Henthorn, Elijah

Summary of Elijah HENTHORN - 18 Jul 2010
---------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Elijah HENTHORN
Sex: Male
Father: Jesse HENTHORN (15 Jan 1803 - 29 May 1878)
Mother: Hannah Jane WRIGHT (bet 1804 and 1807 - aft 1880)

Individual Facts
Birth abt 1835 Monroe Co., OH

Marriages/Children
1. Nancy UNKNOWN
Children
Eliza J. HENTHORN (abt 1857 - )
Sarah Ann HENTHORN (abt 1858 - )
Wilson Shannon HENTHORN (Jun 1860 - )
Sylvanius HENTHORN (abt 1863 - )
Mary HENTHORN (abt 1865 - )
Unknown HENTHORN (30 Dec 1868 - )
Albert HENTHORN (abt 1869 - )
Hannah HENTHORN (abt 1871 - )
John HENTHORN (9 Apr 1874 - )
Charles HENTHORN (3 Dec 1877 - )

Notes (Individual)
General:
Elijah Henthorn

Census: 1860, in Monroe Co., OH, Salem Twp. (P.O. Clarington) #1004/1004, p. 147, 24 Jul 1860
Elijah Henthorn, 25, m. farmer, /100, OH; Nancy, 24, f. domestic, OH
Eliza J., 3, f. OH; Sarah A., 2, f. OH; Shannan, 1/12, m. OH
(Furnished by June Thompson and Gordon Paul)

Census: 1870, in Monroe Co., OH, Green Twp. #205-206, p. 99
Elijah Henthorn, 35, OH laborer
Nancy, 35, OH, keep house
Eliza J., 13, OH, help mother
Sarah A., 11, OH, help mother
Wilson S., 9, OH
Sylvanus, 7, OH
Mary, 5, OH
Albert, 1, OH
John, VA live w/nephew
(List of names and ages from the census furnished by Denver C. Yoho With additional data from Estral Tennant)

Census: 1880, in Monroe Co., OH, Green Twp. #140

COMMENT:
Gordon Paul found that Elijah and Nancy Henthorn of Green Twp., Monroe Co., OH had an unnamed child on 30 Dec 1868 in Clarington (followed by a ?). It was not reported whether the child lived or died?

PROBATE-LAND: Jesse Henthorn died in fee simple. A Quit Claim deed by Andrew J. to Hannah Henthorn was recorded in Vol. 37, page 67. A Quit Claim deed by Hannah Henthorn and all to Elijah Henthorn was recorded 30 Jul 1880, Vol. 37, page 72. A Warranty deed from Elijah Henthorn to John W. Shaw was recorded on 15 May 1884, Vol. 41, page 336.
(Furnished by Shirley J. Craib)

QUESTION: Is if possible that this Elijah was married twice?
MARRIAGE: Elijah Henthorn and Mary Ann Snively were married on 13 Dec 1885 in Monroe Co., OH. Andrew J. Henthorn made application for license.
(Source: Monroe County Ohio Marriage Records, Book 3 - furnished by Betty Cronin and Ray Alfred Stewart)

COMMENT:
There was a Mary A. Snively, 51, OH living as head of household, 274-271, in Ohio Twp., Monroe Co., OH at the time of the 1870 census. There were 5 people between the ages of 30 and 17 living with her, all with the Snively surname.

Conger, Elijah Hagens

Elijah Hagens Conger

Elijah Hagens Conger, born on 22 Oct 1878 in either Shiloh, Randolph county, AL or Dempsey, Clay county, AL was another person who was very interested in Conger genealogy and history.

He learned that the papers of Charles Leslie Conger, including the correspondence, was in the Rare Book Division of the Library of Congress. In 1941, while living in Caliente, Nevada he mad these records available to the public.

In a letter to Maxine Leonard dated, 4 Mar 1963, Elijah's wife, Carrie, wrote, "My husband did so much research and received so much information from so many different people. I am quite sure that he received the information from Charles L. Conger's widow that he had deposited these eight volumes in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC. I know he wrote to the Library and made arrangements to have the eight volumes microfilmed. Cost $32.00. Then he had to buy a reading machine, $75.00, so that we could type them back into book form. As my husband was practicing his profession (dentistry) at this time we could only do this typing in our spare time, it took us three years to complete the assignment. As you can see the spelling is far from correct. That was one thing my husband just couldn't master. He wrote a beautiful hand, though. When we finished typing the films my husband deposited them in the Genealogy Library in Salt Lake City, UT."

In another letter Carrie explained that Charles Leslie Conger's eight volumes were made into four books in re-typing the records, and that there were 990 pages. They made two sets -- the original and one carbon. One set was given to Dan Conger (nephew, Dan Lewis Conger?) and after Elijah's death the other was given to his sister, Era (Conger) Jones of Overton, Nevada. (Of the 990 pages, much space was wasted by so many indentations. Copies of all correspondence was included also. [Probably a comment by Maxine Leonard. REH])

Era (Conger) Jones later let Maxine (Crowell) Leonard copy the books one at a time.

Elijah Hagens Conger died on 2 Dec 1950 at Las Vegas, Clark county, NV. His wife, Carrie Iola (Braden) Conger, who was born on 19 Apr 1880 in Wildwood, Randolph Co. AL, died on 5 Jun 1966 at Oakland, Alameda Co. CA.

Elijah Conger

Elijah Conger

RECOLLECTIONS

I am sixty-four years of age, having been born in November 1873 on a little farm near Fort Smith, Arkansas, and now live on Route 2, Oktaha, Oklahoma.

Father: Tom Conger, white man born in Kentucky. Mother: Anna Harmon-Conger, born in Indiana.

I came along with my parents in 1886 from Arkansas and we first settled on a farm in the Sugarloaf mountain region near the town of Cameron, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, and began farming with one mule and a single stock. The next year we moved near Texanna, Cherokee Nation, Indian Territory.

The school and church buildings in these localities (The Choctaw and Cherokee Nations) were of native lumber construction and some few were of slab construction, the slabs being set up end-wise. The residences occupied by the Indians and some whites were principally of log construction with rock fire places built of native stone. Roofs were of shaped shingles and some of these cabins had dirt floors and no windows.

The English language was taught in the schools and the church I attended was of the Baptist faith.

We raised cotton and corn. We did not pick cotton in sacks as they do now but we used baskets that held about two bushels. The gin at Cameron was operated by horsepower and likewise the one in Texanna. The man who operated and owned the gin and mill at Texanna was named John Pierce. Cottonseed in the late eighties were of no value. People did not feed them to their stock or send them to a cotton oil mill as they do today to get the lint, hulls, meal and oil.

We gave one-eighth of the corn for toll. Out of two bushels of shelled corn, shelled by hand, with toll out, we would get back a two-bushel sack full of seed.

The cost of ginning cotton, a horse-power gin, we would have to pay three dollars a bale, which included ginning, bagging, and ties. It was tied by hand.

Our social affairs consisted of barbecues, camp meetings, horse racing, foot racing and poker games. Our camp meetings usually would last for two or three weeks at a time. The meetings usually would start along in the fall and we would take our bedding & provisions and just camp near the meeting grounds until the meeting time. There were old arbors. They were constructed of poles, limbs and brush. Seats were usually logs rolled into position.

There were lots of wild berries and fruits such as blackberries, dewberries, hawberries, grapes, plums and a few seedling peach trees. There was plenty of nuts, namely hickory nuts, walnuts, chinquapins and pecans. All kinds of game haunted the sections of these parts of Choctaw and Cherokee Nations, such as black bear, panther, wild cat, wild turkey, deer, quail, rabbit, squirrel, possum and raccoon. The first deer I ever saw was in the big Sugarloaf Mountains, in the now LeFlore County, Oklahoma; and the first black bear was about four miles north of the South Canadian River, near Texanna, now McIntosh county.

All the streams, large and small, were full of all kinds of fish. The Indians used to catch lots of fish and the prize fish among the Choctaws was the Sun-Perch. They would cook them brown and eat them bones and all.

In the now LeFlore County and near the towns of Cameron, Bokoshe and Panama, coal was just beginning to be mined and when the Kansas City Southern Railroad came through that section, little mining camps sprang up every few miles.

There were herds of wild horses in the Sugarloaf Mountain region. They would come down on the plains to graze and take refuge in the mountains. There was lots of wild hogs in the low lands and woods on the South Canadian near Texanna. If a man could show that he had turned out some three or four gilts and a boar he had what they called a hog title and that would permit him to kill a wild hog for food when he so desired. These hogs were never fed by anyone, as they lived on the moss, acorns, hickory nuts, pecans, chinquapins, roots, grass and herbs. They usually hunted and killed these hogs for meat in the late fall for at this time they would be fat on the moss.

There was considerable stock raising, cattle. The market was Fort Smith, Arkansas. However, some were driven north on the Texas road for points in Missouri. The cattle grazed on the open range, herded by cow hands or sometimes called cowpunchers. These cowpunchers were men of very little education, but they were all jolly good fellows, honest and square in all their dealings, and law-abiding citizens.

I might say more than law-abiding citizens, for their six shooters were the Law. A thief in their midst meant if they knew him to be guilty, that is caught in the act, of rustling cattle or horses, that he be left dangling at the end of a rope tied to the limb of a tree with his body riddled with bullets. They would pull their cow ponies off a few paces after the thief was hung and with their six-shooters and saddle guns, rifles, which they carried to protect themselves, and fire vollies of shots into the body of the thief. The reason they always carried these weapons was not only to protect themselves but to protect their herds from cattle rustlers, coyotes and other wild animals.

The Kansas City Southern Railroad built into what is now LeFlore County in the early '80s. I can't recall the exact year. The old steamboat landing at Skullvill was missed by the railroad and the town of Spiro sprang up, back a few miles from the river. When grading through this section for the railroad hundreds upon hundreds of human bones were excavated, supposedly those of Indians who had died years before from some epidemic as they were buried side by side in long trenches, and it was nothing unsightly to see hundreds of skulls in a pile together that the railroad men would pick up on their shovels and pile back. I never did know why the steamboat landing was called Skullville, but it was a very appropriate name for it for nothing more than the above named reason.

In the early 1900's, I think it was in 1903, the Midland Valley Railroad and the Fort Smith and Western Railroad built through the towns of the present Panama, Bokoshe and Coal Creek and at this period the coal industry was in full blast as these railroads traversed the present large coalfields.

The first and only store for a long time was owned by John Pierce. John Pierce furnished nearly all the Indians as he was the first settler and better known. Months and years he furnished them and individual families owed him thousands of dollars. He depended upon the Indians receiving their government pay and they paying him. I am a white man but I give the Indian credit of being honest for I don't believe that Mr. Pierce lost a single dollar they owed him.

(Source: This interview with Elijah Conger was taken for the Indian - Pioneer History of Oklahoma, and is in Indian Archives of the Oklahoma Historical Society)

Maxine (Crowell) Leonard Note: Elijah's father, Tom, could be Ira T. (Thomas) Conger, 1848, a son of Elisha Conger, 1820, of Crittenden county, Kentucky. Ira T. and his family moved to the Oklahoma Indian Territory. The main question that arises is that there is a marriage record for Ira T. Conger and Mary E. Felker on 22 Dec 1872. This Elijah was born in November of 1873. He stated his mother was Anna Harmon; there were Hammons near the Congers in Kentucky.

It is also possible that he could have been the son of Elisha's brother, John, 1820, who had a son, Toby (Thomas?) born around 1856. This family lived at Johnson county, Arkansas, but there is no record of their being in Kentucky.


Note: This account of life in the Oklahoma Territory was probably written about 1937 if Elijah Conger was 64 years old and born in November of 1873. A number of place names in the Oklahoma Territory were mentioned in the piece. To assist the reader in understanding where these places are located they are listed again here with the counties in which they lie according to the 1995 Rand McNally Commercial Atlas. Richard E. Henthorn

Fort Smith, Sebastian Co., AR
Oktaha, Muskogee Co., OK
Texanna, McIntosh Co., OK
Cameron, LeFlore Co., OK
Bokoshe, LeFlore Co., OK
Panama, LeFlore Co., OK
Spiro, LeFlore Co., OK
Coal Creek, LeFlore Co., OK

Most Wanted - Parents of Elijah Henthorn(e)

Most Wanted
Parents of Elijah Henthorn(e)

A long standing research question is, "Who were the parents of Elijah Henthorn(e) of Otisco, Clark co., IN?". Some researchers think he was the son of Robert and Mary (Nicholson) Henthorn. Norma L. Henthorn and Raymond M. Bell think he was the son of John Henthorn and Nancy Jane Garrison and that his grandparents were William and Jane Henthorn.

Here's some of the information that has been shared over the years.

Name: Elijah HENTHORN(E)
AKA: Eligah
Birth:15 Apr 1803 Wheeling, Ohio Co., VA
Death: 3 Sep 1896, Clark Co., IN
Burial: 5 Sep 1896 Otisco, Clark Co., IN, Otisco Cemetery
Probably Father of:

• Louisa Henthorn--1833;
• Miranda Henthorn--1838;
• Matalida Henthorn--1839;
• James A. Henthorn--1839;
• Margaret Henthorn--1842;
• Isabel Henthorn--1844;
• Jane Henthorn-1845;
• Sarah Henthorn-1847;

In the 1990 work of Norma L. Henthorn and Raymond M. Bell, "The Henthorn Family, Pennsylvania, Maryland, West Virginia, with notes on Cresap and Quinn Families," page 12, they list Eligah Henthorn as a son of John Henthorn and Nancy Jane Garrison. Robert Henthorn who married Mary Nicholson Henthorn is listed as the brother of John Henthorn who married Nancy Jane Garrison. The father of Robert and John is listed as, William Henthorn who married, Jane. William lived in Ohio co., VA and Clark co., IN where he died in August 1823. Here's the family of John Henthorn:

• John Henthorn b. ca 1776 d. ca 1855 m. Nancy Jane Garrison.
• Lived in Licking co. Oh. and Clark co. Ind.
  
• Issue:
• 1. Isaih [sic] b. ca 1800 d. ca 1845 m. Anna Ceurry.
• 2. Eligah b. 15 Apr 1803 d. 3 Sept. 1896 m. 1st Nancy; m. 2nd Mary Alstatt.
• 3. Isabel b. ca 1808 m. Turner Campbell.
• 4. Margaret b. ca 1809 d. 28 June 1855 m. Reece M. Reid.
• 5. John b. ca 1827 d. 1 Sept. 1890 m. Olive M. Brooks.
• Other children unknown.

In another typed, unpublished document, prepared by Norma Henthorn in May of 1958 she again listed the family of Robert Henthorn and did not list a son, Eligah. This document did not list the family of John Henthorn of Licking Co., OH.

RECOLLECTIONS:
Rose Caroline Henthorn claimed that her father, Elijah came to Clark County, IN when he was about 10 years old. Family notes indicate that he was a riverboat captain. His wife, Mathilda, was from Davenport, Iowa which might have been on his river route.

MARRIAGE: Marriage of Elijah Henthorn and Mathilda Burch on 5 Jul 1827 at Jefferson Co., IN is recorded in Book A, page 76. It is also listed in Indiana Source Book I "Jefferson County Marriages 1811-1831."
(Furnished by Florence Hunstein)

MARRIAGE: Marriage of Elijah Henthorn and Mathilda Burch 5 Jul 1827, Minister, C.W. Ruter. Gen. Cal. #929.30 (or 929.3D), John Paul Chapter G.A.R., Page 18, Jefferson Co., IN Marriage Records.
(Furnished by Alan F. Smith)

Census: 1850 in Clark Co., IN

• Elijah Henthorn,
• Mahalia 19,
• Louisa 17,
• (not legible) 13,
• James A. 11,
• Matilda 12,
• Margaret 8,
• Isabel 6,
• Jane 5,
• Sarah 3,
• Joseph B. 30.

(Census data furnished by Florence Hunstein)

MARRIAGE:
Marri: Batch #: 5000492, Sheet #: 42, Source Call #: Not Available
Elijah Henthorn and Mary Alstott, 30 Dec 1851, Charlestown, Clark, IN
QUESTION: Has anyone obtained the film of this record and read it?

MARRIAGE: Marriage of Elijah Henthorn and Mary Alstott. License was obtained on 30 Dec 1851 and the marriage took place on 1 Jan 1852. Recorded in Jefferson Co., IN records
(Furnished by Florence Hunstein)

MARRIAGE: Clark County Marriages 1825-1855 at the New Albany, IN Library,
Elijah Henthorn and Mary Alstott, License, 30 Dec 1851
(Furnished by Florence Hunstein)

Census: 1860 in Iowa
Robert Allstott, age 77 was listed with Elijah Henthorne.
[Note: Robert F. Allstott was the father of Mary Frances Allstott. REH]
(Furnished by Alan F. Smith)

Census: 1860 in Scott Co., IA, Winfield Twp.

• Eligah, 50, b. PA, farmer;
• Mary 35, b. IN;
• James, 23, b. IN;
• Alice, 12, b. IN;
• Joseph, 10, b. IN;
• John, 7, b. IA;
• Mary, 4, b. IA;
• Florence, 3, b. IA;
• Sarah M., 3/12, b. IA.

[Note: If Eligah was 50 at the time of this census his birth year would have been Abt. 1810, seven years after 15 Apr 1803. REH]

EMIGRATION:
It appears that the first four children of Elijah and Mary Frances Alstott Henthorne were born in Iowa and that Ella, the last of the four was born in that state Abt. 1860. The remaining four children born to this couple, beginning with William Spencer Henthorne, born 1 Mar 1863, were born in Clark Co., IN.

DEATH: Ray Alfred Stewart and Florence Hunstein found a death record for:
Elijah, age 93, on 3 Sep 1896 in Clark Co., IN.
Henthorn, Elijah; M W; 93; 3 Sep 1896; Otisco, IN, died of old age, born in VA, no parents names listed.
(Source: Death Record Book, Clark Co., IN, page 109, reference book H 23 15)

DEATH: OTISCO, [IN]
Otisco, July 22, [1896]. -- Elijah Henthorn is at the point of death and can not live but a few hours. He was born in Ohio, April 5, 1803,
[Note: the day of birth is listed as April 5th, probably an error. REH] and moved with his parents to this county when he was 13 years old. He lived in this county ever since, with the exception of ten years spent in Iowa.
(Source: National Democrat, 24 Jul 1896 - furnished by Florence Hunstein)

BURIAL: OTISCO
Otisco, Sept. 7 [1896] -- Mr. Elijah Henthorn was buried on Saturday at the Otisco cemetery. Uncle Lige was in his 94th year and had been a resident of this place for many years. He leaves a wife and several children to mourn his loss. The children that lived in Iowa and New York did not arrive for the funeral.
(Source: Evening News, 9 Sep 1896 - furnished by Florence Hunstein)

CEMETERY:
According to Alan Frederick Smith this Elijah Henthorne is buried in the Otisco Cemetery at Otisco, IN. Alan states, "There is another Elijah Henthorn stone in a cemetery 5 miles east and a little south of Otisco, IN."
QUESTION: Who is the Elijah Henthorn buried at the location south of town?

CEMETERY:
Florence Hunstein reports that there is a large marker in the Otisco cemetery for Elijah Henthorne. It is believed that Mary Alstott is also buried there but the inscriptions on the stones do not show it. A photograph of the tombstone reveals an inscription that can clearly be read.
It states: "Elijah Henthorne, Born Wheeling, West Virginia, April 15, 1803, Died September 3, 1896. Erected by his devoted daughter Florence."
[Note: There is an "e" on the end of the name, inscribed on the stone. REH]

-0-

Email: Dick.Henthorn@gmail.com
Posted: 9 Feb 1999
Revised: 27 Sep 2009
File: Elijah.txt