But I digress...

I had every intention of writing about George and Anna (Warren) DeHority. But, every now and then, when trolling the Web for a specific individual, happy serendipity bestows a gift.

Today, I am looking for Anna (Warren) DeHority in the 1860 census (or anywhere else). Since my James M. DeHority held an estate sale for George in Perkinsville, IN, I will need to find it in the 1860 census, since Ann isn't showing up on a search (nor are sons David and Thomas....where are they?). In what township is Perkinsville? My clicking lands me at the wonderful site Pioneer Cemeteries of Indiana, where Prewett Cemetery in Perkinsville is beautifully photographed, accompanied by a narrative about some of the “residents” of the cemetery. And, lo and behold, there is a picture of the tombstone of Isaac Moore and his wife Sarah. Isaac and Sarah had a son Thomas R. Moore, who had a daughter, Jane Moore, who married John Wesley DeHority, son of my James. That makes Isaac my 4th great-grandfather. But, even better, I did know about Isaac, but not his wife Sarah, so I have a new find to add to my tree. This is a good day!



I don't have a picture of Isaac, but I do have this wonderful shot of my 2d great grandmother Jane (Moore) DeHority and her twin brother Thomas, taken about 1923.

Looking for George L.

When I'm looking online for ancestors, I usually stop first at Rootsweb, just to see if anyone else is looking too. There are often hints on how to proceed. Unfortunately, no one at Rootsweb is looking for George L. Dehority or Anna (Warren) Dehority, except me. No trees, no records, nothing (sigh!). Even looking for sons Thomas or David doesn't help.

Next stop, the Ancestry census files. My favorite census is 1850, since this is the one where they finally started listing all the members of the household. There he is, page 111, Murderkill Hundred, Kent County, Delaware, George Dorority, age 23 (or possibly 33—there is a markover), a farmer with 300 acres (Thomas' will left George half interest in his home and plantation estimated at 400 acres). Also listed with him are: Ann (29), David (1), Susan Herd (15) and Thomas Herd (19). All of this is consistent with George being the “son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd” as in Thomas' will. Further up the page is James Herd (38) and wife Mary (44) with their children: Elizabeth (12), Samuel (11), Rebecca (8), James (6), Benjamin (2). Well, if this is George's mother Mary, then either George is definitely 23, not 33, or she had him at age 11. It is starting to look like Mary had an earlier husband.

Next: Other clues in 1850.

Where there's a will...

Taking a closer look at Thomas' will, there doesn't seem to be a mention of bequests left to children. He mentions grandchildren: George L. Dehorty, John Tilghman Cubbage, Andrew J. Griffith, George R Griffith, Martin V. Griffith, Alexane Griffith, Joshua M. Dehorty, Thomas D. Cubbage, Margaret Clark. He mentions also, without identifying a relationship: James R. Griffith (father of the above children surnamed Griffith) and Elizabeth Griffith (probably his daughter Elizabeth, but he doesn't name her as such). So, who were the children of Thomas? Why are they not mentioned? If James is to be related to Thomas, it would seem that I need to look into this further. Maybe by investigating these grandchildren, I will find a clue. And there is also the elusive Sarah Silivan....did she marry a son of Thomas? Did she marry Thomas? If she is my James' mother, this last does not seem likely if the obituary is correct in that James lost both his parents by age 8. I think I'll start with George L. Dehorty, since he's the one that ended up in Indiana.

Next: Looking for George L.

The Trail in Delaware

So, James Madison DeHority was born in Delaware in 1819. This seems like the next place to look. There are a number of Dehorty families in Delaware in this time period. In researching the probate records, the only one which offers a link is a will for Thomas Dehorty, probated in 1847. The first hint is as follows:

“I will and devise unto my grandson John Tilghman Cubbage and to my grandson
George L. Dehorty son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd, as tenants in common all
my home and dwelling plantation.”

So, a George L. Dehorty is the son of Mary Hurd, wife of James Hurd. Is this my George L. Dehorty in Indiana? The marriage card file of the Delaware State Archives lists a marriage for James Hurd and Mary Longfellow. Does the “L” in George's name stand for Longfellow?
Further in the will:

“...subject to a legacy of one hundred dollars which I do hereby will and
devise that the said John Tilghman Cubbage and George L. Dehorty shall pay or
cause to be paid to James M. Dehorty, son of Sarah Silivan the same to be paid
within one year of my demise.”

Aha! So here's a reference to a James M. Dehorty. My James?! Efforts to find a reference to a Sarah Silivan have so far been unsuccessful. If James' obituary is correct, she must have died around 1828. And how is James related to Thomas? Thomas didn't refer to him as a grandson (drat!), so why is he leaving him $100?
Last, from the will:

“I further will and devise unto Ann Maria Warren one cow and one feather bed
with bedsted and furniture.”

Well, now. George L. DeHority had a son, Thomas (!) L. DeHority. A biography of Thomas indicates that his mother's name was Anna Maria Warren. I think this verifies that Thomas is referring to the DeHoritys in Indiana. George, Anna and their family are in Madison county in 1850, three years after the will was probated. I wonder if they delivered the $100 to James?

The trail seems hot in Delaware...

Leads in Indiana

James M. DeHority and his descendants are mentioned in several directories, databases, and histories of Madison County, IN. None of these include information about his parentage, except for the obituary previously mentioned. So, where to look next. One thought was to check for other DeHority families that show up in Indiana at the same time to see if there is a connection. There seem to be 2 that fit this description: George L. DeHority and Caleb DeHority. They aren't listed consecutively on any copies of the 1850 or 1860 census images that I have found online, but it seems they knew each other.

Caleb DeHority and his family arrive near "Anderson town" Indiana in September of 1838 according to a note left to descendants of his son William. 1838 is the year James M. married his wife Susanna in Fayette Co.,IN, and he comes to Pipe Creek Twp. by 1840, according to the Forkner Historical Sketches and Reminiscences of Madison County, published in 1897. A son born to Caleb in 1834 in DE is named James also. Did they know each other? Seems likely to me.

George L. DeHority and his family arrive from DE to settle "further west of Elwood" in 1850, according to a biography of his son Thomas. George names his son born in 1852 James M. DeHority. A clipping in the Anderson Public Library from 19 March 1858, notice in the Democrat Standard reads:
Administrator's Notice and Sale

I, the undersigned, have administered according to law on the estate of George
L. Dehority, deceased, late of Madison county, Indiana. The estate is probably
solvent. And on Saturday, the 10the day of April next, I will offer at public
sale at Perkinsville, all the personal effects of said deceased, consisting in
part of Horses, Wagon, Household and Kitchen Furniture, &c. A credit of nine
months on all sums of three dollars and upwards. Purchasers will be required to
give notes with approved security, waiving appraisement laws and barring
interest. James M. Dehority, March 13, 1858, Administrator.

So, it seems likely they were related, no? Unfortunately, probate records from George L. DeHority haven't been found (yet.....gotta love those courthouse fires).

Next: Clues in Delaware.

Brick wall: James Madison DeHority 1819-1891

Vital statistics: James was born in Delaware, reportedly near Dover, on 21 April 1819, parents unknown. He came to Indiana in 1836 and married Susanna Huffman 13 September 1838 in Fayette County, IN. Between 1839 and 1858, James and Susanna had 4 children: William B., John W., James H. and Joseph A. Only John W. and James H. lived to maturity. Obituaries and various county histories refer to him as a physician, minister (Methodist), banker and the owner of DeHority and Sons mercantile. James died in Elwood, Indiana, 18 July 1891. When he died, an obituary reports that 2000 people attended the funeral, notably a contingent from the Odd Fellows lodge.

So, my 3x-great grandfather seems to have been quite a Renaissance man. But who were his parents? Biographies of him, and his sons, are silent on this point. His obituary claims that he was orphaned in Delaware at the age of 8, and he lived with his grandparents until the age of 18 when he sets out for Indiana. Research in Delaware has revealed some clues, but no definitive suspects. So far, none of the articles found hints at the answer.


Next post: Clues in Delaware.

What's in a name?

So, I guess the first question is what family names am I following? Most important is my family's name, DeHority. Variants have appeared in documents dating to the 1700's: DeHority, Dehorty, Dougherty, Daugherty, Daggity, Dehortee, and even Dawoughtee. Other surnames include Mauzy, Hupp, Moore, Sillivan, Huffman, and Bobbitt. In researching these folks, I have picked up quite a bit of paper on collateral lines...my stacks are pretty big. Along the way I've corresponded with many other wonderful researchers, each stalking their own ancestors, lurked on a lot of lists hoping for tips, spent hours on Google hoping to sight new contacts, tramped through cemeteries....pretty much the same thing everyone bitten by the genealogy bug does. As hobbies go, it is fascinating, frustrating, enlightening and non-fattening.

But enough philosophizing...next, working on a brick wall.

New Year's Resolutions

Well, I've been tracking ancestors for almost 10 years now, some years more successfully than others. Previously I've had information on the web scattered amongst AOL, Family Tree Maker and Ancestry sites and posted on various Rootsweb boards. Last October, the Hometown AOL web sites went down, and the little that I had went with it. This year the plan is to dive into a consolidated web site, while trying to continue research and keep up with "real life" in general. No small plan. So this first post is small, a test, because I'm completely new to blogging and real life is calling in the background. Any and all suggestions about how to proceed are gratefully accepted.

More later.