LEANNA BLAIR BIGGS SEXTON & Jerusha Collins Blair Biggs Ross
Compiled by Teresa
Martin Klaiber March 2020
I was first
introduced to Leanna Blair, living in Carter County, in the household of Mark
(Marcus) Sexton, in 1850 in Carter County. The census shows Leann Blair age seven
(7). In April 2019 I blogged that
I have long suspected that Leanna was the daughter of Jerusha Collins
Sexton. Along my many years of
researching the family I have met descendants of Leanna and Bartlett Haskell
Sexton and they all puzzled over who she might be. Most showed handwritten notations that she
was a Biggs but could not explain why she married as Blair.
Leanna was
still in the Marcus Sexton household in 1860 now Boyd County, Kentucky noting
that she was “bound.” Apprentice bonds
appear in county court orders. It was
common practice. Through the years I
have read and re-read court orders for Carter, Boyd and Lawrence and have not
yet found a legal bond for Leanna.
Leanna Blair married
Bartlett H. (Hascue/Haskell) Sexton[i]
at the house of Mark Sexton 21 March 1862 now Boyd County. Mark lived on Garner, now Boyd County at the
time of the marriage. The Sexton family
aura surrounds us as we are honored to live and care for a portion of remaining
Sexton lands and be the trustees of Klaiber aka Sexton Cemetery on Garner, Boyd
County, Kentucky.
Leanna “Anna”
died 25 July 1913 in Carter County, Kentucky.
Her death certificate filed as Lee Anna Sexton does not list parents. Son
James Sexton death certificate states his mother is Ann Biggs[ii]. Daughter Hulda Sexton Kitchen death
certificate says mother “Ann Biggs.”[iii] Jesse Sexton marriage to Florence Gullett in
Carter County lists his mother as Anna Biggs.[iv] Descendent Robert Kitchen said while his
father did not have much education he had a hand written note by Moses Kitchen
which says Haskel Sexton and Ann Biggs Sexton.
So why did
she marry as Blair and go by Blair while being raised by Marcus Sexton? For
many years researchers missed the clues.
Researching
the Sexton family requires learning geography, keeping an open mind and knowing
what a “woods colt” is. It helps to
place family members, understand their isolation and how they may have lived. No
compiled genealogy is truly the authors.
It takes a village of researchers and documentation. I try to carefully cross reference
documentation for not only the person I am reviewing but adjoining neighbors
which gives me an inner visual about life in the areas I research.
Leanna’s
husband, Bartlett Hascue Sexton was the son of Hulda Sexton who had at least
four relationships. Bartlett’s grandparents were James Enoch and Permillia
“Milly” Sexton. James Enoch Sexton was brother of Marcus Sexton and grandson
of Revolutionary Soldier Jonathan
Sexton. The Sexton trees intertwine as a
tight knit family. What this means is
that DNA has to be carefully analyzed and can accidently lead up the wrong tree
branch without a paper trail to substantiate it. The descendants of Leanna Blair Biggs Sexton
and “Has” have multiple lines.
Marcus Sexton,
who basically raised Leanna Blair/Biggs, was first buried on Bell’s Trace,
Lawrence County where he died 22 October 1877.
He deeded over property, just before he died, to his wife, Catherine
Sexton Sexton at the forks of Bells Trace bounding the lines of Absolom Jordan[v]
and Reuben Biggs[vi]. Court records pinpointed the property as
between Bee-tree and Lost Creek. [vii] I have walked every inch of the properties on
Garner now Boyd County, as well as properties the Sexton’s had on Pigeon Roost
and Bee-tree and Lost Fork on the Lawrence/Carter line.
Marcus/Mark
Sexton’s son Henry Powell Sexton exhumed[viii]
his grave on Bells Trace at the death of Catherine, bringing Mark back to Garner to be buried by
Catherine who died in 1893. Catherine living on our farm. The cemetery sits on the hill overlooking the
home where Henry Powell lived and built which was referenced in at least one
deed as the “mansion house.”
Marcus Sexton
and brother James Enoch Sexton, were sons of Elisha & Tabitha (of Scott
County, Virginia) and grandsons of Jonathon Sexton, Revolutionary War Soldier
who died 4 September 1835 in Lawrence County, Kentucky.
To explain
the Blair connection we must review Jonathan “John” Sexton who was born 14 May
1758 in Loudoun County then British America, in Virginia borders Maryland. Jno. Had several relationships. His eldest son Elisha was born about 1774 in
North Carolina. His military service
places him a couple of years later in what is now Fairfield County, South
Carolina.
After service
John Sexton married Rebecca McDannald[ix]
23 August 1790 Botetourt County, Virginia.
This compiler has been able to account for four of their issues: Joseph,
John, William and Elizabeth, that migrated to Meigs and Vinton County,
Ohio. There are two female’s between 1810 and 1820 that I have not
identified, yet. By 1817 there appears
to be trouble in paradise. Rebecca is living in Bath County, Virginia and when
her sister Elizabeth Sitlington dies stipulates that Rebecca is to receive
funds but John Sexton is to receive NO money.[x] As late as February 1837 “the Sexton place”
is mentioned in Bath County, Virginia. The property was in Cow Pasture.[xi]
On 26 May
1822 John/Jonathon Sexton married in Pike County, Kentucky Susan “Susy”
Collins. He is now 64 years old. Mariman (Merryman) McGee[xii]stood
in Bond for the marriage. On 13 March
1828 Jerushia Collins marries Joseph Blair in Pike County,
Kentucky. Publications simply give the date usually the bond date of 12 March
1828.. A research day trip with a Sexton
Cousin led us to a box of loose papers in the clerk’s office where we looked at
the original bond.
“Know all men that…we Joseph Blair and John Sexton…firmly bond…12 March 1828…obligation…whereas…a marriage…between Joseph Blair and RushiaSextonCollins ….Joseph Blair by mark. John Sexton by mark. Att Jas. Honaker”
Joseph Blair and Jerushia Collins married the following day 13 March 1828.
By utilizing
census, an estimated birth for Susan Collins Sexton is circa 1781, making it
more than likely she has other relationships prior to marriage to John
Sexton. But it appears that John Sexton
is probably the step-father and Jerusha “Rushia” is the daughter of Susan Collins. The couple appear to be living with John and
Susan Sexton in Pike County, Kentucky in 1830. John appears on tax lists through 1830 in
Pike County. Joseph Blair does not pay
tax in Pike County, Kentucky. John Sexton
and Susy physically move to Lawrence
County between 1830 and 1831. How can I
make that statement? Lawrence County was
formed in 1822 while the Sexton’s are active in Pike until 1831.
John Sexton’s
Revolutionary Pension was filed in Lawrence County, Kentucky. He died 4 September
1835. Carter County is formed with a
portion from Lawrence County in 1838. I cannot
locate the household of Susy, now widowed during 1840 nor do I find Joseph Blair
in Pike or Lawrence County, Kentucky in 1840.
Susy received a fund for maintenance in 1848[xiii] She appears to be living as late as September
1854 in Carter County when she received the last pension payment. I still have
not located Susy Sexton as a widow in 1850.
This
researcher was spinning my wheels. I had
looked at many records even crossing the river into Lawrence County, Ohio but
without making connections. Then the
pandemic sent us all into lock down. Our
lifeline to the outside world is now a computer. Billie Jo Kelley Shackleford, a teacher and researcher,
emailed me stating she thought there was a connection between “our” Rushia and hers.
I don’t think
I had posted the Biggs connections I had. I working this line from Virginia to Kentucky
and Ohio. She has been working from Wood County, West
Virginia to Greenup County, Kentucky and across the river in Washington County,
Ohio and beyond.
She has reviewed
the complete Civil War packet of Lindsey Blair aka Sexton. Besides citing himself as a Sexton, born 16 September
1837 in Greenup County, Kentucky, died 6 October 1930 in Harrison County, West
Virginia. The pension gives information on his mother Jerushia Biggs Ross. The packet states Rushia had several
relationships. This places Lindsey as a
contemporary of Leanna Blair Biggs Sexton.
Jerusha was
just across the river in Lawrence County, Ohio in 1850. But because I did not have the other clues I did
not find it. In 1850 she is going by Ross
in the house hold of Gray Ross. There
are five children in the household.
Jerushia and the Ross family are in Pleasants County (WV), Virginia in
1860 and 23 April 1862 they finally marry in Washington County, Ohio. Gray Ross died 21 August 1867 in Washington
County, Ohio.
Jerusha
Collins Sexton Ross then marries Jeremiah Biggs 22 January 1872 in Washington
County, Ohio. Jeremiah Biggs born 2 October 1801 Russell County, Virginia served
in the military 1814 . His first wife Louisa
Barrett Biggs died 9 April 1870. He had married 1 August 1822 Louisa
Barrett in Greenup County, Kentucky. He
was bankrupt in 1842[xiv]
in Carter County, Kentucky. He has no values in 1846 on the Carter tax lists. His
pension cites his 2nd marriage to Jerushia in Washington County,
Ohio. Jerusha Biggs death is cited in
Jeremiah Biggs pension as 11 February 1887.
With direct
family members citing Leanna as a Biggs, it still leaves a lot of
questions. Lindsey Blair is born
September 1837 goes by Sexton and Blair.
Leanna born 1842 goes by Blair and Biggs and marries a Sexton. Susan Ross Cutshaw was born 25 November 1846,
in Kentucky and documents state her mother is Rushia Ross.
There is a
Joseph Blair in Greenup County, Kentucky with a Nancy (Gibson) 1850. Their
children’s birth dates overlap the birth of the Blair/Biggs/Ross children. When Three of those children die they list
Joseph Blair as father but mother unknown.
By no means should researchers assume this is the same Joseph without
doing further research.
As researcher’s,
we will continue to work on this. I
asked Billie Jo if I could blog, citing her information, because I know many of
those even on my facebook wall are related to Leanna and wanted to get this
information out. We share in
genealogy. That is how we work
together. In the mean time I owe Billie
Jo a huge thank you.
I ask all my
readers to follow all the rules so that when this pandemic 2020 is over we are
safe. God Bless each and every one of my
readers. Tk
[i] Grandnephew
of Marcus Sexton thru Elisha and Tabitha Sexton
[ii]
KY Death Cert. Carter County. 5406. 1943.
[iii]
KY Death Floyd County. 07088. March 1950. Hulda Kitchen
[iv]
KY, Carter M. 1915 page 313.
[v] Absolom
Jordan m. 1 Julia Coburn, 2 Nancy Damron. 1855 ct case places him on Lost Fork,
Carter Co., KY
[vi] Reuben
Biggs m 2 x. Cathereine Grubb; Sarah Jane Pennington. Names 1839 one Son Jeremiah
H. Biggs 1839-1879. This Jeremiah died 2
months after his uncle Jeremiah Biggs 1801-1879.
[vii]
Commissioners Sale Big Sandy News 6 Dec 1888
[viii]
Big Sandy News, 10 Nov. 1893
[ix]
McDannald NOT McDonald
[x]
Jean R. Bruns Abstracts of Will and and Inventories of Bath County, VA p. 84/85
[xi] Ibid
p. 181
[xii]
Merriman Magee said to have son born in NC. Was in Patrick then moved to Scott
County, VA prior to migration to Pike Co., KY
[xiii]
KY, Carter, Order bkk 2 page 129
[xiv]
US District Court, Bankruptcy Case Files, microfilm series RG21
