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William HANDY

HUSBAND:
[F192]. William HANDY.
Born about 1750 in Virginia. His year of birth is calculated from the birth dates of his children, which are based on census records. The few census records in which he himself appears indicate only that he was born sometime prior to 1765.

He could possibly be the son of Robert HANDY [F384] and Rosy Doyle MOSS [F385].
Other sources (S?) say that he is the son of Samuel HANDY, or the son of the William Handy of Maryland who married Mary Robins and Comfort (Riggins) Atkinson. (S41). All evidence I have seen so far indicates that this is not true. Our ancestor William lived a full life in Kentucky. The other William Handy lived a full life in Maryland. Other than the fact that they lived approximately the same time, I see no similiarity to connect the two.

The name of his wife is not known. The only known record that shows the name of any of his children is the birth of his daughter Sarah. The relationships of the rest of his children have been deducted from census records, by association with him in property records, and by proximity in other records. Census records indicate that his children were born in Virginia.

Kentucky was at first territory belonging to Virginia. In 1776 Kentucky became a separate county of Virginia, named Kentucky County. It was a practice at the time for early explorers to claim property several years before they actually occupied it. It is therefore probable that William explored Kentucky some time before he actually settled there. Robert HANDY [F384], and the other settlers about Adams Creek who were part of his group, were exploring the area in 1776 and William was probably part of that group. The year 1782 was carved into a log in the Handy cabin, which was located on Adams Creek, indicating that this was when the Handy family permanently settled there. Adams Creek is on the south of the Green River, in what is now Adair County.

The Territory of Kentucky was created in JUL 1790. Since all of William’s children were probably born before this date, they would have all been technically been born in Virginia even though the later part of the family may have been born in what is now Kentucky.

On 1 JUN 1792 Kentucky became a state. The following year, in 1793, Green County was created from Lincoln and Nelson counties. Adams Creek fell within the boundaries of Green County. In 1794 William Handy appears on the tax list of Mercer County, but no land is indicated. In 1795 he again appears on the tax list for Mercer County, as owning property in Green County. He is shown with 500 acres on Russell's Creek, 1 tithe, 4 horses and cattle. I do not know why the entry is listed in the Mercer County records.

On the 9th of September of 1796 William Handy had 200 acres surveyed out for himself on both sides of Adams Creek in Green County. He is also on the tax list with 1000 acres on Russell's Creek. In 1797 the 200 acres on Adams Creek are again mentioned in the tax records, and William's improvements are said to be on the creek.

On the 29th of August 1799, 156 acres on Beaver Creek are surveyed out to William Handy as the assignee of Joel Handy and James Handy. This record indicates that Joel is probably one of the son's indicated in the 1810 census. James and Jesse are listed separately in this census record, so they cannot be the two who are mentioned here with William HANDY.

Also In 1799, Barren County was created from Green County and Warren County. Adams Creek again fell within the boundaries of this new county. In that year he is listed as having the 156 acres "on the waters of Barren", the 500 acres "on Green River", and 100 acres "on the waters of Adams Creek".

Surveying was rather haphazard in this area in the early history of Kentucky, due in part to the fact that trees or other perishable landmarks were used for survey markers. Another factor was that the topography was very different from what surveyors were used to. Even water courses were uncertain, since the limestone that underlies the area resulted in sinkholes that caused them to disappear entirely. This is evident from the caves in the area, such as nearby Mammoth Cave National Park.

For these reasons, during the next several years, the property that William owns is listed differently in the tax records. In 1800, he is on the tax list with 166 acres on the waters of Beaver Creek in Barren County, 100 acres on the East Fork of Beaver Creek in Green County, and 1000 acres on the waters of Russell's Creek in Green County. In 1801 he is listed with 156 acres of Beaver Creek in Barren County, 100 acres on Adams Creek in Green County, and 1000 acres on Little Barren Creek in Green County.

In 1801 Adair County was created from Green County and Barren County, and Adams Creek again fell within the boundaries of a new county. It has remained part of Adair County since that time.

In 1802 William is listed with 140 acres on Beaver Creek in Barren County, 100 acres on the East Fork of the Barren in Green County, and 1000 acres in Barren County. I am not sure why Adair County is not listed.

David Handy also appears on the 1802 tax list, with property on the East Fork of the Barren. This is undoubtedly the other son listed in the 1810 census. To have property at this time, he would have been born about 1780, which puts it at the appropriate time given in the census record.

In 1803 William HANDY, residing on the head of Adams Creek in Adair County, placed an ad in the paper giving notice that he had found a stray cow. (S40).

In 1803 and 1804 William is again listed with 136 acres on Beaver Creek, 100 acres on Adams Creek, and 1000 acres on Russell's Creek. In 1805 he is listed with 200 acres on Adams Creek and 1000 acres "on the waters of Green River". That same year, on May 3, 1805, William deeded 200 acres on Adams Creek to Jesse Handy. This was said to be property that had been surveyed and patented to William Handy. This deed was recorded on December 5, 1805. I do not know if William retained any property on Adams Creek after this time or if he moved to a new residence.

In 1806 he is on the tax list with 1000 acres on Little Russell's Creek in Green County. In 1807 he is on the tax list with 100 acres on Greasy Creek in Green County. On October 19, 1807 he gives a power-of-attorney to James Hall to transfer 156 acres in Barren County to Francis Lattemore. In 1808, 1810, and 1811 he appears on the tax list of Adair County, but no acreage or location is given.

On the 13th of January 1815, William deeded livestock, farming utensils, and a lease of a tract of land "where I now live" in Barren County, to Thomas Hall (father-in-law to his son Jesse and 2nd husband of his daughter Sarah). This is the last time that William Handy appears in the records.

In 1820 a William Handy appears on the tax list as a new entry. Census and other subsequent records indicate that this is a younger person by the same name. Therefore, William Handy must have died sometime between 1815 and 1820. Since prior to 1815 he is shown divesting himself of property, I presume that he probably spent the last few years of his life with one of his children, and likely died there.

WIFE:
[F193]. Wife of William HANDY [F192].
She is not named in any of the records (census and land records) that refer to her. She is said to have been born in Virginia. The records that give an approximation of her age generally give it as somewhat younger than her husband, causing me to speculate that this wife as listed in the census records may have been a second wife.

CHILDREN of William HANDY [192] and his wife [193]:
  1. James Handy. Born between 1765 and 1775 in Virginia. From 1799 to 1801 he is on the tax list of Barren County with 200 acres on Peters Creek. In 1802 he is on the tax list of Barren County with 100 acres. {B15}. He made a Bond on 24 AUG 1809 to marry Nancy JEWELL.
  2. [F96]. Jesse HANDY. Born about 1771 in Virginia. He married 23 JUN 1797 Elizabeth HALL [97]. He died about NOV 1863.
  3. David HANDY. Born about 1778 to 1780 in Virginia. In 1802 he is listed on the tax list of Barren County with 100 acres on the East Fork of the Barren River. {B15}.
  4. Sarah HANDY. Born 24 MAY 1780, said to have been in what was later to become Adair County, Kentucky, but the cabin on Adams Creek was not built until l782. At that time in Kentucky, land was claimed and sometimes cabins were built before families moved in to permanently reside there, so even though the cabin was built in 1782 the family may not have even resided there for a year or two yet. Therefore it is not certain where she was born. It could have been in Virginia or an intermediate stop somewhere in Kentucky. It is probable, however, that she was born in Virginia where several of the other children were said to have been born. She apparently married (1) Hansel ALFORD about 1798 to 1800. He died before FEB 1807. She married (2) Thomas HALL [F194] on 24 MAY 1808. (S37).
  5. Polly HANDY. (called Handley in the marriage record-S38). She was probably born either about 1775 or else about 1782 in Virginia. She married Joseph SCOTT on 23 August 1801. (S27).
  6. John HANDY. Born about 1785 in Virginia. He married 26 MAR 1808 (1809-S38) Susannah BUNNELL. John and his family moved to Indiana (Montgomery County, Illinois-S39) and then to Missouri. He located first in Howard Township. John Handy pitched his tent near Muddy Creek in Gentry County, Missouri, on the 16th section. He afterwards moved to Athens Township, and upon the organization of the county, moved to the town of Athens, now Albany, and kept the first tavern that was ever opened to the public in the town. (S39).
  7. Joel HANDY. Born in Virginia. He never achieved legal independence as he was mentally retarded. He probably died young.


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