[Abraham Lefever (III), Lafaver, Lafavre] (I have decided to apply "III"
to this Abraham - J. La Favre)
b: June 12, 1772 in Pennsylvania - needs to be verified
d: December 06, 1838 in Morgan County, Indiana
Elizabeth Lefever
b: 7 JUN 17968 Washington Co., VA. 1870
US Census for Henderson Co., IL lists Elizabeth Harbison, age 72, born
in VA. If she was born in 1796, then the birth place would have been
Washington Co., VA. If she was born in 1798, then birth place may have
been Hawkins Co., TN.
John Harbison (husband)
m: 7 MAR 1822 Washington Co., IN
Sarah Lefever
b: 7 MAR 17998 possibly Hawkins County,
TN
William Sells (husband)
m: 20 MAR 1817 Washington Co., IN
Isaac T. Lefever - a prominent and successful
farmer, a Justice of the Peace, and a preacher of the M.E. Church8
b: 18018 in Virginia (possibly Hawkins County,
TN) or April 11, 1801 Wayne Co., KY (the birth location as Wayne County
has been published but is not compatible with tax lists for Wayne County,
which place the arrival of Isaac's father between 1804 and 1806).
d: March 24, 1890 in Baker Twp, Morgan County, Indiana
Mary Cooper (wife)
b: June 25, 1803 in Virginia
m: October 23, 18238 in Washington County,
Indiana
d: September 17, 1877 in Baker Twp, Morgan County, Indiana
Jacob B. Lefever
b: 6 OCT 18038
or 180712 possibly
in Hawkins County, TN (note: if born in 1807, he would have been born
in Wayne County, KY, where his father was living at the time)
d: 1880 in Indiana8
Lydia Snyder (wife)
b: 4 OCT 1808
m: 1825 Washington Co., IN12
Mary Magdelaine Lefever
b: 19 MAY 18068 or 19 APR 1806 Wayne County,
KY (US Census 1860, 70, 80 list birth state as KY)
James Johnston (husband)
b: 9 MAR 1803
m: 24 MAR 1824 Washington Co., IN
Catherine Lefever
b: 21 JAN 18088 Wayne Co., KY (US Census
1850 & 1870 list birth state as KY)
Jacob Harriman (husband)
m: 13 JUL 1826 Morgan Co., IN
Jane Lefever (aka Jincy)
b: 10 NOV 18108 Wayne Co., KY
John Alloway (husband)
m: 21 AUG 1834 Morgan Co., IN
Nancy Lefever
b: 22 MAY 18138 Wayne Co., KY (US Census
1850 gives birth state as KY)
Caleb Stairwalt (husband)
m: 2 AUG 1827 Morgan Co., IN
Abraham Brock Lefever - early settler in MO8
b: 17 JAN 18168 Wayne Co., KY or Washington
Co., IN
d: 1 MAY 18638
Martha Smith (wife)
b: 18208
m: 16 JAN 18398
d: 18 DEC 18738
Daniel Lefever - early settler in MO8
b: 20 NOV 18198 Washington Co., IN (US Census
1850 gives birth state as IN)
d: 19 SEP 18968
Eleanor Vandeventer (wife)
b: 18198
m: 18418
d: 16 MAY 18978
Susannah Lefever
b: 19 JAN 1822 Washington Co., IN (US Census 1850 gives birth state
as IN)
Wilson R. Downs (first husband)
m: 8 FEB 1840
Cyrus W. Steele (second husband)
m: 17 SEP 1851
Abraham (III) spent part of his childhood in Washington County, Virginia.
We presume that he met his future wife, Mary Magdelaine Brock, in the
same county. They were married by Mary's uncle, Jacob Zink, the well-known
Lutheran minister. After his marriage in 1795, we find Abraham on the
personal property tax lists for the lower district of Washington County
in 1796 and 1797. Abraham's father lived in the upper district but Abraham's
father-in-law, George Brock, lived in the lower district. No deed or
grant with Abraham's name has been found in the lower district. Therefore,
it is likely that Abraham was living on land owned by his father-in-law
on Beaver Creek, Washington County, Virginia. We can't be sure where
Abraham lived after leaving Washington County, but perhaps on land bought
in 1797 by his father-in-law, at the mouth of the north fork of the
Clinch River, Hawkins [now Hancock] County, Tennessee. Abraham (III)
was in Wayne County, KY by 1806 because he is on the tax list for the
county. The year of 1806 has been claimed to be the year of Abraham
(III)'s arrival in Wayne County8.
In 1810 an Abram Lipevar [Lefever] appears on the US Census for Wayne
County, KY. We presume this is Abraham (III) because his father, Abraham
(II), died in late 1807 or January 1808. Abraham (III)'s brothers, Andrew,
David and Jacob, also appear on the US Census in Wayne County, 1810.
Two short biographies of Abraham (III)'s son, Isaac, disagree on the
place of Isaac's birth, either Virginia in 180113
or April 11, 1801 on the Cumberland River in Kentucky14.
US Census data for Isaac are not helpful: in 1850 and 1870 the birth
state is listed as Kentucky and in 1860 and 1880 the birth state is
listed as Virginia. However, tax data for Wayne County place the arrival
of Isaac's father between 1804 and 1806. Therefore, Isaac was not born
in Wayne County. Apparently, Isaac's brother, Jacob B., was also unsure
of his place of birth. In an article entitled Recollections of Jacob
B. Lafavers appearing in the Martinsville Republican, February
6, 1879: "I was born in Wirth [Wythe] County, VA, in the year 1807.
My parents moved to Wayne County, Ky., when I was a mere babe. When
I was about 9 years old we moved to Washington Co., In." Abraham (III)
was not found on personal property tax lists of Wythe County up to and
including 1805. Considering also the tax data for Wayne County, it is
clear that Jacob B. Lefever was not born in Wythe County, VA in 1807.
The US Census data for Jacob are inconsistent: in 1850 and 1870 the
birth state is listed as Virginia and in 1860 and 1880 the birth state
is listed as Kentucky. It is possible that Jacob was actually born in
Hawkins County, TN, where we judge his father may have lived in 1803.
The George Brock tract in Hawkins [now Hancock] County, Tennessee was
about one mile south of the present Virginia border. Assuming Abraham
(III) lived there, subsequent reporters of family data for the US Census
may have been confused, thinking the land they lived on was in Virginia.
--------------------------------
1810 US Census Wayne Co. KY
Abram Lipevar [Lefever]
2 males under 10 years old (Isaac b. 1801 and Jacob b. 1803 or 1807
- good match)
0 males 26 - 44 years old (should be 1, Abraham III b. 1772)
0 females under 10 years old (should be 2, Catherine b. 1808 and Mary
b. 1806)
3 females 10 - 15 years old (should be 2, Sarah b. 1799 and Elizabeth
b. 1776)
2 females 16 - 25 years old (should be 0)
0 females 26 - 44 years old (should be 1, Mary, Abraham III's wife)
family total = 7 (should be 8, Abraham III not included)
In 1817 Abraham sold his land in Wayne County, Kentucky and bought
property in Washington County, Indiana. This point in time marks the
beginning of the migration of some of Abraham (II)'s children to different
states. There is little doubt why Abraham (III) moved to Washington
County, Indiana. When Abraham married George Brock's daughter, Mary,
we find the beginning of documentation that suggests a strong tie between
the families. Abraham may have been torn between living near his father
and his father-in-law. But a decade after his father's death in Wayne
County, he decided to move away so that his family could be near Mary's
father, who was living in Washington County, Indiana.
Abraham's brother, Andrew, moved to Tennessee; his sister, Elizabeth,
moved to Missouri; his brother David remained in Kentucky for the remainder
of his life. Abraham's grandsons served in the Union Army during the
Civil War. Some descendants of Abraham's siblings served in the Confederate
Army. It is unknown to this writer whether any Lefevers actually met
each other in battle during that terrible war.
-------------------------------------
Deed Book B, p. 400, Wayne Co., KY - 7 MAR 1817
Abraham Lefever & Mary his wife to Thomas Simpson for $1,300. 200
acres along the Cumberland River [Same description as deed of 6 MAR
1813 - see section for Abraham Lefever (II)] Recorded 15 APR 1817
---------------------------------
Deed Book A, p. 476-77, Washington County, Indiana - 19 SEP 1817
Daniel Zink and Elizabeth his wife of Washington Co., IN [to] Abraham
Lafever of Washington Co., IN for $1100 the south east quarter of Section
24, Township 2 North Range 3 East, Washington Co., IN [1/4 section =
160 acres]
Note: Daniel Zink made an entry for this tract on April 18, 1814.
-----------------------------------------
1820 US Census Washington Co., IN - enumerated 7 AUG 1820
Abraham Lepever [Lefever]
2 males under 10 years old (Abraham b. 1816 and Daniel b. 1819 - good
match)
1 male 10 - 15 years old (if Jacob was born 6 OCT 18038
he would be 16, if born in 1807 he would be 12 or 13)
0 males 16 - 18 years old
1 male 16 - 25 years old (Isaac b. 1801 - good match)
1 male 45 years old or more (Abraham III b. 1772 - good match)
3 females under 10 years old (should be 2 females Jane b. 1810 and Nancy
b. 1813)
1 female 10 - 15 years old (should be 2 females Catherine b. 1808 and
Mary b. 1806)
1 female 16 - 25 years old (Sarah b. 1799 - good match)
1 female 26 - 44 years old (Mary, Abraham III's wife, born 1780 - good
match)
family total = 11 (good match if we assume Elizabeth is not living
at home)
---------------------------------
In 1823 Abraham (III) sold his land in Washington Co., IN and moved
to Morgan Co., IN. He lived the remainder of his life in Morgan County
and died December 6, 1838.
---------------------------------
Deed Book B, p. 579-81, Washington County, Indiana - 15 JAN 1823
Abraham Lafaver and Mary his wife of Washington Co., IN [to] Peter
Zink, Jr. of Washington Co., IN for $710, three tracts:
1. Beginning at the south west corner of Section 19, Township 2 North
Range 4 East thence northwardly with the line of said section 160
poles to the stake dividing the south west from the north west quarter
of the aforesaid section then eastwardly with the line dividing said
quarter 50 poles to the middle of Blue River, thence down Blue River
meandering with the middle thereof to the east and west sectional
line of the section aforesaid, thence westwardly with the said line
35 poles to the beginning containing 30 acres.
2. Beginning at the north west corner of Section 30, Township 2 North
Range 4 East, thence running south seven degrees east 19 poles to
a stake, thence east seven degrees north 34 poles to a stake, thence
north seven degrees west 19 poles to a stake in the said section line,
thence with said section line westwardly to the beginning containing
4 acres and 6 poles.
3. south east quarter of Section 24, Township 2 North Range 3 East
--------------------------------------------------
U.S. General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land
Office, Indiana
Issued 25 JUL 1826 to Abraham Lafavers
75.56 acres
The east half of the north east quarter of Section 13, Township 11 North
Range 2 West
----------------------------------------------------
US General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land Office,
Indiana
Issued 26 SEP 1831 to Abraham Lafevre
109.88 acres
The south west fractional quarter of Section 30, Township 11 North Range
1 West
----------------------------------------------------
US General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land Office,
Indiana
Issued 26 SEP 1831 to Abraham Lafevre
80 acres
The west half of the north east quarter of Section 30, Township 11 North
Range 1 West
----------------------------------------------------
US General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land Office,
Indiana
Issued 1 MAY 1833 to Abraham Lafavre 80
acres
The east half of the north west quarter of Section 13, Township 11 North
Range 2 West
----------------------------------------------------
US General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land Office,
Indiana
Issued 30 SEP 1834 toAbraham Lafavre
80 acres
The west half of the south west quarter of Section 3, Township 11 North
Range 1 East
----------------------------------------------------
US General Land Office Records, 1796 - 1907 - Crawfordsville Land Office,
Indiana
Issued 20 MAR 1837 to Abraham Lafavre
56.38 acres
The west half of the north west fractional quarter of Section 18, Township
11 North Range 1 West
----------------------------------------------------