and ate turnips during the fight.”
Henry W. Bigler in a letter written from St.. George, Utah to the Clarksburg Telegram, writes of this affair as follows:
“On page 173 of “Border Warfare” it is stated by Withers that some children playing with a crippled cow, espied a number of Indians coming towards them and running briskly to the house told that a number of red men were close by, etc. Here permit me to state that among the children was the late Joseph Cunningham of Harrison county, then a boy about eight years old. I have heard him tell the story. He was my step mothers uncle and often when I was a boy he would come to my father’s, stay overnight and relate his experiences with Indian life, and tell all about how he was taken captive. He said the children were at play in a clay hole with a crippled cow, when all at once they saw the Indians coming and ran into the old loom house, slipped down through the treadle hole and hid under the floor. He was, however soon taken from his place of refuge by a lusty savage and made to follow him and the Indians to their towns. He ran the gauntlet composed of little Indian boys about his own size. They pelted him with sticks fists until at last he turned and showed fight and struck back. This caused a great laugh and seemed to please his captors. He was at once adopted into an Indian family and lived with them sixteen years. He almost forgot his mother tongue, but his name he never forgot and said whenever he happened to be alone he would repeat “Joe Cunningham” over and over a number of
times.
When he was twenty-four years old he was ransomed but it was with reluctance that he was induced to return to the whites to live. He had lived so long with the Indians that he had become perfectly reconciled to stay with them, He did not feel at home with the whites, became dissatisfied and finally went back to his red friends to live, and not until then did he discover that the Indians lived dirty, filthy lives. Seeing this he left them, returned to the whites, married a respectable white woman and lived the life of a white man the balance of his days. He said at times he went with the Indians to steal horses from whites, on one occasion they were pursued so closely that they hid themselves in the Ohio river and were obliged to lie in water all night with their heads barely out of the watery element. Sometimes he went with the Indians to war against the whites, but he never could shoot at a white man. He was with the Indians when they defeated St. Clare (November 4, 1791) but said, “I never could shoot; every time I raised my gun and took aim my heart failed me. During the engagement I stood behind trees and many times I thought I would shoot, but every time I brought my gun to my face to draw a bead my heart told me not to shoot. I threw away my bullets, poured out part of my powder onto the ground, and when the chef came to me after the battle, he shook my powder horn, patted me on the back and said, “puty well, puty well” believing I had shot it away. “
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In an account of the suit Reese vs. Robinson in Chalky’s records of Augusta County, Virginia, the deposition of Hannah Reese (wife of Jacob Reese) stated:
“Thomas Harbert’s blockhouse was attacked by Indians, five persons were killed, four were wounded and three taken. Among those wounded were Jacob Reese and his small daughter. After Jacob Reese recovered he stood to his post and help defend the house. The next morning, it was thought best to evacuate the house and they all moved to Grundy’s blockhouse the place where Colonel Wilson mow lives on Simpson Creek.”
Two of the people killed were Thomas Harbert and his daughter. Her name is not known (but thought to be Cilia) and no record has been found of this daughter. No one recorded the names of the other two who were killed.
(Note: the Harbert Blockhouse is situated on Jones Run less than two miles from Lumberport. The tradition of the neighborhood is that five or six whites and one Indian was killed. All the whites were buried in one grave on the property.)
When their father, Thomas, was killed, in March of 1778, his son, Samuel, was 18, Edward was 16, Thomas, Jr. was 14, William was 11, and John was 9. We assume they stayed for a while with their mother on their homestead after his death. Thomas Harbert’s widow, Isabella, was devastated by the death of her husband and little daughter. No one is sure of what happened to her after the attack. Four years later, she was on the 1782 Monongalia County tax list as Esabel Harbour, head of a household. Harrison County tax lists do not list her. However, Harrison County was not separated from Monongalia County until 1784. It was further reduced in size in 1800, changed again, with some loss, in 1810, and again reduced in size in 1820, reaching it’s present size in 1871. Isabella probably stayed in her own home with her children until they all married or left home. She could have died or re-married early, but there is no record of either. As a widow she had lifetime rights to 1/3 of her husband’s real estate, but her consent was not necessarily required for sale of the land. In any event, all of Thomas, Sr.’s land was eventually passed along or sold to their children.
Thomas, Sr. had been certified 400 acres at Jones Run as a settler. This was the land that the blockhouse was built upon. He died without a will and his oldest son Samuel, by law, inherited all of his property. (except the widow’s 1/3). There was a long delay in receiving title to this land. Although Thomas, Sr. was killed in 1778, but Samuel did not receive title to it until 1787, nine years later. However, Samuel, also had 400 acres nearby at Jacks Run in his own right, adjoining the lands of Levi Shinn. The other Harbert brothers did not file claims in their own right. The settlement rights also entitled certificate holders to preempt up to 1000 acres of adjoining unclaimed land, and on August 1, 1785 Samuel claimed 135 acres of adjoining lands of Peter Cornelison, on Jones Run. This was the preemption allowed for his father’s claim.
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On March 14, 1788, ten years after his father was killed, Edward [age 25] was the first son to marry. He married Elizabeth Hull. On December 1, 1788, Samuel [28] married Abigail Loofbourrow. On January 19, 1789, John [20] married Sarah Loughborough (Loofbourrow). Thomas, Jr [21] married Hannah Jacobs January 22, 1789. [Maybe earlier, as they had a daughter, Isabella who married Nathan Reese November 22, 1803. Isabella either married very young (13 or 14) or her parents married earlier.) William [20] married Mary Berkley on December 19, 1795. Except for William, the brothers all married within one year of each other. Samuel must have built a home on the property of his own allotment, or the one he bought in 1785. Samuel did not transfer title to any of their father’s land until March of 1791, so we do not know where his brothers Edward, John, Thomas, Jr. and William lived. But it is probable Samuel’s siblings thought their father’s land should be divided more quickly and were impatient with the delays.
On March 16, 1787, records show “Thomas Harbert, Jr. was named surveyor of the road from Benjamin Robinson’s to John Owens’, the road itself to be laid out by Robinson, Harbert, Joseph Wood and Barns Allen. All tithers on the west side of the West Fork, between Ten Mile Creek and William Robinson’s house, were to aid and assist in opening and keeping the road in repair, and to make said road a good bridle road, and were to be exempt from working on any other county roads.” Surveyors were normally responsible men whose duty it was to keep the road in good repair. They had authority to draft men and horses for necessary road work, and were liable for failure to keep the road repaired. They usually keep the job for a couple of years then resigned it
to someone else.
Whether Thomas Harbert, Jr. married Hannah Jacobs earlier or on January 22, 1789, he did not have title to any of his father’s land and would have had to make other living arrangements for his wife and children. It was not until March 21, 1791, three years after Samuel received title to his father’s land, that Samuel deeded 112 acres [each] of the original 400 acres of land to two of his brothers, Thomas, Jr. and John, for a sum of L10 each. While this price was certainly good, it had been 12 years since their father had been killed and Samuel’s time delay may have irritated his brothers.
It was never recorded where Samuel’s brothers Thomas, Jr., Edward, William and John lived during that period. Thomas had two children before he got title to his land in 1791, so he needed a place to live. Maybe he and his brothers pressured Samuel to divide their father’s land and let them build upon it early before they got title.
Thomas Harbert, Jr. was also in the militia and served as an Indian spy at least part of the 1790s. He may have also served off and on during the 1790s, even after he was married. This was testimony to his being a good woodsman. It was grueling work and the pay record indicates he was very busy.
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On August 17, 1792 Samuel Shinn was recommended as a lieutenant and Thomas Harbert, Jr. as ensign [equivalent to second lieutenant]. All able-bodied men between the ages of 16 and 50 were required to perform militia training and service when drafted. He may have received bounty land in Ohio, which was part of the inducement for serving during the Indian wars.
In September of 1797, Samuel sold a total of 291 acres. One parcel of land, 63.75 acres was sold to Mordecai Madden for $64.66, on September 13. [The Madden family intermarried with the West Virginia and Ohio Harbert's.] On September 18, Samuel deeded 129 acres of the land to his brother Edward for $100. The same day he deeded 96.75 acres to William Harbert for $200. (Why the discrepancy in price is unknown.) The remaining 31.5 acres were sold to Charles Grover.
On January 21, 1799, Thomas, Jr. was again named surveyor, of the road, replacing Robert McCann who had resigned. Most likely Thomas Jr. had stepped down as surveyor, on is previous appointment, before or by the time he went into service as an Indian spy.
On September 15, 1800, one of the justices gave oath that Thomas Jr. had appeared before him, producing a commission as Lieutenant in the militia, and that he was sworn into office as the law called for.
On November 18, 1802 the court voted to recommend Thomas, Jr. to the governor to fill the office of captain, replacing Samuel Shinn, who had resigned. Jonathan Wood moved to lieutenant, replaced Harbert, and Solomon Wood who became ensign, replacing Jonathan Wood.
On May 2, 1808, the court records of officers show Thomas Harbert, Jr. as Captain of the 119th Regiment of the Virginia militia with John Flowers as Lieutenant and Felix Robinson as Ensign under him.
The records do not show what happen to Thomas Harbert, Jr. after 1808. However, his son, Thomas Harbert III, served in the War of 1812-1814. The veteran’s records show no pension, or bounty lands for Thomas Harbert, Jr.. or his son. However, five military service files were found for his son, Thomas Harbert III.
Thomas Harbert III’s service record:
Herbert, Thomas Private, Captain Brooker’s Company, U.S. Volunteers. (1812) - Company from Richmond Va.
Herbert, Thomas Private, 4 th Regiment (Greenhill’s) Virginia Militia. (1812) - Capt. William Bailey’s Company from Halifax county
Herbert, Thomas Private, 56th Regiment (Lynn’s), Virginia Militia. (1812) - Capt., Nicholas Osburn’s Company, Cavalry
Herbert, Thomas Hunton’s Command, Cavalry, Virginia Militia. (1812)
Herbert, Thomas Sergeant, Detachment of Cavalry (1813-14) Virginia Militia. (1812), Capt. Thomas McCandish’s Company from Norfork.
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Both Thomas Harbert (III) and his father, Thomas Harbert, Jr. and his son Thomas III, would have been illegible for bounty lands and or a pension, so why there are no records of their filing for a pension or bounty lands is not known. We do have other records that indicate Thomas Harbert, Jr. was awarded bounty lands in Ohio, so maybe his son, Thomas, III, received bounty lands in Ohio also.
Thomas Harbert, III was an Indian fighter and fought in the Blackhawk war, and the Seminole War. It is said he fought with General William Henry Harrison in the battle of Thames in Canada when the Indian chief, Tecumseh, was killed in September of 1813, and he actually saw William Johnson shoot the famous old Indian warrior.
On July 5, 1814, Thomas Harbert, III [age 24] married Elizabeth Hueston (Houston) in Champaign County, Ohio. He must have left Virginia to go to Ohio shortly after he was released from the service. Maybe he settled on his or his father’s land in Ohio. The Virginia Military District (used for bounty land) included part of Champaign County, Ohio.
Thomas Harbert, Jr.’s fourth child was Rebecca Harbert, born about 1795. She was a lovely and lively young girl about 14 or 15 years old when David Titchenal and his family moved nearby ( about 2 or 3 miles) at Lambert’s Run in 1810. David Titchenal’s oldest son, John R. Titchenal was a handsome, impatient young man of 19. They probably met while he worked at the boat yard in Lumberport or at a common church in the area.
John and Rebecca were soon attracted to each other. On January 26, 1814, they took out a marriage license and they were married on March 3, 1814, the anniversary of her grandfather’s death. John was 24, Rebecca was 18 or 19. Her father Thomas, Jr. was 39-40 years old. and signed Rebecca’s marriage bond, February 14, 1814, (This was the last actual record of him, see appendix). Rebecca & John had a daughter, Mary Ellen, July 8, 1815, and a son, William Henry, February 1, 1817.
What happened to Thomas Harbert, Jr. after February 14, 1814 and in the missing four years remains a mystery with few clues. The following story told by a Rebecca Harbert provides a hint of his troubles: (This Rebecca was not John Titchenal’s wife, but, the daughter of William Harbert of Ohio [the son of Thomas Harbert, Jr.] and a niece of John and Rebecca Titchenal.)
“My grandfather Thomas Harbert Jr. was a well-to-do slave owner in Virginia. Thomas was persuaded by a Friend (?) to make a trip with him down the Ohio River in 1818 to the Arkansas Territory which was new and unsettled with a view to buying land and moving there to live. The friend (?) returned alone saying, ‘Thomas had died on the trip in the wilderness’. He persuaded the widow, Hannah, to let him settle the estate and he cheated her out of nearly everything she had. This was easy to do in those days because the wife of a well to do slave owner did not have much work to do, nor rarely had business experience. It was always thought the friend planned the whole matter beforehand and murdered Thomas Harbert Jr. to get the property.” [As relayed and written in a letter from E.R. Reynolds, Box 1884, Long Beach CA. Jan. 14,1949]
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Is the story true? We will never know what actually happened 175 years ago, but part of the story is true. The records show Thomas Harbert, Jr. was a relatively well-to-do slave owner and died sometime before the 17th of November 1818 (at 53 years of age.) Probate for his estate was cleared November 17, 1818. A bill of sale from an auction of his estate was filed on November 20. 1818.
Thomas Harbert Jr’s widow, Hannah married Isaac Hagle on October 11, 1819, less than one year after her husbands death. Records show that Isaac Hagle became co-administrator of Thomas’ estate. The records also indicate his wife, Hannah, was not well educated, was, in fact illiterate. ( She signed all of the papers with an X.) Thomas Jr. died a relatively wealthy man. He left a large estate with slaves and at least 1,479 acres of land, both in Virginia and Ohio. The Harrison county 1810 census record show an Isaac Hagle (26 to 45) as married with wife 26 to 45 years old, and four children under ten years old, three boys and one girl. Apparently, Isaac Hagle’s wife had died by 1819. A John Hagle and one female [both over 45 years] are also was listed in the 1810 census. This may be Isaac’s father and mother.
In July of 1822, the County Court described Thomas Harbert, Jr’s. estate as consisting of various lands tenements, totaling 1,479 acres in Ohio and Virginia, and $2,019.93 worth of personal property consisting of slaves, horses, cattle and goods, chattels, monies and credits. Land in Harrison and Lewis Counties, Virginia -- 230 acres of land at the head of Jack and Harbert's Run.--112 acres of Jones Run. 37 acres [This must be his father’s land that was sold to him by his brother Samuel] 300 acres at Bone Creek[1] 679 Total in Virginia. Land in the State of Ohio.--320 acres of land along
the Licking river a branch of The Muskingum river.-- 480 acres of land in the Virginia Military District, reserved as bounty lands. 800 acres - Total in Ohio. 1,479- Total acres in both states.
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The missing years must have been productive for Thomas, Jr. and made him a relatively rich man. Exploring the records in Virginia and Ohio during the 1820s and 1830s has revealed some surprising and suspicious events that happened after his death. For example: His children had to sue their mother, Hannah, and Isaac Hagle over a period of many years to try to get their share of the estate. Later chapters will explore these events. Rebecca must have reflected the true feelings of her family at that time.
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Footnotes for Chapter VI:
[1] Thomas held 300 acres as security against a loan to Samuel Davison he made together with Caleb Boggess in 1816, the loan was defaulted, and the land was conveyed to his heirs (family) in March of 1822. This probably was the same section of land described in the court document.
Text of Indenture [contract] March 20, 1822:
“This indenture made this 20th day of March in the year of our Lord 1822 between Samuel E. Davison of the County of Harrison and State of Virginia of the first part, and Caleb Bogges & Thomas Harbert, Joseph Harbert, Elias Harbert, Rebecca Titchenal wife of John Titchenal, William Harbert, Elisha Harbert, Mary Harbert wife of Benjamin N. Madden, Hannah Harbert, Vienna Harbert Elijah Harbert and Hannah Rees which said Thomas, Joseph, Elias, Rebecca, William, Elisha, Mary, Hannah Harbert, Vienna, Elijah, Hannah Rees are heirs of Thomas Harbert deceased all of the same place, are parties of the other part Henceforth. Whereas Christopher Nutter by a certain deed of bargain and sale and rate bearing date the 23rd day of December in the year 1816 conveyed to the said Samuel, the land herein after described intended to secure the payment of a certain sum of money therein authorizing the said Caleb Bogges and the said Thomas Harbert deceased (in his Lifetime) to sell said land in case of default or should be used as payment of said debt and whereas the said Samuel (debt not having been paid) having advocated said land according to the acquisition of said deed did proceed to sell said tract with all the apparatuses to the highest bidder at which sale the said Caleb Bogges & the said Thomas Harbert now deceased were the highest bidders purchased wherefore the said Samuel in consideration of the promises and of the further consideration of one dollar to him in hand fixed the receipt whereof he doth hereby acknowledge hath granted, bargained and sold and by these payments doth grant, bargain and sell to the said Caleb Bogges and the said heirs of Thomas Harbert deceased their heirs (?) the aforesaid tract of land containing 300 hundred acres being the same land described in said deed of bargain and sale to have and to hold said tract & parcel of land with all the apparatuses to said Caleb Bogges and the said heirs of Thomas Harbert deceased forever and the said Samuel doth hereby covenant that he will forever warrant and defend the said land to the said Caleb Bogges and the said heirs of Thomas Harbert decease against all persons claiming by ____ __ ___ the said Samuel & his heirs & or in other manner whatsoever.
In testimony hence the said Samuel hath herewith set his hand and seal the day & year first written.
S. E. Davison (seal)
Harrison County Court Clerk office 20 March, 1822
[2] The Virginia census of 1810 Thomas Jr. and Hannah had eleven Children altogether, but only nine were living with them in 1810. (No slaves were listed in 1810, but he owned at least three slaves when he died in 1818.)
˚ 2 males under 10......1-William [born 1801 age 9].... married ...Matilda Shim, 6/9/1823; 2-Elijah [born 1810, age few months]........ married... Rebecca ?
˚ 1 male 10-16 3-Elisha [born 1800, age 10]. .... married ...Polly Madden, 3/10/1823
˚ 2 males 16-26 4-Thomas III [born 1791, age 19].. married ...Elizabeth Hueston, 7/5/1814 in Champaign Co. Ohio; 5-Joseph [born ??, age??]......married ... Isabella Harbert, 12/20/1815
˚ 1 male 26-45 Thomas Jr.(45) Father
˙ 3 females under 10 6-Mary [born 1805, age 5]... married Benjamin N. Madden, 1/12/1821; 7-Vianna [1807, age 3] .....married.. Samuel Roach 8/16/1838 8-Malinda [about 1803, age 7]... Isaiah Stout, 10/16/1820
˚ 1 female 10-16 9-Rebecca [1796, age 14]..... married John Titchenal 3/3/1814
˚1 Female 26-45 Hannah (Jacobs) (42?) Mother-later married Isaac Hagle
˚ Not listed on 1810 census
10 -Female Isabel Their fist daughter Isabel (born 1889 ?) was married to Nathan Rees in 1803 and not living with them in 1810.
11-Male -Elias [born about 1793, age 17] he was never married and died before 1822 in Michigan. (If Elias was 17 or more, he could have already gone to Michigan and was not living at home in 1810)
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Mitchell's 1755 Map of America was still unequaled in 1783, and used at the negotiation tables in Paris, when the Ohio valley was won by General George Rogers Clark .
