#110--James Hannah's New Start

The 52 Ancestors in 52 weeks challenge by Amy Johnson Crow is back.  It helped me in the past organize and move my genealogy forward so I have taken on the challenge again.  The prompt for this week is “Start.”  I had difficulty figuring out how I was going to start.  I finally decided to blog about one of my ancestors, James Hannah, who came to the United States to “start” a new life.  Previously I have blogged about finding his will,  the contents of the will, and what he owed, but not what little I know of his life.

James Hannah, my 4th great grandfather, was born in 1772 in Northern Ireland, probably in County Down.  Family lore states that he was the younger son of a family that owned a bleaching green.

There is no record of how or when he came to the United States.  However, I assume like most of the Scotch-Irish, he landed in Philadelphia or Chester, Pennsylvania.  He married Nancy McKee in 1795.  Her father at that time was living in New Garden, Chester in Pennsylvania so I think they were probably married in that vicinity.  James and Nancy had 11 children.

By 1800, James Hannah had moved his family to Buffalo Township, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania.  In the census for that year, James Hannah is listed as having 4 children.  By 1810, the family was living in Sugarcreek Township, again in Armstrong County.  The family had now grown to five boys and two girls.

James fought in the War of 1812.  In April 25, 1813, James enlisted for six months.  According to the Pennsylvania Archives, he served with Captain Scott's Company of the Fourth Battalion, Washington County, Pennsylvania.  I have a letter from one of my grandfather’s cousins, in which he states, that James always had trouble with his feet because they froze during this war.

I know that those who served in the War of 1812 were eligible for land grants in the Virginia Military District.  I cannot find whether or not James received or purchased one of those grants or bought land directly one from someone else, but by 1820, he was living in Pleasant Township, in Brown County, Ohio.  That letter I have also says that he brought his family from Sugarcreek to Brown County by coming down the Ohio River on a flat boat.

The duplicate tax records for Brown County are on line at FamilySearch.org.  While not searchable by name, it is possible to find your ancestor, as the records are alphabetical by year and sometimes by township.  James is in some of the tax records from 1820 to 1827.  He is not listed for 1823 and 1825.  I believe he was actually there, but since this is a hand-written copy of the actually records, he may be misidentified or skipped. His total taxes ranged from 13 cents to $1.10.  The record indicate that he owned 15 acres of land.

James died in1828 in Brown, Ohio, at the age of 56. There is no record of where he is buried.  I previously blogged about his will.  While the census at that time did not state an occupation, from his will, I think it is pretty clear that James farmed.

If I could talk to James, I would have several questions for him.  First, where was he born in Ireland and who were his parents?  Second, why did he immigrate to the United States? Third, why did he move to Ohio?