by Mary L. Lamp
I am researching Abraham Haptonstall/Hoptonstall/Hempenstall, will proven
August 1814 in Shelby County, KY.
Time line and migration of Abraham Haptonstall
1694 Orange Co., NY - Three brothers John, Isaac and Abraham Haptonstall
came from Copenhagen, Denmark to Orange County, NY. John and Isaac in 1692
and Abraham in Haptonstall in 1694. (Source - Bacon and Allied Families by
J. Dean Bacon)
1761 Orange Co., NY - Haptonstall/Hapinstall, Abraham (Jr.), S32032, NY
Line, appl. 6 Apr 1761 in Orange County, NY & he lived there at enl. & in
1779 moved to NJ for 18 mths. then returned to NY & in Nov 1783 moved to
Greenbrier County, VA & in 1800 moved to Woodford County, KY & in Sept. 1801
moved to Greenbrier County, VA * in Oct. 1816 moved to Gallia County, OH &
he applied there 24 Apr. 1833, on 12 Jan 1843 he stated he lived with a
son-in-law (not named) in Knox County, IL. (Source Abstracts of Rev. War
Pension Files)
Hempenstall, Abraham - came from NJ. 1. Abraham --s. 2. Hannah* m. Eli B.
Wilson 3. Elizabeth m. James Wilson 4. Jemima m. Samuel Blagg (Source
page 381 HISTORY OF HIGHLAND COUNTY VIRGINIA - by Oren Morton)
*ERROR - This Hannah was the daughter of Isaac Hempenstall, Abraham Sr's. brother.
1764 Augusts Co., VA - Recorded NOVEMBER, 1767 (B). 1764 August 23, to James
Bodkin; August 27, to Abram Hempenstall; (Source Chronicles of the Scotch
Irish in Virginia by Chalkley)
1766 Augusta Co., VA - 19th August, 1766. James Trimble, of Greenspring, and
Sarah, his wife, of Augusta County, to Abraham Haplenstall, £10.15, 140
acres on head of South Fork of Black Thorn, a branch of South Branch of
Potomac, corner George Wilson's land. Teste: John Paxton, Wm. Mathew, Wm.
Alexander. Delivered: Abraham Heplenstall. March Court, 1774.
(Source Chronicles of the Scotch Irish In Virginia by Chalkley)
1768 Augusta Co., VA - 17th March, 1768. William Wilson* and Mary ( ) of
Albemarle County to Abraham Haptonstall (Hoplenstall), £46, 112 acres on a
branch of New Found Creek. Delivered: James Thomas, April, 1773.
According to Collins, the first voyage past the Falls of the Ohio was
accomplished by Col. Richard Taylor, Hancock Taylor, Abraham Haptonstall
and an unknown Barbour who left Pittsburgh and traveled to the mouth of the
Yazoo river and eventually to New Orleans in 1769 (Collins 1874, Vol. I:16
and Collins 1874, Vol. II:358). On 8 July 1773 Capt. Thomas Bullitt,
assisted by Col. James Harrod, John Smith, Isaac Hite, Abraham Haptonstall,
James Douglas, Ebenezer Severns, John Fitzpatrick, and "others" came to the
area. Apparently, the first camp was on a shoal above Sand Island. On 3
August 1773 they were joined by Handcock Taylor, Matthew Bracken, and Jacob
Drennon. These two surveying parties were surveying warrants for Lord
Dunmore (Governor of Virginia). These warrants extended from the mouth of
the Salt River to Bullitt's Lick (near Shepherdsville) and north toward the
present site of Louisville. In August of 1773 Capt. Bullitt laid out the
town of Louisville (Collins 1874, Vol. I:17 and Vol II:358). Apparently, the
land around the Falls of the Ohio, composed of 4000 acres (Casseday
1852:22), were patented and owned by John Campbell and Dr. John Connally
(Casseday 1852:21). Connally was apparently the nephew of Colonel [William]
Croghan and Lord Dunmore (ibid.).
1773 KY - With Bullitt's surveying party in 1773 were James Douglas, James
Harrod, James Sodousky, Isaac Hite, Abraham Haptonstall, Ebenezer Severns,
John Fitzpatrick, John Cowan, --prominent names in later Kentucky
history, --and possibly others. (Source CHRONICLES OF BORDER WARFARE, by
Alexander Scott Withers.
1773 - Surveying in Kentucky. "Both Taylor and his companion, Abraham
Heponstall, were familiar with the area as they had journeyed from McAfee's
camp to the Falls in 1773." (Source THE FINCASTLE SURVEYORS IN THE
BLUEGRASS, 1774 - BY Neal O. Hammon)
"Botetourt Co., VA: Its men 1770-1777" by Charles T. Burton. Burton had
prepared an index to the tithable lists (list of adult white males) for the
above years. He listed the following:
List numbers Name of tithable
50, 57 Hempinstall, Abram
Explanation of list numbers
List 50- year: 1774; pages: 125-6; type: deliquent list; location:
whole county
List 57- year: 1774; pages: 140-2; type: tax list; taken by: Geo.
Skillern; location: Big Levels, Sink Hole, etc.
(Received from Steve Zaruff - "mailto:sjz@Sprintmail.com" - 22 Aug 2001)
Big Levels became part of Greenbrier County, VA - Ref. Greenbrier
Deed Book 1 pgs 489-491 - Abe Sr. and Abe Jr.
1774 JULY 29 - Hancock Taylor's Will -
Item I Give and Bequeath to my Friend Abraham Haptonstall & his Heirs &
assigns forever One Thousand Acres Land purchsed of Alexander Waugh.
Item I Give and Bequeath to my cousin Willis Lee & his heirs & assigns
forever Five hundred acres of Land purchased of Alexander Waugh.
Item I Give and Bequeath to Willis Lee and Abraham Haptonstall and their
Heirs and Assigns forever Two third parts of all my Lands Lying on the
Western Waters except Five hundred Acres purchased of Alexander Waugh, also
the same proportion of the different Sums of money due me for Surveying
Chain carrying and Looking out Lands.
Lastly I do nominate and appoint Willis Lee and Abraham Haptonstall
Executors to this my Last Will and Testament. In Witness where of I have
here unto Set my hand and Seal this Twenty ninth day of July 1774.
Signed & Sealed
In presence of
Hancock Taylor (LS)
John Green Jr & John Bell
After all my just Debts are paid my Will is that all my Estate should be
Equally divided Between my Brothers Zachariah & Richard Taylor and my Sister
Betsy Bell and do appoint Zachariah Taylor & Thomas Bell Executors to this
part of my Will
JGreen, John Bell
Hancock Taylor (LS)
1775 - Abraham married Mary Babb Wilson, widow of Capt. Samuel Wilson of
Augusta County, VA. 1775-- page 16, Mary Willson, (married?), Hempenstall,
(March), recording Willson's Inventory;
(Source Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish in VA by Chalkley)
1778 - APRIL 20, 1778. Joseph Gum, Lieutenant, and Abraham Hempenstall,
Ensign, qualified. (Source Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish in VA by Chalkley)
1782-1786 Greenbrier Co., VA - Hempenstall, Ebram Sr. and Hempenstall, Ebram
Jr. (Source HEADS OF FAMILIES AT THE FIRST CENSUS OF THE UNITED
STATES TAKEN IN THE YEAR 1790 - PUBLISHED BY Genealogical Publishing Company 1970)
1783 Fayette Co., KY - KHS Vol. #19 - Orig. Survey #4647 - Hamptonstall,
Abraham 1000 acres S. Fk. Elkhorn, Fayette County, Survey Date 11-20-1783,
Bk 6 Pg. 9, Abraham Haptonstall and Heirs, Grant Date 12-15-17
( Source - CHRONICLES OF THE SCOTCH-IRISH SETTLEMENT OF VIRGINIA; Vol 2, pp 340 - 349 by Lyman Chalkley)
*James Wilson son of William and Mary Wilson of Albemarle Co. (Source
Pendleton County, (W)VA - Will 26 June 1802 William Wilson "son James" and
Wilson Family Bible).
Howards Creek adj. the land of John Dixen. Grants W, 1786 p. 357
1786 Greenbrier Co., VA - 3 Jan 1786 - Abraham Hempenstall enter 892 acres
of land by State Warrent for 3147.5 acres, No. 11861, dated 1782, per order
from Alex. Welch, to join his right of settlement on Greenbrier above John
Anderson's. (Source LAND ENTRY BOOK GREENBRIER CO., (W)VA transcription by Helen S. Stinson)
1788 March 29 Greenbrier Co., Va - William Hamilton & Ruth his wife Plts
Abraham Haptonstall & Mary his wife Defts. Suit regarding share of
undevised estate "Negro Cuff."
1789 June 18 - The following Supersedeas -- "Command you to give notice to
the said William Hamilton and Ruth his wife that they be before our Judges
afore said High Court of Chancery at the Capitol in the City of Richmond on
the first day of the next term then and there to have one hearing of the
whole matter in the decree afore said contained" etc.
(Source - KHS - Abraham Haptonstall Documents)
SEPTEMBER 15, 1789 Mary Hempenstall, late Mary Wilson, executrix of Samuel
Wilson. (source Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish in VA by Chalkley)
1792 Woodford Co., KY - Book B, Apr. 28, 1792 Abraham Haptonstall of
Greenbrier Co., VA,deed to Jacob Coplinger of Woodford Co., (Ky). Mary, wife
of Abrm. Haptonstall, shown by following deed. (Source KENTUCKY COURT AND
OTHER RECORDS VOL. II From Original Court Entries - Genealogical Publishing
Company 1984)
1793 - 1 July 1793. Abraham and Mary Hempenstall to William Willson. 112
acres on water of Bullpasture, no adjoiners names. Consideration 100 lb.
VA. Signed Abraham Hempenstall, Mary Hempenstall. Witnesses: none.
Acknowledged by both in court, 1 July 1793. Recorded: 1:252-254. (Source
Pendleton County (W)VA Deedbook Records)
1794 - Abraham Haptonstall and Mary his wife of Greenbrier and State of
Virginia deed to Jacob Skiles, a tract or parcel of Land lying Kenhawa
County on Morris' Creek, a branch of the great Kenawa, containing three
hundred and thirty acres.
(Scource original deed held by University of Tennessee Libraries - Special
Collections)
1802 - Return of Abraham Haptinstall & Sally Pigg the Rites of Marriage
performed December 2d 1802. Certified by me William Williams.
(Source - Harrison County, KY Court Record)
1804 March 15th - Woodford County, KY - Peter Kerns Pltf va Abraham
Haptonstall Defdt. Abraham Haptonstall shall or cause to be made to the
Sd Peter on or before 10th. day of April next ensueing a good & sufficient
title to Sd land by General Warranty then this obligation to be void else to
remain in full force. (Source KHS - Abraham Haptonstall Documents)
1806-1807 - Business associate of William Berry Taylor. Abraham's journal
"Informations of Taylor & Haptonstalls Business." (Source KHS - Abraham
Haptonstall Documents)
1806 May 16 - Jefferson County, KY - Abraham Haptonstall regarding survey of
Hugh Morris.
(Source - KHS - Abraham Haptonstall Documents)
1814 - Will of Abraham Haptonstall was proved Shelby County Sct August
County Court 1814.
Death Location: Louisville, Oldham, KY,Burial Cmt/Loc: Spring Hill, Oldham
County, KY U.S.A., (Taylor Family Cemetery)
(Source - The Register of the KHS, Frankfort, KY. May, 1920, Vol 18, No. 53.
"Spring Hill," Oldham County, KY. The Home of Major William Berry Taylor
by a Great-Granddaughter, Alice Elizabeth Trabue.