David Haston - His Early (Pre-Married) Years

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1777
May 6

Birth Date:  David Haston, Daniel Haston's firstborn son, was born during the Revolutionary War. The 1850 census of Van Buren County, TN gives his birth state as Virginia.  Dunmore (Shenandoah) County land records indicate the Daniel Haston family, into which David was born, was living near the head of Passage Creek in Powell's Fort Valley (in the Massanutten Mountain between New Market and Luray, VA) during this time.  
 

Passage Creek in Powell's Fort Valley Near Where Daniel Haston's Family Lived in 1777

David Haston was probably born somewhere in or near the area of this circle.

David Haston Bible Record

1785
September 28

Margaret Roddy Born:  The David Haston Bible record says the future wife of David ("Margrete Roddy") was "Borne [sic] September 28, 1785." The 1850 census record indicates she was born in North Carolina.  Her family (Philip and Mary Roddy) was living in Randolph County, NC according to the 1790 census.

1798
April 12

David Convicted for Cutting Cows' Tails: 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 put up a total of $100 in bond money for David and Joseph. Moses Roddy, Mary Ann Roddy, Eleanor Roddy, Wm. Haslet, Sr., Wm. Haslet, Jr., and Richard Cahell (spelling ?) were called to witness for the State and against David. Daniel, David's father, made some kind of plea to the court. David was found guilty and fined $5.00. Joseph was acquitted. 
Source: State vs David Haston & Joseph Haston; Knox Co, TN County Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions; Docket # 796/65 (1798).

Although there is no known documentation concerning David Haston's education, there is later evidence that he did receive a decent English language education somewhere and sometime in his growing up years.  Also, he may have made some significant contacts with early Tennessee politicians and businessmen while living in the little pioneer village of Knoxville, first while it was the capital of the United States Southwest Territory and later after became the capital of the state of Tennessee.