Samuel HARSTON

HAIRSTON.org ID#3840, b. 1780, d. February 1860
Birth*Samuel HARSTON was born in 1780 in South Carolina.1,2,3,4 
Marriage*He married Unknown (surname unknown) on 9 April 1801 in South Carolina. In an 1851 Revolutionary War pension application for Elizabeth Spencer, Samuel Harston stated he had been married on 9 April 1801 in South Carolina.5 
Immigration*Samuel HARSTON immigrated in November 1801 to Barren, Kentucky. At about the same time that Moses Spencer and John Renfro left South Carolina and moved to Kentucky.5 
Tax Rolls1803 - Samuel Heston pays taxes in Barren County for 1 white male over 21 and 1 horse. - FSL #7834396 168.
Tax Rolls1805 - Samuel Haston pays taxes for 1 white male over 21 and 1 horse. Barren County. FSL #7834396, image 292.
Tax Rolls*1806 - On 13 June 1806, Samuel Hearston pays taxes in Barren County, Kentucky for 1 white male over 21 and 1 horse. On 27 May 1806, Samuel Haston pays tax 250 acres, 1 white male over 21 and 3 horses on Mill Creek in Barren County. - FSL #7834396 378.
Tax Rolls1807 - Samuel Hairston (spelled Hairston on tax form) pays taxes for 1 white male over 21 and 2 horses in Barren County, Kentucky. - FSL #7834396 image 409.
Tax Rolls1808 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 50 acres on Walnut Creek, 1 white male over 21 and 3 horses in Barren County.
Census 1810*He appeared on the census of 1810 in Barren, Kentucky, Samuel Haston: males under 10 1, 26-44 1, females under 10 3, 10-15 1, 26-44 1. (possible 1 son and 4 daughters.) A neighbor is William Ritchy. - FSL #5157062 image 36.6
Tax Rolls1812 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 85 acres on Glover Creek, 1 white male over 21 and 1 horse in Barren County.
Tax Rolls1814 - Samuel Harstin pays taxes on 85 acres, 1 white male over 21 and 2 horses in Barren County.
County Name*1815 - Allen County formed from Barren and Warren counties. 
Tax Rolls1815 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 120 acres, 1 white male over 21 and 3 horses in Allen County, Kentucky. - FSL #7834443 Image 20.
DeedHe witnessed the deed of Elijah TINSLEY on 25 July 1817 in Allen, Kentucky; On 25 July 1817, Elijah Tinsley sells a tract of land in Allen county to William Richey. It is witnessed by Samuel Harston. - Allen Deed Book B, page 230. FSL #7903506 image 368. 
DeedOn 15 January 1819, Samuel Harston purchases 88.5 acres of land in Allen county from Jonas and Polley Brown. Witneesed by Andrew C. Richey and John L. Gibson. - Allen County Deed Book B, page 439. FSL #7903506, image 472. 
Tax Rolls1820 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 88 1/2 acres, 1 white male over 21 and 3 horses in Allen County.
Court Record*July 1828 - Samuel Harston, Esq. was a Justice in the Allen County Court. 
DeedSamuel Harston purchases land in Barren County from John Glenn Anderson on 16 October 1829. - Barren County Deed Book L, page 498. FSL #7899154, image 258.
Census 1830*Samuel HARSTON appeared on the census of 1830 in Allen, Kentucky, Samuel Harston: Males 10-14 1, 15-19 1, 50-59 1, Females 10-14 1, 15-19 1, 20-29 1, 50-59 1. Thomas Harston, Thomas Spilman, Robert Spillman, Moses Tinsley, J. C. Whitney, and J. D. Richey are listed on same census page. 1830 Census Allen, Kentucky, Series: M19; Roll: 33; Page: 67.3
Deed*On 11 September 1832, Samuel Harston of Allen County, sells land in Barren County, Kentucky to David McGinnis. - Barren County Deed Book N, page 27. FSL #8141819 Image 32-33.
Religion*Samuel Harston and John Renfro were Messengers for the Peters Creek Baptist Church in Barren County, Kentucky in the 1830s. John Renfro had been a drummer in Capt. Peter Hairton's company in 1788.7 
Tax Rolls1837 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 288 1/2 acres, 1 white male over 21, 4 horses and 11 cattle in Allen County.
Census 1840*He appeared on the census of 1840 in Allen, Kentucky, Saml Harston - Males: 10-14 1, 60-69 1, Females: 30-39 1, 60-69 1. Listed next to Jeremiah Whitney and George B. Foster.4
Tax Rolls1840 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 300 acres, 1 white male over 21, 4 horses, 1 mule and 9 cattle in Allen County. Samuel is listed on same page with William Harston and Thomas Harston.
Death Spouse*His first wife died before 1846. 
DeedOn 26 June 1846, Samuel Harston sells land to Jerimiah Whitney. - Allen County Deed Book H, page 118. FSL #8193763 image 423.
Marriage*He married Rebecca SPILMAN (SPILLMAN) on 1 July 1846 in Allen, Kentucky, They were married by William F. Spilman. This was the second marriage for both Samuel Harston and Rebecca. Rebecca Spillman's first marriage was to Thomas J. Oliver in 1824. - FSL # image 87.2,8,9
Court RecordOn 29 September 1846, Elijah Boon appoints Samuel Harston to be his lawful attorney and it is witnessed by Elizabeth Harston. Who is Elizabeth Harston? - Allen County Deed Book H, page 160. FSL #8193763 image 444.
Tax Rolls1848 - Samuel Harston pays taxes on 200 acres, 1 white male over 21, 2 slaves and 4 horses in Allen County. Has 2 children between 5 and 16 years old. Thomas and William Harston are also listed paying taxes on same page and could be the 2 males listed on Samuel's 1830 census record. FSL #8337267 image 12.
Census 1850*Samuel HARSTON appeared on the census of 29 August 1850 in Allen, Kentucky, Samuel Harston 69 born SC, R. Harston 44 female KY (wife Rebecca Spillman Harston), N. A. Harston female 2 KY (daughter Narcissus Ann Harston), LJ Oliver female 18 KY (Louisa J. Oliver, daughter of Rebecca Spillman Oliver by first husband), F Russell 17 male KY, Elisha Boon 100 blind black male. Listed next to Mary Tinsley 74. - 1850 Federal Census, Allen, Kentucky FSL #4193956 image 296.2
Court Record*Samuel Harston signed a Revolutionary War Pension Affidavit on 26 April 1851 to help Elizabeth Spencer, widow of Moses Spencer. In this document, Samuel Harston states that he, Samuel Harston, was married on the 9th of April 1801 in South Carolina and moved to Kentucky in November 1801, but does not mention his wife's name. He also states that he was well aquainted with Moses and Elizabeth Spenser when he was in South Carolina in the years before 1794. Moses Spencer married Elizabeth Tinsley about 1778 in Virginia and they lived in North Carolina, South Carolina and Kentucky before moving to Tennessee. - NARA M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files. Roll: 2256.5
Deed*On 8 April 1853, Samuel Harston gives to his infant daughter Narcissa Ann Harston his negro girl Martha who is about 9 years old. - Allen County Deed Book J page 465. FSL #8574214 image 259. 
Deed*On 10 October 1853, Samuel & Rebecca Harston sell land in Allen County to Christopher H. Ritchy. - Allen County Deed Book J, page 527. FSL #8574214 image 290. 
Tax Rolls1860 - Thomas Harston paid taxes in Allen County for Samuel Harston Dec'd. FSL #8337267, image 601.
Death*He died in February 1860 in Allen, Kentucky. He was listed as 79, male, married, born in South Carolina, a farmer and died suddenly of unknown cause in February 1860.1
NOTE*GENEALOGY NOTES:
John Renfro (1760-1846) moved to Barren County in 1802 from Union County, South Carolina and prior to that lived in Henry County, Virginia. John Renfro fought in the Virginia Militia under Capt. Peter Hairston. In 1838, S. Harston, J. Renfro and T. Scrivner were Messengers for the Peters Creek Baptist Church in Barren County.

Catherine Hairston, the daughter of Andrew Hairston (c1716-1782), married Matthew Amyx and moved to Barren County, Kentucky about 1818.

Possible fathers of Samuel Harston from South Carolina: 1. William Hairston (#849) - Possible. 2. Thomas Hairston (#1734) - died 1782 and no known marriage or children. 3. Peter Hairston (#1736) had a son named Samuel c1797 - unlikely that he had 2 sons named Samuel. 4. John Hairston (#1735) - Possible

There are many people that believe Samuel Harston married a daughter of Thomas Tinsley named Diadame. I have not found any evidence of this marriage and it appears to be a guess. As always, I would like to see documentation. 

Family 1

Unknown (surname unknown)
Children

Family 2

Rebecca SPILMAN (SPILLMAN) b. a 1806
Child

Sources (www.HAIRSTON.org)

  1. [S154] 1850-1885 US Federal Census Mortality Schedule - National Archives and Records Administration.
  2. [S1850] 1850 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  3. [S1830] 1830 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  4. [S1840] 1840 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  5. [S3510] Revolutionary War Pension Applications, National Archives, Fold3.com.
  6. [S1810] 1810 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  7. [S3054] C. P. Cawthorn & N. L. Warnell, Pioneer Baptist Church Records of South-Central Kentucky and the Upper Cumberland of Tennessee, 1799-1899 - published 1985.
  8. [S3059] Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979.
  9. [S3509] Death Certificate of Narcissus Ann Stovall, Barren County, Kentucky, Ancestry.com.
Last Edited1 Sep 2024