Some Descendants of John Singleton

Tim Singleton
105 Nancy Drive
Richmond, KY 40475-8613
859-624-5861
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-----, Ball, Beck, Blevins, Braa, Briggs, Brummette, Bushman, Caldwell, Cash, Chema, Collier, Ford, Fuelling, Gibson, Giffin, Grate, Hahn, Haines, Hall, Hartman, Haynes, Heminger, Hoffman, Huffine, Jarvis, Kemerly, Killen, Ladd, Lythgoe, Maricle, Martin, McClanathan, McClure, McDonald, Mikan, Miller, Moser, Mumma, Overacker, Overfield, Paver, Plothe, Portmess, Raspberry, Rider, Rigdon, Riggs, Rinker, Ritter, Rosenberry, Sheets, Singleton, Strong, Voltz, Weed, Weiland, Wemhoff, Winkler, Wood

Introduction

This compilation of some of the descendants of John Singleton would not be possible without the contributions of many family members.

Our common ancestor, John Singleton, has proven to be somewhat elusive. Here are some of the facts that we know about him and questions about what we do not know.

He was buried at Alpha Cemetery in Adams County, Indiana. His tombstone indicates that he died on February 15, 1888, aged 70 years and 5 days. However, there is no record for his death at the Adams County Board of Health. Unfortunately, there is no obituary because the local newspapers of that year were destroyed in a fire at some time in the past. Did he die outside of Adams County? That could be one explanation of the lack of a death record. Although death records were kept beginning in 1882, it is possible that he died in Adams County and no one bothered to file the proper death certificate.

A marriage license was issued for the marriage of John and second wife Julia A. Brown, whom he married in Adams County on September 10, 1881. Julia died September 18, 1909 at the Adams County Home, where she had lived for about 10 years. She is buried in Alpha Cemetery. County Home records and her obituary provide no information about John.

His first wife was Margaret Worden, but we know little about her other than that she was born in Pennsylvania (according to the death certificate of William B. F.). She apparently died before the family reached Adams County.

The 1880 Federal Census of Adams County shows John, aged 60, living in Washington Township. He was listed as a farmer and notes that he was born in Pennsylvania. There is no mention of his wife Margaret, and there is no birthplace listed for his parents on the census record. Living with him at the time were William, aged 29, Anna, aged 25, James H., aged 24, Lorensia, aged 22 and a boarder James A. Rigdon, aged 11. All were born in Pennsylvania except for Anna, who was born in Indiana (no birth place for her father, but her mother was born in Pennsylvania). Anna is likely Elizabeth Abigail, wife of William, who was born in Indiana and was about the right age.

John was registered to pay taxes in Adams County as early as 1878. There are no tax records for 1877 in Adams County, so we must assume he arrived in the county by 1877 or 1878.

In 1870, John, Margaret and children Elizabeth, William, James, Lorenzo and Catherine were living in Union Twp., Union Co., Ohio, according to the census. Also in 1870, A. J. Rigdon and wife Mary J. (John's daughter) and children Mary E., Harriet J., Ida and a baby were living in Milford Center, Union Twp., Union Co., Ohio.

We know from the 1860 Federal Census that John and family (Margaret, his wife, and children Mary J., Elisabeth A., William F., James H., Lorenzo and Catherine) were living in Peach Bottom Township in York County, Pennsylvania. The census record also indicates that all the children, as well as John and Margaret, were born in Pennsylvania. It also states that Elizabeth, aged 15, was married within the year, but there is no mention of the husband's name.

According to the tax records, now housed at the York County, Pennsylvania historical society, John paid taxes in Peach Bottom Township from 1857 through 1864. There is no record of him after 1864. He did not own any land in York County.

In 1850, the family was living in Drumore Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, immediately across the Susquehanna River from Peach Bottom Township. Both townships border the state of Maryland. In that census record are listed John and Margaret, with children Mary, 7, Elizabeth, 14, Malinda, 2, Wm.,1. This is the only place where Malinda is mentioned. Did she die sometime before the 1860 census? All were born in Pennsylvania.

John paid taxes in Drumore Township from 1847 through 1852 according to records in the Lancaster County Historical Society. (There were no records for 1849). He paid taxes in Fulton Township, Lancaster County in 1845, 1846 and 1855-1856. In all cases he was a tenant and did not own land. He was variously listed as a carpenter, laborer and farmer. The 1855-56 tax records indicate that in 1855-56 he lived on property owned by J. Brown. Julia Brown's father was Joseph and was born in New York. Is there a connection here?

We can assume from the age of Mary Jane, the oldest, that John and Margaret were probably married on or before 1843. The Drumore Township tax records show single men John Singleton and William Singleton paying taxes for 1840. William is listed again in 1841 through 1846. Could this William be a brother of John? They are adjacent to each other on the 1840 tax list.

A further curiosity is that the 1866 and 1867 tax lists for Fawn Township, York County show an Alfred Rigdon. Mary Jane married an Alfred Rigdon. We know that John Singleton does not appear after 1864 in York County. Alfred Rigdon does not appear after 1867. Is this the same Alfred who married Mary Jane?

I have heard three stories about the Singletons that I cannot confirm. My Dad used to recall being told that William B. F. spent the night sleeping on a hay wagon in Baltimore during the Civil War. York County is about 30 miles east of Gettysburg and about 50 miles north of Baltimore.

The second recollection is told by my aunt, Helen Marie Singleton. She remembers hearing stories about John being a "bound boy"; that is an indentured servant. If that is the case, we might never be able to track down his parents.

Sandra Collier reports hearing that John was a mule driver following the canals across Ohio.

A lot of searching remains to be done regarding the origins of our John Singleton. Only time will tell if we will ever locate other details of his life.

Tim Singleton
January 2001

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Some Descendants of John Singleton

Table of Contents

Introduction