Padgett Family

The History of the Padgett Family
submitted by Eric L. Padgett

My name is Eric L. Padgett. I can trace with certainty my family history back to Lorenzo Dow Padgett. The following is a brief, documented account of the history of this family. 

Who were Lorenzo's parents? Right now, that answer cannot be offered with confidence. Lorenzo indicated consistently on all census records in Indiana that he was born in Massachusetts in 1806. However, there is no record of a Lorenzo Dow being born in Massachusetts at that date. This does not mean that he was not born then, just that there were no records available. It is possible that he was born in Massachusetts in 1806 and the record of his birth exists in some obscure place. 

His children demonstrate that they were somewhat confused on their father's birth place. One child puts his father's place of birth in Florida. Another in Maine. His son George W., indicated that his father was born in Pennsylvania. As indicated above, however, Lorenzo, himself, consistently maintains that he was born in Massachusetts in 1806. 

But there are good indications that his father was George Pagett and his mother was Elizabeth (Hathaway). George Pagett was born in 1775 in Freetown Massachussetts. He had a sister, Betsy, who was born in 1773. Both were born to George and Mary (Chase) Pagett. This George Pagett died before 1789. George and Elizabeth were married in 1797. Elizabeth was born in 1777. She was the daughter of Gilbert and Elizabeth (Williams) Hathaway. Her father, Nathaniel Williams, was a Mayflower descendent. 

Around 1801, George and Elizabeth settled in Jay Maine, along with Gilbert and some of his children. After 1818, George Pagett is in Morgan County Ohio. George Pagett and Elizabeth had eleven children: Nancy (b.1799-1865); Betsy (b.1800); George (b.1802) who married Elizabeth Lopping in 1821; Hiram (1804-1896) who married Jane Simons (1810-1886); Mary Chase (1806) who married Daniel Boomer in 1825; Lorenzo (1808); Gilbert (1809); Abigail (1810-1889); Lucretia (1811-1873) who married Andrew A. Woodford (1810-1887); Louisa (1813); Elbrittany (1814); and Christopher Columbus (?). 

Though there is a discrepancy between the date (1806) the Indiana Lorenzo gives for his birth and the date (1808) the Maine Lorenzo is given for his birth date, all of the other evidence suggests that the Maine Lorenzo and the Indiana Lorenzo are one and the same. First, though Lorenzo indicated he was born in Massachusetts and the other Lorenzo was born in Maine, until 1820, Maine was legally administered by Massachusetts. Therefore, even if Lorenzo was literally born in the area known as Maine, he could still legally be considered to be born in Massachusetts, just as he indicates. 

Second, there is an uncanny similarity between the names of the children of George Pagett and Lorenzo Padgett. Both had children named Nancy, George, Gilbert, Lucretia, and Louisa. Could Lorenzo have been naming his children after his brothers and sisters? Furthermore, could Lorenzo have named his firstborn son after his father, George? 

Third, the geographic movement of George Pagett indicates that his family was moving westward toward Indiana. For instance, Hiram, George Pagett's second-born son (fourth child), moved first to Ohio and then on to Iowa. Abigail also moved into Iowa and George Pagett, himself, moved to Ohio. It would not be surprising for Lorenzo to have moved on to Indiana, lying right in between those two states. 

There are other stories regarding Lorenzo's history. According to Jean Malicoat, Lorenzo came to America from Scotland with his father. They landed in Maine, then after a week went south. L. D. then joined the calvary. Some of this story is true. It is likely Lorenzo was in Maine for he may have been born there and it is true he moved southward and he did join the Cavalry. But he probably did not come from Scotland with his father, for Lorenzo said he was born here in America. If George Pagett is, indeed, his father, then his father was also born in America. 

Ruth Bengert has heard stories that Lorenzo moved southward along the eastern coast, then into Tennessee, then into Kentucky, and finally into Indiana. She also said that Lorenzo was in Spencer County before 1830, though that is the earliest I have been able to place him there. 

At any rate, Lorenzo Dow Padgett was born in New England in the last half of the first decade of the 19th century. He bore the same name as a famous preacher, as did many who were born during that period. 

At some point, Lorenzo moved into Grass Township in Spencer County Indiana. "Grass Township at this time included nearly all of the present Jackson." In 1830 on Febuary 7th he married Elizabeth Kitchens ("Betsy"). The official was Thomas Sumner. Elizabeth's father was originally from Kentucky. The family rumor is that Elizabeth was part Indian. Her mother was Sarah Chickawaw (sp?) and her father was John Kitchens, according to Lorraine Pagett Bonner. Elizabeth was born around 1812 in Kentucky. A cousin of Sam Houston also married a Kitchens and is buried in Chinn Cemetery. 

In the 1830's, Lorenzo was active in buying and selling. He is listed as having been owed by the Madison Hall estate in 1836. In 1838 he was a buyer at a sale of the estate of one James Shelket. In 1839 he bought property from the sale of the estate of Samuel Hunt. 

In 1860, Lorenzo resided in Clay Township and in 1870 he resided in Jackson Township. In the book, The History of Spencer County, an L. D. Padgett is listed as one of the voters of Grass township in the November 5, 1832 Presidential election. The votes were cast in the residence of Ellis Wright. He is listed as one of the early settlers of Jackson Township. Other early settlers included James Gentry and John Kitchen and William Kitchen. These latter two may have been Elizabeth's family. Lorenzo also cast a ballot in the first election of Jackson Township for the office of Justice of the Peace. "The first election was held at the house of Edmund Phillips, January 31, 1842...William Stark received thirty-seven votes and J. Kitchen six." Could this J. Kitchens have been Elizabeth's father? 

In the 1840 census, besides Lorenzo and Elizabeth, there were six in the household: two males under five years old, two males between five and ten, one female under five and female between five and ten. In the final count, there were twelve children in the Lorenzo Padgett family. George W. (March 23, 1831- Nov.19, 1913), Louisa (1832), William (May 1834 - August 23, 1903), John (1837), Hannah E. (1838), Dennis (1840), Gilbert (1842 - Oct. 28, 1911), Charles (1845), America (1847), Nancy (1849), Lucretia (1851), Zachariah T (1853), and Benjamin (1855). 

Lorenzo served as a Justice of the Peace in the 1850's. In 1852, he is listed as presiding over the marriage of William Hesson and Susanna Emmons. 

In 1860 census, Lorenzo is a farmer in Clay Township in Spencer County. There is an Elizabeth H. listed as a domestic in the census records. In 1861, Lorenzo joined the First Cavalry (also the 29th Volunteer Regiment) Company F. This was a three year commitment, from August 20, 1861 to September 12, 1864. Lorenzo was mustered in at Evansville. His sons George, William, John, Dennis, and Gilbert also served in the war, all on the Union side. Lorenzo was mustered-in at Evansville in the First Regiment of Indiana Mounted Volunteers, commanded by Colonel Conrad Baker. Their clothing was given to them by the State of Indiana, but no invoices were received from the state at that time. The officers and privates were mounted on their own horses. Lorenzo was a saddler for the company. This regiment lost 4 officers an 32 enlisted men by warfare and 3 officers and 148 enlisted men by disease. Lorenzo, himself, was "wounded slightly in the head" in the 1863 Battle of Pine Bluff Arkansas. 

Lorenzo is listed in the 1870 census, but this is the last time he is included in a census. He may have lived at least until 1872 because he is listed in the Rockport Weekly Democrat as owing back taxes on property with a man by the name of Viteto. 

Interestingly, the Platbook for 1889 lists an L. D. Padgett as owning several acres of land around the Tennyson area in Skelton township. Did Lorenzo live till this date or were the properties simply held in his name? Or is this another Lorenzo? Nancy and William K also had property during this time, in many cases adjacent to L.D's. 

George Washington was Lorenzo's first child. He was born on March 23, 1829. While he was young, he worked as farm labor on his father's farm, as did all of Lorenzo's sons. At 21 years old, in 1852, he married Angelina Cravens. The marriage was performed by Daniel Burkhart. This was his first marriage. By her he had William (1849), John M. (1855), Elizabeth (1857), Alice (1859), Nancy (1860), Delphene (1861). It is also possible that George had a son in 1854 named Lorenzo O. 

On March 16, 1862, Angelina died. She is buried in the Old Pigeon Baptist Chruch Cemetery in Lincoln National Park, Clay Township, Spencer County. On July 9, 1863, while George W. lived in Hamilton County, he enlisted as a Private in Company I, 109th Infantry Regiment. Eight days later he was mustered out in Indianapolis, Indiana. We do not know where his children were during this time, but his oldest son would have been about thirteen years old. 

Some time in the latter portion of the 1860's, George moved to Kentucky. In 1875, he entered into his second marriage. On Jan 1, 1875 he married Sarah Simms in Warrick County, Indiana. Sarah was also referred to as "Sina." Her gravestone in Kentucky lists her birth as Feb. 23, 1853. If this is accurate, she was 22 years younger than George. But this could very well have been a misprint. She was not buried here, even though she is mentioned on the tombstone. During the 1870 Federal Census, he is listed as living in Point Precinct in Henderson County, Kentucky. At this time he had a grand total value of $600.00. 

In the 1890 Henderson County Tax List, he is listed as having one-hundred and sixty-eight acres, eighty-eight of which were woodland and forty-five acres were devoted to raising corn, and enough acres to produce four thousand pounds of tobacco. He had $800.00 grand total value, and two cows exempt from taxation. 

On Nov. 13, 1913, George W. died in Warrick County. He is buried with his second wife, Sarah, in Henderson County, Kentucky in Zion cemetery. Angelina is buried in the Old Pigeon Baptist Church Cemetery located in Lincoln National Park, Clay Township, Spencer County in Indiana. According to the 1870 Federal Census, George could not read or write. Of his three children who are listed in the 1870 census with him, only William could read and write. John, Elizabeth, and Alice could only read English, but they could not write it. 

George was apparently a generous person and very active in the community. Though he could not read or write, he was also a successful businessman. According to Emma Cravens, George donated the property for the cemetery and church for the Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He was, she thinks, a member of that church. She also recalls that there was a Pagett school just down the road from the church. 

Louisa was the second born child. She was born in 1832. In 1850, she is still living with her parents on t heir farm, but on Jan 23, 1853, she married Robert Bruce. Bruce, a farmer, was originally from Ohio. Six children are born to this union: John T or F (1856), Mary E (1858), George W. (1861), James D. (1863), Lydia (1865), and Louisa (1858). 

In the 1860 Census for Warrick County, Pigeon Twonship, Louisa is listed as still married to Bruce with their first two children. In the 1870 Census, Bruce is married to a woman named Nancy, who is 34 years old. The youngest child is Louisa, who is two years old. Apparently, either Louisa died in childbirth or she is divorced from Robert. It seems this separation had to occur within two years of the 1870 Census, for the youngest child is named after his first wife, Louisa. It is doubtful he would divorce her and then name his child after her while married to another woman. Therefore, it is likely that she died within two years of 1870. 

William Padgett was born in May of 1834. Like George, he worked on Lorenzo's farm while a young man. Like his father, he, too, would become a farmer in Pigeon Township. On 
November 20, 1856, William married Sarah Bryant (b. February 21, 1835). Her father came from North Carolina. Her mother was from Tennessee. She could not read or write. One year later, their first child was born, a daughter, named Louisa E. She was followed in 1858 by Mitchel, in 1860 by Mary A., in 1862 by Lorenzo O. 

On January 8, 1864, William enlisted in the army as a private. He became a part of the 10th Indiana Cavalry Regiment, Company G. He was mustered out on May 28, 1865. In 1866 Levi G. was born to them and in 1870 George R. was born. George may have died in youth because he is not recorded in the 1880 census. In 1870's, three more children were born to them: Rousean (1872), Minnie L. (1874), and Logan (1876). In 1881, Claude M. is born, completing the William Padgett family. In the 1880 Census, William was residing in Tennyson. He owned several properties in and around the Tennyson area for a total of over 215 acres. 

Mitchel died the year Claude M. was born (d. August 19, 1881 - 23 years, 5 months, 6 days). He was buried in the Folsomville Cemetery. Minnie Otta died on Aug 6, 1883 at 10 years old (5 months, 14 days). She is also buried in the Folsomville Cemetery. In the 1900 Warrick County, Indiana Federal Census, William and Sarah indicate that they had nine children, but only 6 remained alive. 

In Skelton County, Indiana, William died on August 23, 1903. He was 69 years old. 

John Padgett was born in 1837. In 1860 Spencer County Federal Census he was listed as farm labor on his father's farm. In that same year he married Elizabeth McGuffey on November 18. 

Hannah E. was born in 1838. On August 29, 1860, she married Jacob Young. He was the son of Harrison Young and Susan Bryant. He was born in 1839 in Folsomville, Indiana. He died before 1870, perhaps as a result of injuries received during the war. They had three children: Rosa (1861, Charles (1863), and Taylor (1866). In the 1870 Census, Hannah is listed as living with Harrison and Susan on their farm in Kentucky, with their children Alfred (1848), Franklin (1853), Michael (1857), Eliza (1860), and Sherman (1865). 

On January 4, 1873, Hannah married again, this time to Solomon Holmes. They had four children: Solomon (1872), Lucinda ("Lady"1874), America (1875), and Sarah ("Birdie" July 30, 1882 Reed Henderson County KY-April 2, 1948 Evansville). In the 1880 Henderson County Kentucky Census, Solomon Holmes is not listed. She is living alone with her children in the Hebberdsville District. 

Dennis Padgett was born in 1840. On August 19, 1861, Dennis was mustered into service as a private at Evansville. He was a part of the 25 Indiana Infantry, Company E. On August 22, 1867, Dennis married Isaphena Goodman. Dennis was a farmer with 1000 acres. Dennis and Isaphena had one child in the 1870 Indiana Census: Amy E. (1869). 

Gilbert Padgett was born in 1842 in Spencer County, Indiana. On November 15, 1860 Gilbert married Vina Cockriel. Vina (or Lavina or Melvina) was born in 1843 the daughter of Thomas Buel and Frances (Decker) Cockriel. Thomas and Frances ("Fanny") married in 1837. Vina was the second child of Thomas' first marriage. The Cockriel family was an old family in Grayson County, Kentucky. 

Four children were born to this union: Frank Benjamin (1969), Elizabeth (1871), George W. (1873), and William (1879). 

On August 12, 1862, Gilbert enlisted as a private in the Indiana Infantry. During this time, Gilbert lived in Gentryville, IN. He became a part of Company E of the 91st Infantry Regiment Indiana. On June 26, 1865 Gilbert was mustered out in Salisbury, North Carolina. Gilbert lost the use of his right as a result of injuries received during the war. 

At some point, Gilbert and family moved into Kentucky. IN the 1870 Henderson County, KY Federal Census, Benjamin and Elizabeth are mentioned. To Benjamin (11) and Elizabeth (9), are added George W. (1863) and William (1879) in the 1880 Census. In 1890, Gilbert lived in Point Precinct. According to the Henderson County 1890 Tax List, Gilbert had four horses, $20.00 value of wagon, etc., $220.00 total value of personal property, $1.00 road tax, $1.00 poll tax, and one cow exempt from taxation. In 1890, Gilbert had three children living in his household between the ages of 6-20 years. 

On October 28, 1911 Gilbert died in Evansville, IN. Grandpa (Elmer) said Gilbert "was a mean one." With all of his ailments in his old age, it is understandable that Gilbert might have been a little cranky. Elmer said his grandma, Vina Cockriel, was known as a "flannel-mouthed Irishman" because few could understand her Irish brogue except Gilbert. 

Charles W. Padgett was born on August 16, 1845. On August 10, 1865, Charles married Elizabeth Young. Elizabeth was born December 12, 1844 in Indiana to Harrison and Susan Delilah (Bryant) Young. Harrison was born in Kentucky in 1813. Elizabeth was born in 1817 in Tennessee. Elizabeth was the fourth child of Harrison and Susan (Jonathan - 1837, William - 1839, Jacob - 1840, Sarah - 1842, Elizabeth - 1844, Alfred - 1847, Sherman - 1865, Eliza - 1859). 

"Rumor says her name was Sarah Elizabeth, but since she had a sister named Sarah, it is probably untrue. Her nickname was supposed to be ?Babe.'" 

Charles and Elizabeth had eight children: Jacob Sherman (Nov. 2 1866 - May 1949), Sara Louisa (), Susan Eliza (Nov. 5, 1872 - Nov. 26, 1877), Clemetine Elizabeth (1875 - ?), Charles Shirley (1878-1944), Desdamonia (1878), Mary Emily (1885-1971), and Gladys (April 6, 1900). 

In 1870, Charles is listed as working for his brother, George W., on his farm in Henderson County, Kentucky. 

At some point, Charles must have divorced Elizabeth. Charles was married again on June 25, 1889 to Minnie Daughtery. Elizabeth died on December 23, 1898 in Indiana. She is buried in the Chinn Cemetery near Dale, Indiana. "There is a large, tall marker very near back (sic) of cemetery." Charles died March 1, 1901 in Gentryville, Indiana. He is buried in the Chinn cemetery next to his first wife. 

America Padgett was Lorenzo and Elizabeth's ninth child. She was born in 1847. On January 5, 1866 America married a B. F. Dorsey. 

Nancy was born next in 1849. On November 24, 1871, Nancy married James Kelly. 

The name of the next child of Lorenzo is not clear. In various lists she is called Lucisia or Louceora or Lucretia. She was born in 1851. On August 15, 1867 she married William L. Taylor. 

The next child of Lorenzo was Zachariah T. He was born in 1853. 

The final child of Lorenzo and Elizabeth was Benjamin F. He was born in 1855. Benjamin married Eldora Johnson on November 4, 1878. Eldora was born December 22, 1860 and died July 18, 1899. To this union was born at least one child, George P., born in 1879. Apparently, Benjamin died soon thereafter. On June 1, 1880, Eldora married a second time. She married James Decker. 
Footnotes:
1. 1880 Spencer County Federal Census. 
2. 1880 Warrick County, Owen Township, Indiana Federal Census. 
3. 1880 Henderson County, Kentucky census 
4. The following information regarding George Pagett was taken from the book entitled, The History of Morgan County, Ohio, p. 168. 
5. "Maine was governed as a district of Massachusetts from 1652 until it entered the Union as a free state under the Missouri Compromise of 1820" (Encyclopedia Britannica, Vol. 7, Maine, p.709). 
6. Phone conversation with Jean Malicoat, March 2002. 
7. Phone conversation with Ruth Bengert, March 2002. 
8. Lorenzo Dow (1777-1834) was an itinerant preacher who, not officially a member, was associated with the Methodist Church. 
9. History of Spencer County, p. 270 
10. The license was recorded on July 5, 1930. 
11. Letter from Ruth Bengert, dated April 29, 1986, to Leslie Padgett. 
12. Letter from Ruth Bengert, dated April 29, 1986, to Leslie Padgett. 
13. Phone conversation with Jean Malicoat, March 2002. 
14. History of Spencer County, p. 71. 
15. Supplement ot the Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Part II, Vol. 15, Ser. No. 27, p. 196 
16. Ancestry.com, record 2373749. 
17. Http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unicav.htm. 
18. Rockport Weekly Democrat, Jan. 6, 1872. He owed a $1.39. This was also recorded in Dec. 16, 23, 30, 1871; Jan. 2, 16, 1869 $2.07; Dec. 25, 1869; Jan. 1,8,15, 1870 $2.81. 
19. George W Pagett's tombstone, Reed KY, Henderson County, Mt. Zion Cemetery. 
20. There is a Lorenzo O. listed as dying on Oct. 14, 1858. He is listed in the record as "w/o of CW & A." "W/o" generally refers to "widow of" or "wife of." But since this person is only four years old, being born on July 8, 1854, he could not be a wife. It is believed that what was meant was a "son of." Immediately following this record is Angelina's death record. The transcriber could have just made an error. 
21. Cemetery Inscriptions, Spencer County, State of Indiana, Vol. II, compiled by Mrs. Ethel Smith and mrs. Hazel M. Hyde. On May 31 2002, Dad, Keith, and I went to the cemetery in Lincoln National Park and found the gravesite of Angelina. The grave stone was broken into three pieces and was barely legible. 
22. At this point, I am not certain where she is buired. 
23. 1890 Henderson County Tax List. 
24. Cemetery Inscriptions, Spencer County State of Indiana, Vol. II, compiled by Miss Christine Young, Mrs. Ethel Smith, and Mrs. Hazel M. Hyde. 
25. Conversation with Emma Cravens and Louis Utley at the Mt. Zion Baptist Cemetery. Dad, Keith, and I went to the cemetery to find the graves of George and Gilbert. While there, we happened to meet Emma Cravens and Lois (Cravens) Utley, who were there decorating graves. It was there they told us these stories. Angelina Cravens was George's first wife. Emma told us her mother knew more about "Mr. Pagett." The tombstone is the largest monument in the old section of the cemetery and nearly the largest of the whole cemetery. The inscription reads that George was born in 1829, contradicting the information in the records I have cited in the body above. 
Emma and Lois told us that a Cravens manned the ferry that connected Indiana with Kentucky near Newburg. 
26. 1850 Federal Census Spencer County Indiana. 
27. 1860 Federal Census Warrick County Indiana 
28. 1880 Federal Census ? 
29. http://www.tcarden.com/tree/ensor/CockrillJohnNotes.html#Thomas 
30. http://www.tcarden.com/tree/ensor/CockrillPresley.html 
31. 
32. 1890 Henderson County KY Tax List. 
33. Vanderburgh County Death Records, 1882-1920 
34. Interview with Elmer L. Padgett 1981 1412 W. Eichel. 
35. Interview with Elmer L. Padgett 1981 1412 W. Eichel. 
36. Information from Ruth Bengert. 
37. Warrick County Marriage Records, 1879-1902 
38. Information from Ruth Bengert.