Henthorne Family - 4th Installment (4 of 4)

Family Research in Monroe County ... by
Catherine Foreaker Fedorchak

HENTHORNE Family - 4th Installment.
Thursday, December 10, 1970

Another unknown HENTHORNE, at least at this stage of this search, is Susannah HENTHORNE. Her will can be found in Will Book 1, page 47, in Ohio County, West Virginia and it was dated Feb. 2, 1799, however the date of Probate is not given, so we have no way of telling how long it was after she wrote her will before she died, and the terms were carried out.

The following is that will: "In the name of God, Amen. I Susannah Henthorn of the County of Ohio, being very sick and weak in health and body but of perfect mind and memory, Thanks be unto God calling unto mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all women once to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament that is to say principally I do recommend my body to the earth to be buried in descent Christian burial at the discretion of my executors, nothing doubting but at general resirection I shall receive the same again, by the mighty power of God and as touching such wordly estate wherewith it has pleased God to bless me with in this life for all my just debts to be paid. I give and dispose of the same in the following manner -

first I give and bequeath to my beloved son, James, my horse and pot crock;

second I give and bequeath to my son, Adam one third of my plantation and one cow and a bed and beding,

third, I give and bequeath to my grandson, William, the son of James, the remainder of the place.

Fourth, I give and bequeath to my daughter Sarah one cow and heifer and black gound (probably means gown) what with paying Mary the half price one dutch oven three puter plates pair of tongs and a Bible.

Fifth, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Mary two heifers, one of them springing to calf, a gound and a peticoat, a puter dish and five plates, four spoons and a apron.

Sixth, I give and bequeath to my daughter, Rebecca, a cloak a iron kittle, and a spining wheel, a crack dish and four plates and five spoons, and a piggin for Lydia.

Seventh I give and bequeath to my daughter-in-law, Elizabeth the remainder part of my moveables.

I appoint my son James my executor for this is my last will and all others to be voided. /s/Susannah Henthorn (her mark)

"The witnesses to this will were Andrew White, William Henthorne, and David Howell.

Inasmuch as it is not ethical to be a witness to any paper or document in which you have a personal interest, I would be of the opinion that the witness, William HENTHORNE, was not the same as the grandson William to whom she left the remainder of her plantation. So that brings up a question - who was the witness? Another son whom she does not give anything, another grandson named William, a brother-in-law, or perhaps a nephew?

If you are saving these columns, I refer back to Adam in the 3rd installment. He is buried in RUTTER Cemetery, and Mrs. SCHAFER is of the opinion that he was the brother of James the Original Clarington Settler. Now the questions arises - is the Adam in the will of Susannah HENTHORNE, the same Adam in the RUTTER Cemetery. If so, then the James in the will is the Original Settler in Clarington, James, (OCS) had a son, William, but I guess the answer would be in the disposition made by Adam of the property he got from his mother, Susannah, to see if that disposition was made by an Adam and Nancy HENTHORNE. That item does not seem to have been checked out by the persons working on this family. Another possibility which seems to fit is the bequest to "my daughter-in-law, Elizabeth." If we assume that Susannah's son, James, was married at the time of her will, but her son, Adam, was not then the daughter-in-law must have been James' wife. Again refer to previous installment #1 which surmises that James the OCS was alive in 1800 and his widow, Elizabeth was listed in the 1818 tax list, but too was deceased by 1820.

If you are not now thoroughly confused, I shall complete this series with two more HENTHORNES which may or may not be pertinent to the family of James, the Original Clarington Settler.

A John HENTHORN, born 1715 in Ireland married Fanny, and had a son, James who was in Fayette Co. near Uniontown, Pa. but left after the Rev. War circa 1781. This John also had John, Jr., who died in 1786 in Uniontown, and a daughter, Sarah, who married for a second husband, James Quinn, and also a daughter Mary who married David Jennings. Perhaps the Monroe Co. James belonged to this family.

There was another James HENTHORN, who made a will in Berkeley Co., Va., 11 March 1775 (Will Book I, pp. 58-60). I have a copy of this will which was copied for me by Mrs. Christine Bergen, a researcher in Berkeley Co. He had a wife, Mary, a son, James, who were the executors of his will, also eldest daughter, Mary JACKSON, son Adam, daughter, Ann WATSON, daughter Elizabeth WATSON, son William HENTHORNE, daughter Sarah COLLINS, daughter Susannah ROBBE, son John HENTHORNE, grandson Joseph, son of Adam, and Mary daughter of George WATSON. Also to James YELLIGEN, on his behaving well the remainder of his service.
This will was proven at the May term of court, 1776.

The Monroe Co., James HENTHORN could be the son named in this will. You can take your pick, as your guess would be as good as mine at this point. Perhaps as a result of these columns more bits and pieces will be forthcoming, and some of these questions can be answered.

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