William Marvel Helton (1780 - 1847)

Born 1780 in Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Agnes (Unknown) Helton — married 1803 in Tennessee, USA

Descendants

Died 1847 at about age 67 in Hawkins, Tennessee, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Alisa Helton [send private message]

Biography

Life as a sharecropper, but loyal to his family [Posted on-line, Ancestry.com - 09 Sep 2012 by jbolding0328]

Marvel Helton must have come early to Tennessee, as all of his children who survived until the 1850 census were born in Tennessee, as early as 1805. He was taxed, with no land, in Captain Lucus's Company ,as a sharecropper in Hawkins Co, Tennessee. Since he was raising a large family there have been no land purchases bearing his name

Spouse -

Agnes Unknown 1790–1879

Children

John Helton 1804–

Sarah(Sally) Helton 1807–

Elizabeth Helton 1809–

Marvel Helton 1813–

Nancy Helton 1813–1900

Pleasant Helton 1817–

Lucinda Helton 1822–

William Helton 1823–

Joseph Helton 1824–

Thomas Helton 1827–

Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895

Name: Marvil Helton

Year: 1809

Residence: Hawkins, Tennessee

U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815

Name: Marvel Hilton

Company: BUNCH'S REG'T (1814), E. TENNESSEE MIL.

Rank - Induction: PRIVATE

Rank - Discharge: PRIVATE

Roll Box: 99

Microfilm Publication: M602

from comments below-

Bounty land warrants state Marvel served under Captain Griffin. Agnes transferred the first warrant on 1/2/1854. The warrant was for 80 acres in Jefferson County, Illinois. At that time, 80 acres meant that Marvel had served 4 months, which makes sense since Captain Griffin's group served from January 1814 to May 1814. The second warrant was transferred on 12/1/1859. Agnes must have gotten another 80 acres after the 1855 act made 160 acres the minimum. Interestingly, the second warrant was issued for Nodaway County, Missouri, which where William and Thomas were in 1870. In the early 1850's, the two were living in Hendricks County, Indiana. By 1854, William was living in Iowa. The warrant was transferred to Samuel Powell, who is found in District 10, Hawkins County, Tennessee in 1850. There were some Powells living in Nodaway County in the 1870's.

1830 United States Federal Census^[1]

Name: [Marvel HELTON]

Home in 1830 (City, County, State): Hawkins, Tennessee

Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 2

Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 5 thru 9: 2

Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 2

Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1

Free White Persons - Under 20: 10

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 3

Total Free White Persons: 14

Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 14

1840 United States Federal Census^[2]

Name: Marvel Helton

Home in 1840 (City, County, State): Hawkins, Tennessee

Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 2

Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1

Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1

Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1

Persons Employed in Agriculture: 4

No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: 2

Free White Persons - Under 20: 4

Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1

Total Free White Persons: 6

Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 6

Sources

1. ↑ 1830 United States Federal Census; Year: 1830; Census Place: Hawkins, Tennessee; Series: M19; Roll: 178; Page: 7; Family History Library Film: 0024536
2. ↑ 1840 United States Federal Census; Year: 1840; Census Place: Hawkins, Tennessee; Roll: 526; Page: 210; Family History Library Film: 0024546

• Tennessee, U.S., Early Tax List Records, 1783-1895
• U.S., War of 1812 Service Records, 1812-1815

Acknowledgments

• This person was created through the import of Smith-Hunter.ged on 10 March 2011.

Also see

Marvel Helton Military Service [Ancestry.com- Posted 20 Dec 2011 by modestlacey] Information on Bounty Land Warrants

COLONEL SAMUEL BUNCH DESIGNATION: 1st Regiment of Volunteer Mounted Infantry DATES: October 1813 - January 1814 MEN MOSTLY FROM: Claiborne, Grainger, Cocke, Greene, Hawkins, Jefferson, and Washington Counties CAPTAINS: James Cumming, William Houston(Huston), John Inman, William Jobe, Thomas Mann, James Penny, Henry Stephens, David G. Vance BRIEF HISTORY: Colonel Samuel Bunch commanded two separate regiments at different times during the war. This regiment of three-month enlistees, in the brigade of General James White, participated in the action against the tribe of Creeks known as the Hillabees (18 November 1813). Although Jackson was negotiating a peace proposal with this tribe, the East Tennesseans under General White were not aware of this situation when they attacked the Hillabee village. This attack by White's brigade, aided by a band of Cherokees, led to a stubborn resistance by the Hillabees until the end of the Creek War.

This regiment passed through Fort Armstrong, located on Cherokee land, in late November 1813. There was much protest by the Cherokees concerning property destroyed by the Tennessee troops as they were marching home. The Cherokees claimed that their livestock was "wantonly destroyed for sport" by the Tennessee soldiers.

DESIGNATION: 2nd Regiment of East Tennessee Militia DATES: January 1814 - May 1814 MEN MOSTLY FROM: Claiborne, Grainger, Washington, Jefferson, Knox, Blount, Cocke, Greene, Hawkins, Rhea, and Sevier Counties CAPTAINS: James Allen, Amos Barron, Francis Berry, Andrew Breeden, Edward Buchanan, Moses Davis, Solomon Dobkins, Joseph Duncan, John English, Nicholas Gibbs, George Gregory, Jones Griffin, John Houk, John Howell, John McNair(McNare), Francis Register, Samuel Richerson, (Maj.)Alexander Smith, Isaac Williams, Daniel Yarnell BRIEF HISTORY: Andrew Jackson's official report of the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (27 March 1814) mentions that "a few companies" of Colonel Bunch were part of the right line of the American forces at this engagement. More than likely, some of those companies included Captains Francis Berry, Nicholas Gibbs (who was killed at the battle), Jones Griffin, and John McNair. In addition, muster rolls show some casualties from this battle in the companies led by Captains Moses Davis, Joseph Duncan, and John Houk. Other men from this regiment remained at Fort Williams prior to Horseshoe Bend to guard the post -- provision returns indicate that there were 283 men from Bunch's regiment at the fort at the time of the battle.

This regiment was in General George Doherty's Brigade and many of the men stayed after the enlistment expiration of May 1814 to guard the posts at Fort Strother and Fort Williams until June/July. The line of march went through Camp Ross (near present-day Chattanooga), Fort Armstrong, and Fort Jackson.

The acts of 1850 to 1855 were not to encourage enlistments but to reward former service. The act of 1850 extended bounty land to officers and enlisted men who had not previously received land and who had served in any war since 1790, including the Indian wars. Nine months’ service brought 160 acres, four months’ service 80 acres, and one month’s service 40 acres. Since there was initial confusion over whether the act made warrants assignable, the GLO commissioner later ruled that it did not. The act of 1852 explicitly made them assignable and extended the 1850 act to militiamen who served after 1812.

The 1855 act extended bounty-land privileges even further by making 160 acres the minimum entitlement and reducing service to fourteen days or even less. Those who traveled 1,200 miles in service were eligible even if they served less time. A veteran or his heirs who had previously received fewer than 160 acres could apply for the balance. Eligibility was extended to chaplains, wagon masters, militia rangers, and volunteers of certain campaigns such as Kings Mountain, the Nickojack Campaign in Tennessee, and the Cook County volunteers in the Black Hawk War. An act of 14 May 1856 extended the 1855 benefits to naval veterans and any Revolutionary War service.

Putting It All Together

Bounty land warrants state Marvel served under Captain Griffin. Agnes transferred the first warrant on 1/2/1854. The warrant was for 80 acres in Jefferson County, Illinois. At that time, 80 acres meant that Marvel had served 4 months, which makes sense since Captain Griffin's group served from January 1814 to May 1814. The second warrant was transferred on 12/1/1859. Agnes must have gotten another 80 acres after the 1855 act made 160 acres the minimum. Interestingly, the second warrant was issued for Nodaway County, Missouri, which where William and Thomas were in 1870. In the early 1850's, the two were living in Hendricks County, Indiana. By 1854, William was living in Iowa. The warrant was transferred to Samuel Powell, who is found in District 10, Hawkins County, Tennessee in 1850. There were some Powells living in Nodaway County in the 1870's.