In the beginning there was...
Thomas
Hodges who wrote his will in 1749 probated in 1750 in Cumberland
Co., Va. (made from Goochland Co., Va.) Abstract of Thomas Hodges will names Christian (his wife) and
William Womack as co-executors and makes bequests to his children
William, John, Drury, Thomas, Edmund, Mary, and Delany. Witnessed
by Henry Bell, John Chafin, and William Mills.
A interesting tidbit is that T. Hodges also knew the Governor Richard Bennett excerpt from his will as follows (...Lastly,
I do hereby declare and ordain and appoint James Jofey, Mr. Thomas
Hodges, and Edmond Belson or any two of them also Robert Pealle to
be overseers of this my last will and testament allowing & approving
for good and effectual to all intents and purposes what so ever my
said executors or any two of them shall do or cause to be done concerning
the estate from time to time in relation to the estate.)
Thomas Hodges was also one of the witnesses to the marriage of Edmond
Belson, son of Elizabeth Belson of Nansemond Co. to Mary Crew,
daughter of Mary Took of Isle of Wight Co. on 13 Nov. 1684 I
Valentine Papers 210, (from the records of to Society of Friends,
Lower Virginia Meeting).
Edmund
Hodges was next in my line. With Edmund we have a good deal
of data that exists today. Edmund
performed the patriotic service of furnishing supplies for the soldiers
during the Revolutionary War. (Source: Hodges Notes Hart Co. Historical
Society from Chatham, Va. courthouse.)
Abstract
of Edmund Hodges Will it reads in part:
(...I Edmund Hodges of the County of Pittsylvania...
lend to my loving wife Nephany during her natural life or widowhood
my whole estate...
...to my five sons John Hodges, Thomas Hodges, Moses Hodges, David
Hodges, and Jesse Hodges eight hundred acres of land to be divided
amongst them so that my son Thomas have is land where I now dwell
and my son David to have his land taking the place where Samuel Morley
(Mosley sp?) did settle on and if it please God to take me out of
this world before I do clear out the survey that was surveyed for
me adjoining the patton (pattern?) land the money to be paid out of
my estate for the clearing the land out of the office...) This
will lists wife and 5 boys. And later in a codicil we find a daughter Susannah
Hodges. This daughter married a John
Slayden, there is some question as to exact spelling of his name,
but I will use Slayden here. (In
a codicil dated 11 Feb 1782 and witnessed by Joseph Akin, William
Briswell, and Robert Hopper
...My daughter Susannah Slayton's equal part of my moveabel Estate
which I do hereby revoke and disannul as she has since deceased. I
do will and bequeath the same part of my moveable estate which was
allotted to her to be equally divided amongst her six children viz:
James, Rachel, Pattsey, John, Edmund, and Arthur Porter Slayton....) Here we have what looks to be a sad event, a daughter passing
on. I still haven't a clear mind on Edmund there is still some data
that does not all fit. From my aunt Geraldine Hodges I have her saying
Edmund was a "native of Ireland... migrating to America and settling
in Virginia." The research I have does not fit exactly with this
thought. Edmund although not a common name does appear in more than
one place. I feel he is the Edmund of Goochland Co.This
deed mentions Edmund. .Joseph Scott of Goochland Co. sold 20
A ... Lickinghole Creek to Edmund Hodges... Joseph Scott of Amelia
Co. sold to Henry Wood ... 400 A on the North side of James Rive...
Lickinghole Creek, excepting 20 A conveyed to Edmund Hodges. There
is two name's that bears mentioning here. The name of Henry
Wood, he is a neighbor, business acquaintance, and marry's into
the family.Another interesting name is Margaret
Wood who married Thomas Cocke. Here is a "Wood" on both
sides of the Family. The Wood name provided a Valentine Wood (Valentine
Papers) who left us lengthy journal or diary of the family's of that
period. Another is last name of Jackson, I have source on Edmund of
Joseph Jackson, and one of his children marry's a John Jackson. I
tend to believe these similar names will be related. People tended
to stay in a small area, and deal with the families in the area pretty
much exclusively. Our Edmund marry's Nephanah Walker and has 9 children.
They were married in St James Northam Parish, in Goochland Co. The
church in the 1700's was of great importance in people's lives. Birth's,
death's, social events, everyone went to the church, they were the
hub along with the town, which peoples lives were intertwined.
Of his children the direction takes us to Thomas Hodges born about 1754 in Halifax Co. He married Susanna Bomar. Daughter of John Bomar and Barbara Bush. Her name pops up in data about Thomas so I would believe there was something prior to marriage. They were neighbors, business partners, some close contact of some sort. Now here is a family, I have 12 children listed. I dont have much of his will, but I have some bits and they name wife and some of the children. Again there are more than one listing for Thomas Hodges. The name Thomas was everywhere and I wish sometimes no one I am trying to follow backwards used the name. Not much of a chance in that. On the tax list of 1800 in the district of Arch Pleasant, there is a mention of Thomas. The name "Pleasant" here could also be a neighbor, and there are Peasant's in some of the records I have (Cox family record's: both family's possibly close together in this region long before my parent's got together?). Our Thomas was born in Halifax Co., and died there in 1808.
There was a Bush Hodges (his first name came from Susanna's mother's last name of Bush) who married Susan Bomar. Daughter of William Bomar and Wilmoth . From here we see the move to Hart Co., Kentucky, the marriage took place in Halifax Co., Va. and death's recorded for both of them were in Hart Co., Ky. We have Ky. census records that list children being born in Virginia and living in Kentucky, another example of this clan moving into the Bacon Creek area. Another interesting note is Bush names one of his children Wilmoth, would this be a first or last name of a older relative or parent? Also William Bomar lists a "Wilmoth" as his wife's name, again is this first or last? Please note the connection with the Bomars in these two generations. To go along the same path, in a later generation, there is a "Wilda" (Fredrick, Thomas, Edmund, Thomas) I would like to know more about the name. A interesting item, many of the children from different brother's are showing up in Hart Co. for instance John Henry Hodges (Jesse, Edmund, Thomas) was born in Halifax Co. and we find him in Hart Co. at his death. So brother's traveled together or apart winding up in the same location. A little off track this James Henry Hodges was a veteran in the war of 1812.
Of Bush's children Obadiah is my next relative in my search, he was born again in Halifax Co., and move with parents to Kentucky before 1850 and the census where they are mentioned. Obadiah is 33 years old at this time and was married to Elizabeth Tucker, she being born in North Carolina, according to the census. They had 4 children in 1850, and 5 in 1860. There is not a whole lot of information here. Another brother who moved to Kentucky is Fredrick (Thomas, Edmund, Thomas), his children were born in Halifax Co. and moved with him.
Not in my direct line, but it's interesting to mention Sarah H. Hodges,(James Henry, Jesse, Edmund, Thomas) who married a William Defevers. She was born in Virginia in 1820 and he was born in Barren Co. Ky., in 1807 . One of their son's, John T. Defevers was in the Civil War, as many son's of the time were. This son showed great risk to his life and great courage to cross the Tennessee river under risk of enemy attack to save the flag. He was the color-bearer and saved the flag from capture by escaping across the river. There is a mention on this in The 27th Kentucky Infantry history by Col. John H. Ward.
Aunt Geraldines grandfather Samuel S. Hodges (James Henry, Jesse, Edmund, Thomas) was also in the civil war and also in the 27th Kentucky, this group was stationed at Mundfordville, Kentucky guarding the railroad bridge. This unit was from this area, Hart, Meade, Grayson, Breckinridge counties. The unit was mustered in in 1861 at Greensburg, Kentucky and went into camp there. I feel personally there would be many relatives in this Unit, due to where it drew soldiers from. Amos R. Hodges was Aunt Geraldines father and one of Samuel's son's. Looking back we see 4 generations of children, living and working in Hart Co. Note that Amos R. Hodges is 4 generations from Edmund.
Back on track, Next in my line is William Zachary, son of Obadiah. His birth we have from the census of 1860. Unfortunately I do not have a great deal of information on these generations. Those who lived all of their lives in Hart Co. There was a fire in the Hart Co. courthouse in the late 20's or 30's which did what fires do. Also, my mother who is a Hodges died far too young. I never found out what one needs to know from ones parents as they grow on in years together. I am very sorry for that. Amos R. and William Zachary are cousins but note many of the family's are still here in the area. William Zachary Hodges married Martha Frances Smith in Upton, Kentucky. They had 5 children 4 girls and a boy. The male child is Henry F. Hodges, my grandfather. Henry F. Hodges married Maggie Skaggs (follow her family back and there is William Martin Brown), daughter of Daniel N. Skaggs, and Catherine Hawkins. They both were born in Hart Co. Henry F. and Maggie had 3 children, Forrest, Mildred, and Juanita. My mother is Mildred Catherine (middle name came from her mother's name) and she married Vernon Niblack Cox. Forrest married Geraldine Hodges both lived locally. Juanita married Russell Burks. Henry F. Lived into his 90's and Maggie 15 years younger than Henry live some years longer after he passed on. Interesting fact I remember is he received a letter from John F. Kennedy on living so long. I'm not sure of what the farm's boundaries were before Henry F. but the farm as I remember it still lives on, and while no Hodges lives in the homestead it still exists, and while the roads are straighter and smoother, the place still can be found and the acreage is still roughly the same. The one room schoolhouse mom spoke of is mostly gone. There is only a foundation and front steps left and if you didn't know where to stop and look you would never find it. It is up over a hill about a mile form the farm in a small wooded section, never would it be seen at all. The old crooked roads and creeks I walked along and played on and in have been straightened out and run straight as a arrow. Mom and the farm still live on with me and that makes me smile!
The rest of us are still living and well I suppose my story will come from who comes after me.
Thanks mom.
Your loving son
There are a few things I would like to know more of. 1) the Bush Hodges Cemetary - where is it and let me find and take pictures of it? 2) Where were the locations of the brothers/cousins farms? 3) I would like to know more of Maggies parents(Skaggs and Hawkins) 4) More details of William Zachary, and his father Obadiah Hodges. 5) More details on the civil war era.