B1James

B.5.g. James Nesbit {B.5.g.}

 

     James Nesbit was born in Augusta County, Virginia sometime between 1784 and 1786, and a few years later, the family moved to Fayette County, Virginia and eventually to Harrison County, Kentucky. James spent the majority of his childhood at the family farm along Gray’s Run, and, in 1808, he married Hannah Journey in Harrison County. Hannah had been born in New Jersey in 1787, but the identity of her parents is not known at this time. Sometime between 1818 and 1820 the family left Harrison County and moved to Posey County, Indiana, located in the southwestern corner of that state in the area between the Wabash and Ohio Rivers. Here, they appear to have remained for the rest of their lives. At least Hannah remained there, since she passed away in Indiana between 1860 and 1870. James was still alive in the 1870 census, living in the household of one of his sons. His date of death is not known with certainty, but it can probably be safely assumed that he passed away between 1870 and 1880 in Posey County, Indiana.

 

Timeline of James Nesbit and Hannah Jane Journey

 

~1784639

1850 Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana, Smith Township
Birth of James Nesbit in Rockbridge County, Virginia

~1787639

1850 Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana, Smith Township
Estimated Birth Date of Hannah Journey in New Jersey

6 April 1803282

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
Samuel Nesbit
1 White Male > 21           Samuel
1 White Male 16 – 21      James (~19)
7 Horses
200 Acres of 2nd Rate Land on Gray’s Run
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Haws
54 Acres of 2nd Rate Land on Gray’s Run
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Haws
299 Acres of 3rd Rate Land in Washington County
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Tracy

11 June 1804282

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
Samuel Nesbit
2 White Males > 21         Samuel, Samuel Jr. (22)
1 White Male 16 – 21      James (~20)
9 Horses
254 Acres of 2nd Rate Land on Gray’s Run
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Haws
235 Acres of 3rd Rate Land in Washington County
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Tracy

11 June 1805282

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
Samuel Nesbit
2 White Males > 21         Samuel, Samuel Jr. (23)
1 White Male 16 – 21      James (~21)
8 Horses
200 Acres of 2nd Rate Land on Gray’s Run
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Haws
50 Acres of 2nd Rate Land on Gray’s Run
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Haws
235 Acres of 3rd Rate Land on R. Fork Salt River in Washington County
In Whose Name Entered/Surveyed/Granted: Saml Tracy

30 Apr 1808282

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nisbet
1 male > 21      James (~24)
1 horse
no land

15 Mar. 1808623

Harrison County, Kentucky, Marriage Bond
Know all men by these presents that we James Nesbit and Robert Nesbit are held & firmly bound unto Christopher Greenup Esq. Governor of Kentucky & his successors with just & full sum of fifty pounds Currant Money of Kentucky & for payment well & truly to be made & done to our s.d Governor his Successors we bind ourselves & Every of our Heirs jointly & severally firmly by these presents Sealed with our seals & dates this fifteenth day of March 1808.
The Condition of the above obligation is such that whereas a marriage is shortly intended to be solemnized between the above cound James Nisbet and Hannah Journey now should there be no lawfull Cause to obstruct s.d marriage then the above obligation to be void Else remain in force.
Seal.
W. Moore CHC
James Nisbet (Seal)
Robert Nisbet (Seal)
This is to sertify that Hannah Jane Jurney is twenty wan years of age this mach and that Moath and myself James Leech setestyed theat she might be mared with James Nisbet.

6 June 1809618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nisbet
1 male > 21      James (~25)
1 horse
no land

20 June 1810618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nisbet
1 male > 21      James (~26)
2 horses
50 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Garr

29 June 1811618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Neisbett
1 male > 21      James (~27)
2 horses
50 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Garr

1812618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nisbet
1 male > 21      James (~28)
3 horses
50 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: M. Garr

1813618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbett
1 male > 21      James (~29)
3 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Long
Captain Riley’s Company

1814618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbett
1 male > 21      James (~30)
4 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Kenton
Value of Land per Acre: Not Listed
Total Value: $760

7 Mar. 1814276

Harrison County, Kentucky, Will Book A, page 244
In the Name of God amen, I Samuel Nisbet of Harrison county & State of Kentucky, being weakly in body but in perfect mind & memory thanks be to God for his mercies & Knowing that it is appointed for all men once to die I do make & ordain this my last will & Testament by me made and first of all I do commend my soul to God who Gave it and my body to the Earth from whence it came to be decently buried & as touching my worldly Estate that is has pleased God to bless me with I do dispose of in the following way & manner I do order all my Lawfull Debts to be paid and my funeral charges and as for the balance of my Estate I do dispose of in the following way & manner that is to say to John my son I do Give one hundred & twenty Dollars and to Robert my son I do Give ten Dollars as he had Got his Share before and to Samuel my son I do Give the piece of Land that is laid off to him adjoining Roberts line supposed to be twenty acres more or less and to James my son do Give thirty Dollars as he had Got his share before and to William my son I do Give the plantation whereon I now live with all the plantation, tools & 2 horses and the waggon to be Be---?-- [possibly between] William & Sam and Each of my Daughters now living at home is to have a horse or Mare & for my other three that is Married I do Give ten Dollars to each one & the balance of the Estate I do leave the Sole disposal of to Mary my wife and she is to have a Good Sufficient living on the place and to keep possession of the house and that three un Married Daughters to have their living on the place while un Married and I do leave Mary my wife and William my son Sole Executors of this my Last will & Testament by me made I do revoke all other wills or Testament by me made __ Given under my hand this 7th day of March 1814.
Samuel Nisbet L.S.
Test
W. Moore
A. Moore
Henry C. Moore

1815618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbit
1 male > 21      James (~31)
10 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Pickett
Value per acre: $15
Total Value: $3100

1816618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbit
1 male > 21      James (~32)
3 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Withoit
Value per acre: $6
Total Value: $430

1817618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbit
1 male > 21      James (~33)
2 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Withoit
Value per acre: $10
Total Value: $650

1818618

Harrison County, Kentucky Tax Listings
James Nesbit
1 male > 21 James (~34)
2 horses
55 acres on Second Lick
Original Owner: Hinton
Value per acre: $12
Total Value: $10_( unreadable)

1821640

1860 Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana
Birth of Alfred Nesbit in Indiana

1821643

1860 Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana
Birth of James G. Nesbit in Indiana

1830641

Federal Census Posey County, Indiana, page 197
Smith Township
James Nesbett
1 male < 5
2 males 5 - 10      Alfred (9), James (9)
1 male 15 - 20
1 male 40 - 50      James (~46)
2 females < 5
2 females 10 - 15
1 female 40 - 50      Hannah ~ (43)

1840642

Federal Census Posey County, Indiana, page 307
Smith Township
James Nesbit
1 male 10 - 15
1 male 15 - 20      Alfred or James (19)
1 male 50 - 60      James (~56)
1 female 10 - 15
1 female 50 - 60      Hannah, (~53)

1850639

Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana, Smith Township

Name

Age

Occupation

Value of Real Estate

POB

James Nesbit  

66

Farmer

$1500

VA

Hannah Nesbit

63

   

NJ

Martha Endicott

17

   

IL

Alpheus Endicott

14

   

IL

Eliza Nesbitt 

24

    

IL

1860640

Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana, page 614
Smith Township, Stuartsville
Dwelling Number: 745
Family Number: 649

Name

Age

Occupation

Value of Real Estate/Personal Estate

POB
Albert G. Nesbit   39 Farmer $14000/$1000 IN
Nakes S. Nesbit 44     IN
Joseph M. Nesbit 19     IN
Matilda Nesbit 14     IN
Louisa C. Nesbit 9     IN
Mary S. Nesbit 7     IN

Dwelling Number: 746

Name

Age

POB

Jas. Nesbit

74

KY

Hannah Nesbit 

73

KY

1860 – 1870640, 643

1860 and 1870 Federal Enumerations in Posey County, Indiana
Death of Hannah Journey In Posey County, Indiana

1870643

Federal Census, Posey County, Indiana, page 429
Smith Township
Dwelling Number: 92
Family Number: 92

Name

Age

Occupation

Value of RE/PE

POB

James G. Nisbet

49

Farmer

$12000/$800

IN

Dorcas S. Nisbet  

54

Keeping House

  

VA

Mary Y. Nisbet 

29

    

IN

Martha R. Nisbet

18

   

IN

Louisa C. Nisbet

16

   

IN

James Nisbet  

85

    

IN

Analysis of the Timeline

 

     Based on his age in the 1850 and 1860 federal enumerations, which, unfortunately, exhibit a small amount of inconsistent variation, James Nesbit’s birth date can be calculated as occurring sometime between 1784 and 1786. His parents were still living in Augusta County at that time, so his birth place is, obviously, Augusta County, Virginia. The family moved to the banks of a creek called Gray’s Run in Fayette County, Virginia in 1787, and that part of the county was eventually split off to form Harrison County, Kentucky. From the same census records, the birth date of Hannah Journey, James Nesbit’s first wife, calculates to 1787, the same year the Nesbits moved to Kentucky. The 1860 census indicates that the birth place for both James and Hannah was Kentucky, which is clearly wrong. The 1850 census must have been filled out by someone with a better knowledge of the facts, and it was here that Hannah’s birth place in New Jersey was noted. At the present time, no information has been found that would identify Hannah’s parents.

     James Nesbit grew up on the family farm in Harrison County, and can be traced as a taxable male in his father’s household when he reached the age of 16. Shortly after his marriage in the spring of 1808 he was living in his own household, although he was not yet a landowner. In 1810 James acquired 50 acres of land on Second Lick, and in 1813 was in Captain Riley’s company as part of the local militia during the War of 1812. Samuel Nesbit, James’ father, wrote his will in 1814 and noted that James had already received his inheritance, which was probably the 50 acres of land on Second Lick Creek. James can be tracked through Harrison County tax lists as a landowner on this creek until 1818. One of his sons was born in Indiana in 1821, as noted in the 1860 census records, so the move of this Nesbit family from Kentucky across the Ohio River to southwestern Indiana occurred sometime between 1818 and 1821. In 1860, both Hannah and James were living with their son, Alfred, in Posey County, where it was noted that neither James nor Hannah could read or write. Hannah’s disappearance between the 1860 and 1870 federal enumerations probably reflects her death during that time period. James, however, survived at least until the 1870 census, when he was living with another son, James G. Nisbet. His absence in his son’s household by the time of the 1880 census most likely brackets his death in the intervening decade.

 

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