DeHart HISTORY

A GENEALOGICAL STUDY OF THE DEHART FAMILY

SIMON DEHART THROUGH STEPHEN H. DEHART

BY: THOMAS DAY DEHART


ELIAS DE HART

Elias was one of Aaron DeHart's older brothers. He was also the father of Nathan DeHart who wrote the letter in the DeHart Association Book.

Thanks to Nathan's letter, we know the exact date of Elias' birth and death. He was born on 10 March 1730 and died on 1 April 1821. He married Elizabeth Toleson. She was from Spartinburg Co. South Carolina. This can be taken as further evidence to support the theory of the four bothers landing in Charleston, S.C. because it is possible that Elias could have married Elizabeth on his way from Charleston north.

The first official trace I found of Elias was the original land patent for 200 **(a handwritten notation has been superimposed over the 2 so that it reads 300) acres on Porridge Creek in what was then Albemarle Co., Virginia. The date of this document was 20 August 1760. (Va. State Library Patents. No. 33 1756-61 p. 858)

It is my belief that Elias was homesteading on this land even before he received the patent. He may have lived on this particular tract of land for several years before the patent was issued.

At the time of the 1760 Patent, Elias was 30 years of age so his first home after marriage could have been on Porridge Creek in Albemarle Co. Va. The next year (1761) the county of Amherst was formed from Albemarle and all reference to the Porridge Creek land was thereafter in the Amherst Co. Records.

Nathan DeHart named his five brothers in his previously mentioned letter. They were from oldest to youngest, Elias Jr., Elijah, Elisha, Reuben, John, and Nathan.

In the next two years Elias sold all of his land. In 1762 he sold 108 acres to his brother, Simon. (Deed book A pg. 68 - Amherst Co. Records) In 1763 he sold 112 acres to a William Dinguid. (Deed book A, pg. 76 Amherst Co. Records.) Also in 1763 he sold the remaining 80 acres of the original 200 **(again a handwritten notation superimposed over the 2 to read 300) acre Patent to a William Packett. (Deed book A, pg. 104-Amherst Co. Records). In these two deeds the first name of Elias' wife was mentioned as being Elizabeth. This fact supports the information in Nathan DeHart's letter concerning her name.

This was the last I could find on Elias DeHart. Based on all the information that I have, it appears that Elias sold his land and moved his family away from Amherst Co., Va. All available evidence points to his moving, most probably into the general area of Burke Co., North Carolina or Rutherford Co., North Carolina. This may well have been the beginning of the North Carolina DeHarts.

This brings an interesting possibility to mind. The original theory is that Aaron settled in Va. And two of his brothers settled in North Carolina and possibly in Kentucky or Tennessee. The evidence seems to point to the three brothers settling in Virginia first then one or maybe two of them moving to North Carolina.

The earliest mention I have found of any DeHarts in N.C. is that of Nathan's father, Elias, who some called Richard. I believe that all of the N.C. and Kentucky DeHarts may be descended from him. After he (Elias) left Virginia he first settled in Rutherford Co., N.C. then migrated to Wayne Co. Kentucky. (DeHart Assoc. Book, pg 21). Elias DeHart died in Wayne Co. Kentucky on 1 April 1821 according to the DeHart Association Book.

Contributed by Pat DeHart Long
Document Prepared by Gloria Lambert


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Last updated: Friday, 29-Mar-2024 03:34:21 MDT