Isaac Stanley, our ancestor, is still a mystery as far as his parentage and birthplace is concerned. We first find Isaac Stanley in Greene County Georgia in 1801 on a Tax List for Molton or Melton District. Then we find his marriage records there. He married Nancy Hough, daughter of Samuel Hough and Sarah Hix Hough, on January 1, 1802. Some records spell Hough as Huff and is pronounced that way. They also were in the Molton District. We also find Stephen Stanley marrying Elizabeth Hough shortly thereafter. We do not know for sure, but think he might be a brother of Isaac as they both moved westward together.
Mississippi Territory was organized by Congress in 1798. It included lower Mississippi and Alabama. Georgia claimed the northern area of those two present day states. However, they gave up their claim in 1802 and on March 27, 1804 Mississippi Territory was enlarged to include all of the present day Mississippi and Alabama.
A migration of settlers began to move west to find new, fertile land. The plantations in the east were taken and the soil was worn out from incorrect farming practices.
Samuel Hough moved west in 1803, and Stephen Stanley and Isaac followed him in 1804. We find a Preemption Certificate dated August 7, 1805, granted to Isaac as an original settler on land located on the West side of the Tombigbee River. This is evidently the land on the Buckatanna River.
On the 1805 Washington County MS Terr. Tax list appeared Isaac and Stephen Stanley and also Samuel Huff and son Francis Huff.
On the 1808 Washington County Census Isaac Stanley appeared 2-3-1-2-6-0. His family had grown.
In 1809, Wayne County was established in Mississippi Territory
In 1810 Washington County MS Territory census listed :
Isaac as 1-1-1-1-4-0-0
Stephen Stanley as 1-2-1-3-7-0-1
Francis Huff as 1-5-1-1-8-9-1
Samuel was still in Wayne Co.
In 1811, Isaac was in Washington County.
In 1812, Congress annexed the Mobile district to the Mississippi Territory.
In 1813 he was in Wayne County. In 1814 -1816 he owned land on the Buckatanna Creek in Wayne County, as did Stephen Stanley and Francis Huff.
In 1814 and 1815 Wayne County MS Tax Rolls showed:
Isaac-Buckatunna ( west side) w wh poll Tax 66 2/3
Stephen S had 1 wh poll 3 slaves Tax 2.15 2/3
Mississippi became the 20th state on December 10, 1817 and a line was drawn between it and Alabama Territory…present day boundary. St. Stephens on the Tombigbee became the temporary seat of Alabama Territory.
In 1817 Isaac’s tax bill showed 160 acres, Class 4, 3rd quality on Buckatunna 1 white poll.
In 1818 Isaac Standley appeared on the Tax Roll of Wayne Co. MS as 1 white poll and his tax was $1.10 2/3.
Stephen Standley was 1 white poll 4 slaves - Tax $3.57 1/3
In 1819 the Tax Roll of Wayne Co. MS showed Isaac as 1 white poll and his tax $1.00 He evidently had sold his land as he did not pay any tax on any.
Alabama was admitted as the 22nd state in 1819.
Isaac probably moved to Monroe Co. by 1820 and on to Wilcox County. On the 1830 Wilcox Census Isaac appeared (p.186).
Isaac and Nancy had 6 children: John, Teletha, Elizabeth, Lucy, Ava, and Nancy.
John was born about 1805; Teletha married Pinckney Vaughn; Elizabeth married Daniel Payne;
Lucy married Francis Hough, Jr.; Ava married James W. Daniel; and Nancy married Robert J. K. Bonner on January 6, 1834 by Wm DeVaughn.
Nancy died before 1826 and we are not sure where she was buried. Isaac took up with several women and had children with one named Anna, who had two children by him: Henry B. and Catherine. When his will was probated she brought suit to claim an inheritance. She lost.
On October 24, 1828 marriage license/bonds for Isaac Stanley and Bidy Stokes were issued with Isaac and James Daniel listed as security in Wilcox County. The license was not returned, so perhaps they never wed.
Marriage license/bonds for Isaac Stanley and Mrs. Martha Crosby were issued in Wilcox County and listed as security was Isaac and James Daniel. The marriage was performed by Daniel Rosser, J.P. on April 2, 1830. They had no children together. She was still living with him at his death in June 1848 and she was provided for until death.
On Oct 14, 1835, Isaac bought land from the United States through the St. Stephen’s office. He bought a total of 155.80 acres. This land was in section 24 of Wilcox County. His certificates were signed by A. I. Donalson under the name of President Andrew Jackson, President of the U. S. On April 10, 1837, he bought 38.95 more acres in Section 24. The President then was Martin Van Buren.
Isaac’s daughter, Nancy, married Robert Bonner in Wilcox County on January 6, 1834 by William DeVaughn.
About 1834, Isaac was accused of killing someone. People were even told that he had been executed. Family gossip indicated Pinckney Vaughn witnessed the killing and Isaac promised him his inheritance if he would move to Mississippi State so he would not have to testify against him. Pinckney Vaughn had married Telitha June 26, 1830 in Wilcox County. They later moved to Chunky, MS in Lauderdale County where they raised their family. Pinckney Vaughn was appointed guardian of Martha Ann Stanley, daughter of John and Sarah Stanley, on January 11, 1850.
Isaac became sick in 1848 when an epidemic of bloody flux hit Wilcox County. He died in June 1848…we think about June 3, 1848…and was buried in the McDowell-Capell Cemetery near his homestead and also near Pebblehill, AL. His grave is not marked. His wife, Martha, survived.
He still lived on part of Section 24 land at his death, but he evidently had sold all but about 40 acres by then. His homestead was located on the East side of Sedan Road according to one source.
Isaac left most of his material possessions to his son-in-law, Pinckney Vaughn and to Martha Ann Stanley, daughter of John Stanley. He also gave a slave to Margaret Stanley, illegitimate daughter of Elizabeth. He left John his rifle gun. All other son’s in law were given 5 cents.
Isaac has faded into the dust, but his story has been an interesting puzzle for his descendants to research. He lived in an interesting era of our country’s development and contributed to the development of Mississippi and Alabama. He left many descendants to carry on the development of our present day United States.
Reecie Stanley
November 2005
Sources: Census Records
GLO Land records
Tax records
Research of Granville W. Hough
and sources he mentioned
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