Hunting for WIlliam Nelson in Ohio and Kentucky

Date: 2024 [unknown]
Location: [unknown]

From PK to EPC 5/16/2019 I’ve attached a William Nelson deed recorded in Ross Co. in 1803. The land is described as being in Adams County, but Spencer Records is mentioned. This looks to be Col. Wm. Nelson (1746-1807) and Lucy Chiswell of Caroline Co., VA.

I’ve also rechecked (and attached) a William Nelson land grant in Fayette Co., KY. Usually I look at the surveys on KY land grants because they often have the chain-carriers noted. I had dismissed this one, for 1500 acres, assuming it was a VA RW officer. But I checked the warrant this time, and it turns out it was paid for, not awarded. I’ve found so few Wm Nelson records in KY, I guess I’ve become jaded. http://apps.sos.ky.gov/land/nonmilitary/patentseries/vaandokpatents/Default.aspx

One William Nelson record that did catch my attention was a Nicholas Co., KY deed. Stoner & Hinkston Creeks are said to be near the Bourbon-Nicholas Co. line and the “old” RW Moses Nelson (wf=Catharine Shubart) was in Nicholas Co. The Cincinnati residence of this William Nelson was of interest because Ralph Nelson appears to have been in the Cincinnati area briefly.

Nicholas Co DBE, p107 – 29 May 1815 between William Nelson of Cincinnati in the County of Hamilton and State of Ohio of one part and Benjamin Flag of Cincinnati of the other part. Whereas Archilaus Vanhook Esqr Sheriff of Nicholas County State of Kentucky by virtue of an Execution issued from the clerks office of the Nicholas Circuit Court in favor of John Bryan against the Estate of Samuel Blythe did on the 4 May of February A.D. 1815 Deed to the said William Nelson with several other tracts of land One Thousand acres of land on Beaver Creek being part of a large claim in the name of Charles Willing of Sixteen Thousand acres and known and distinguished on the general plan of division by its number (33) the property of the said Samuel Blythe, which said Thousand acres is bounded as follows…{mention of Crooked Creek}…Now this Indenture Witnesseth that the said William Nelson in pursuance of his title so as above specified derived and also in consideration of One Thousand Dollars to him in hand paid by the said Benjamin Flag…doth grant bargain sell alien and confirm unto said Benjamin Flag and his heirs forever, the tract of land above mentioned…{signed} William A. Nelson 30 May 1815 William A Nelson appeared before Hamilton Co., OH Justice of Peace and acknowledged deed of conveyance

There was also a Samuel Nelson, out of Nicholas Co. KY who went to Dearborn Co., IN. [Nicholas Co DBK, p27 – 31 Jan 1833, Samuel Nelson and wife Sarah of Dearborn Co., IN to Samuel Howe of Nicholas Co, KY for $100, remaining 50 acres on Cassady Creek; Sarah Nelson personally appeared, separate and apart from her husband and signed deed, 31 Jan 1833 in presence of Boone Co, KY justice of peace; Samuel acknowledge deed 11 Feb 1833 before Nicholas Co. Court Clerk]

EPC 05/15/2019

That was well thought out. I had not thought of the possible residence with Ralph Nelson in Hampshire Co. VA. But I'm also aware that they could have been living across the Ohio River from Galipolis or Portsmouth and still have been in Virginia, and not back in Hampshire Co. This map of Ohio shows the county borders. https://www.mapofus.org/ohio/

Select 1st item and scroll down to the Interactive Map of Ohio County Formation History. Click on 1803 then 1804 and you will see how Gallia Cos. borders moved. Jackson Co. wasn't formed until 1816. They could have been in the same location in Gallia and Jackson and only the name of the county changed. [You can see KY & VA maps on this site too]

I've been looking at female Nelson marriages - OH-KY-VA before and after 1812 and followed and eliminated a few. We have never identified the Aga Nelson who married Abraham Jones in 1812 Jax Co., OH - but I also don't find them. And another thought - Moses named his daughters Nancy Ann, Elizabeth and Sarah. Elizabeth Nelson Bunn named her daughters Mary Ann, Eliza and Elizabeth. Mother Nelson could have any of these names. Per the Ohio arrival date of 1800 - this may be a rounding off to an even year rather than a specific date. And in Moses Nelson's obit it says Mr. Nelson was born in Virginia, August 12, 1806. [there is typo 1906 on date in my timeline] He moved from Virginia to Jackson County, Ohio in the year 1824? Was 1824 an estimate so many years later? Or maybe he never lived in KY or OH at anytime prior to 1824. I've been sorting lots of files and found a journal written by Spencer Records, given to me by a descendant long ago. His pioneer path follows that of our Nelsons. His original journal was taken by Lyman Draper to copy and never returned to him. He wrote other versions after that. Here is an online version http://www.hyzercreek.com/spencerrecords.htm Much of it is about Indian raids but he went to KY in 1783 and to Ross Co., OH in 1801 then eventually to Bartholomew Co., IN. My version is also different and I have it because it contains Nelsons - Records Family Records by Francis A. Records 1965. Spencer Records daughter Rachel b.1810, married Milton Nelson in 1830. He was the son of Samuel Nelson and Nancy Allen. You can see their line here. https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LH5X-T8Q From my version: p. 4 - " In Ross Co., Vol. 4, p.24, Spencer recorded on 2-8-1803 his 270 acre wilderness farm on Sunfish Creek, Ross Co. (now in Pike Co.) the William Nelson Tract 2743 Survey. Later, the small unincorporated village of Byington grew near the top center of the survey."

p.20 - "In March, 1801, I moved to the State of Ohio; and settled in Ross County on Sunfish Creek where I had previously bought land. There l built a. saw and grist mill. In 1803 I was with two other men appointed to view [survey] a road from Newnarket to the salt works. Forty miles of it was at that time through the woods. The other men not being woodsmen, it fell on me to lead. We found a good way for the road, which was sometime after cut out and became a public road. In 1804 I was solicited to be a candidate for captain, to which I objected. However, as I did not attend the election, I was run in and received my commission from the governor of Ohio, which I returned to Gen. Massie, letting him know that it did not suit me to serve." Who was this William Nelson? I had seen reference to this tract but had not known exactly where it was. This book also mentions Ralph as a surname. An "Ephriam Ralph a cousin of his fathers" It seems odd to me that no one in Nelson family named a child Ralph. p.9. "In the year 1782 Capt. Laughery was descending the Ohio in a boat with his company, in order to join Gen. Clarke; he landed at the mouth of a creek below the mouth of the Big Miame; he was there attacked by the Indians and defeated. Laughery and Ralph were both killed." That's all for now.