John J. Logsdon (b. 1832 d. 1918) of Meade County, KY

The Breckinridge County Logsdon's of 1870's

John J. Logsdon was born, 24 Feb. 1832, in Payneville, Meade County, KY, and died 20 Aug 1916, in Sample, Breckinridge county, KY.

He was the third child of:

William J. Logsdon (b. 28 Oct 1807 d. 14 Apr 1890) 

and 

Elizabeth Durbin (b. 23 Oct 1810 d. 9 Sept 1880)

John married Martha Board 

on 14 Sept 1857 in Meade County, KY.

Martha was born on, 8 Feb 1837, in Bedford County, VA, and died, 6 May 1884, in Breckinridge County, KY.  She is buried in the Walnut Grove Baptist Cemetery, Lodiburg, Breckinridge County, KY.

She was the sixth child of

William H. Board, Jr. (born before 1785 and died about 1850)

and

Martha "Patsy" Alday (born about 1795 and died about 1859)

The union of John J. Logsdon and Martha Board produced these children:

1. William Benedict "Bud" Logsdon 

b. 25 Mar 1859, Meade County, KY.  

m 

d. 6 May 1931, Breckinridge County, KY.

2. Elisha "Lish" Logsdon 

b. 1861, Breckinridge County, KY. 

m. Mary Jane Lyman 

m. Octavia Renfrow

d. 1891, Butler County, KY

3. Mary Elizabeth "Bettie" Logsdon 

b. 4 Oct 1862 

m. 1 Mar 1887, Perry County, IN to James Lincoln Cummings (a twin)

d. 24 Dec 1932, Spokane, WA

4. Baby Boy Logsdon 

b. 11 Aug 1864 

d. 3 May 1865

5. John M. Logsdon 

b. 4 June 1866, Payneville, Meade County, KY. 

m. 9 Jun 1890 to Sarah Catherine Vandergraft, Meade county, KY

d. 29 Feb. 1932

6. Martha Jane "Matt" Logsdon 

b. 1870

m. Jim Board

d. after 1897 (their son Lonnie was born 1897 in Breckinridge county, KY)

7. Oscar Logsdon

b. 1872

m.

d. 8 Nov 1910, Eddieville State Penitentiary, Lyon County, KY

8. Matthew "Tude" Logsdon

b.

m.

d.

John J. Logsdon Family (circa 1895, Meade county, KY)  

"Yours, Mine and Ours"

This is the family of John J. Logsdon and Mary "Polly" Woodson Haynes (second marriage for both).  They were married 02 May 1887 in Meade county, KY.

John J. Logsdon is the patriarch of the family and is seated on the front row, oldest man with the beard.
Mary "Polly" Woodson Haynes (b. 04 Mar 1861, d. 17 Dec 1938 in Meade county, KY) is seated to the right of the bearded gentleman, her husband, John.
Children from the union of Haynes and Logsdon are:
Tault Logsdon b. 10 April 1893 (youngest child of John and Mary standing between John and Mary) d. 06 Oct 1918, Meade county, KY
Augustus Logsdon b. 18 Feb. 1888 d. 28 Dec. 1972 (child of John and Mary, possibly standing to the left with the ruffled collar.)
William Ignatius Logsdon b. June 1891, (Child of John and Mary, I believe he is standing third from the left on the front row.)
Oscar Logsdon b. 1869 d. 1910, troubled son of John's 1st marriage.  (I believe he is man seated on the front row far left)
Mary Elizabeth Logsdon Cummings b. 1862 married James Lincoln Cummings, child of John's first marriage.  (I believe she is the oldest woman standing second to right on back row.)

LOGSDON: The US Beginning

According to findthedata.org, there are only 10,057 people in the US with the last name Logsdon.  That's .035% of the population of the United States.  Currently, according to Britishsurname.co.uk, there are only 107 persons with the surname Logsdon living in Britain.  I am proud of my Logsdon lineage.  We are unique.

Growing up in Indianapolis, we only knew of one other family with the Logsdon last name.  Traveling through Hardin County, KY, my brother happened to stop for a bite to eat.  His waitresses' last name was Logsdon.  He was amazed, "You're a Logsdon!  So am I!"  She said, "Don't get too excited Logsdons are like Smiths in this part of the country."

There are several candidates for our English, WILLIAM LOGSDON, the immigrant.  All of these candidates hale from the same general region north of London.  In my research, I've seen that there was only a handful of Logsdon families in England in the 1600s.  This handful of families were probably all related.  We may never know EXACTLY which family our William came from.  My choice, and some would disagree who are more learned than I,  is a young lad of 10, registered in the St. John's parish of Bedford, son of James and Jane Logsdon.  Our immigrant of 1673, WILLIAM LOGSDON, haled from Bedfordshire, England.  Bedford lies 60 miles north of London.  

"The first documented reference to the Logsdon family in America is found in the Hall of Records, Patent of Land Records, Annapolis, Maryland, Volume 18, page 34, as follows:

January 7, 1674, Captain Samuel Smith of Virginia proved his right to three hundred acres of land, by Hanna, his wife, and Attorney, for transporting Robert Dewsberry, William Belcher, Thomas Humphries, WILLIAM LOGSDON, George Young, Josiah Blackwell and William Golden to this Province to inhabit.

It appears that WILLIAM LOGSDON came to America having been transported by Captain Samuel Smith of Virginia in 1673.  William was probably an indentured man, and as such, probably served his four years and was possibly released from his indentureship in 1677 or 1678.  He probably would have lived on Samuel Smith's land in Northumberland County on the mouth of the Potomac River in Kings Neck.

From the rent rolls (similar to a tax list) of Baltimore County, it is determined that rent was paid on a tract of land, BROTHERLY LOVE, August 28, 1687 or possibly 1697.  WILLIAM LOGSDON and his heirs owned this land.

BROTHERLY LOVE is located near the boundary line between York and Adams Counties in Pennsylvania, just north of Westminster, on the south side of Susquehanna River and before the settlement of the boundary dispute with William Penn, was in Maryland.

Liber DD-5, page 430, dated May 12, 1707.  By virtue of assignment of 100 acres warrant consigned by Gregory Davis of Baltimore County on the 19th day of April last, unto WILLIAM LOGSDON of said County, part of a warrant for 200 acres granted said Gregory Davis, on the 17th day of April last.  I, John Israel, Deputy Surveyer under Mr. Clement Hill, Jr. have laid out to aforesaid WILLIAM LOGSDON that tract and parcel of land called BEDFORD, lying in Baltimore County on the north side of the Potomac River, and on the north side of the Middle Branch thereof, beginning....etc. etc.....100 acres to be Beholden to the Manor of Baltimore.

Bedford is in present day Carroll County, probably about 8 miles southeast of Westminster, directly on the route to Baltimore, through Owings Mills and Pikesville.

In 1709, William brings a suit against Thomas Gwynn, chargin breech of agreement to build a forty foot tobacco shed.  It appears that WILLIAM LOGSDON was a "planter" and tobacco was his principal crop.

IL-A, No. A, page 338, dated 1722.  WILLIAM LOGSDON buys tract LOGSDON ADDITION, adjoining tract called BEDFORD.

LiberIS-H, page 338, dated September 19, 1726.  WILLIAM LOGSDON of Baltimore County deeds to his beloved daughter, ANN DURBIN, tract of land called PLEASENT GREEN being part of the tract called LOGSDON ADDITION lying on the north side of the Potapsco River...etc.etc...92 and 1/2 acres with all the houses, outhouses, barns, stables, tobacco houses, orchards, fences, etc. etc...to be hers and her lawful heirs, begotten and born of her body and after the death of her husband SAMUEL DURBIN, the land to return freely and quiety to the heirs of WILLIAM LOGSDON.  Signed by his mark:  WILLIAM LOGSDON.  Then came HONOR LOGSDON, his wife, and released her dower rights in the property.  This establishes WILLIAM AND HONOR's marriage to have been prior to 1706.

 An interesting family story handed down through generations of LOGSDONS states that HONOR O'FLYNN was a beautiful Irish girl who was taken captive from the Coast of Ireland to America.  Another account by Betty Jewell Carson says HONOR was kidnapped from Ireland, County Derry or Kerry and brought with a shipload of young girls gathered from the Irish Coast and brought over to be wives of the settlers.  HONOR O'FLYNN married WILLIAM LOGSDON in 1702 by missionary priest from Fort Tobacco, Maryland.  


In 1742, after the death of William, BROTHERLY LOVE is sold by his sons, John, William and Edward, planters of Prince George County.  The reference to Prince George County is explained that Frederick was not formed until 1748, and the then Prince George County extended clear to the Pennsylvania line,"  from the genealogical research of William Jesse Durbin.

There is some speculation, that WILLIAM the immigrant's SON, may have been the husband of HONORA.  

"Another source indicates that the William who married Honora O'Flynn was in fact the son of William the immigrant due to the fact that 1. He would have waited a long time to marry, despite the gender imbalance of more males to females in America at that time, 2. a record of Williams trip to America, 3. the land Captain Smith was to receive was 300 acres in Somerset County, Maryland, 4. William Laxtone was recorded as entitled to 50 acres for coming to America, 5. the will of William Langsden in 1709, with mention of his wife Izabell and son William existed. It is this William, it is suggested, that moved to Baltimore and married Honora O'Flynn. None of this has been proven," from geni.com.

Whatever the case, I truly believe our Logsdons haled from the Bedford, England area.

William Logsdon named his tract of land BEDFORD, as an homage to his birthplace.  Record books at the St. John Parish in Bedford, England, confirm that there was a Logsdon family baptized and married within St. John's Parish within the right time frame.  St. John's is currently known as St. John's St. Leonard's when two parishes combined.  

St. John's St. Leonard's Parish, Bedford, England.

Circa 1220, North Recessed Door of St. John's.
(This and the next few photos are from my 2010 trip to Bedford, UK.)

Interior, St. John's.  Oldest part of the church is the front under the stained glass windows. (which are hidden by the powerpoint screen!)

Oldest part of the interior of the church are these seats,
on the wall perpendicular to the stained glass.

Impressive midieval stained glass in St. John's.

Above:  The yard surrounding St. John's Parish in Bedford, England, is a cemetery.  Our LOGSDON forebears are buried in this ground.  Unfortunately, records of burial location for individuals in this cemetery from the 1400-1500's have been lost.

James E. Crowe Donates Land for One Room Schoolhouse

WASHINGTON SCHOOL HOUSE

According to Mary Florence Wall, grandchild of James E. Crowe (b. 1865 d. 1917), James E. donated land and timber toward a one-room schoolhouse somewhere between 1890-1910.  I assume that the land donated was part of his acreage in Allen Springs.  Allen Springs is the community the Crowe's lived in according to James E.'s death certificate and census'.  The photo above, I was told, was the finished product.  I am now on the quest for documentation to prove this donation and it's location.  In contacting the Western Kentucky University Library in Bowling Green regarding this, I was sent the following newspaper clipping.

The brief description notes the location on Cemetery Road.  The librarian stated that this location is near Allen Springs, KY.  Allen Springs is currently southeast of Bowling Green off 231.  I have exhausted all online resources.  The next step is to find some dear genealogically minded soul to actually go to the Warren County, KY court house and look at the archived deeds or I have to actually go to Bowling Green myself.  This is on my to-do list.

UPDATE 7/25/12  MICROFICHE RECORDS PROVE LAND DONATION!!

Records Filmed for use:

Warren County, Kentucky

County Clerk

Bowling Green, KY

Deed Book #83

"This Deed of Gifts made and entered unto this the 2nd day of May 1895 by and between J.E. Crow and Mary F Crow, his wife, and J.M. Gilmore and Mary C. Gilmore his wife parties of the first part and Anderson Hewett that of the Board of Trustees of Washington, Dis No 37 parties of the second part.  All of the County of Warren and State of Kentucky Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the cause of education the parties of the first part do hereby convey to the party of the second part the following tract or parcel of land being and lying in the County and State aforesaid on the south side of big Barren River and on the south side of the Bowling Green and Scottsville road and on the East side of the Polkville Road and likewise being on or near the northwest corner of Jame Crow's farm containing one acre be the same more or less and bounded as follows tract beginning at a planted stone in the center of the Bowling Green and Scottsville road a corner to Anderson Hewett's land and in Porter Hardcastle's line running with said Hardcastle's line two hundred and ninety four and four-fifths inches to a stone in said Hardcastles line thence East One Hundred and fifty feet to a planted stone thence N7# two hundred and ninety feet and four and four fifths inches to a planted stone on the edge of the Bowling Green road thence N77W one hundred and fifty feet to the Beginning so long as it is used for the educations.....children....  To have and to hold the tract of land herein described and hereby conveyed to the party of the second part his successors in office of School Trustee of School and......and Dist No 37 forever.  But if said lot is ever abandoned by said Dis No 37 Said lot is to revert back to J.E Crow and wife when said fifteen dollars shall have been paid back to J.M. Gilmore and wife, the purchase money with the title of general Warranty in testimony where of the said J.E. Crow together with Mary F. Crow, his wife, and J.M. Gilmore together with Mary C. Gilmore his wife who herein joins their husbands in this conveyance for the purpose of relinquishing their rights of dower and homestead in and to said land have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and date first above written.

J.E. Crow

Mary F. Crow

J.M. Gillmore

Mary C. Gillmore

(SIDE NOTE:  Also according to Mary F. Wall, James E. would not allow tobacco to be grown in his fields. Apparently, he thought smoking was not beneficial.)

Here's the Deal

There have been a few epiphany's in the last few hours.  Genealogy is like that.  Ah-ha moments don't seem to be spread evenly across time.  They happen in rapid fire succession once every blue moon.  Although, what I have posted previously in this blog is true and factual.  I'm not sure how relevant they are to our family lineage!

So, let's start over with what I know is fact.

James Easton Crowe (b. 13 May 1866, Warren county, KY.  d. 24 June 1918, Warren county, KY) married Mary Florence Elrod (b. 18 Jul 1875, Warren county, KY d. 11 Apr 1954, Indianapolis, IN) on November 14, 1893, Warren county, KY.

For those of you who heard the name as James Eastern Crowe.  That is isn't quite correct and a result of the thick Kentucky accent.   James' mother was Harriett Caroline Claypool.  Her father was EASTON Claypool.  Hence the middle name, EASTON (not Eastern).

The following is Mary Florence Elrod's handwritten list of her loved ones birth and death dates, including all of their children.

Page 1 transcription:  

James Eastern Crowe

Mary Florence Elrod

were united in marriage

Nov. 14 A.D. 1893

-------------------

Etheal Adline Crowe

died Feb. 13 A.D. 1895

James Eastern Crowe

died June 24 A.D. 1918

-------------------

To them were born 

ten children 

                 (over)

Page 2 transcription:

James Eastern Crowe Born May 13 A.D. 1866

Mary Florence Crowe Born July 18 A.D. 1875

Etheal Aline Crowe Born Sept. 14 A.D. 1894

Lucey Ann Crowe Born Nov. 24 A.D. 1894

Eva Lois Crowe Born Aug. 29 A.D. 1897

Gary Othniel Crowe Born Jan 11 A.D. 1900

Youree Grider Crowe Born Nov. 26 A.D. 1901

Ester Marie Crowe Born Jan. 18 A.D. 1904

Rebecca Jane Crowe Born Jan. 19 A.D. 1907

Hazel Vandy B. Crowe Born March 26 A.D. 1909

Gorge Elrod Crowe Born Feb. 14 A.D. 1914

Thomas Eastern Crowe Born Oct. 20 A.D. 1917

3rd American Crow/Crowe Generation

JOHN CROW  (John1, Thomas2)
b. about 1654, VA d. about August, 1718, South Parnham Parrish, Essex County, VA)

m. Elizabeth.  She was born about 1638 and died about June 1720, in Essex County, VA.

Their Children:

Judeth

Mary

Eleanor

Thomas

John

William

Anthony

Documentation in Chronological Order:

1704 Essex county,VA, quit rent rolls, pg. 547:  John Crow - 440 acres 

Essex county records 1703-1706, pg. 119 – “P. of A. July 1703.  Benj Baynton of Bristol, England to Wm. Ayres of Essex to collect a/os. Signed Benj. Baynton.  Wit:  John Crow,Thomas Stratton, Proved by oath of Stretton 11 Nov1703 and recorded.

Essex county records 1703-1706, No. 12, pg. 66.  Bond 11 Dec 1704. L100. Sterling, MaryMillborne as admnx of estate John Millborne dec’d.  Signed, Mary Millborne x, John Hawkins.  wit.:  Sam Coates, John Crow

Mar 1712/1713 p. 105 Virginia Colonial Abstracts ….mentions John Crow in a land transaction.

1715 Essex county, quit rent rolls, John Crow – 886 acres.

May 17, 1716 - John Crow signed a bond for Robert Coleman, deceased. 

June 14, 1716 - John served on a jury of the Essex Court. 

December 18, 1716 - John signed the inventory of Homer Rodin, deceased.
John Crow signed a bond of 100 Sterling for Mary Milbourne as the administrator of John Milbourne, deceased (no date). (3)

WILL OF JOHN CROW dated January 20, 1717 and named all of his living children.
“ I, John Crowe of Essex County, being sick and weak in body, . . . To my loving dau Judeth Dickason 1 shilling; To my loving dau Mary Coleman, 1 negro man, named Dick, now in her possession; To my loving dau Eleanor Hogart 1 shilling; To my loving son, Thomas Crowe 1 shilling; To my loving son, John Crowe, all my land lying on the south side of Dragon Swamp and joining on the land of Henry Baker. To my loving sons, William Crowe and Anthony Crowe, all the rest of my land whereon I now live to be equally divided. My son Anthony to possess the plantation whereon I now live. All the rest equally divided amongst my loving wife, Elizabeth, my son John, my sons William and Anthony, my daughter Sarah and my daughter Anne. My loving wife sole executrix. John Crowe. Witnessess: Henry Perkins, John Dickerson, Judeth Dickerson.”

From the will it appears that John’s daughters, Sarah and Anne, were not yet married. Dragon Swamp (present-day Dragon Run) is about 50 miles east of Richmond, Virginia. Dragon Swamp extended some 20 miles in a relatively straight line; and winding through the swamp was an impassable creek, Dragon Run.

("From the will it appears that John’s daughters, Sarah and Anne, were not yet married. Dragon Swamp (present-day Dragon Run) is about 50 miles east of Richmond, Virginia. Dragon Swamp extended some 20 miles in a relatively straight line; and winding through the swamp was an impassable creek, Dragon Run," Hoggatt&Crow Families.)

WILL OF ELIZABETH CROWE Dated 1719; Probated 21 June, 1720

To my two sons, JOHN and WILLIAM L3 Sterling. All
the rest to be equally divided among my three youngest
children, Sarah Crowe, Anne Crowe and Anthony Crowe.
All my children which are now under my tuition and
care to be well clothed and a negro be bought by my
executor for the benefit of my three youngest children.
My three youngest children, each of them, to have two
years schooling. My three daughters, Judeth, Mary
and Elinor and my son, Thomas, each of them 1 shilling.
/s/ Elizabeth Crowe