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, and was there when the state of Tennessee was born. For the remaining, 20+ years of his life he was a pioneer settler in what became White County, Tennessee in 1806. In fact, he was one of the petitioners to form White County and was buried in the Big Fork Cemetery there. This historic cemetery became a part of Van Buren County 14 years after Daniel’s death and burial.
The Virginia Years
The Virginia Years | |||
About 1750 | A purported birth year: Sometimes you may see 1735 as Daniel Haston's birth year. This 1735 date was taken from a "supposed" 1830 Mortality Listing file compiled from a Survey of Revolutionary War Veterans for Pension Purposes. The file was found in a library in Arkansas by Dwight Haston. Based on what we now know about Daniel's life, the 1735 date cannot be accurate. And there was no such mortality listing for Revolutionary War soldiers in 1830. And it is very doubtful that Daniel Haston was a Revolutionary War veteran. The card on which this information was taken was most likely a summary of the early research of a Haston family member who did not have access to records now available to us. Someone was guessing!
Also, a 1750-ish birth date would fit some of the other things that we know about his life, such as the birth dates of his children and his 1773 marriage date. If Daniel was born in about 1750, it is likely that he was born in what is now Page County, VA. His father purchased land there in 1743. But, historical records indicate that the Swiss-German settlers of that area did temporarily remove themselves back to Pennsylvania during part of the 1754-1763 French and Indian War, due to deadly Indian raids in parts of western Virginia (particularly the Massanutten region where the Heinrich Hiestand family lived). So it is possible that Daniel was born in Pennsylvania, (if so) probably in western Lancaster County. | ||
1773 | Marriage: A "Danl. Histand" married (or signed a marriage bond to marry) Christina Nave in Dunmore County, VA on September 28, 1773.* Dunmore County was created from Frederick County in 1772 and became Shenandoah County in 1778. Page County was formed largely from this county in 1831. Given the time and the location, this was almost certainly the "Daniel Hiestand/Haston" to whom the Daniel Haston Family Association is dedicated.
Rev. John Koontz was a Baptist preacher who converted many of the Mennonites of Shenandoah-Dunmore-Page counties to the Baptist faith, including members of the Hiestand family. A common question of Daniel Haston researchers: Did Rev. John Koontz officiate the wedding of Daniel Hiestand and Christina Nave? The answer is "No," he did not. John Koontz probably began preaching in the area of what is now Page County, VA as early as 1770 and organized a Baptist church (Mill Creek Baptist Church) by 1772. But he (being a Baptist) was not certified by Virginia to perform marriages until August 25, 1785. Source: Pages 6-7 of History of the Descendants of John Koontz by Lowell L. Koontz (published by the author in 1979). | ||
1775 | Dunmore County, VA Census: Daniel Heaston and his household appeared on this 1775 census, just below the entry for Abram Heaston's household. Daniel was the only male over 16 years of age in the household; there were no males under 16; there were three females in the household. At this time, Daniel probably lived in the upper (southern) end of Powell's Fort Valley on the Massanutten Mountain at this time. | ||
1775-1783 | Revolutionary War: North Carolina Revolutionary War land grant #2344 was assigned to a "Daniel Haston" for service in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War.* This grant conveyed 640 acres, which was the appropriate amount of land granted to a private who served for 84 months (or from the time he mustered until the end of the war). There are some serious doubts as to whether or not this grant was legitimate. The man who issued the "Daniel Haston" land grant, William Faircloth, was later found to be guilty of many cases of fraud in the issuing of similar land grants. And it is hard to reconcile the high probability that our Daniel Haston was living in northern Virginia in the late 1770s with a land grant issued by the state of North Carolina for military service rendered at that time. | ||
1775 | Daniel's name not on the military list for Dunmore County, VA - but "Abraham Haston" is on the list. The name "Abraham Haston" [brother and close-neighbor of Daniel Hiestand, in Powell's Fort Valley] does appear on the military list under the command of Capt. Joseph Bowman for the lower district of Dunmore (Shenandoah) County, VA but the name "Daniel Haston" does not appear on the list. At least some of the men on this list lived in Powell's Fort Valley, near where Abraham and Daniel lived. Does this mean that Daniel Hiestand/Haston was away from his Powell Fort Valley (Dunmore/Shenandoah County, VA) home at that time? The date of this military listing, apparently, was 1775. | ||
In 1775, Jacob, Peter, and John Hiestand (and brother-in-law, Andrew Gimlin) were members of the Michael Reader militia company and Abraham was a member of the Joseph Bowman militia company (different companies because Abraham lived in Powell's Fort Valley and the other three lived on the South Fork Shenandoah River property). But Daniel's name does not appear on either of the local militia rosters - the only son of Henry who does not seem to have been a member of a local militia company. But, according to the November 1775 Dunmore County, VA census, Danl. Heastan's name appears on the census for the Powell's Fort area. Would this indicate that Daniel was officially a resident of Dunmore County, VA but was not living there at this time? | |||
1776 | Daniel Hestant/Heston and Abraham Hestant were identified with surveys of land adjacent to Teter Clem's 141 acres near the head of Passage Creek in Powell's Big Fort. It is not clear if the identification of Daniel and Abraham's location should be associated with the October 11, 1776, or the January 21, 1778 date. Since this is a record of a survey we assume it would be the former date, but that is not clear in the abstract. | ||
1777 | Birth of David Haston:* Daniel's oldest known son was born early in the Revolutionary War years. It seems a bit unusual that David was born in VA (according to his own statement in the 1850 Van Buren County, TN census) during the Revolutionary War IF his father fought for the North Carolina army during the same war. That would not have been impossible, in that it was common for regiments from one state to recruit heavily from bordering states. But it does cast doubt as to whether or not the North Carolina land grant (#2344) was assigned to our Daniel Haston. Other levels of evidence strengthen that doubt. | ||
1777 | Daniel Witnessed Frederick Gimlin Estate Settlement: Daniel and Jacob Hiestant (and Andrew Gimlin) witnessed a Shenandoah County court document related to the death of Frederick Gimlin (father of Andrew Gimlin). Daniel and Jacob both signed their first names in English and their surnames in the old German script. This seems to indicate that they were German-literate. Andrew was the husband of Mary Magdalene Hiestand (Daniel's sister), married December 3, 1773, in Shenandoah County, VA. Source: March 25, 1777 Shenandoah County, VA bond to execute the estate of Frederick Gimlin, Andrew Gimlin's father. Gimlin [Gimling] family historians indicate that Andrew Gimlin, "from his own account was in Kentucky in 1776 when the colonies declared their independence. He was raising a crop of corn in anticipation of moving there later. He probably left his family in Virginia temporarily. Some proof of this is that Molly [Mary Magdalene] did not have a child that year."* For a historical point of reference, Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Road into Kentucky in 1775. On May 22, 1777, Andrew sold his 520-acre farm in what is now Page County, VA to Thomas Newman. On October 17, 1780, he received a grant of 400 acres for 2 pounds in Lincoln (now Garrard, south of Lexington) County, KY where he received another 400 acres for 160 pounds. Later, he sold this land and apparently moved south into Cumberland County, KY. *Sources: Page 10 of In Search of Gimlin Ancestors by Hoyt L. Gimlin (self-published). | ||
1779 | Daniel Heston and Abraham Heston: Apparently Daniel was living on his father's 400-acre Powell's Fort Valley land in Shenandoah County adjacent to Teter Clem's 141-acre tract. | ||
1780 | Birth of Joseph Haston:* Daniel's next oldest known son was born in the middle of the Revolutionary War years. Eight months earlier (see the May 18, 1779 timeline entry) Daniel was living in Powell's Fort Valley (land owned by his father or his brother Abraham) which was just west of and over the mountaintop from where they grew up, so this is probably where Joseph was born. | ||
1783 | Daniel's Name On Shenandoah County, VA Tax List of Alexander Hite: Daniel Heastin appears on this tax list as the head of a household consisting of seven white people (and no black people). If all of these people were members of his immediate family and his wife was still living, then it would indicate that five children were born into the family during the first ten years of Daniel's marriage. Others mentioned on the list include Abraham Heastin, Jacob Heastant, John Heastant, Peter Heastant, and John Heaston (see the "H" section of the list). Abraham Heastin and Daniel Heastin appear in the same section of the list. This is basically consistent with the locations of their names on the 1775 tax list. But John Heastant, Jacob Heastant, and Peter Heastant appear together further down the list in what appears to have been another sublist. The name John Heaston appears much further down the list, with no other Heastin or Heastant, or Heaston names near his (see the original ordering of names on the tax list of Alexander Hite). | ||
The Upper East Tennessee Years
Daniel Haston - Upper East Tennesse Years | |
1783 | North Carolina's Land ("Land Grab") Act of 1783: As the Revolutionary War was approaching its official end (which occurred with the September 3, 1783 signing of the Treaty of Paris), on April 26, 1783, North Carolina passed the Land Act of 1783 - often referred to as the "Land Grab Act" (in effect from October 20, 1783, until it was repealed on May 25, 1784). Was this land act an incentive for Daniel to leave Shenandoah County, VA? There is no documented evidence that he "grabbed" any land in western NC (now eastern TN) at that time. But history records that North Carolina officials and land speculators got most of it, at least the best parts. |
1785 - 1789 | Birth of the Adair County, KY "Daniel Haston": According to the 1810 Federal Census record (age 16-25) and compared to the Adair County, KY tax list (age over 21) for the same year, this Daniel Easton (obvious typo for Heaston) was born in the 1785-1789 time period. The surname is "Haston" on the Adair County tax list. If this is a son of Daniel Haston (who was Henry Hiestand's son) he would have been younger than David and Joseph and older than Isaac, Jesse, and Jeremiah. And he would have been born about the time or after the Daniel Hiestand/Haston family left Virginia and before they moved to Knoxville, TN. |
1785 | Daniel's Name Not On the Shenandoah County Census: Daniel Heastin / Heaston (and other similar versions of the surname) was not named on the Shenandoah County census for this year. Apparently, Daniel and Abraham Heastin / Heaston (Haston) had moved away from Shenandoah County between 1783-1785. The following names were included: Jacob Hastans, Jacob Heaston, Jr., and. Jno. Heaston (all in the Edwin Young list which was probably on the east side of Massanutten Mountain in the area where Luray, VA is now located). |
1785 | NC Military Land Grant Issued:* North Carolina Revolutionary War land grant #2344 was issued on this day to a "Daniel Haston" at the Fairfield Plantation (in now Greene County, NC - formerly Dobbs County) of Secretary of State, James Glasgow. It was issued by Col. William Faircloth, who served as a Lieutenant in the NC 10th Regiment under Abraham Sheppard (see note below regarding Abraham Sheppard). The man who issued the "Daniel Haston" grant, William Faircloth, was a prominent figure in the Glasgow Land Fraud cases. Many of the land grants he issued were later found to be fraudulent. The "Daniel Haston" grant (#2344) was not mentioned in the Glasgow Land Fraud cases, but that does not mean that grant #2344 was not fraudulent. See the "Daniel Haston" signature for this land grant.
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1785 | Daniel Assigned Land Grant to Thomas Hays: The Revolutionary War land grant #2344 was assigned to Thomas Hays the day after it was issued to "Daniel Haston." It was not uncommon for these land grants to be sold and reassigned to others. It was a long way from where these grantees lived to where the land was located, thus some of the grantees took the easy money and forfeited their land to land speculators or individuals who were eager to go west. This transaction is recorded on the back of Daniel Haston's land grant. Thomas Hays, in turn, assigned the land to Thomas Archer on November 7, 1790 (? - year unclear). |
1786 | Danl Heston Voted in Jonesborough (Washington, County):* Washington County was in NC at this time, prior to the birth of Tennessee as a state. It is interesting to note that Jo. Sevier appears 29 places down on this list. Also, a John Nave appears on the list. August 1786 Election - Sevier vs. Tipton Showdown This election was a showdown between the John Sevier-led group who favored the establishment of the State of Franklin and the John Tipton-led group who opposed the State of Franklin in favor of loyalty to North Carolina. An election organized by each group was held on this same day. The fact that Daniel Heston voted in Jonesborough, indicated that he was probably loyal to John Sevier and the State of Franklin.  |
1787 | Danl Haston Appeared on a Taxpayer's list in Washington County:* A "Danl Haston" appeared on a taxpayers list that included Abrm. Hastings, Saml Hastings, Col John Sevier, and many others. This Danl Haston was recorded as owning no land at that time. He was probably our Daniel Haston. The Abrm. Hastings was the older brother of our Daniel Haston. Abraham Hastings (son of Henry Hiestand) had a son named Daniel but he was supposedly born in 1770 and would have only been 16 years old at the time of the election of 1786 and 17 years old at the time of this tax list. A man by the name of Daniel Haston appeared in the Cherokee Baptist Church near Jonesborough in Washington County in the early 1790s and Big Pigeon Church in Cocke County, TN in the mid-1790s. We know that he was not our Daniel, because he later appeared in Cocke County at the same time that our Daniel was in Knox County. This other Daniel Haston was probably the son of Abraham and, thus, a nephew of our Daniel Haston. Note: Daniel Haston does not appear on the 1791 Washington County tax list, although Abraham Heslin, junr, Abram Heeslin, senr (with the 223 acres), and Samuel Hestain do appear. (Source: Washington County, TN Records, Volume 1 by Mary Hardin McCown) This probably indicates that the 1786/1787 Daniel Haston was the Daniel who moved to Knox County and White County--the subject of this website. *Source: Page 211 of Early East Tennessee Taxpayers compiled by Pollyanna Creekmore and published by The East Tennessee Historical Society's Publications (in Washington County section). |
1789 | Davidson County Military Grant: A 640 acres military grant issued to Daniel "Huston" or "Haston" was claimed by Joseph Ker.* The name on the original document appears to be "Daniel Haston." The land was located on the head branches of Gibsons Creek. This would have been north of the Cumberland River, somewhere in or near Madison, Tennessee (a suburb of Nashville). Was this our Daniel Haston? No. Another source** indicates that this clearly was a "Daniel Huston," not "Daniel Haston." |
Early 1790s | Catherine Haston born:* A copy of a mimeographed document in the White County Library in Sparta, TN says that Catherine (who married John Austin) was born in 1790. No place of birth is given. Some Austin researchers have an earlier birth date for Catherine, but I believe she was born in the "early 1790s." If I am correct, she was probably born in Washington County, NC (now TN). |
1791 | "Daniel Haston" Revolutionary War Land Grant Surveyed: The "Daniel Haston" Revolutionary War military bounty land grant was assigned to Thomas Hays the day after it was issued (see September 29 & 30, 1785 entries above). Thomas Hays assigned it to Thomas Archer, as recorded on the back side and at the bottom of the original land grant document, on November 7, 1790 (the year is unclear on the grant, but it appears to be 1790). The land (640 acres) was surveyed on July 24, 1791 and the grant was issued on January 4, 1792. |
1791 | Jury Duty in Washington County: Daniel Hasten (or Hastin) was a juror on these cases:
Note: At this time, Washington County had already been reduced to a relatively small county (compared to its earlier size) of western NC, in what is now upper east Tennessee. Thus, Daniel Haston (if this was indeed the same Daniel Haston who moved to Knox and White counties in TN) was living at this time (August 1791) in what we now know as upper east Tennessee, 60 miles or more away from and east of what became Knox County, where he appears on jury duty in 1795. But it is possible that the Daniel Hasten of this jury could have been the son of Abraham Hiestend, and not the Daniel Haston who later lived and died in White/Van Buren County, TN. If Abraham's son, Daniel, was born in 1770 (as some records approximate), he would have been just old enough in 1791 for jury duty. Source: Pages 112-113 of 1788-1793 (1791) book of county court minutes for Washington County (now TN). Roll #129 of TN State Library and Archives. |
1794 | Jefferson County, TN Bill of Sale: "A bill of sale from Abraham Hasten to Daniel Hasten was proven in court and recorded" in Jefferson County, NC/TN. Was this "Daniel" Abraham's son or his brother? The earliest record we have of "Daniel Haston" (who later lived in Knox & White counties of TN) in Knox County was the summer of 1795. This Daniel Hasten was probably Abraham's son and not Abraham's brother, Daniel. |
1794 | Birth of Isaac Haston: A family record* states that Daniel's son, Isaac, was born in McMinn County, TN on this date. But there was no McMinn County, TN at that time. In fact, there was no "Tennessee" at that time. The date may be correct, but the 1794 date does conflict with other sources. It is possible that Isaac Haston did not know his year of birth. If he was born in October 1794, his place of birth could have been somewhere in upper East Tennessee or in Knox County, TN. |
The Knox County, Tennessee Years
Daniel Haston - Knox County, Tennessee Years | |||
1795 | Jury Duty in Knox County: Daniel (Hasting) served on a jury in the United States vs Jacob Welker case in Knoxville. Welker was tried for assault and battery but was acquitted. Knox County was still in NC at this time, because the state of TN wasn't formed until June 1, 1796. He probably had been living in Knox County for at least a few months, in order to be selected for jury duty. | ||
1795-1797 | Daniel Supported John Mattox in Court: Daniel (Hastings/Hasland/Hasting/Haslon) puts up bond money ($250 total) for John Mattox/Matton when Mattox took John Stone to court. Apparently, Mattox had performed some work for Stone and supposedly was never paid the 100 pounds that he was due. Mattox lost the case and the court issued an order for Daniel to pay the bond. A few months after this case, John Stone took Daniel Hastings to court. | ||
1796 | Birth of Jesse Haston: In this, the same year* in which Tennessee became a state, Daniel's son, Jesse, was born, probably in Knox County. Jesse was born five months prior to the June 1, 1796 creation of Tennessee, so officially he was born in Knox County, NC. | ||
1796 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Haston served on the jury for these cases: Reese Mordicia Mendenhall vs Alexander Carmichael & Joseph Janes (see note 1 below) and Annanias McCoy vs John Lusk and Elizabeth Ish Adm of John Ish, dec'd vs John McDowell and Mesheck Tipton vs James Kerr (see note 3 below) and McCormack & Liggett vs James Deal and John Steel vs William Lowry and John Lowry (John Finley was also on this jury) and John Null vs James Brock and George Mitchell vs Stephen Duncan and Stephen Duncan vs Joseph Beard and Samuel Gibson by his next friend & Richard Gooden vs Nathaniel Evans and Hugh Beard (see note 2 below). | ||
Some Hamilton District Superior Court cases (which were tried in Knoxville, in those days) seem to also appear in Knox County, TN County Court records. These cases probably began in the lower Knox County Court and were appealed to the higher (Superior) court. The Superior Court records seem to include a summary of what happened in the lower court, including a list of jury members for the lower court sessions. When Daniel's name appears as a juryman in both court summaries, it probably indicates that he was on the jury of the Knox County Court case and the appearance of his name in the Superior Court records is only part of the summary review of the County Court case that was sent to the Superior Court for retrial. Note 1: Also see page 137 of WPA transcriptions for Knox County, TN Book of Record: 1794-1797 (Hamilton District Superior Court). This transcription says that the jury, including Daniel Hastings, was in court in the April 1794 session. Was this 1794 date an accurate transcription from the original document? | |||
1796 | Hamilton District Superior County Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings also served on a Hamilton District Superior Court jury in a Nathaniel Cowan & Samuel Cowan vs Hugh Dunlap case. Daniel's jury duty appears to have occurred in an April 1796 court session, but the case was continuing from December 1794. | ||
1796 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Haston served on the jury for these cases: State vs Thomas Denton and John Brown vs Samuel Bogle and Gawin Black and John Cassady vs Abraham Swaggerty and John Scott vs John Erwin and Archibald Rider vs John Bradley (John Finley was also on these two previous juries) and James Robertson vs Samuel Finley. Daniel Hastings served on the jury for this case: Joseph Sevier vs Edward McFarland (Jesse Terry was also on this jury). Daniel Hasten served on the jury for these cases: Abraham Hill vs James King and William Owens vs Stockley Donelson (Jesse Terry was also on this jury). | ||
1797 | Hamilton District Superior Court Jury Duty: Daniel Hasteen (Hastein) served on a jury in the case, State vs Jacob Wassum. | ||
1797 | Daniel Taken to Court by John Stone: Daniel Hastings was taken to court by John Stone (John Stone vs Daniel Hastings, case: Rhea 52-383). John Stone was a prominent businessman in Knoxville. "The Defendant having been duly warned and not appearing though solemnly called On motion of the Plaintiff by his Attorney. It is considered by the Court that the Plaintiff may have Execution against the Defendant for Thirteen Dollars twenty-four and one-half cents the costs in the writ aforesaid specified and also that the Plaintiff recover against the said Defendant his costs by him expended in suing forth and prosecuting this writ." This is the same man (John Stone) that Daniel and John Mattox took to court earlier. In fact, the docket files for the Mattox vs Stone case indicate that this April 1797 case was a continuation of that former court case, probably intended to get Daniel Haston to pay the court costs since he was security for John Mattox who lost that case. | ||
1797 | Daniel Hastins in Jefferson Co, TN Jury Duty: A Daniel Hastins (Hasten, Haston, Hastin) served on juries in Jefferson County, TN in the August & November court sessions. Jefferson County was and is located just east of Knox County.
Daniel Hasting of Monroe County, Kentucky (from The Daniel Haston Family) | ||
1797 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in these cases: William Davidson vs James Carey and John McAllie vs Archibald Campbell and Robert Boyd vs Archibald Campbell and William Tyrrell vs Augustus Willson & Samuel Stout, Sr. Martin Pruitt was also on this jury. This Martin Pruitt was probably the father of Isaac Pruitt (David Haston's Knox County neighbor & friend and perhaps also White County, TN "Isaac Prewitt" associate of the Hastons) and father in law of Sarah Roddy, daughter of Phillip & Mary McComisky Roddy. | ||
1797 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in these cases: Abraham Swaggerty for the use of William Tyrrell vs Alexander Carmichael and John Tillery vs William Bryor / Bryon and William Tyrrell vs Joseph Carnes & William McNutt. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in the case, William Qt. Hall vs John Petterson. Philip Roddy was also on this jury. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hasten served on a jury in the case, Robert Ferguson vs John Sheppard. Philip Roddy, John Miller, and William Tipton, & others were also on this jury. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in the case, Henry Rice vs Joseph Williams. Martin Pruitt was also on this jury.
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1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in the case, Thomas Mitchell vs Jesse Claywell, William Penny, and John McDowell. William Haislet & William Haislet (who witnessed against David Haston in this same session of court) were also on this jury. Then there were at least three cases with a different jury, which included Martin Pruitt & Philip Roddy, but not Daniel Hastings. Then Daniel Hastings was on a jury in these cases: William T. Lewis vs Jesse Claywell and Richard & John Campbell vs William Keys. Then the jury with Martin Pruitt & Philip Roddy (and William Haislet, junior) heard the Jacob Wassum vs William Qt. Hall case and the Moses Purvines vs Samuel Sterling case. Then there was a Stephen Haynes vs James Roddy case (jury not given in WPA transcription). | ||
1798 | Daniel Appears in Court for His Sons: David and Joseph were tried for cutting the tails off of two horned cows belonging to Nathaniel Hays, whose fence was apparently insufficient to contain the cows. David Hasting, Daniel Hasting, and John Miller entered into a $100 bond for David and Joseph. Moses Roddy, Mary Ann Roddy, Eleanor Roddy, Wm. Haslet, Sr., Wm. Haslet, Jr., and Richard Cahell (spelling ?) are called to witness for the State and against David. Daniel (who served as a juryman on some other cases in this session of court) made some kind of plea to the court. David was found guilty and fined $5.00. Joseph was not found guilty. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastins served on a jury in the case, State vs William Cooper. This was the case that followed, State vs David Haston, in which Daniel (who was not on the jury for that case) made an appeal for his son, David. Martin Pruitt, Nathaniel Hays (who took David Haston to court in the previous "cow tails" case), and others were also on this jury. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Road Jury: "The following persons were appointed as Jury to wit. Paul Cunningham, Nathaniel Hays, Francis Cunningham, Daniel Hastings and James Charter, for the purpose of reviewing a road from the new Ferry landing on the south side of Holston opposite to Knoxville unto the old road leading to Tellico Blockhouse, to report to next Court whether any disadvantage doth arise to the Citizens from the alteration and whether any disadvantages would arise from making the old landing and road so far as to where the new road strikes it obsolete." Daniel Haston had dealings with Paul Cunningham, Nathaniel Hays, & James Charter on other occasions, as per the Knox Co, TN court records discussed on this timeline. Daniel's involvement in this road jury is a strong clue regarding the location of his home in Knox County.
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1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hasten served on a jury in the case, Thomas Welch vs Alexander Milliken & James Anderson and Alexander Stewart vs Nathaniel Evans and Joseph Smith vs James Miller and Mathew Pate vs James Richardson. | ||
1798 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury in the case, John Ingram vs Christian Rhodes. John Miller, James Roddy, and others were on this jury. Was this the same James Roddy who died a year or so later, for whom Daniel was a co-administrator of his estate? | ||
1799 | Birth of Jeremiah Haston, son of Daniel: According to a family record created by Joan Moore Gillett, her great-great-grandfather Jeremiah Haston (Senior) was born on this date. If so, he most likely was born in Knox County, Tennessee. Perhaps Joan got that information from one of Jeremiah’s grandchildren, orally or from a family document. | ||
1800 | Beginnings of Samuel Cowan vs Joseph Hastings "Timothy Lot" Case: The legal dispute between Samuel Cowan and Joseph Hastings appears to have started at this time. It was settled on April 15, 1801. | ||
1800 | Administrator of James Roddy Estate: The court appointed Elizabeth Roddy and Daniel (Hastings) to be administrators over the estate of a James Roddy who had died in testate. William Tipton and John Desmond put up bond money to secure the administration of the estate. | ||
1800 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury for the cases: Isaac Lebow Assignee vs Robert King and Thomas King and James Gilliland vs Thomas King. William Tipton and John Miller were also on this jury.
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1800 | Knox County, TN Court Reference: Daniel Hastings (and William Tipton) had been appointed to serve on a April 1800 jury for the case, John Finley vs Joseph Greer. That case was set aside in April and rescheduled for this July date. Daniel Hastings is mentioned here as having been appointed for the original jury, but a different jury served this July case. | ||
1800 | Knox County, TN Court Reference: Daniel Hastings (and William Tipton) had been appointed to serve on an April 1800 jury for the case, Stephen Duncan vs Jacob Pearson and Samuel Pearson. That case was set aside in April and rescheduled for this July date. Daniel Hastings is mentioned here as having been appointed for the original jury, but a different jury served this July case. | ||
1800 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury for the cases: Joseph Sevier vs Dennis Murphy, Ignatius Chisolm and Joseph Chisolm, and William Montgomery vs Abraham Hagler and Joseph Park vs John Huntsman.
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1800 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury for the cases: James Chipley & Co. vs Jacob Formwalt and Moses White vs Archibald Allen and David Doak vs. John Lyon and James Townsend by his next friend vs James Anderson and Josiah Nichol vs Charles Wright. | ||
1801 | Knox County, TN Jury Duty: Daniel Hastings served on a jury for the case, James Hogg vs Samuel McCormick. This was the same day on which Daniel's son, Joseph, was tried in this court and in which case Daniel was mentioned.
Daniel & Joseph in Court vs Samuel Cowan: Court records seem to indicate that this case had been in process since January of 1800. Daniel, apparently, had leased land from John and Jane Woods of Maryville in Blount County, through their agent, James Charles. Joseph Haston broke down a fence that allowed Daniel's swine to trample down a hay field ("timothy lot"). Samuel Cowan took Joseph to court, claiming that it was his field that was trampled, and he sued for $1000. Joseph said that he was just doing what Daniel told him to do and that Daniel had leased the land from John Woods. This case clearly indicates that Daniel's home was on leased land and that Joseph was living with him. The location of the field was "south of the Holston, opposite Knoxville." William Charter, James Cunningham, and Sheriff Robert Houston were called upon to witness on behalf of Joseph. George Richards was a witness for Samuel Cowan. Daniel Heastings, Joseph Haston, and David Haston signed a bond of $2000. Joseph and David signed in their own handwriting. Daniel signed with a mark ("x"). Joseph was found not guilty. Source: Samuel Cowan vs Joseph Haston; Knox County, TN Court Case File: Docket # 138511235, (1800). Vol. 3 Court of Pleas & Quarter Sessions, 1800-1802, # 1235, 1385 (original pages 100-102). Also, pages 76-78 of Records of Knox County, TN Minute Book, No. 3, 1800-1802 (WPA transcriptions).
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1801 | Hamilton District Superior Court Jury Duty: Daniel Hastein [sic], William Matlock, and others served on the jury for the case, Den on the Demise of Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson was the defendant, but also one of the three judges in this case. | ||
1801 | Witness in Knox County, TN Court: Daniel Hasting was paid $1.50 for serving as a witness in a Knox Co, TN case involving a property boundary dispute between Nathaniel Hays (plaintiff) and Jonathan Cunningham (defendant). On the second Monday of July in 1801, John Cowan, James Cunningham, and "Daniel Haston" were summoned to witness on behalf of John Cunningham. On the second Monday of January in 1802, William Hazlet, Senior, William Hazlet, Junior, and John Cowan were summoned to witness on behalf of Nathaniel Hays. The Haislets and James Cunningham were, apparently from other court cases, neighbors of Daniel Haston, as was Nathaniel Hays. What was John Cowan's relationship to Samuel Cowan who took Joseph Haston to court a couple of years earlier, but who died shortly after that trial? It appears that Nathaniel Hays had moved to Davidson County, TN by April of 1803, even though he initiated the case and it was not finalized. Read (below) for more details related to this case. | ||
1804 | Daniel Haston Apparently Gone from Knox County: When payments were made to the witnesses in the Nathaniel Hays vs John Cunningham case (beginning July 9, 1804), the file of original docket documents contains no evidence that Daniel Haston was paid for his three days in court, although the other witnesses were. Does this indicate that Daniel Haston had moved from Knox County by mid-1804? | ||
1804 | Nathaniel Hays sold the "Hermitage" site and adjacent land to Andrew Jackson: Located twelve miles east of downtown Nashville, the land on which The Hermitage sits was originally a 640-acre cotton plantation owned by Nathaniel Hays, a close friend of Andrew Jackson and his wife, Rachel. Hays sold the property to Jackson for $3,400 on the 5th of July, 1804. | ||
1805 | A Knox County, TN Marriage: On this date, a Polly Hastings married James Milliken / Milligan in Knox County, TN. Was this a daughter of Daniel Haston? Some Haston researchers have assumed that she was Daniel's daughter. There is no proof (other than the surname and the Knox Co, TN location) to indicate, with any degree of certainty, that she was indeed Daniel Haston's daughter. Daniel Haston had probably moved to White Co, TN by this time, but David Haston was still in Knox County. | ||
The White County, Tennessee Years
Daniel Haston - White County, Tennessee Years | |||
1806 | Signed Petition for Formation of White County, TN: The signature of "Dannel Hasstont" appears six signatures down from "Joseph Haston" (and eight signatures below "Isam Bradley") on the petition to form a new county from Jackson County, TN. Although Daniel Haston may have been living in (as a squatter on Indian land) this area for two or more years, this is the first documented record of his residence there.
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1807 | Daniel Purchased Land in White County, TN: Daniel acquired 150 acres in White County, TN (now Van Buren County, TN) on the Big Springs Branch of the Caney Fork River from Thomas Dillon. The certificate (# 63) was dated in July but the entry for this deal (# 174) was dated August.
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Thomas Dillon of early Davidson County (Nashville), TN was a well-known land speculator in his day, who bought large tracts of land and later sold them to early middle Tennessee settlers. Much of this land was secured through or from Stokley (Stockley) Donelson, who was the brother-in-law of Andrew Jackson, a prominent surveyor, and a land dealer in the early years of Tennessee, even prior to its statehood. On July 20, 1796, the State of North Carolina issued Grant No. 313 to Thomas Dillon for 5,000 acres in the Middle District west of Cumberland Mountain. Stockley Donelson originally owned the rights to this tract but sold his rights to Edward Douglass, who transferred them to Thomas Dillon. Dillon then secured the grant, an action that officially transfers the “title from the government to the individual.†The certificate was issued in 1807 by the State of Tennessee to survey the 5,000 acres of grant 313, even though the certificate stated, “which grant cannot be identified so as to enable the said Thomas Dillon to hold said land.â€
Sources: Tennessee, Early Land Registers, 1778-1927, Series 10: Warrants 1800-1801 (image 75 and 76) on Ancestry.com; Miscellaneous TN State Library and Archives land records for Thomas Dillon and Stockley Donelson. Chapter LXLII (page 208) of Acts Passed at the First Session of the Eighth General Assembly of the State of Tennessee. Note: Stockley Donelson received about 562,000 acres of NC land grants. That included 14 grants for 5,000 acres. | |||
1808 | White County, TN Land Surveyed: The land was surveyed on May 14, 1808.
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1808 | TN Land Grant Issue:* On this date, Tennessee Governor John Sevier issued Land Grant # 535 to Daniel Hastings that conveyed a tract of 150 acres in what was then southern White County (now northern Van Buren County). This tract was described "by metes and bounds as lying...on the big spring branch of can creek on the main fork of Cany [sic] Fork Begining at a white oak standing on the bank of the big spring branch on a conditional line of Joseph Hastings and Jacob Mitchell, beginning corner running..." This land transaction had nothing to do with the earlier so-called "Daniel Haston" military bounty land grant from NC. The big spring came to be known as "Haston's Big Spring." Daniel's house, known (as per some undocumented sources) in the early days as "Haston Station," was perched on a hill overlooking the Haston Big Spring which flowed into what is now Cane Creek and then into the Caney Fork River. As per J.D. Haston of Sparta, TN (in about 2001), this property remained in the Haston family until 1963 when it was sold to Joe B. Hutchinson. | ||
1809 | A Knox County, TN Marriage:* A Peggy Hastings married John Ault in Knox County, TN on this day. Some Haston researchers have assumed that this Peggy was the daughter of Daniel Haston. However, this is an inaccurate assumption. A February 23, 1830, Franklin Co, TN will for John Hastings (husband of Nancy Hastings) seems to indicate that this "Peggy Hastings" was his daughter: "my beloved daughters POLLY THOMAS and PEGGY AULT" (Franklin Co, TN Will Book 1808-75, page 77-78). Descendants of John Hastings have documented this Peggy Ault as being the person mentioned in the John Hastings will. | ||
1810 | Land Deed Examined and Registered: The deed for the 150 acres that Daniel purchased earlier, was now examined and registered by the deputy (name unclear on the document) of Elijah Chisum (spelling ?). | ||
1811 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin appeared on this list of taxable property and polls, in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's militia company. He owned 150 acres "by grant" on Big Spring. His total tax bill for the year was .75, which included .18 3/4 for "State Tax" and 56 1/4 for "County Tax." He wasn't charged for any "white polls" (because he was over 50 years old, see note below), nor "black polls" (owned no slaves), nor "steed horses," nor "retail stores," nor "town lots." Note: From the White County, TN tax lists we learn that none of the early White County Hastons (Daniel, David, Joseph, & Isaac) ever owned slaves, although their neighbors sometimes did. | ||
1812 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Joseph Smith, Esq. Daniel's total tax was .37 1/2 (18 3/4 for state tax and for county tax). It seems that the county tax rate dropped from the previous year. He still had 150 acres. Again, he wasn't charged for any polls or property, other than his land.
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1813 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. Daniel's total tax was .75. Three additional taxes (county purposes tax, court house tax, & poor tax) were added this year. He still had 150 acres. Again, he wasn't charged for any polls or property, other than his land.
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1814 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain Isaac Pruett's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. Daniel's total tax was .47. The three additional taxes (county purposes tax, court house tax, & poor tax) that were added in the previous year no longer existed. He still had 150 acres, listed as being on Big Spring. Again, he was not charged a poll tax.
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1815 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, and Isaac Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain William Denny's Company. The listing was taken by N. Gillentine, Esq. Daniel's total tax was .56 1/2. The poor tax returned this year. Daniel still owned the 150 acres on Big Spring. Again, he was not charged a poll tax.
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1816 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, and Isaac Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in the bounds of Captain William Denny's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. Daniel's total tax was .56 3/4. Daniel still owned the 150 acres on Big Spring. Again, he was not charged a poll tax.
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1817 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Scoggon's Company of Militia. The listing was taken by William Denny, Esq. Daniel's total tax was 1.21 1/2. A bridge tax was assessed this year. He still owned the 150 acres, now listed as being on the Caney Fork. Again, he was not charged a poll tax.
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1817 | Adjacent to Hercules Ogle, Sr. - Robert Watson: Daniel Hastings and Joseph Hastings were mentioned as being adjacent to 65 1/4 acres that Ogle sold to Watson.
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1818 | Daniel Indicted for Assault and Battery: Daniel assaulted adjoining landowner Jacob Mitchell. He was indicted on July 21, 1818. Daniel was fined fifty cents on a plea of guilty on July 24, 1818. Jacob Mitchell was married to Lucinda Hastings, Daniel's daughter Lucinda. | ||
1818 | White County, TN Tax List: David Haston, Joseph Haston, and Isaac Haston appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Scoggon's Company. The listing was taken by William Denny, Esq. Daniel Haston was not mentioned, but Isaac appears on the list with 150 acres. Apparently, Isaac had been temporarily given the responsibility for Daniel's land. It does appear in Daniel's name later. Was Daniel ill at this time? Did he lease the land to Isaac? Was this in some way related to Daniel's assault and battery case of that year? | ||
1820 | Federal Census: Two Daniel Hastons appear on this census in White County. Both were living in White County and both were over 45 years old. It would seem that this is a replication of the same record. There was one female in the household, also over 45 years of age. Was this a wife of Daniel? Daniel does not appear categorized as a "foreigner not naturalized." | ||
1821 | Appeared on a list of debtors: Daniel Hastin appeared on an inventory of debts owed to a deceased Lawson Nourse, who was one of the earliest physicians in Sparta, TN. He was on the "Bad Debt" section of the list for a $3.00 debt, but the word "good" (for whatever reason) was written just to the right of his name. On this page 234, there are over 100 names and only one other person on the page has the word "good" written beside his/her name. There are approximately 800 total names on the entire list. | ||
1821 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Scoggon's "old" Company. The listing was taken by Nicholas Gillentine, Esq. Daniel's total tax was 2.25. In addition to state, county, and poor taxes, a juror tax and a bridge & jail tax were assessed. Daniel's 150 acres were said to have been on Big Spring. As usual, he was not charged any poll tax. | ||
1822 | White County, TN Tax List: David Hasting, Joseph Hasting, and Isaac Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was taken by N. Gillentine, Esq. As on the 1818 tax list, Daniel does not appear, but Isaac appears with the 150 acres on Big Spring.
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1823 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, Joseph Hastin, and Isaac Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was taken by D. Hasting, Esq. Daniel's name reappears on this tax roll, but only has 50 acres situated on Cane Creek, as compared to the 150 acres he owned since 1808. His total tax was .57 1/4. He again was excluded from the poll tax. | ||
1824 | White County, TN Tax List: Joseph Haston, Daniel Haston, and David Haston appeared on this "list of taxable property and polls" in Captain Arthur Parker's company. The listing was taken and returned by David Haston, Esq. Daniel Haston owned 50 acres at this time. His land was located "on the big spring by D" (D = "ditto" for Caney Fork, in line above). His total tax was .44. As usual (because of his age), he was not charged poll tax. | ||
1825 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hasting, David Hasting, and Joseph Hasting appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was probably taken by David Hasting, Esq. (although his name does not appear on the list). Daniel owned only 50 acres at this time. Beginning with this year, land was divided into "school lands" and "other lands." The "school land" was taxed at a lower rate than "other lands." Daniel's total tax was .31 1/2. As usual, he was not charged poll tax. | ||
1826 | White County, TN Census: Daniel Hastin, David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on a "list containing the names and number of free male inhabitants of the age of twenty years and upwards resident citizens in Capt. Parkers company on the 1st day of January 1826 taken by David Hasting, Esq." This list was not a typical tax list with property info, etc. given. It was more of a census, similar to the one taken in 1811. | ||
1826 | White County, TN Tax List: Daniel Hastin, Senr.,* David Hastin, and Joseph Hastin appeared on this "taxable property and polls" list in Captain Parker's Company. The listing was taken by David Hasting, Esq. Daniel Hastin, Senr. owned only 50 acres at this time. Daniel's total tax was .46 7/8. As usual, he was not charged poll tax.
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1826 | Death of Daniel Haston: This was the last year that Daniel's name appeared on a census or a tax list. Thus, it is assumed that he died sometime in 1826. Daniel was buried in the Big Fork Cemetery in the Cummingsville community of White County (now northern Van Buren County), TN. His grave is located in the uppermost part of the cemetery (northwestern section), very near where the church building seems to have been. Note: "Daniel Haston died in 1826 and was buried in Big Fork Cemetery in what is now Van Buren County, Tennessee. His grave was unmarked until rather recently [probably written in 1980]. As a result of the inquiry conducted for this history of the family, Elwood Haston caused a stone to be placed at Daniel's grave and induced the D.A.R. to mount one of their plaques thereon. We are sure of his grave because John Taylor Haston had pointed out his grave and that of Daniel's wife, and that of Joseph Haston and his wife many years before to Casto Haston." | ||
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