In my last posting on the Myers family in Clinton County, Ohio I listed some other related families who also were living in the area during the 1805-1820 period. This posting will present some information on the families of James and Mary Rees Haworth, their son George who married Jane Thornburg and Jane’s parents Edward and Phoebe Sumner Thornburg.

James Haworth, son of James and Sarah Woods Haworth, was born January 2, 1752 in Augusta County, Virginia (Probably, the Haworth Association lists Frederick County, Virginia BUT, I think Augusta. See the Frederick County posting, Haworth portion.)
After his father died James moved with his mother and step father (Peter Ruble) in 1768 to Bush River, South Carolina.

“Meetings for worship which are mentioned as reporting to Bush River Monthly Meeting include Bush River, Raburn's Creek, Tiger River, Padget's Creek, Mud Lick, Allwoods', White Lick, Edisto, Charleston and Rocky Springs.
Early members of Bush River Meeting (names taken from the first pages of the minutes), …James HAWORTH….Samuel PEARSON ,,,,,,Peter RUBLE …Jonathon TAYLOR….”
http://www.ronsattic.com/quaker.htm ^
It should be obvious who the James Haworth was, Samuel Pearson, my 4th great grandfather, was the father of Mary Pearson Taylor Mills, Peter Ruble was James Haworth’s step father and Jonathon Taylor, my 4th great grandfather, was the grandfather of Prudence Taylor Elmore Myers. This list of names seems to be from about 1768-70.

It appears, if family stories are to be believed, that James was a “long hunter” and traveled with Daniel Boone in 1773 on an aborted trip to Kentucky. Some of you will remember that this is also the expedition in which Richard Mendenhall, my 5th great grandfather, was killed in an Indian ambush in Lee County, Virginia on October 10, 1773. After the failed expedition James seems to have returned to the Yadkin River area of North Carolina.

It is not clear to me exactly when James moved to Green County, North Carolina (which later becomes Green County, Tennessee) but it was likely between 1780-83, partially to escape the war activity that was raging in the Guilford County area at the time. OR, there is this from the Haworth Association: “because of religious scruples many of the young men of the Quaker faith fled west to the Indian country of what is now Tennessee and formed a settlement there on the Holston River in Jefferson Co., near the present town of New Market. According to Rees Haworth George and James Haworth migrated with this group in 1781.” It is important to note for historical purposes that in 1784 Green County, North Carolina became part of the short lived breakaway State of Franklin. Then, in 1796, the county was admitted to the Union as Green County, Tennessee.

At this time this area was very remote and the early settlers lived on what they brought with them and what wild game they could kill until they could clear land and plant crops. Turning again to family stories, during one winter James and a friend “killed twenty-one black bears for meat and sold the skins for $2.00 each".

Mary Rees, daughter of William and Charity Dillon Rees, was born April 12, 1767. in Frederick County, Virginia. The family moved to New Garden, North Carolina in 1772.
The Rees family lived very near the site of the Revolutionary War Battle of Guildford Court House on March 15, 1781. Later in life Mary related how, as a child, she sat on the porch of the family home and saw wagons carrying the dead and wounded away from the battle.

For those who may have an interest, I have included the following link.
http://www.myrevolutionarywar.com/battles/810315.htm

Sometime shortly after the battle, the Rees family moved, again, to the area of North Carolina that eventually became Tennessee. They moved into an area that was being settled by Quakers (New Hope Monthly Meeting) and Mary met James Haworth. James and Mary, being denied parental permission to marry, eloped and married in a civil union on February 19, 1784. At the time of their marriage, James was 32 years old and Mary was 17.

For some reason, James was disowned by the Bush River Monthly Meeting (S.C.) on August 29, 1792 but restored to membership on the recommendation of the New Hope (N.C.) Monthly Meeting on August 30, 1794; received a certificate of transfer to New Hope on October 31, 1795 and was received by New Hope January 30, 1796. Now, James did not move back to South Carolina then back to North Carolina……It would simply have taken this long to write the letters back and forth and do all of whatever paper work that was involved in keeping records. (Keep in mind, there were no mo-bile phones, email or for that matter, roads.) James appears on the Green County, Tennessee tax rolls for 1797 and 1798 as a farmer and miller owning 200 acres of land.

On December 27, 1800 William, James and George, sons of James Haworth were received into membership, on request of their father, at New Hope Monthly Meeting. (George is my direct relative.)

I am not exactly sure where James and Mary Rees Haworth and family located in Ohio but it was either southeast Clinton or northeast Highland County. James is mentioned in published histories of both counties. Apparently James and his brother George made a trip to the Ohio area in 1802 or 1803 to find land on which to settle. James, Mary and family transferred their membership to Miami Monthly Meeting in Warren County, Ohio on December 13, 1804 and settled near Lees Creek (for added confusion, this area was located in Ross County at the time but became Highland County in 1805; in 1810 parts of Highland became Clinton County and then in 1813 the northeastern portion of Highland County became the southeastern part of Clinton County.) Lees Creek is a stream in southeastern Clinton, northeastern Highland and southwestern Fayette Counties and the name of a small village (also known as Centerville) in southeastern Clinton County and James is mentioned in the both the History of Clinton County and A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio.

Fairfield Monthly Meeting was set off from Miami Monthly Meeting in 1807.
James appeared on the first census taken by the state of Ohio for Highland County in May of 1807.
“As this was the first census taken by authority of law, in the county of Highland, and as it is the best authority as to who made up the tide of life here at that early day, we think it not out of place in these pages……
The enumeration of the township of Fairfield ……
James Haworth…….”
A history of the early settlement of Highland County, Ohio. Daniel Scott, 1890.^
PERHAPS this portion of Fairfield Township, Highland County became part of Green and Richland Townships, Clinton County in 1813 and then Wayne Township, Clinton County was formed from parts of those townships in 1837. I should mention that I have not been able to locate records of property purchase for James in either Clinton, Highland or Ross Counties but I am still looking. And, since the following appears in History of Clinton County, I had assumed this area was in Clinton County.
“On the other or south side of the same line, a few settlers, not more than half a dozen in all, had settled here and there, with wide intervals between them, in the fall of 1802. (*see below) These were …. James Haworth….. . James Haworth, a native of Pennsylvania, (**see below) was the brother of George Haworth, who settled on Todd’s Fork, near where Centre Meeting now is, in 1803. He lived for a time in each of the States of Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee (***see below). He settled upon and opened the farm owned by the late James Matthew, near New Lexington (****see below). He built the first mill erected at the junction of the West (*****see below) and Middle branches of Lee’s Creek, where the Eagle Mills (******see below) now are, and used the water-power of both streams to run his machinery. After living in Ohio for several years, he removed once more, on this occasion to Indiana where he died.”
*Date was probably 1803.
**He was not a native of Pennsylvania, he was born in Virginia.
***He also lived in South Carolina.
****New Lexington is now called the village of Highland
*****There is no West Branch or fork of Lees Creek, there is a South Fork located to the south and west of the Middle Fork of Lees Creek.
******This may be Earl’s Mill.
NOW THEN!!! If the location is correct above, and in fact the location was at the junction of the SOUTH Fork and Middle Fork of Lees Creek, the area is just north of highway 28, between Highland and Leesburg in Fairfield Township, Highland County, Ohio. See map above. Hope that you can spot the small red arrow.

New Lexington Preparative Meeting was attached to Fairfield Monthly Meeting at one time and Lees Creek Monthly Meeting is located near where New Lexington (now Highland) is located. An interesting point, while searching for information about the village of Highland, I came across the following information, “….the village has a total area of 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²), all of it land…… This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties.” I thought that the village must be located on the county line separating Highland and Clinton and therefore, the Haworths, if they lived to the north of the village, would have lived in Clinton County.

Lees Creek Monthly Meeting set off from Fairfield Monthly Meeting in 1817.
On October 16, 1824 James & family granted certificate to White River Monthly Meeting, Randolph County, Indiana from Lees Creek Monthly Meeting.
White River Monthly Meeting on January 1, 1825, James and sons Reese, Eli, and
Levi received on certificate from Lees Creek (This information must be from the Men‘s Minutes from White River Monthly Meeting and James‘ wife and female children were probably mentioned in the Women‘s Minutes.) James wrote his will May 20, 1826 in Randolph County shortly before moving again to Hendricks County, Indiana where he died on February 5, 1827. He is believed to have been buried in an unmarked grave in the oldest part of Mill Creek Friends Cemetery.

Page 10 Hendricks County Wills Book ???
Copy of James Haworth’s Will.
I James Haworth of the County of Randolph and the State of Indiana being weak of Body but of sound and perfect mind and good memory and being aware of the uncertainty of time and knowing that all men have once to die do make constitute and ordain this to be my last will and testament, in manner and following (to wit) It is my desire that my body be decently buried in a christian like manner at the discretion of my executors and as respects my earthly inheritance which providence has been pleased to bless me with I dispose of in the following manner. It is my will that all my just debts and funeral charges be first paid. And to my sons William James George David and Jonathan, I give and bequest one dollar each they having previously had their portions And to my sons Rees and Eli, I do hereby give and bequeath one hundred and fifty dollars each

Page 11
And to my daughters Sarah Charity and Margaret, I do give and bequeath the sum of seventy five dollars each, and to my daughters ann and Elizabeth I do give and bequeath the sum of seventy five dollars each. And to my son Levi I do give and bequeath the west half of the North west XXX (qtr ?) of section numbered twelve, In Township Numbered fifteen North of Range Numbered two west, Containing eighty acres
And unto my beloved wife Mary Haworth I do give and bequeath all my personal estate for her to dispose of as she should think best except the farming utensils which my will is that my son Levi should have, and that she should have the above described land during her life
And Lastly I do appoint constitute and ordain my wife Mary and my son James Haworth executers to this my last will and Testament with full power and authority to vest the portion of my minor son Eli in such land as they may think proper at any time previous to his becoming of lawful age to receive it. And I do hereby revoke disannul and disavow of all other wills heretofore made by me, so ratifying and confirming this only and alone, to be my last will and Testament. In confirmation of which I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twentieth day of the fifth month, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty six.
James Haworth
Signed Sealed and
Delivered in presents
Of David Haworth
George Haworth

Hendricks County, Indiana
Probate Book # 1 1825-1835
Page 12
Matters concerning
James Haworth decd
Be it remembered that on this ninth day of July in the year 1827. The last Will and Testament of James Haworth was was produced and duly proven by the affirmation of George Haworth one of the subscribing witnesses thereto, and thereupon Letters Testamentary Issued to James Haworth and Mary Haworth executors by said will appointed who now filed their bond in

Page 13
the sum of two thousand dollars with William Haworth and George Haworth for Security and were duly sworn as the law directs

Page 16
Concerning James Haworths Estate
Ordered that this Court approve of the Granting of the Letters Testamentary to James Haworth & Mary Haworth executors by the will appointed.

Page 17
The Executors of the Estate of James Haworth deceased having filed in the Clerks office the sum of dollars and cents ordered therefore that the same be recorded

I have not been able to find an inventory for James’ estate nor any mention of a final settlement. I some times think that finding some of the family papers leaves more question than answers. I have no idea why the bond would have been set at two thousand dollars when the amounts mentioned in the will were less that half that amount and no idea where the 80 acres mentioned in the will are located. James’ wife, Mary Rees Haworth died in Hamilton County, Indiana on December 28, 1850 and is buried in Hinkle Creek Friends Burial Ground, near Deming.

George Haworth, son of James and Mary Rees Haworth, was born April 1, 1790 in what is now Green County, Tennessee. He married Jane Thornburg, daughter of Edward and Phoebe Sumner Thornburg, on August 5, 1812 in Highland County, Ohio. (The marriage is indexed as being in Book 1, page 80 of Highland County Marriages however, a search of Book 1 by a clerk in the probate office shows that there is no page 80.) The marriage seems to have been a civil ceremony and Fairfield Monthly Meeting disowned the couple for marrying contrary to discipline on November 28, 1812. I should explain here that Fairfield Monthly Meeting is located in Highland County, Ohio and (at least at the time) included Lees Creek Meeting. Jane was born May 16, 1796 in Guilford County, North Carolina.

George and his brother William appear on the 1820 census for Randolph County, Indiana but probably they were in the county prior to 1817 (See page 470 History of Randolph County). George witnessed his father’s will in Randolph County, Indiana on May 20, 1826 and then, I assume, accompanied a group of his parents and siblings to central Indiana. (Please remember that George appeared in Hendricks County, Indiana Probate Court on July 9, 1827 to prove his father’s will. See above.) George, his wife and nine children are listed on the 1830 census for Marion County, Indiana.

On March 27, 1830 Fairfield Monthly Meeting in Ohio gave permission to Fairfield Monthly Meeting in Hendricks County, Indiana to restore George and Jane to membership. The Indiana Fairfield (covered portions of Hendricks and Marion Counties which included West Newton) on June 5, 1830 received George and Jane in membership. On May 7, 1831 the Indiana Fairfield received in membership 8 children of George and Jane.

George and Jane’s daughter Phoebe Rebecca married Jesse Mendenhall in a civil ceremony in Marion County on August 12, 1832. On April 13, 1837, George, Jane and 9 children received a certificate to transfer their membership from Fairfield to Westfield Monthly Meeting in Hamilton County, Indiana where they were all received on September 7, 1837.

George is listed on the 1840 census for Jackson Township, Hamilton County. Indiana living next to his son in law Jesse Mendenhall. (Jesse’s wife was Phoebe Rebecca Haworth and one of their sons was William Riley Mendenhall father of Ida Jane.) George and Jane are also listed on the 1850 census for Jackson Township. In 1850, Hinkle Creek Monthly Meeting was set off from Westfield Monthly Meeting. On November 29, 1859, George and Jane received a certificate From Hinkle Creek Monthly Meeting to transfer membership (back) to Fairfield Monthly Meeting where they were received on January 19, 1860. George and Jane are listed on the 1860 census as living in the West Newton area of Decatur Township, Marion County. Jane died on September 16, 1867, George died on April 23, 1871 and both are buried in Easton Friends Burial Ground in West Newton.

Edward Thornburg, son of Joseph and Ann Armfield Thornburg and father of the above Jane, was born on March 30, 1757 in Rowan County, North Carolina. Phoebe Sumner Thornburg, wife of Edward, was the daughter of Robert and Phebe Beals Canaday Sumner, and was born in Rowan County, North Carolina on May 18, 1755 and died in
Guilford County, North Carolina on March 8, 1802 about one year after the birth of their last child Jacob. (Part of Rowan County became part of Guilford County in 1771.)

Edward married Keziah Wright on September 1, 1803 at New Garden Monthly Meeting, Guilford County, North Carolina. On September 27, 1806, Edward and Keziah Thornburg of Sandy Spring were given a certificate at the same New Garden Meeting to present to the Miami, Ohio Monthly Meeting in Warren County, Ohio and were received on certificate at Miami Monthly Meeting on March 12, 1807 with children Ann, Mary, Nathan, Joseph, Phebe, Jane, Edward, Jacob, Hannah, and Keziah. Hannah and Keziah were the children of Keziah, Edward’s second wife, the rest were children of Phoebe Sumner Thornburg. Edward and Keziah had two more daughters, Rebecca and Rachel, born while living in Ohio. Please remember that parts of Warren and Highland Counties became Clinton County in 1810 and an additional part of Highland County became part of Clinton County in 1813. Edward’s name appears in the History of Clinton County as owning a farm near Lees Creek. The Thornburgs may have either lived in Clinton or Highland County within a few miles of the Haworth family. (For those of you with short memory, I repeat that this Edward was the father of Jane who married George Haworth.)

Edward and family moved to Cherry Grove, Washington Township, Randolph County, Indiana either 1817 or 1818. Both of the mentioned dates are listed in The History of Randolph County which also shows three land entries. Randolph was not formed until 1818 but he could have moved to Indiana in 1817. Edward was an original member of Cherry Grove Meeting.

“The Quaker meeting was set up at Cherry Grove in 1816 or 1817 ; they built a double log cabin for a meeting-house.”
History of Randolph County ^

Edward died in Randolph County on December 9, 1839 and is buried at the Cherry Grove Monthly Meeting Burial Ground.