Dr. JOHN B. ENGLISH (1807-1891)
1807: John born in KY, probably in Bedford (now Trimble Co.) (1)
12th child of Elisha & Sarah Wharton English
1808: Elizabeth born (Scott Co., KY?), to parents Jane "Jennie" Branham and Capt. John Duvall, of Scott Co., KY. (2)
1831: Married (Scott Co., KY?).
1832: Son "Duval" born (full name may be John Duvall/Duval English).
1836: Daughter Jane "Jennie" B. (for Branham?) born in "Carroll", KY (presumably Carroll Co.).
1838-1871: During this period, there were more than 50 Owen County deed transactions involving John and/or Elizabeth (apparently related to land speculation).
1840: Census - John is in Owen Co., KY (entries account for wife, son, daughter, and a slave).
1849: John alive and well! A bible record printed in several publications erroneously lists him as having died in 1849; see Errors in "English Bible".
1849: John's mother died in IL.
1850: Census - John and family in New Liberty, Owen Co., KY; he is listed as Speculator. The HISTORY OF OWEN COUNTY states John B. English had 18 bondsmen (slaves) in 1850.
1852: Daughter Jane married Alexander Wake Holeman/Holman in Owen Co, KY.
1853-1860: Four Holeman grandchildren born - Jacob Harrod, Betty Duvall, Annie W(ake?), and John English.
1854: Elizabeth's mother died (probably in Scott Co., KY).
1857: John's father died while visiting Louisville (his obituary mentions Dr. John B. English, of Owen Co., KY, as one of the sons bringing the body back to Illinois for burial).
1859: Elizabeth's father died (probably in Scott Co., KY).
1860: Census - John is listed as M.D., New Liberty, Owen Co., KY.
About 1862: Katie Duvall English born, daughter of [John's son] Duval and Frances Furnish, a family slave. (I learned of Katie in 1992. See African American Connections.)
1863-1865: John represented Owen Co., KY, in the House of Representatives. Although Owen County was pro-Confederacy, John was a member of the "Union Party" and "adhered to the Union cause." His son was a Union soldier and his son-in-law a Union officer. Some Duvalls (Elizabeth's family) sided with the Confederacy; according to family tradition, the family was "torn apart" during the Civil War.
1864: Abraham Lincoln to William A. Merriwether, March 7, 1864 (Order to suspend proceedings against John B. English and S. S. English; endorsed by John G. Nicolay, et al.) See brother Samuel's obituary and Lincoln Papers for explanation.
1866: Grandson Jacob Harrod Holeman died, age 13, buried in New Liberty.
1869: Daughter Jennie died, buried in New Liberty, Owen Co., KY. (Thereafter, the three surviving Holeman children lived with John and Elizabeth).
1870: Census - John is in New Liberty, Owen Co., KY., listed as Physician; he is the Census taker (household includes the Holeman grandchildren).
1880: Census - J. B. is listed as Physician, New Liberty, Owen Co., KY. "E. C. H." (wife Elizabeth) is in household.
After 1880 Census: Granddaughter Anna/Annie W. married Dr. Harmon Hay/Hayes (sons born in 1885 and 1887; she died before the 1900 Census).
1881: Granddaughter Bettie Duvall Holeman married Alver Williams in Louisville. (Betty, who had no children, is known in our family as "Nanny," beloved great aunt of my mother. In 1992, more than fifty years after she died in California, her ashes were finally brought home to New Liberty, Owen Co. KY.)
1884: Son Duval died (in Louisville?), buried in New Liberty.
1885: John and Elizabeth deed of New Liberty land to granddaughter Annie recorded.
1887: John and Elizabeth deeded New Liberty land to grandchildren Bettie and John (recorded 1888 and 1890).
1887: Holeman son-in-law died (in Louisville?), buried in New Liberty.
1889: Grandson John English Holeman married Katie (Katherine Sophia) Graves in Boone Co.
1889: Elizabeth died (Louisville? Owen Co?) buried in New Liberty
1891: John died, buried in New Liberty, Owen Co., KY.(3)
(Where did he die? Was he in Louisville with granddaughter? No obits, will, or probate records yet found.)
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(1) Present county name Trimble, prior names Henry, Oldham, and Gallatin.
Some researchers list him as John Breckenridge English. During this era there were three Wharton-English family members named John B. English.
1. Dr. John B. English (1807-1891) of Owen Co., KY, son of Sarah & Elisha (JBE - subject of this Time Line).
2. John B. English (1827-1849) of English, Carroll Co., KY, son of JBE's older brother James.
3. Pastor John Breckenridge English (1845/6-1897), of IL and NY, son of JBE's older brother Lindsey.
(2) Elizabeth is a descendant of Mareen DuVall who came to Maryland during the 1650's; this line is documented in MAREEN DUVALL OF MIDDLE PLANTATION by Harry Wright Newman (Elizabeth is in the book).
(3) ETERNAL REST Owen County, Kentucky, Cemetery Records, compiled by the Owen County Historical Society, 1989. New Liberty [IOOF] Cemetery, Owen County, Kentucky. Confirmed June 1992 when I visited the cemetery. Wife Elizabeth and other family members are in the plot; their stones will be posted in the future. John's stone is noted here as further evidence he did not die in 1849.
Dr. John B. English, Born March 20, 1807, Died May 14, 1891
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My database includes over 1,200 descendant related entries for the family of Elisha & Sarah Wharton English; the first five generations are at The English Plantation.
GKBopp Revised 24 June 2002
Descendant of Dr. John B. English,
12th child of Elisha & Sarah Wharton English.