Sunday, September 28, 2014

52 Ancestors Challenge - Hansel Benton Coburn - b.1817 NC, d.after 1870 TX - Week 34

Hansel Benton Coburn was my 3rd great grandfather.  In April I wrote about his daughter, Hannah Jane Coburn.  I haven't been able to locate much on Hansel, so I'll just go over what I do know.

Hansel was born around 1817 in North Carolina.  Both the 1860 and 1870 Federal Censuses show this.  The first record we see with Hansel's name is his marriage record to Miss Mariam Hannah Barrett in Fayette County, Tennessee on 18 July of 1839.  Mariam was born April 25, 1821, in South Carolina and was the daughter of David Barrett and Elizabeth Whitten.  This marriage record is found on Ancestry.com, and it is mentioned in a family bible that was owned by Albert Gallatin Barrett, Mariam's brother.  A copy of that bible can be found here.

The next mention of Hansel is on Ancestry.com in their U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s.  Their information is cited from The First Settlers of Houston County, Texas, by Gifford White (St. Louis, MO.: Ingmire Pub., 1983. 35p.).  This states he arrived in Texas in 1840.

I found a Poll Tax List for Houston County for the year 1846, online at Rootsweb.  It isn't a pictured copy of the document, but a transcribed list.  Hansel "Cobern" is listed as one of the residents.

On Ancestry.com there is a file called Texas, Index Card Collection, 1800-1900.  In the file, they show a card written for Hansel Coburn.  It states:
Coburn, Hansel
County Commissioner
May 29, 1847
2 - 1/3
Page 68
Houston County

What this exactly means, I'm not sure.  Was Hansel the County Commissioner of Houston County in 1847???  And what does 2 - 1/3 mean?  Could that be the book the information was found?  Something I need to look into when I get the chance.

I can't find Hansel in the 1850 Federal Census, however, I do believe he was living in Houston County.  On the 1860 Federal Census we see him living with his family in Beat 5, Houston County.  In the household was:

  • H. Coburn, 43 years, Farmer, born in North Carolina
  • Mariam Coburn, 39 years, Housewife, born in South Carolina
  • Harriet Coburn, 13 years, born in Texas
  • Jane Coburn, 10 years, born in Texas
  • Margaret Coburn, 3 years, born in Texas
  • Willie Coburn, 1/2 year, born in Texas
  • Louisa Parker, 3 years, born in Texas (not sure who Louisa Parker may be?)
The Non-Population Census of 1860 shows an H. Coburn living in Beat 4 of Houston County.  The census lists the following property for Hansel:


  • 30 Improved acres of land
  • 270 Unimproved acres of land
  • $1,000 Cash value of farm
  • $200 Value of farming implements and machinery
  • 3 Horses
  • 10 Milch Cows
  • 2 Working Oxen
  • 50 Other Cattle
  • 50 Swine
  • $995 Value of livestock
  • 400 Bushels of Indian Corn
  • 5 Bales of Cotton

On January 8, 1863, at the age of 46, Hansel enlisted as a Private in Company B, of the 11th Brigade, at Crockett in Houston County.  His commanding officer was Captain William Wortham.  I'm not an expert on the Civil War, but just a brief online search has led me to believe that the people in this Brigade were considered "Texas State Troopers."  From what I understand, they weren't part of the Confederate Army, but worked under the State of Texas.  Either way, he only enlisted for 3 months.  I'm not sure he ventured outside of Texas.  The info on Hansel can be found on Ancestry.com in their Texas, Muster Roll Index Cards, 1838-1900, and in the remarks area it states:
"R&F 83; Enr. & Mus. off. Col. L.W. Cooper; 1 Rifle; Co. std. at Camp Shiloh, Houston Cty., Texas Jan. 8-63; 1 MR dtd. Jan. 8-63."
In June, I was contacted by someone who read my post on Hansel's daughter Hannah Jane Coburn.  They told me Hansel was mentioned 3 times in the journal of James Madison Hall.  The journal just mentions a "Mr. Coburn," but it might be him.  The first entry was dated February 9th, 1864, and mentions he was heading to Magnolia, which is about 100 miles south of Crockett, Houston County, where Hansel may have been living at the time.  On June 18th & 19th, J.M. Hall mentioned "Mr. Coburn" again, this time returning home from Magnolia.

November 20, 1869, Hansel is seen on a voter registration list found on Ancestry.com (Texas, Voter Registration Lists, 1867-1869).  He is shown as living in Bell County, Texas at the time.  On this registration, it says he had been a resident of Texas for 29 years (which shows he moved to Texas in 1840), and he had been a resident of Bell County for 2 years.  So he must have moved around 1867.

1870 Federal Census shows Hansel in Beat 3 of Bell County now.  He is living with his wife and two children, Margaret (Maggie), and Willie.  This census also shows Hansel as born in 1817 in North Carolina.

In 1880 we can't find Hansel on the Federal Census, but his wife Mariam is shown as Mrs. M.H. Coburn living in Justice Precinct no. one of Bell County as a widow.  In her house is Wm. McCreary, her son-in-law, Mattie Bell McCreary, her daughter, a grand daughter Ada Bell McCreary, and a boarder named Ewing McCreary.  Hansel must have passed away between 1870 and 1880.

As always, if you have any questions, or concerns, about the information in this post, please leave me a message. I'd be happy to answer any questions or share what information I have on the individuals listed above. Thanks for reading!!

2 comments:

  1. Hi Aymee

    Hansel B. Coburn is my GG Grandfather on my Mother's side. I am researching him and have hit a dead end. Wondering do you have anything new on him????

    Thanks
    Randy

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    Replies
    1. Hi Randy,

      Recently I came across some newspaper clippings on Newspapers.com. There were posts shown in the Semi-Weekly Standard in Raleigh, NC in 1854 from May to July. In the posts, it says they are trying to find Hansel Coburn who was not a resident of North Carolina anymore. He was an heir of Ellen Coburn who died in 1854. Her estate was in probate, and they requested he show up to the next court term in July in the town of Williamston. Ellen's will is on Familysearch.org. It shows the following children: Sally, Kenneth, Dollie, Margaret, Abner, Avarilla, and Brown. Her son Kenneth is believed to have died prior to 1854. Kenneth was supposedly married to Elizabeth Grimes in 1816. I'm thinking Hansel could have been the son of Kenneth and Elizabeth, and the family was trying to find him to give him his part of Kenneth's inheritance.

      Of course, I do not have proof of this at this time. Just have Ellen's will and the newspaper clippings. I have not been able to find a copy of Kenneth's will, or any probate or estate papers on either. Hoping these estate papers are out there somewhere and can either prove or disprove this theory.

      Which one of Hansel's children is your ancestor? His daughter Hannah Jane Coburn Holcomb was my gg grandmother.

      Thanks for commenting on my post. Best of luck on your research!!
      Aymee Lubinski

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