Hannah Cochran Yandell was named in the William Caroll Cochran letter as a sister to Thomas Cochran who had married Elizabeth Ritch.[1] Tracing her life means tracing her husband's life as females appear so rarely in the extant records of the time. In this case, the work was complicated by the existence of two William Yandells at most times and places, with little in the way to extinguish one from the other. I have done my best, but I think further research of the records at the location will be necessary to develop full confidence in these conclusions.
Hannah Cochran was born between 1774 and 1775 in North Carolina.[2] Her parents' names are unknown.
Some time around 1797[3] she married William Yandell, who lived in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.[4]
The Yandell family and the Cochran family likely had longstanding ties to each other, as both had arrived in Mecklenburg County from Pennsylvania, and followed similar emigration paths when they left North Carolina, some to Kentucky and some to Tennessee (and some of those moved later to Kentucky).
As new families tended to do, the pair began to birth a passel of kids – probably 10 to 12 before all was said and done. But more work needs to be done to be sure that the children they are often credited with are actually their children, as little direct evidence is available. Before 1800, at least one child – a female – was born. The 1800 census for Mecklenburg, NC[5] shows them as a family of three.
They continued to have children through the next decade. The following are 'possible' children that have been claimed for them. Sometime after 1800 and before 1810, Jesse W. Yandell was born. Sometime between 1803 and 1807 Thomas Yandell was born.[6] On 15 Jan 1805 James Wilson Yandell was born.[7] In 1809 William F Yandell was born. The 1810 census for Mecklenburg, NC[8] credits the family with six children: three boys and two girls under 10, (which means at least one of the males listed above is NOT their child) and one girl 10-15. We now have three unnamed daughters for this family.
Many of the Yandells, and maybe James Cochran, a brother to Hannah, left Mecklenburg Co in the 1810s, and were in Sumner County, Tennessee by 1812 when, on 18 Aug 1812, William Yandell purchased 370 acres of land from Josiah Rucks. William paid $430 for the land which was located on Drake's Creek, and was originally part of a thousand acre grant to Richard Cook. William's brothers Wilson and John, along with MDLF Sharp, witnessed the sale. The deed was registered in the court in November of 1814.[9]
Sumner County is located just a little north of Nashville, Tennessee, and is a little south of the border with Kentucky. It's largest town is Hendersonville, and Gallatin is the county seat. It is a gently rolling and well-watered land with the Cumberland River as a major waterway, though the Barren River, flowing out of Kentucky, is large as well. An 1874 publication of the Bureau of Agriculture extolls its virtues, describing it thus: "The rich beauty of the green sward that clothes the rolling surface of more than half the county, the dark green foliage of the maple forests, the perennial streams that flash and sparkle through verdant meadows, the horde of fine stock that browse upon the rich herbage..."[10]
On 2 May 1815 the names of both William Yandell and his brother Sam showed up in a list of letters left in the post office on 1 April 1815.[11] On 4 August that same year, William purchased 100 acres of a land grant (#13186) originally issued to Edward Jennings for 640 acres. The land was surveyed 5 Jan 1818 "at the head of the dry fork of Drake's Creek of the Barren River."[12] And on 3 Nov 1815, William bought another 430 acres of land from John Mayfield. William paid a dollar per acre for land that consisted of 800 acres on the West Fork of Drake's Creek on the east side waters of the Big Banner River, minus 370 acres which Mayfield had sold to Josiah Rucks, who had then sold it to William Yandell. Brothers Wilson and John again witnessed the deed.[13] At this point, William should be a large landowner along Drake's Creek, holding around 900 acres.
In Nov 1818, William sold to John Hobdey[14] 56 and one half acres for $169.50. It was land on Drake's Creek of the Barren River, and was part of the 400 acres granted to Richard Cook.[15] William Yandell was in the newspaper again, this time in April of 1819, with a notice he had taken up a stray on the Barren Fork of Drake's Creek, of Big Barren.[16] And on 24 Sep 1819, William Yandell SEN purchased from William Yandell JR 29 and one-half acres on the waters of Drakes Creek of the Big Barren River.[17] I'm guessing William who married Hannah is the senior, and William Jr is most likely a nephew of William Sr. (William's brother Samuel had a son named William, who was born in 1794. Samuel was also in Sumner Co. at the time. Or this is a different William altogether. We do know that William's son, William, born 1813, would have been too young to buy and sell land in 1819.) This second William married Milley Heffington in 1818. William paid $40 for the land.
But that is the only time the Williams are distinguished by Jr and Sr in the land deeds. And Sumner County did not record a wife's relinquishment of dower within their deed books. In some cases it was recorded in the county minute books, but as of yet, I have had no luck in determining through the minute books which William sold which piece of land. In addition, their properties in some cases bordered each other, so location is also not much of a help in separating the two. Nonetheless, we know that William and Hannah eventually moved to Graves County, Kentucky, and all the land purchased by the two Williams in Sumner County was sold between 1819 and 1827. The William Yandell family we are concerned with ended up in Graves County in time for the 1830 census.
So the land records now have to be taken with a grain of salt, as we know there are two William Yandells in the area, and the records themselves offer us no way to distinguish between the two.[18]
William and Hannah continued to accumulate children along with property in the years between 1810 and 1820. Their son Samuel Yandell was born around 1818-1819 in Tennessee. We can be fairly certain of Samuel as a son as Hannah was living with him in the 1850 census.[19]More possible children include Hiram Yandell, born 14 Jul 1811[20]; and Hannah Yandell, born 1816.[21]
On 24 March 1819 William Yandle sold to Colin Campbell, for $200, 100 acres at the head of the Dry fork of the Cavy fork and the Cavy branch of the Cavy fork of Drake's Creek of Barren River, containing the original grant of 100 acres to William Yandle. The deed was registered Nov 1819/5 Jun 1820 and was witnessed by James Bracken, and John Bracken.[22] Then on 14 Aug 1819 William sold to William Dorris 153 acres on the waters of Drake's Creek of the Big Barren River for $400. The deed was witnessed by Joseph Spradling and John Logan, and not recorded until 11 Jun 1836. [23]
The census for 1820, in Sumner County,[24] includes both William Yandells, with no Jr or Sr to distinguish them. And if the Williams are the oldest men living in the home, then they are both over the age of 45, which would rule out the additional William being the nephew born in 1794. I suspect, however, that the William with no young children actually has his wife's parents living in the home (his own father is enumerated on his own), as we know that William married Milly Hetherington in 1818 and was just starting his family.
So as the only William with an infant son in 1820, we learn that William and Hannah actually had ten children living in the home with them. There are three boys and two girls under 10, two boys and one girl 10-15, one boy 15-18, and one boy 16-25. They have four boys who should have showed up in the 1810 census but only three did so, meaning one of these boys is likely not theirs (or is a boy born during the 1810 census year and not counted). There are three more boys (Hiram, Sam and ?) and two new girls (Hannah and ?) who have been born. They should also have had one more female aged 10 to 20, who has also either died or married. Altogether, these three censuses show they had 12 children total, unless some of these children in their home are not theirs.
Speculation: there are two female Yandells who married in Sumner County before the census. Polly Yandle married William Ward on 6 Feb 1817[25], and a Catey Yandell married James Foster on 3 Jan 1820.[26] Of course, these could also be daughters of William Yandell's brother Samuel.
On 3 Mar 1824 William Yandle sold to Richard Hobday 50 acres on the West fork of Drake's Creek of Big Barren River for $150. The deed was witnessed by John Durham and John Hobday and registered May 1824/15 Jul 1824.[27]
On 7 Jul 1825 William Yandle sold 30 and ¼ acres to Richard D Hobday for $90.75. The land was on the West fork of Drake's Creek of Barren River, and John Hobday, Daniel Perdew, and Joseph Spradlin witnessed the deed, registered May term 1826/25 May 1826.[28] Then on 27 Jul 1825, William sold to Daniel Perdew 150 acres on the West fork of Drake's Creek of Barren River for $450. Richard D Hobday, John Hobday, and Joseph Spradlin witnessed the deed, which was registered May term 1826/22 May 1826.[29] Six months later, on 12 Nov 1825, he sold 81 acres to Woody Martin for $200. Thomas Yandle and William Davis witnessed the transaction, which was registered Nov 1825/19 Jan 1826.[30]
As William was busy selling all this land, the “Nashville Banner and Nashville Whig” [31]carried a notice from Sumner County Sheriff Charles Morgan that he was selling "all the right, title and interest that Wm. Yandell, sen'r, has to twenty-nine and one half acres of land, on the waters of Drake's Creek of Barren River, sold at the instance of Jesse Skun." The notice was dated 26 March 1825, and indicated the sale would take place on the "Saturday before the second Monday in May next."
In 1827, a William Yandell is still selling land. 102 acres on the west fork of Drake's Creek of Barren River was sold to Andrew Denning for $250 on 6 January. Elijah Wright, and John D Denning were witnesses to the deed, which was registered 24 Jan 1843.[32] Then on 24 Feb 1827, William Yandell sold to Jesse Dorris for $131 81 acres on the waters of Drake's Creek of Big Barren River, witnessed by James Matceif(?) and William Dorris, and registered 4 May 1839.[33] Sometime after this William, Hannah and at least some of their children picked up stakes and moved into Kentucky, an area where many of Hannah's Cochran family members were living.
Graves County is one of the infamous “burned” counties which make research so difficult, with courthouse disasters occurring in 1864, 1867, and 1896. Nonetheless, some records remain, and we do find our Yandells in them.
In 1829, William Yandle is taxed for 160 acres along Mayfield Creek in Graves Co., KY. He's also taxed for one male over 16, 4 slaves over 16, 5 other slaves, 4 horses, and two children aged 5 to 14.[34]
We find the family in the 1830 census, in Graves County. Six of their children are still living in their household in Kentucky: one male and one female aged 10-14; two males aged 15-19; and two males aged 20-29.[35] And not far away... we find another William Yandle, born between 1790 and 1800. Is this the same possible nephew from Sumner County? Maybe so.
The 1830 tax list shows William with a white male over 16, 2 slaves over 16, 6 additional slaves, 4 horses, and that same 160 acres on Mayfield Creek. Moses Yandle has joined onto the tax list this year, as one white poll with one horse, possibly identifying him as a son, born about 1814 if he's just turned 16 and appearing on the tax list.[36] It's interesting that Samuel is not on the tax list, but I wonder if he's actually the white poll William is paying tax for, William himself now being old enough to be exempt.
The 1831 tax list has William with 6 slaves over 16, 10 total slaves, and 5 horses and his 160 acres; Moses, though the ink is very faded, seems to have nothing.[37]
In 1833, William is up to 320 acres on the tax list, with one male poll, 4 slaves over 16, ten additional slaves and 4 horses. Moses, also on Mayfield Creek and now with 160 acres, is also taxed for himself and two horses.[38]
The 1834 tax list shows William with 4 slaves over 16, 10 total slaves, and 4 horses and is now up to 440 acres; Moses now has 320 acres and 2 horses.[39]
The 1835 tax list shows William with no real change in circumstances, though he now has 7 horses and Moses has 3.[40]
James Cochran and William Yandel were two of the first trustees of Farmington, which was laid out in 1836.[41] We don't know which William this is, of course, but as he's paired with James Cochran - probably Hannah's brother James - we can hope this is "our" William.
The 1837 tax list reflects a change, when it appears both William and Moses no longer own any slaves.[42] There is no tax list for 1838 and in 1839 things get tricky. William is back to owning 3 slaves over 16, while Moses has one under 16. A Miles Yandle also enters the tax roll; he could be a child of either of the Williams or of Wilson.[43] But a second William isn't found. Which one has died or left the area?
By the 1840 census in Graves Co., KY[44] the Yandell family have four slaves in their household; one son (Samuel) is still living at home and they've gained a male born sometime between 1821 and 1825... a surprise child to them if it's their own (though a child born in that time frame does not exist on the 1830 census), or maybe a grandchild from a child of theirs who had died. Maybe this is the Miles from the tax lists. IF this is our William at all.
The tax rolls in the 1840s continue to show a single William being taxed, with 400 acres on Mayfield Creek. Although no Yandells appear in the 1845 record, they are back in 1846. And in 1847 the Yandells are there... but no Williams. For the first time, however, Samuel is listed as being charged with tax on property – 400 acres of it on Mayfield Creek.[45] It would seem that Samuel has inherited the property of the William who died (suggesting he is his son), and with Hannah living in Samuel's home in 1850, the strongest inference is that our William Yandell had died or left the area by the time of the 1847 tax enumeration. It's likely he died, and if that happened in 1847, he would have been 75 years old. (Most online trees for this William Yandell suggest he died in 1840, and link to a Find a Grave listing that no longer exists; instead the computer serves a message that the original listing has been merged with a completely different, modern-day William Yandell.)
In the 1850 census for District 1 in Graves Co., Kentucky, Hannah is now living in the home of (her son?) Samuel.[46]
Most online trees list that Hannah Cochran Yandell died in 1855 in Sedalia, Graves, Kentucky... with no source for that information. The William Cochran letter that we began with states she died in Sedalia, and she likely did so between 1850 and 1860 as she is not found in the 1860 census.
Possible Yandell children |
A note on DNA: I am related to this family through Hannah Cochran's unknown father. Therefore any DNA matches I have through Yandell lines should lead to Hannah's children and help serve to identify who they were. Currently, I have identified DNA matches to Jesse W Yandell (1); Thomas Yandell (11); James Wilson Yandell (1); William Yandell (3); Hannah Yandell (1); and Samuel Yandell (3). There are easily 20 more DNA matches that match my Cochran lines and have Yandells in their tree, but I have not yet verified a path that might lead them to William and Hannah Yandell.
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