In Baumholder, Germany Edward Earl Haston 1932 – 2002 Obituary Grave Rank and Branch of Military Corporal, Army Years of Service 1951 – 1954 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Baumholder, Germany Wartime Theaters of Assignment and Major Battles Korean War Relationship to the Daniel Haston Family Descended through David Haston, Daniel’s son Other InformationContinue

From Atheist-Alcoholic-Addict-& Suicidal to the Light I’m proud to call Skip my first cousin once removed – his mother was Mary Ruth Haston, my first cousin, and my Mom’s best friend in their growing up years. I encourage you to listen to Skip’s inspiring story. -Wayne Haston Skip Ockomon, a former firefighter, shares his personalContinue

Part 2 – The Man Behind the Trigger on April 23, 2024 Part 1 – The Shooting Death Part 2 – The Shooter, Ernest Price Part 3 – The Search for Ernest Price One of Daniel Haston’s G-G-G Granddaughters played a major role in the post-shooting drama. In Part 3, I will tell you someContinue

The Site That Became Spencer, TN Baptismal pool at the town spring in Spencer, TN in about 1915-17. The woman is Inez Woodlee Isom. -Photo provided by Marr Temples Original Name of the Site that Became Spencer, Tennessee On Monday, April 6, 1840, Van Buren County Court met for the first time.  At that time, noContinue

230-Plus Events in the Life of David Haston, Phase 3 Pre-Marriage Life Early Marriage in Knox County, TN White County, TN Years Van Buren County, TN Years Pre-Marriage Life Early Marriage in Knox County, TN White County, TN Years Van Buren County, TN Years If you appreciated this article, please share it with others whoContinue

40 Years of Service to Our Country & the State of Tennessee And Max Has Made a Significant Contribution to the “Haston” Name “He made a difference and he went out making a difference.” Boyhood Beginnings ROTC to Major General TN Adjutant General Armory Dedication If you want to know more about Max–his leadership philosophyContinue

Congratulations, Max! Thank You For Your Service. This new National Guard Armory near McMinnville, TN will be dedicated to honor our cousin, Major General (retired) Max Haston. “It takes the sun and the stars to align just right to get an armory.” -A Max Haston “Maxism” From the time the process began, it took moreContinue

David Haston – First Owner of Spencer, TN Town Lot #44 And Six More David Haston was the first owner of Spencer, TN town lots #44 & 45. He sold Lot #44 to the Church of Christ in 1853. Van Buren County, Tennessee was formed early in 1840. During the September 1841 term of theContinue

A River of Importance to the Early Daniel Haston Family Arthur Weir Crouch, Author TN State Library & Archives (TSLA) Accession #’s 73-88 and Library of Congress # MS 69-1891 Go to the Book Balsam Range performing ‘Caney Fork River‘ in Studio B on September 25, 2015 If you like good blue grass music, IContinue

Bringing Together Haston Kinfolk from All Over the USA Some of Daniel Haston’s descendants morphed the name into Hastain, Hastin, Hasting, Hastings, and other variant spellings, but he (Daniel Haston) is our first generation-to-America ancestor. In July 2022 the first-ever Daniel Haston All-USA Family Reunion was held in the “Haston Homeland” (Southern White County, TN). Continue

Help Your Children and Grandchildren Learn to Love Their Family’s History Part 3 – “Five More Tips” will be posted next week.  Stay tuned! Part 1 – Getting Children Interested Part 2 – Five Tips Part 3 – Five More Tips For children, genealogy can be just as incredible a way to find meaning andContinue

The Daniel Haston Family – Pioneer Tennessee Settlers More Than a Decade Before Tennessee Became a State Daniel Haston was truly an American pioneer in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, East Tennessee, but even more so in what became Middle Tennessee–White County in particular. Wayne Haston Daniel Haston and his family were American pioneers, inContinue

100 Years Ago – Status of Middle Tennessee Counties Politically, Tennessee is divided into three Grand Divisions–East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and West Tennessee.  The counties of East Tennessee are Anderston, Bledsoe, Blount, Bradley, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Cumberland, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hamilton, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Marion, McMinn, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Polk, Rhea,Continue

Bert Kaempfert on a Historic Swiss Hiestand Farm If you were listening to popular music in the 1960s-1970s, you may not remember his name, but you will remember his music–Bert Kaempfert.  Mr. Kaempfert was not one of our Hiestand relatives, but at the height of his success and fame, he was living and composing musicContinue

Is the Information on this Historical Marker correct? Was John White the First Settler of White County, TN? And Was White County, TN Named to Honor Him? The most common tradition is that the county was named for John White, a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia and an early settler in White County.  Monroe Seals,Continue

Clues to the Identity of Daniel Haston’s Mother A Centuries-Old Mystery The family of Henrich Hiestand has been thoroughly researched for many years, but the identity of his wife has never been conclusively determined.  However, if you dig very deeply into Henrich Hiestand family research you will find that there has been no lack ofContinue

Our First Daniel Haston Family Association Regional Reunion Portland, Oregon Our first Daniel Haston Family Association-sponsored regional (mini) reunion was held in Portland, Oregon on Friday evening, September 29, and all day Saturday, September 30.  The Friday evening event was very informal, with snacks, coffee, etc.  For nearly four hours, the place was buzzing withContinue

The Civil War Divided the Haston Family in Missouri Battle of Wilson’s Creek The August 10, 1861 Battle of Wilson’s Creek was the first major Civil War battle west of the Mississippi River.  It was fought just a few miles southwest of Springfield in Greene County, Missouri.  Fortunately for Isaac Haston and most of hisContinue

230-Plus Events in the Life of David Haston, Phase 2 Pre-Marriage Life Early Marriage in Knox County, TN White County, TN Years Van Buren County, TN Years Pre-Marriage Life Early Marriage in Knox County, TN White County, TN Years Van Buren County, TN Years If you appreciated this article, please share it with others whoContinue

Daniel Haston’s GG Grand Niece and Nephew Make Amazing Discovery Indiana’s Most Visited Natural Attraction! Marengo Cave text from www.marengocave.com/ Marengo, Indiana The two kids were Hiestands, from the very same family as Daniel Hiestand/Haston–his great-great-grandniece and nephew! For more of the story about Blanche and Orris’s story of the discovery of the cave, seeContinue

Witnesses Come to the Defense of Mrs. Ida Haston Two sets of hearings and trials were planned, one set in the juvenile court for Ida’s daughter Thelma and another hearing and trial in the circuit court for Mrs. Ida Haston.  But accusations against Ida and defense testimonies in her favor were a major part ofContinue

Tragedy at the Tennessee State Capitol Building July 17, 1890 A shudder passed through the convention hall last night when the announcement was made that a man had fallen from the second story of the Capitol and killed.  The Chairman of the White County delegation was called for, as the victim was one of hisContinue

A Haston Heritage Tour Based On Your Family Line Back to Daniel Haston Now that we are living back in the Haston Homeland… Wayne and Sharon Haston – Now in White County, Tennessee (near where our Haston roots were firmly established in about 1804) We would love to guide you on a tour of sitesContinue

Devil’s Bridge – Canton Schwyz, Switzerland The world our early Swiss Hiestand lived in was filled with legends of witchcraft and devilish interactions with humans.  Located a few miles from where our Hiestand ancestors lived was a bridge that they surely would have known about–the Devil’s Bridge.  Our June 2023 Hiestand-Haston tour group visited thisContinue

The Mystery of the Civil War Yankee Officer’s Sword I wish there was more I could say about this sword, but pretty much all that is known in the Haston family is that at some point after the Civil War, a Federal officer’s story was found in a hollow tree on the farm where ConfederateContinue

Early Land Owners & Occupants – Caney Fork & Cane Creek White County, TN (Later, Van Buren County) 1811-1815 1816-1818 1821-1825 1826-1829 1832-1836 1837-1839 If you appreciated this article, please share it with others who might also enjoy it. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Order Copies of the Book – Or, See More Information andContinue

Part 2 – The Kin Maynard Murder Trial Part 1 – The Killing of Woodville Haston Part 2 – Kin Maynard, Guilty or Not Guilty? After his initial arrest and preliminary hearing in Van Buren County, Kin Maynard escaped and fled to Texas, where he lived for more than a year before being arrested again.Continue

Incorporation of the Big Fork Historic Cemetery Ground Penetrating Radar Mapping Big Fork Baptist Church Along a dead-end road in northern Van Buren County, an area of White County until the 1840 formation of Van Buren County, lies Big Fork Cemetery, a historic burying ground that is out of sight and mostly out of mind,Continue

The Life of Carissa Haston – Her Joys, Sufferings, & Faith Carissa Renee Haston, age 45, of New Cumberland, PA passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 22, 2023, surrounded by her Mom and Dad, two sisters, Faith and Celeste, and Faith’s husband, Ben. She was born on October 28, 1977, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to WayneContinue

1816-1818 Tax Book – Cane Creek & Caney Fork Militia District 1811-1815 1816-1818 1821-1825 1826-1829 1832-1836 1837-1839 Important Notes: Page numbers are .pdf page numbers from the CD, White Co, TN Deeds. Transcribed spellings may not be accurate in every case, due to the difficulty of reading the original text. If you have information to correctContinue

1832-1836 Tax Book – Cane Creek & Caney Fork Militia District 1811-1815 1816-1818 1821-1825 1826-1829 1832-1836 1837-1839 Important Notes: Page numbers are .pdf page numbers from the CD, White Co, TN Deeds. Transcribed spellings may not be accurate in every case, due to the difficulty of reading the original text. If you have information to correctContinue

1837-1839 Tax Book – Cane Creek & Caney Fork Civil District 1811-1815 1816-1818 1821-1825 1826-1829 1832-1836 1837-1839 Important Notes: Page numbers are .pdf page numbers from the CD, White Co, TN Deeds. Transcribed spellings may not be accurate in every case, due to the difficulty of reading the original text. If you have information to correctContinue

200 Posts and Counting – With Many More to Come Browse through the Entire Collection And Many, Many More! What Haston-Related People, Family Lines, or Topics Would You Like to Know More About? If you appreciated this article, please share it with others who might also enjoy it. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Order CopiesContinue

Basic Rule of Recording History = Valid Documentation! The “Beyond Family Lore” Series Three Stages of Haston Research Seven Inaccuracies in Haston Genealogies If It Ain’t Documented, it Ain’t History Wayne’s Rant As a Ph.D. student at the University of Tennessee, I was required to take a collection of courses on how to conduct credibleContinue

Seven Major Errors in Early Haston Genealogical Documents The “Beyond Family Lore” Series Three Stages of Haston Research Seven Inaccuracies in Haston Genealogies If It Ain’t Documented, it Ain’t History There is much to appreciate about Haston family members of earlier generations who sincerely sought to discover and record the history of Daniel Haston’s massiveContinue

1924 – 2010 Richard Dale Haston Rank and Branch of Military E-6, Navy Years of Service 1941-1945 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service RTC San Diego, CA – Served aboard the USS Hammondsport AKV-2 Military Schools Attended Anti Aircraft Training Center – San Diego, CA 2nd and 3rd endorsements – June 1944 Wartime Theaters ofContinue

William Lester Haston, Sr. – Victim of WWI Poison Gas Warfare Part 1 – Military Service The Story of a WWI (Haston) Veteran Who Ultimately Gave His Life for Our Country Part 2 will be posted the weekend of June 3 and 4, 2023. Part 1 – World War 1 Experiences Part 2 – TragicContinue

The Evolution of Research on the Daniel Haston Family Three Stages of Haston Research Seven Inaccuracies in Haston Genealogies If It Ain’t Documented, it Ain’t History I don’t know when members of the Daniel Haston FAMILY began to develop an interest in discovering the historical story of Daniel Haston’s life and ancestry.  I can imagineContinue

The Slicker War of Missouri And the Family of Isham Bradley, Friend of the Haston Family “Isham Hobbs was a noted character, and probably the worst desperado ever on the borders.” Isham Hobbs (probably born in White County, TN) was the namesake grandson of Isham Bradley, a very close friend of the Daniel Haston family. Continue

Help Tracing You Back to Daniel Haston If you are a “Haston” or related to a Haston, chances are you are a member of the Daniel Haston FAMILY, that is scattered in all or most all of the United States.  I have to add the “chances are” caveat because there are some American Hastons thatContinue

Frühe Schweizer Täufer Hiestand im Deutschen Rheinland Co-Autoren: Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Schweiz) und Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA) (Einschließlich bedeutender Forschungsdaten von Kent Douglas Hiestand) Serie: Frühe Schweizer Hiestand Hiestand 1401 Herkunft und Bedeutung des Familiennamens Schweizer Familien Hiestand und ihre Höfe im 15. Jahrhundert Ueli Hiestands Höfe Beichlen und Himmeri Hiestand in der Schönau,Continue

Centuries of Swiss Hiestands in a Land Cooperative Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Switzerland) and Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA), Co-Authors (Including significant research data from Kent Douglas Hiestand) “Early Swiss Hiestands” Series Hiestand – 1401 Origin & Meaning of the Family Name Swiss Hiestand Families and Farms in the 1400s Ueli Hiestand’s Beichlen and HimmeriContinue

Hiestand Coat of Arms The clenched fists are a clue that this shield was not created by or for an Anabaptist, but by a Swiss Hiestand who had not joined that movement.  However, he may have been sympathetic to and protective of neighbors and relatives who were Anabaptists. Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Switzerland) and Dr. WayneContinue

Timeline of Daniel Haston’s Life – c. 1750-1826 The first 30 or so years of Daniel Hiestand’s life were spent in Virginia.  The next (approximately) 20 years were spent in western North Carolina, the “Overmountain” area that became Upper East Tennessee.  He spent about 10 years in Knox County, western part of East Tennessee, andContinue

1840-1866 – Hastons in Van Buren County, TN County Court Minutes Early Hastons in the County Court – Mostly for Good, But Sometimes for Bad 1,538 Haston References      Search Within This Page     [search-in-place-form in_current_page=”1″] April 1840 – May 1855 Van Buren County, TN County Court Minutes (From TSLA – Van Buren County, TNContinue

Hidden Away in a Tiny Nook of Canton Zürich, Switzerland Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Switzerland) and Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA), Co-Authors (Including significant research data from Kent Douglas Hiestand) “Early Swiss Hiestands” Series Hiestand – 1401 Origin & Meaning of the Family Name Swiss Hiestand Families and Farms in the 1400s Ueli Hiestand’s BeichlenContinue

“The Homeplace” The Isham S. Haston Family By Andrew LaRowe I am just old enough to have had the opportunity to know someone that was born on a farm in Tennessee in 1881. Della Myrtle Haston was my great-grandmother. She came to Winston Salem, North Carolina to live with her daughter, Arabelle, and they livedContinue

Wappen Hiestand Die geballten Fäuste sind ein Hinweis darauf, dass dieses Wappen nicht von einem oder für einen Täufer geschaffen wurde, sondern von einem Schweizer Hiestand, der sich dieser Bewegung nicht angeschlossen hatte. Er könnte jedoch mit Nachbarn und Verwandten, die Täufer waren, sympathisiert und sie beschützt haben. Co-Autoren: Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Schweiz) und Dr.Continue

Dr. Fred Dexter Haston, M.D. How many men or women are prominent enough to have a 700-word article about them in a history book of the state they lived in for 20 years or so?  One Great-Great Grandson of Daniel Haston did!  Several years ago, even before I began researching my Haston family, I happenedContinue

Ueli Hiestand, Prominenter Bauer im 15. Jahrhundert Co-Autoren: Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Schweiz) und Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA) (Einschließlich bedeutender Forschungsdaten von Kent Douglas Hiestand) Serie: Frühe Schweizer Hiestand Die Links werden aktiviert und veröffentlicht am17.9.2022, 1.10.2022, 15.10.2022, 29.10.2022, 12.11.2022, 26.11.2022, 10.12.2022. Hiestand 1401 Herkunft und Bedeutung des Familiennamens Schweizer Familien Hiestand und ihre HöfeContinue

The Hiestand Family Name – It’s Origin, Meaning, and Pronunciation Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Switzerland) and Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA), Co-Authors (Including significant research data from Kent Douglas Hiestand) “Early Swiss Hiestands” Series Hiestand – 1401 Origin & Meaning of the Family Name Swiss Hiestand Families and Farms in the 1400s Ueli Hiestand’s BeichlenContinue

Unsere Schweizer Hiestand-Vorfahren im 15. Jahrhundert Co-Autoren: Dr. Peter Ziegler (Zürich, Schweiz) und Dr. Wayne Haston (Pennsylvania, USA) (Einschließlich bedeutender Forschungsdaten von Kent Douglas Hiestand) Serie: Frühe Schweizer Hiestand Die Links werden aktiviert und veröffentlicht am17.9.2022, 1.10.2022, 15.10.2022, 29.10.2022, 12.11.2022, 26.11.2022, 10.12.2022. Hiestand 1401 Herkunft und Bedeutung des Familiennamens Schweizer Familien Hiestand und ihre Höfe imContinue

Cousins or First Cousins-Once Removed What’s the Difference? A cousin at any distance or level in your family tree is truly your “cousin.”  One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about working with Haston family research is getting to know so many cousins.  And even though I may never have met him or her inContinue

Timeline of Our Blog Articles Some of the main topics included in the blog focus on the history of the Daniel Haston family, honoring earlier Haston family researchers and other notable Hastons, announcing events of significance to members of the Daniel Haston Family and related families, and miscellaneous topics. July 17 2022 LaRowe – AndrewContinue

Theories about the Shotgun Death of Vollie Belle Haston Co-Authors: Becky Hitchcock Harris and Wayne Haston I have learned that there is a lot of information “out there” (be it factual or inaccurate lore) about Vollie Belle Haston’s life and tragic death.  I’d love to hear anything you have heard or know about Vollie Belle’sContinue

Vollie Belle Haston Raymond – Mysterious Death by a 12 Gauge Pump Shotgun Co-Authors: Becky Hitchcock Harris and Wayne Haston I have learned that there is a lot of information “out there” (be it factual or inaccurate lore) about Vollie Belle Haston’s life and tragic death.  I’d love to hear anything you have heard orContinue

Vollie Belle’s Marriage to and Divorce from James Hurd Cruise Co-Authors: Becky Hitchcock Harris and Wayne Haston I have learned that there is a lot of information “out there” (be it factual or inaccurate lore) about Vollie Belle Haston’s life and tragic death.  I’d love to hear anything you have heard or know about VollieContinue

The Daniel Haston Short Story Daniel Haston’s family lived “south of the Holston [now Tennessee] river opposite Knoxville, TN shortly after the town was established and when Tennessee became a state in 1796. Daniel Haston moved from Knox County, Tennessee to the area of middle Tennessee that became southern White County, a year or two priorContinue

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1954 -  Senior Airman Andrew Willis LaRowe Rank and Branch of Military Senior Airman, Air Force Years of Service 1974-1978 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Lackland AFB, Malmstrom AFB Relationship to the Daniel Haston Family Descends through David Haston, Daniel’s son Add Yourself or Your Haston-Related Relative to the Legacy of Service Honor GalleryContinue

1919 – 2006 Group Commander Wallace M. Davis Rank and Branch of Military Group Commander, Navy Years of Service 1943-1971 Obituary Wallace M. Davis obituary Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Saipan, Tinian, Okinawa, Tarawa Military Schools Attended U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen’s School at Northwestern University The Northwestern University Archives, with the help of Northwestern’sContinue

Chris Haston – Our Reunion Portrait Photographer Brief Bio of Chris Haston Source: https://www.marathi.tv/anchor/chris-haston/ Chris Haston was born Christopher Haston on June 27, 1962, in Harbor City, CA, where he was also raised.  When he was nine years old, his stepfather gave him a camera and he has been hooked on the art of photographyContinue

1957 –  Major General Max Haston Rank and Branch of Military Major General, Army Years of Service 1979-2019 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Ft Benning, GA; Ft Riley, KS; Ft Knox, KY; Ft Hood, TX, Multiple Locations in Germany, Ft Bliss, TX; Ft Leavenworth, KS, Ft Irwin, CA, FT Polk, LA, Ft Stewart, GA,Continue

Haston Block House – Built 1908 in Spencer, TN By Landon Medley and Wayne HastonLandon and I were working together on this article when he passed away in 2021. -Wayne Haston The “Cyclone” In Spencer, TN that (Literally) Cleared the Way for the Haston Block Following a (3:00 a.m.) November 18, 1906 cyclone [tornado?] thatContinue

Montgomery Greenville Haston Farm The Core of M.G. Haston’s 1858 Farm – Today a Tennessee Century Farm On November 3, 1858, Montgomery G. Haston (grandson of David Haston, Great Grandson of Daniel) bought four tracts of land (1,163 acres more or less) from Nathan Durham for $900.[i]  The land was located around the current crossroadsContinue

Birth 1946 – Rank and Name of Veteran’s Service Rank and Branch of Military E-8 Air Force 1966-1978 Switched from Air Force to Department of the Army Civilian ( DAC)Retired GS15 Years of Service 1966-1978 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Amarillo, Texas Wartime Theaters of Assignment and Major Battles Army War College / FirstContinue

1925-2020 Sergeant Horace H. “Ace” Haston’s Service Rank and Branch of Military Sergeant and a Crew Chief in the United States Army Air Corps Years of Service 1943-1946 Locations of Training, Deployment, and Service Training at Mountain Home, Idaho Army Air Field, combat Crew Training Station (heavy); Aerial Gunner, Clark Field in the Philippines. WartimeContinue

Major Bob Haston – Prisoner of War in Stalag Luft III Daniel Haston Family Roots Enlistment & the Silver Dollar Distinguished Flying Cross Mission #17 Tragedy Stalag Luft III POW Camp Near Deadly Postwar Ejection German POW Camp Stalag Luft III North Compound of German POW Camp – Stalag Luft III Stalag Luft III wasContinue

Major Bob Haston – The “Distinguished Flying Cross” Experience Daniel Haston Family Roots Enlistment & the Silver Dollar Distinguished Flying Cross Mission #17 Tragedy Stalag Luft III POW Camp Near Deadly Postwar Ejection What Did it Mean to “Catch Flak” in an Aerial Assault? German 88mm Flak Anti-Aircraft Gun The versatile 88mm cannon was Germany’sContinue

Stories of a World War II Haston Hero – His Haston Family Roots Lieutenant (later Major) Robert “Bob” Weldon Haston The following links will be activated, as his stories are posted throughout the “Memorial Month” of May. Daniel Haston Family Roots Enlistment & the Silver Dollar Distinguished Flying Cross Mission #17 Tragedy Stalag Luft IIIContinue

Charles Thomas & Elliot Selina Morgan Haston – Family Reunion The Hickory Valley Hastons Sunday – July 24, 2022 The day following the Daniel Haston Family Reunion Why the Picture of this Little Fire Department? You are probably asking yourself Due to the potential of Tennessee July HEAT, we have decided to move inside anContinue

Isaac T. & Elizabeth Sparkman Haston Family Cemetery Cummingsville of Van Buren County, Tennessee History of the Haston Cemetery Isaac T. Haston was the next-to-the-youngest son of David and Peggy Roddy Haston.  Although he was a grandson of Daniel Haston, Isaac T. was born (March 28, 1827) about a year after his grandfather died soContinue

Lots to Share and Learn at the Daniel Haston FAMILY Reunion July 22-23, 2022 in White County, TN Since this page was first published, we have added three more Interest Centers: The Burritt College Museum in Spencer, TN – Bonnie Adcock, the Director of the museum will be present Saturday morning at our reunion.  ManyContinue

Big Fork Baptist Church The Earliest Baptist Church in White County, TN The Big Fork Baptist Church was hidden from local historians for many years.  Most people who visit the Big Fork Cemetery in what is now Cummingsville, TN have no idea that there was a church there in the early 1800s.  Only a fewContinue

Comb (or Tent) Graves = “Born” in White County, TN? Visitors who are not familiar with White County, Van Buren County and some of their neighboring counties are often surprised when they pass an old cemetery and see a scene such as the one above.  I grew up seeing lots of these kinds of gravesContinue

Old Union Cumberland Presbyterian Church Founded 1805? – Organized Officially 1811 Some sources say the Union Presbyterian Church was founded in 1805.  We do know that Spence Mitchell, an early settler in southern White County, TN, deeded a plot of land for what was called the Union Meeting House on August 24, 1811.  The churchContinue

Be Careful What You Hang on Your Family Tree It May Haunt Your Family Forever! When I began researching my family history, I was totally at the mercy of other people who had researched the history of the Daniel Haston family before me.  In most cases, their research records turned out to be extremely helpful. Continue

Marlin Shelton Haston, 1928-2022 Marlin Haston, 93, passed away on January 1, 2022. He was born September 5, 1928, Spencer (Van Buren County) of the late R.C. Haston Sr. and Etta (Smith) Haston. He is survived by his son, David (Laura) Haston of Dandridge; daughter, Jean Ann Hall of Hartsville, and daughter-in-law Brenda Haston ofContinue

51 – Daniel Haston, Jr. Married into the Famous KY Longhunters Skaggs Family Did you know that descendants of Daniel Haston, through his son Daniel, Jr., are related by marriage to two famous members of the Kentucky Skaggs family – Charles Skaggs (1760s Longhunter) and Ricky Skaggs (a country music Hall of Fame member). InContinue

49 – Jeremiah Haston – Lost Son of Daniel Haston Found by DNA Sometimes you may see his name as Jeremiah MC Haston, but there is no existing evidence that I have found to prove that Daniel’s son Jeremiah had a middle  “MC” name, but his youngest son was definitely Jeremiah MC “Mac” Haston. DNAContinue

48 – Jesse Haston’s Family in the Civil War Years and After Some Selected Highlights Some of Daniel Haston’s grandsons and great grandsons joined the Union Army.  Others, especially those who remained in Tennessee, chose to suit up in grey.  None of the Tennessee Hastons I know of were slave owners.  They were probably defendingContinue

33 – The Beautiful and Relaxing Cruise Up the Rhine River On Monday, June 26, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston Heritage Tour will enjoy a relaxing cruise up a portion of the beautiful Middle Rhine River and see many of the same sights that Henrich Hiestand saw in 1727 when he was on his journey to America. Continue

31 – Mennonite Church in the Village of Ibersheim, Germany Our Hiestands’ Church Home 350 Years Ago On Sunday, June 25, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston European Heritage Tour group will worship here, where our ancestors worshiped.  Pastor Andreas Kohrn has invited us to join their congregation for the service and to enjoy their annual summer “BBQContinue

45 – Isaac and Agnes Simpson Haston – Missouri Years Isaac Haston lived the Great American Dream.  He left Tennessee landless and broke, moved to Missouri and became a prosperous landowner in just a few years.  He deserved it – he fought bravely for our country at the Battle of New Orleans.   At least fourContinue

29 – Swiss Emmentaler Cheese Factory Saturday, June 24, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston Tour Group will visit the world-famous Cheese Factory in the Emmental region of Canton Bern, Switzerland.  There are around 2000 groups of tourists, one-third of which are foreigners from around the world, visiting this cheese factory every year. Swiss cheese is a pieceContinue

42 – John and Catherine HASTON Austin History, especially genealogical history, is sexist!   OK, I’m pretty much a traditional-minded person and don’t use the word “sexist” in an accusatory way very often.  But I must say – genealogical history is sexist, and unfortunately so.   One tradition I wish had caught on 700 years ago inContinue

Landon Medley October 6, 1949 – September 25, 2021 Whether you knew him personally or not, Landon Medley was a friend to all of us who are interested in researching and studying the history of our Daniel Haston family.  Landon lived near the Daniel Haston family place and was steeped in a knowledge of localContinue

Joseph Haston – 2nd Son of Daniel Joseph and David were probably the only two sons of Daniel who were born in Virginia.  If we correctly understand the time of Daniel’s departure from Virginia, Joseph would have been three and a half years old when the family moved south.  So it’s likely that he hadContinue

40 – Herbert Clinton Haston, Grandson of Montgomery G. Haston The 1880 census record for D.L. (David Levander) and Virginia Riddles Haston A three-year-old boy, by the name of Herbert C. Hemphill, appears “In family” on the 1880 census record of David L. and Virginia Haston.  For decades, many people in the Daniel Haston familyContinue

39 – M. G. Haston – His Civic Service and Civil War Experience Montgomery Greenville Haston is one of my most respected early Haston heroes!  I want to tell you why. Montgomery Greenville (M.G. or “Gum”) Haston lived a relatively short life even for his era, only about 45 (or 46) years.  When he wasContinue

27 – Swiss Alpine Music: Alphorns and Yodeling Two of the most famous features of historic Swiss culture are the Alphorns and yodeling.  Our June 2023 Hiestand-Haston Heritage tour group will enjoy a bit of both types of Alpine Music. The Swiss Alphorns Enjoy this brief video example of Swiss Alphorn music. https://youtu.be/K_qp26NHyTg With theContinue

37 – Mystery of the Mother of Montgomery Greenville Haston As far as we can tell, the parents of Montgomery Greenville Haston–and how he fit into the Daniel Haston family–were unknown for well over 100 years!  Even the most diligent Daniel Haston family researchers were stumped! Montgomery Greenville [not Greenfield, as some have asserted] (M.G.Continue

22 – World’s Oldest Mennonite Church – Langnau, Switzerland On Thursday, June 22, 2023, members of the Hiestand-Haston Heritage Tour group will see the oldest continuously active Mennonite Church in the world. Langnau has a history of Anabaptism going all the way back to March 1525. Today, Langnau has the oldest Mennonite church in theContinue

21 – The Swiss Cowbells Factory On Thursday, June 27, 2023 our Hiestand-Haston Historic Tour group will stop at the famous Swiss Cowbells Factory. Did you know…? Bells are protection, happiness, and a sign of peace. This is because in times of war the Swiss bells were taken from the churches and from the pastureContinue

34 – David Haston, White County, Tennessee Pioneer, Part 1 Isaac T. Haston Family Home – Grandson of Daniel Via. David The “David Haston” Bible Record Any family with an existing copy of a family Bible record from the early 1800s is fortunate, especially if it is as complete and apparently accurate as the “DavidContinue

18 – Cable Car Ride to & Evening in the Alps Village of Mürren On June 22, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston Heritage Tour group will take a scenic cable car ride up to the mountain village of Mürren.And we will spend the night there! Mürren is a traditional Walser (inhabitants in the Alps) mountain village inContinue

32 – Daniel Haston, A Founding Petitioner for White County, TN The first record we have of Daniel Haston in (what became) White County, as well as some of his family members and friends, is the petition to create White County on July 22, 1806.[i]  Four of the 155 names on the petition were Isam Bradley,Continue

17 – Ballenberg Open-Air Museum On Wednesday, July 21, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston heritage tour group will visit the Ballenberg Open-Air Museum. https://youtu.be/d1COwvzKYlM Ballenberg is an open-air museum in Switzerland that displays traditional buildings and architecture from all over the country. Located near Brienz in the municipality of Hofstetten bei Brienz, Canton of Bern, Ballenberg hasContinue

2023 Hiestand-Haston Europe Tour Price and Other Details June 14-27, 2023 – Switzerland and Rhineland Germany Download a Printable Copy of the Itinerary and Form More Information about the June 14-27, 2023 Hiestand-Haston European Heritage Tour Share this with Hastons or related family members who might be interested in the June 14-27, 2023 Hiestand-Haston EuropeanContinue

14 – Were our Ancient Swiss Hiestands Spiritist-Pagans? Although I can’t say for sure, it is probable, that our Medieval ancestors were pagans who lived in a high-mountain area of what is now the northern edge of Canton Zug, Switzerland.  Our June 2023 Hiestand-Haston tour group will visit this area. The (Swiss) hills were aliveContinue

15 – Einsiedeln Abbey, Home of the Swiss “Black Madonna” Tuesday, June 20, 2023, our Hiestand-Haston tour group will visit the largest church in Switzerland–the famous Einsiedeln Abbey. 150,000 to 200,000 Roman Catholic pilgrims visit each year Black Madonna of Einsiedeln The abbey is dedicated to Our Lady of the Hermits, the title being derivedContinue

Some Lodging Options and Recreational Sites For the July 22-23, 2022 Heritage of Daniel Haston Days Week Lodging and Recreation Reservations for lodging at these recreational sites tend to fill up EARLY, plan well ahead if possible. Fall Creek Falls State Park Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of Tennessee’s largest and most visitedContinue

13 – Village of Hirzel, Switzerland – Home of Two Famous People Our June 2023 Hiestand-Haston tour group will visit the little mountain village of Hirzel, Switzerland on Monday, June 19. The village of Hirzel, just a few miles on the mountainside southwest of Richterswil is famous for its beauty, as well as the homesContinue

12 – The Richterswil Museum In June 2023, while our Hiestand-Haston tour group is in Richterswil, Switzerland, we will have an opportunity to visit the local museum. The Richterswil local museum deepens the understanding of regional history and promotes cultural life in the community.   The main points of his work are: Management and expansionContinue

The Daniel Haston Family: A Historical Overview The Story of the Daniel Hiestand/Haston Family From the Mountains of Switzerland to the Rhineland of Germany to all across America The Story of Daniel Haston’s SWISS Ancestors, His Life, and All of His Known Children in 50+ Segments If you appreciated this article, please share it withContinue

26 – Daniel Haston’s Many Experiences in the Courtroom While Living in Knox County, TN When Daniel was a young man back in Shenandoah County, VA, he was conspicuously absent from court appearances of any kind, although his brothers were there often as witnesses, involved in court cases, or even sometimes as attorneys. Daniel, asContinue

25 – Another of Daniel Haston’s Boys in Trouble Joseph and the Broken-Down Fence Let’s start with a couple of definitions, for those of you who may not know what “Timothy” is or a “close,” because this story is all about a “timothy close,” some hogs, and a son who was just following his father’sContinue

24 – David Haston Cut Tails Off a Neighbor’s Horned Cows Some of us Haston boys have been known for mischief.  Just ask people who knew us while we were growing up.  For example, out of a class of 212, the principal’s daughter I were voted “Most Mischievous” in my senior year of high school. Continue

Understanding Your DNA Results Darvin Martin in Our June 7, 2021 Zoom Meeting https://youtu.be/gplW6ERb2gg Darvin Martin – an expert in Swiss-German Mennonite genetic (DNA) genealogy.  Darvin presents a basic understanding of DNA as it relates to family research.  But there is lots of time for questions and answers. If you appreciated this article, please shareContinue

Two of Daniel Haston’s Siblings in South Central, KY The Mill Creek Meeting House Near Tompkinsville, KY. Built in 1804. Abraham Hiestand’s (Hestand’s) Path Ends in South Central KY John Mulkey and his brother Philip Mulkey, sons of Rev. Jonathan Mulkey, were members of the Big Pigeon Baptist Church near what is now Newport, TennesseeContinue

07 – Richterswil, the “Village” of Our Swiss Hiestands Although our Hiestand ancestors lived in other villages around Lake Zürich, we can probably think of Richterswil as our Swiss hometown.  For that reason, we will be spending four nights in Richterswil, where – in our free times – we can walk the streets that ourContinue

20 – Abraham and Daniel in the “Overmountain” of NC For approximately 10 to 15 years, Henry Hiestand’s “boys”–Daniel and his older brother Abraham–lived in the “Overmountain” region of Western North Carolina.  Well, that’s not totally accurate because that area became part of the 16th state of the USA, Tennessee (1796), while they were livingContinue

19 – Abraham and Daniel Hiestand Settle in the “Carolinas” Headed for “the Carolinas” When the earliest post-Revolution settlers left their homes in places like Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia and said, “We’re going to the Carolinas,” that did not necessarily mean they were going to the area enclosed in the current boundaries of North andContinue

18 – The Mysterious Daniel MG. Hastings Mortality List Card The “1830 Revolutionary War Mortality Listing” Card In the early 1970s, Dwight Haston discovered the little card that you see pictured above.  He found it in a research library in Arkansas.  At that time, there was several members of the Daniel Haston family who wereContinue

DNA – An Introduction by Darvin Martin, Scientist & Genealogist View the June 7, 2021 Zoom Session with the Daniel Haston Family Association View Another Video: Darvin Martin Teaching the Basics of DNA Summary of the Q&A in the Video What are the main tests you can take to learn information about your background? ThereContinue

17a – The “Guilford County Four” And the Epicenter of 1785 Land Fraud – James Glasgow’s “Fairfield” Plantation This is #2 in a sequence of 3 articles.  You should read the first article before reading this one. 1. “Daniel Haston” Rev War Land Grant 3. Thomas Archer – the Man Who Ended Up with theContinue

03 – Hiestand Bakery Bistro & Shop in Zurich, Switzerland –Here’s where we will eat lunch on Friday, June 16, 2023 – on our Hiestand-Haston Family Heritage Tour to Switzerland and the Rhineland of Germany.– View the Menu Options Alfred (Fredy) Hiestand comes from Hiestand family, which is the honorable bakery brand in Europe. HeContinue

01 – The Black Forest of Southwest Germany – First Evening Stop on Our Hiestand-Haston Family Heritage Tour to Switzerland and the Rhineland of Germany – The Black Forest is Known for its Awesome Beauty Our first evening will be spent in the Black Forest, along our way from Frankfort Germany to Zurich, Switzerland.  The BlackContinue

16 – Can I Get Into the DAR or SAR through Daniel Haston? The centennial of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1876 renewed a fervor to honor our country’s Revolutionary War patriots. In the year of that centennial, the Society of Cincinnati (Ohio) launched The Sons of the Revolution and a groupContinue

Hiestand-Haston Family Heritage Tour June 14-27, 2023 – Switzerland & Rhineland of Germany Photo above: The “village” of Richterswil in Canton Zürich, Switzerland – where our Hiestand-Haston ancestors lived centuries ago. Download the Questions and Answers Document A Tour with Double-Value Scenic Value The “scenic value” of this tour alone will be worth the priceContinue

14 – Daniel & Christina Nave Hiestand/Haston Newlyweds in Fort Valley, VA Daniel and Christina lived on Passage Creek for the first ten years or so of their marriage.  Their little kids (three whose names are unknown, but David and Joseph Haston for sure) would have played in this creek at or near this veryContinue

12 – Hiestand Land in “The Fort” – Fort Valley, Virginia Seven Bends of North Shenandoah River, near Woodstock, VA with Fort Valley in the Massanutten Mountain behind (east of) the river. Photo Above – Looking Southeast Foreground = Seven bends of North Fork Shenandoah River (near Woodstock, VA) on the west side of MassanuttenContinue

11 – The Henry Hiestand Family in Virginia When Henry Hiestand and his wife (name unknown) moved their family to Virginia, they probably already had four or five children who had been born back in Lancaster County, PA–Barbara (c. 1734), Jacob (c. 1736), Peter (c. 1738), and maybe Abraham (c. 1840).  Ann was born OctoberContinue

One Family – Many H-Surname Spellings Colonel Howard H. Hasting, Sr. – a 1950s–early 1980s Haston family researcher – opened his research report on the family of Daniel Haston with this question: What is the name of this family?  He then proceeded to reference several different ways our H-surname has been spelled in official records.  IContinue

08 – Henry Hiestand Settled on Land Acquired from William Penn’s Sons Outline of the 226 acre tract Henry Hiestand settled on and had surveyed in Lancaster County, PA. And who were Henry Hiestands parents? Exactly where did he live in Lancaster County, PA? Why did he owe so much money to Caspar Wistar?  WhoContinue

Caney Fork of the Cumberland (The Book) Daniel Haston settled on the south side of the Caney Fork River in what was then White County, TN.  The river holds lots of memories for those of us who grew up near there.  I certainly have enough personal stories to occupy you for a few hours andContinue

05a – Our Hiestands (Heystandts) – Refugees in Friedrichstadt on the North Sea “Heystandt” was the way the Hollander-Dutch spelled our Hiestand name. The Nine Years War or the War of the Grand Alliance In 1689 Ibersheim and the entire Palatinate again became a hot war zone.  Five years after hereditary tenant rights were grantedContinue

04 – Our Swiss Ancestors Flee to Germany (Source: artuk.org) The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) Paves the Way for Swiss Anabaptists to Find New Homes Almost as soon as the Swiss Brethren (Anabaptists/Mennonites) began to teach and practice the Biblical principles they were learning from studying the New Testament (1525 A.D. and following), they encounteredContinue

Our Hiestand (Canton Zurich) Swiss Roots Video of the January 19, 2021 “Swiss Roots of the Hiestand/Haston Family” Zoom discussion with J. Ross Baughman as the expert guest. The full two hours of the meeting, focusing on the area south of the Zurich Sea where our Hiestand ancestors came from, with information on their participationContinue

03 – What Do You Know About Our Mennonite Roots? Image from Christianity.com Rev. Samuel Hiestand’s parents, grandparents, and several generations before were all Mennonites. “Samuel Hiestand” – Wikipedia This Samuel Hiestand was our Daniel Haston’s nephew, son of Daniel’s oldest brother Jacob. Huldrych (Ulrich) Zwingli You know about Martin Luther and the Protestant ReformationContinue

02 – Our Haston Roots are in Switzerland For many years, even the most diligent researchers in the extended Daniel Haston family would hit the so-called genealogical “brick wall” with appearances of Daniel in western North Carolina, prior to the formation of the state of Tennessee.  They could establish their family connections back to Daniel,Continue

Book Progress Update – December 2020 The work on this book actually began in the fall of 1999, when I started interacting with other people who were researching our Haston family history, visiting libraries, reading books, organizing a filing system, and developing www.DanielHaston.com. When I officially retired in 2017, the writing began.  I estimated thatContinue

David Rhea & Estelle Haston Daniel Haston Family History “Hall of Famers” David Rhea and Estelle (Suggs) Haston lived in Sparta, Tennessee (White County, TN).  You can see their birth and death dates on the Highland Cemetery tombstone below.  For 20+ years (mid-1960s until sometime in the late 1980s or so) Dave and Estelle didContinue