MORE SEXTON ASSUMPTIONS AND RAMBLE

MORE SEXTON ASSUMPTIONS AND RAMBLE

Teresa Martin Klaiber

May 2019

My last post concerned John and Rebecca McDannald Sexton so would like to “think out loud” a bit more about what I do and don’t know at the date of this ramble.

First and fore-most let me explain that many working Sexton/Saxton families have more than one line, as does my family.   Over the years people have grabbed at manuscript material without following documentation – repeating mistake after mistake.  It is easy to do and I certainly don’t blame anyone.  Guilty as charged when trying to piece together what is fact & assumption.  I write  so others can take pieces and continue my train of thought – or not.

The double lines I work on for my family are Marcus Sexton,son of Elisha Sexton who married Catherine Sexton, daughter of Bartlett Sexton.

Bartlett Sexton is the son of Charles, son of John of Lunenburg County, Virginia, which is on the southern border of Virginia.  The families migrate westward to Grayson County, Virginia.  

Elisha appears to be the son of Jonathan who states he was born in Loudoun County, Virginia.  Loudoun County is in the northern neck of Virginia on the Maryland border.

Jonathan was in the Carolina’s during the Revolution went back north, married Rebecca in Loudoun, migrated to Bath/Greenbrier then on to Floyd County before finally being in Lawrence County, KY near Bells Trace. 

This is what I know about Jonathan.  After his residence in Winnsboro, Fairfield, South Carolina (W26432 BLW 28630-160-55)   he appears on the 1783 list of John Gibson in Fairfax County, Virginia (Loudoun was formed in 1757 from Fairfax and is on the Maryland border).

John married Rebecca McDannald 23 August 1790 in Botetourt. He is 32 and already has several children.  Many researchers have slaughtered Rebecca’s maiden name construing it with McDonald.  Between 1797 and 1798 John/Jonathan Sexton/Saxton and Rebecca have William Saxton (born 4 Mar 1797)  and Elizabeth (both migrated to Ohio just north of where Jonathan dies in KY). 

John appears on the Greenbrier County, Virginia tax list through 1805 along with an older William Sexton having several more children (William Saxton migrates to Cabell County, now West Virginia and settles having married Elizabeth Black). 

Both John and William live on what is called the Sexton Place next to the Sitlington estate and the McDannald's have adjoinging lands.  Rebecca’s sister Elizabeth McDannald married Andrew Sitlington.   By 1809 William Saxton (wife Elizabeth Black) is in Cabell County.   By 1814  John is in Floyd County, KY across the Sandy from western Virginia.  By 1818 William son of John marries in Gallia County, Ohio.   Rebecca is still living in Bath County, Virginia and when sister Elizabeth McDannald Sitlington dies leaves Rebecca money stating none is to go to John Sexton.  John remarries in Floyd County in 1822 (further research for a Bath county divorce or death of Rebecca).

All of these northern neck Sexton/Saxton’s end up in what is known as the tri-state area – where KY, WV and OH come together with the Ohio and Big Sandy River.

Elisha Sexton was born about 1774 and census indicates he was born in North Carolina.  He has been placed as the son of John/Jonathan based on a written statement of a descendant now on file in the James Taylor Collection at the Kegley Library.  DNA of my family strongly supports Elisha’s relationship  of ½ brother to issues of John and Rebecca McDannald which include John 1795-1860, William, Elizabeth, Joseph L. and possibly Isaiah. 

Both Isaiah and Elisha are the muddy water.  How did they tumble into the migration pattern of Bartlett’s family which appears to differ?   That is Muddy Water Puzzle #1.

I am going to switch gears to what researchers now are calling the Willis research.  Bartlett Sexton son of Charles, grandson of John of Luenberg Parish.

Charles is in a court case in 1768 in Charlotte County. sells his father’s land originally in Lunenberg in Charlotte County 1772.   Charlotte was created from Lunenberg County.   

This is where the water gets muddy again.  Puzzle #2: “A” Charles and William (both sons of John of Lunenberg?) appear on tax lists for Botatourt Parish, Fincastle County 1769 to 1773.     Fincastle was created in 1772 from Botatourt County and abolished in 1776. 

Without rehash Charles ends up in Grayson County – that western migration from Lunenburg and William of Grayson in Whitley along with others.  Charles, William and John all serve in the 14^th during the Revolution.  I also believe that Timothy is related to the Lunenburg John and probably a brother to Charles and the others, because of DNA established in my family lines.

Willis researchers place Benjamin Sexton of Bath County, KY as Benjamin son of John of Lunenburg.  I am questioning this assumption.  DAR and early researchers place Benjamin of Bath county as being born in Maryland. (Remember that northern neck research!).    

Researchers seem to totally ignore Daniel Sexton born in New Jersey that appears in Lewis County, KY.  No one has tackled who Matthew, Joseph, Daniel and John are in Loudoun who are bounded out in the late 1770's.  And then we are haunted with the Charles and Nathaniel that do appear in Loudoun and are linked to what I simply call the Sexton New England manuscripts.

 There is a Benjamin in Grayson County, Virginia that marries 1806 to Nancy Taylor and has 5 children.  Researchers have placed that Benjamin in various family groups.  Documents show he dies in 1816.  If I was to use assumption I would place Benjamin of Bath county as contemporary with Jonathan who dies in Lawrence County, Kentucky.  That the Benjamin who married Nancy Taylor in Grayson was an older man and possibly the son of Lunenburg John. Further research is certainly needed. 

How are and when do the migrations of the Northern Neck Virginia + Maryland families connect with the Lunenburg Virginia , TN and Carolina Sexton/Saxton’s? 

I can add to the two Sexton/Saxton lines of hubby and children to the Harlan family which is my maternal lines.  George Sexton born in Frederick County, Maryland just over that northern neck line married Sarah Harlan.   It is a far stretch but Sarah Harlan Sexton is my 1 cousin 8 times removed.

I am open to conversations and documentation concerning any of these lines.   I also want to thank so many fellow Sexton researchers including Dianne Peterson who was a gatherer of material so many years ago, to Jim in Portsmouth and Cathy in Colorado, Pat and Michael, Willis for rocking the boat, and so many of you that are trying to get the placement correct.  DNA tells us what we already knew – blood is thicker than water. 

Please contact me for citations at deliverancefarm@gmail.com. tk

Tracking Jonathan / John Sexton 1758 - 1835

 compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber 4/2019

Sexton researchers abound. Many including my children’s family, have a least two different Sexton/Saxton lines.  For years there has been much speculation and assumptions about various Sexton families.  DNA is now helping sort through the confusion but a clean paper trail is also needed in any proper research – without assumption.  We still have lots more work to do. And, yes, there are still assumptions to overcome.

I am posting this chronology, & a bit long-winded explanation, as an aid as we continue following the path in the cow pasture.

Our own research story begins on the property where I am sitting and writing.  We live on property which has been handed down in our Sexton family for generations in Boyd County, Kentucky (a spit from the Carter/Lawrence line).  High on the hill is Klaiber Cemetery, aka Sexton Cemetery, aka Hood Cemetery.  Among those is Mark/Marcus Sexton and Catherine, others including Gallion and field stones. 

Forty-eight years ago, at the birth of my first child, I made my first genealogical research error.  Most researchers start with census, as did I.

The1850 census for Carter County/later Boyd, KY shows Mark 37 born Virginia, Catherine 41 born Virginia, Henry P. 14 born Virginia, Leann Blair 7 born Kentucky, Bartlett Sexton 75, Catherine 71 both born Virginia.  I immediately assumed Bartlett was the father of Mark/Marcus Sexton.  What the 1850 census does not do, is give relationships of household members.   Others made and are still making that assumption which is an error.

Standing in the records room in Louisa, Lawrence County, Kentucky I later found the death record of Mark 22 October 1877 that clearly showed him as the son of Elisha and Tabitha Sexton.  So maybe (another assumption) Bartlett was an uncle? No.

Mark was buried in Klaiber Cemetery.  But not reburied there until November 1893 after Catherine died. Prior to that he was buried at Bell’s Trace in Lawrence County.  The Big Sandy News tells of Powell (HP) Sexton of Garner (where we live) passing thru Bolts Fork (Lawrence County) with the remains of his father who died “sixteen years ago) exhumed and to be buried in the family graveyard beside his wife. 

Research shows Catherine living on Twin Branch in Lawrence County in 1880. Many years of continued research places John Sexton with Revolutionary Pension in that same neighborhood. We have now made several road trips around and thru Bolts Fork and it would be no easy task with a wagon to bring a body back across the ridge to our place.  Folks in that neighborhood say there is an old fieldstone cemetery which is haunted at the end of the lane on Twin Fork. 

Fast forward thru years of document research.

DNA reveals that Catherine wife of Mark Sexton is also maiden Sexton.   My family has two Sexton lines.  Catherine to Bartlett’s DNA suggests her line is through Charles as many suspected for years.  Sorting DNA with two lines is no easy matter.  But DNA tells us that my family has NO Native American blood thru Bartlett’s line.  We have truly enjoyed reading the many theories on wives with Indian heritage. 

DNA for Mark, thru father Elisha, show him as a grandson to John/Jonathan who died in Lawrence County in that Twin Branch area in 1838.    Thus begins unraveling the assumptions of Jno. As being on the Grayson, Russell and Patrick County tax lists at various times.  That is not John of Revolutionary status who died in Lawrence County, Kentucky.

It does explain the small notation found in the James Taylor Adams Collection at Wylie Library, Clinch Valley College stating “On my mothers side it goes back to ….Joseph Sexton, Johnithan (as sp), Elisha…signed by James Madison-Emory”

Chronology of John/Jno. Sexton

1758 14 May John states he was born in LOUDOUN County, Virginia (Pension)

1774 abt Elisha states he is born in NORTH Carolina

1779 Oct 4 resident of Fairfield County SOUTH Carolina – note that       Fairfield was not formed until 1798 from Camden district and he is a resident of Winnsboro.

1790 23 August marries Rebecca MCDANNALD Botetourt County, Virginia and William Sexton is surety.  A William Sexton marries Mary Ewing the same year in Botetourt.

1793 Tax list BATH County, Virginia along with William Sexton

1795 abt John Saxton born in VA dies in Meigs County, OH ASSUMED either in Bath or Greenbrier DNA shows he is s/o John/Jno.

1797 4 Mar William Sexton who died in Vinton Co. OH 1881 called “old Bill” born in Greenbrier DNA indicates s/o Jno.

1798 abt Elizabeth SAXTON born Greenbrier dies in Vinton Co., OH 1886. 

1799 to 1805 appears Greenbrier Tax along with Wm. Sexton/Saxton (Assumed William who goes to Cabell County and married into JORDAN family).  PP tax puts John on Cow Pasture.

1814 moved to Floyd County, KY (Pension information)

1817 Aug 15 Bath Co. VA Will of Elizabeth Sitlington sister of Rebecca McDannald Sexton “to sister Rebecca w/o John Sexton 333.33 in 3 installments, but no money is to go to John sexton or anyone representing him …not wanting any part thereof to be applied to his use.”

1820 Floyd County Census

1822 May 26 John Sexton m. to Susy Collins Merriman McGee bond.

1823-1827 Pike County Tax list

1828 Mar 12 Jerusha Collins marries Joseph BLAIR John Sexton “father” Collins struck out and Sexton written in.

1830 Pike Co Census – with ages of those in household that appear to be Joseph and Jerusha BLAIR

1831 Lawrence County, KY tax list

1834 4 April Pensioned Lawrence County, KY one of wit Archibald Rice which also lives in Twin Branch area.

1835 4 Sep DEATH

NOTES

DNA suggests Isaiah 1813 is a son of Jonathan. 

The 1820 Census of  Floyd County shows 1 male over 45 (John), 1 male 10-16, 2 males 0-10 (Isaiah and Joseph), a female 26 -45 and 2 females 1-10.  Ages indicate this researcher has not identified all in this grouping.

DNA suggests Jonathan could be a brother to Timothy Sexton who married Esther Sisel.  He was in Camden District South, Caroline as early as 1782.  He also appears in Russell County, Virginia for a short time. He died in Morgan County, TN in 1832.

Rebecca McDannald Sexton is mentioned again in the estate of Elizabeth Stitlington as late as 1830. In 1837 the will of Ellender McDanald references 180 acres adjoining the Sexton Place.  This suggests continued court record research in Bath and probably Greenbrier counties.

William Sexton of Bath County gave Power of Attorney to Robert 

McCutcheon to convey 6 acres on Cow Pasture adjoining Robert Sitlington to Thomas Kinkead 12 Oct 1797.

Susy Collins Sexton was still living in 1854 when she received a last pension payment.  To date she has not been located by this researcher either in Carter or Lawrence County, KY.  But in 1848 the Carter County court gave her funds for maintenance. 

Let’s use assumption one more time and go back to that 1850 census in Carter County later Boyd County, KY.  In 1850 she would have been about 70 years of age.  What happened to Joseph and Jerusha Blair?  This researcher cannot locate them in the 1850 either.  Did Joseph and Jerusha have a child Leann that appears in the 1850 census with Mark and Catherine Sexton Sexton?  If so another double lines because Leanna Blair married 21 March 1862 Bartlett Hascue Sexton daughter of Hulda going back the Bartlett Sexton line.

Please feel free to email me at Deliverancefarm@gmail.com