Kinsmen and Kinswomen

After Lewis Condict’s father died, his mother married again, creating what we today would call a blended family, and then much of the new group, more or less minus Lewis Condict, decamped to Kentucky.  This is a transcript of Condict’s ten page handwritten account of his close relatives’ journey south and west, and of what eventually became of them all. I found it more than a decade ago on a genealogy website that is now defunct. I’ve searched for it in some new form, an updated address, anything, and come up empty.

It’s a hybrid bit of writing, part genealogical report, part family history narrative. If you push past the initial pages detailing successive generations of Tichenors, though, which are – I admit – not all that compelling, it is a surprisingly human tale of their lives and the challenges they faced.

For the sake of readability, I’m offering two versions here: the first edited and condensed to allow for some semblance of flow; the second is presented as Condict actually wrote it in all its halting steps and asides….

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EDITED AND CONDENSED VERSION

Several years prior to the revolutionary war, Daniel Tichenor purchased a farm in Morris County, N. J. where he resided for 15 or 20 years. His first wife, whose maiden name was Wade, died in 1773. In May, 1776, he married Anna Condict (widow of Peter Condict) and daughter of Capt. Ebener Byram, of Mendham in Morris Co.

In 1790, Daniel traded his farm in Morris Co., NJ. to Capt. John Howell for lands on Green River in Ohio Co., KY.  In September of that year, he moved with his family to Kentucky, but not to this land. He never took actual possession of it as it was at that time but a wilderness – the habitation of Indiana [meaning the territory was inhabited by Native Americans] –  not a white family within 50 miles. He bequeathed this land to his sons, some of whom after his death went there to live…

When Daniel Tichenor moved to Kentucky, he settled in Nelson County. Two of his near neighbors viz: Asabel Hinman and Caleb Howell, moved with him to Kentucky and settled near him in Nelson Co.

A day having been set for their departure from N. J. to KY, the Rev. Doctor Hillyer of the Presbyterian Church at Madison (then called Battle Hill), of which church Mr. Tichenor and his wife were members, preached a sermon at the house on the occasion, to a very large assembly of friends and neighbors convened to bid farewell and to express their kind wishes and earnest prayers for a prosperous journey and safe arrival at their place of destination. A long procession followed them several miles on their journey.

They travelled in wagons to Pittsburgh, where they obtained a boat and descended the Ohio River to Limestone, (afterwards called Maysville) where they landed and proceeded in wagons to Nelson County and built cabins on Cox’s Creek, near Bardstown in that county.

In September, 1795, Mr. T bought about 100 acres of land on Plum River in Nelson County, and built a dwelling there, where he removed in 1796 and resided till his death, which occurred on the 10th of April, 1804.

For many years Mr. T had been subject to violent attacks of Asthma, which often seemed to threaten sudden death. He enjoyed comfortable health, at intervals, and always led a life of exemplary piety, temperance and industry .

He laid out a family burial ground on his farm in Nelson Co., KY, in which he, his widow, many of his children and grandchildren and neighbors were buried.

In November, 1804, several months after his death, his widow visited New Jersey and spent the winter and spring with her brothers and sisters and her three sons by her first husband. She made this trip on horseback, accompanied by her son Jonas, meeting her oldest son, Edward Condict, by previous appointment, at Wheeling VA, whence they proceeded to Morristown, NJ.  

In May of the following year (1805) she returned to her home in KY, accompanied by her son Byram Condict and his family of 5 or 6 children. Three other families removed at the same time, viz: Uzal Condict, Daniel Pruden, Abraham Lindley, and Daniel Lindley. They all settled on Green River in Ohio Co., KY, at Point Pleasant.

Jared Tichenor and his brother Jonas also resided in Ohio County, with many of the connections and descendants.

Byram Condict (son of Mrs. Tichenor by her first husband, Peter Condict) established a ferry on Green River known as “Condict’s Ferry” at the “Condict Settlement.” About the year 1817 or 1818 he was drowned at his own ferry while attempting to cross the river on a stormy night.  His widow, Mary Lindley survived him till the winter of 1854.

The widow of Daniel Tichenor resided on her husband’s farm during the remainder of her life, which terminated July 8th, 1826, at the age of 76. Some time previously she had a fall by which the neck of the thighbone was broken, rendering her a cripple the rest of her life. Two of her sisters had been crippled in the same manner and about the same period of life.

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COMPLETE VERSION

(with original handwritten formatting)

Page 1.

THE TICHENOR FAMILY

Daniel Tichenor,

was a native of Newark, N. J. His father removed from

New England about the year (or soon after) the removal

of the Rev. John Pinson with his congregation from

Brantford, Conn, to Newark, N. J.

Gabriel Tichenor

a relative of Daniel Tichenor, was a native of Newark,

N. J., and for some years was a resident of Natches and

also of Cincinnati, Ohio.

Page 2.

Isaac Tichenor

a cousin of Daniel Tichenor, was also a native of Newark,

N. J. was Governor of Vermont; and for several years

U. S. Senator from that state .

Born at Newark, N. J. Feb. 18, 1754; died at

Bennington, Vermont, Dec. 11, 1838.

Page 3.

Several years prior to the revolutionary war,

Daniel Tichenor purchased a farm in Morris County, N. J.

where he resided for 15 or 20 years. His first wife,

whose maiden name was Wade, died in 1773. In May, 1776,

he married Anna Condict (widow of Peter Condict) and

daughter of Capt. Ebener Byram, of Mendham in Morris Co.

In 1790, Daniel traded his farm in Morris Co.,

N, J. to Capt. John Howell for lands on Green River in

Ohio Co., Ky. In September of that year he moved with

his family to Kentucky — but not to this land. He never

took actual possession of it — as it was at that time

but a wilderness —–

Page 4.

the habitation of Indiana — not a white family within

50 miles. He bequeathed this land to his sons, some of

whom after his death went there to live.

 

Daniel Tichenor’s children by his first wife

were four sons and three daughters, viz:

Joseph – Married Theodosia Rose

Daniel – ” Hannah Colyer

Jacob –

Timothy

Phebe – Married _______ Sutton

Jane – ” Amos Marsh

Elizabeth – who died in the insane asylum, in

Kentucky, about the year 1800.

Page 5.

Daniel Tichenor’s children by his second wife

were six sons and two daughters, viz:

Peter – Jared Sallie Jonas

Ebenezer, who died in 1796 ( ?) about 18 months

old – Sarah – Anna

[The listing above of “Jared Sallie Jonas” is for three individuals…Also note that six sons and three daughters are listed—Landon Timmonds Ross, Jr.]

The foregoing children were born before he

moved to Ky. The following two sons were born in Kentucky,

viz:

Silas Condict – in 1792 or 1793

James – in 1794

 

When Daniel Tichenor moved to Kentucky, he

settled in Nelson County. Two of his near neighbors

viz: Asabel Hinman and Caleb Howell, moved with him

to Kentucky and settled near him in Nelson Co.

A day having been set for their departure

from N. J. to

Page 6.

Ky. the Rev. Doctor Hillyer of the Presbyterian Church a

Madison (then called Battle Hill) of which church Mr. Tichenor

and his wife were members — preached a sermon at

the house on the occasion, to a very large assembly of

friends and neighbors convened to bid farewell and to

express their kind wishes and earnest prayers for a prosperous

journey and safe arrival at their place of destination.

A long procession followed them several miles

on their journey.

They traveled in wagons to Pittsburg, where they

obtained a boat and descended the Ohio River to Limestone,

(afterwards called Maysville) where they landed and proceeded

in

Page 7.

wagons to Nelson County and built cabins on Cox’s Creek

near Bardstown in that county.

In September, 1795, Mr. T_____ bought about 100 acres

of land on Plum River in Nelson County, and built a dwelling

there, where he removed in 1796 and resided till his

death, which occurred on the 10th of April, 1804.

For many years Mr. T_____ had been subject to

violent attacks of Asthma, which often seemed to threaten

sudden death. He enjoyed comfortable health, at intervals

and always led a life of exemplary piety, temperance and

industry .

He laid out a family burial ground on his

Page 8.

farm in Nelson Co., Ky., in which he, his widow, many of

his children and grandchildren and neighbors were buried.

In November, 1804, several months after his death,

his widow visited New Jersey and spent the winter and spring

with her brothers and sisters and her three sons by her first

husband. She made this trip on horseback, accompanied by

her son Jonas, meeting her oldest son, Edward Condict, by

previous appointment, at Wheeling Va., whence they proceeded

to Morristown, N. J.

In May of the following year (1805) she returned

to her home in Ky. accompanied by her son Byram Condict and

Page 9.

his family of 5 or 6 children. Three other families removed

at the same time, viz: Uzal Condict, Daniel Pruden,

Abraham Lindley and Daniel Lindley. They all settled on

Green River in Ohio Co., Ky., at Point Pleasant.

Jared Tichenor and his brother Jonas also resided

in Ohio County, with many of the connections and

descendants .

Byram Condict (son of Mrs. Tichenor by her first

husband, Peter Condict) established a ferry on Green River

known as “Condict’s Ferry” at the “Condict Settlement.”

About the year 1817 or 1818 he was drown at his own ferry

while attempting to cross the river on a stormy night.

His widow, Mary Lindley sur-

Page 10.

vived him till the winter of 1854.

The widow of Daniel Tichenor resided on her

husband’s farm during the remainder of her life, which

terminated July 8th, 1826, at the age of 76. Some time

previously she had a fall by which the neck of the thigh

bone was was broken, rendering her a cripple the rest of her

life. Two of her sisters had been crippled in the same

manner and about the same period of life.

[The history concludes with the following note, added after the manuscript passed out of Condict’s hands.–LSL]

(The foregoing ten pages were taken from a small written book about the size of this one now in the possession of Thomas Bennett Tichenor, residing at Jefferson City, MO —March 10th, 1887—and said to have been written many years ago by Lewis Condict, who was the third son of Anna Condict by her first husband, Peter Condict. She being the second wife of Daniel Tichenor.)