Jeremiah Bohannon (Buchanon) and Sarah Jones were married on 15 December 1786, Ann Bohannon (Anna Buckanan) and Enos Miles were married on 25 July 1789, and Isabella Bohannon (Buckhannan) and Joseph Beck (Beek) were married on 21 January 1791 in Franklin County.1 Sarah Jones may have been a daughter of Josiah Jones. Joseph Beck probably was related to the Beck family which appears later in Shelby County, Kentucky, with the Miles, Bohannon and related families. Enos Miles of Woodford County, Kentucky, appointed Jeremiah Bohannon of Montgomery County, Virginia, his attorney to receive sums owed him by Tyree Glenn (Gleen) of Surry County, North Carolina. The deed, dated 22 July 1797 and recorded in September 1797, was witnessed by Abraham Jones, William Jones and Thomas Jones, Jr.2 Jeremiah Bohannon had land in Franklin County on the Pigg River, adjoining a tract sold by Joseph Davis to Peter Saunders in April 1798. The Davis land was on the Pigg River and Island Run, adjoining lands of Joseph Hale, Peter Saunders, Thomas Jones and Jeremiah Bohannon.3 James Bohannon may have been related to Andrew Bohannon who was on the 1771 tax list for Surry County, North Carolina.4 James Bohannon probably was a young widower when he died in 1774, leaving small children with no apparent mother. He may have been born about 1740-45, since Ann Bohannon Miles was born on 25 May 1770. One family tradition identifies Ann as a sister of President James Buchanan, who married Enos Miles in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, on 30 July 1789. After marrying in Pennsylvania, Enos Miles and Ann Bohannon reputedly migrated to Lynchburg, Virginia. To justify the contention that Ann Bohannon Miles was a sister of President Buchanan, some descendants of Enos Miles and Anna Bohannon have proposed that the couple had two weddings, one in Pennsylvania and one in Virginia, to satisfy the desires of both families.5 That procedure not only is improbable, but probably impossible within a five-day period in 1789. Also a license for such a marriage does not appear in published Pennsylvania records.6 Furthermore, Ann Bohannon Miles was a generation ahead of President James Buchanan (1791-1868), who was born in Mercersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, to Andrew Buchanan and Jane Russell. This tradition identifies Enos Miles as a son of Samuel Miles and Sarah James who were married in Maryland and whose children were born in Baltimore. The Miles family moved from Baltimore to Chester County, Pennsylvania, after the Revolutionary War. From Lynchburg, Enos and Anna went to Versailles, Kentucky, and finally to Germantown, southwest of Dayton, in Montgomery County, Ohio, where Ann died on 25 October 1810. Enos Miles married (2) Sarah Ann Troup Rentfro, a widow, in Montgomery County on 12 March 1812.7 Actually Samuel Miles and Sarah James had a license to marry in Pennsylvania dated 30 August 1760.8 Enos Miles, who owned land on Glenns Creek in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1796, which he sold to Aaron Darnell in 1806, had brothers: John Miles who married Elizabeth Jones, daughter of John and Mary (Rentfro?) Jones; Samuel Miles, Jr. who married (1) Eunice Cook, sister of Helen, Rhoda and Jesse Cook, (2) Ann Lewis, daughter Joseph and Sarah Beck Lewis, and (3) Mary “Polly” Wilcoxson Vardeman, daughter of Daniel and Sally Faulconer Wilcoxson and widow of Thomas Vardeman; and Isaac Miles who married Mary Ann Jones, sister of Elizabeth Jones.9 One of the early settlers in the area that became Franklin County, Virginia, was Thomas Bohannon, who had land west of Sydnorsville and east of the location of the land of William Bohannon, which is not indicated on the map.10 There was a Theodore Bohannon (Buckhanon) who married Elizabeth Nimmo in Bedford County, Virginia, on 17 January 1789.11 Henry Bohannon, Jr. and his first wife Susanna Fretwell had a son Alexander Bohannon who married Mary Hill, with the consent of Joseph Hill, in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, on 20 August 1796.12 Alex Bohannon, who had received a North Carolina land grant in Davidson County, Tennessee, in 1783, lived in Sevier County, Tennessee, where he and Mary were members of the Forks of the Little Pigeon Baptist Church from 1807 to 1811. They were on the list of new members in September 1807 as Mary Bohannon and Alleck Bohannon. In March 1808 it was recorded that “it being made appear to the Church that Brother Alexander Bohannon had been gilty of Drinkin two much speritous Liquor, Swearing, and Quarrelling, for which the Church Lays him under censure til our next meating in course.” In April 1808 “Brother Bohannon came forward and confest his Sin and sorrows for the same and the Church forgave him.” In February 1811, “Brother Alleck Bohannon and his wife requests a letter of creadence which is granted.” Perhaps they moved to White County, Tennessee, where the 1820 census included Mary Bohannon, aged 45 or over, with 3 M 18-26, 1 M 16-18 and 3 M 10-16.13 Alex may have been the Alex Bohannon who served in Logan's Company with John Bohannon in 1779. The residency in Tennessee of Alex Bohannon and Mary Hill roughly parallels that of William Bohannon and supports the contention that William was a brother of Henry Bohannon Jr. One Alex Buchanan married Nancy McAfee in Mercer County, Kentucky, in 1797 and witnessed the will of Samuel McAfee, Sr., which was proved in August 1801. The heirs of Samuel McAfee were daughters Anna, Hanna, Polly and Jenny McGoffin, and sons William, Samuel, John and Robert McAfee.14 Alex Buchanan was born about 1763, died in 1806 and is buried in New Providence Presbyterian Cemetery on Providence Pike, one mile west of New Providence Presbyterian Church on US127, near McAfee, Kentucky. This church was originally built in 1785:15 Alexander Buchanan died Dec 3 1806, age 37 years Nancy Buchanan (consort of Alexander) died Oct 1 1810, age 32 years William Buchanan died May 4 1830, age 24 years Phebe Ann Buchanan (wife of William) died Sept 5 1829, age 22 years George Buchanan died Oct 11 1804, age 11 months There is a stone in the Memorial Acre at Fort Harrod State Park, adjoining the old cemetery, dedicated to a Bohannon born about 1744: ----- Buchanan died May 5 1813, age 69 years George Buchanan appraised the estate of Thomas Threlkeld in April 1790. James Buchanan (Buckanon) and Rebecca Armstrong were married in Mercer County on 03 January 1793. Rebeccka Buchanan was named as a legatee of her father John Armstrong, whose wife was named Priscilla, in his will dated 27 July 1799 and proved in July Court 1801.16 Considering the general spelling of the name as Buchanan, by this Mercer County branch of the family, they may have come from Pennsylvania with James Harrod. When Jesse Cook, the husband of Elizabeth Bohannon, was killed by Indians in Kentucky in 1792, a man named Bohannon and his son also were among the fatalities of this attack on a small, unfortified settlement at Innes Bottom near Frankfort on South Elkhorn Creek, not far from its junction with North Elkhorn Creek.17 Also killed was Hosea Cook, a brother of Jesse Cook, Rhoda Cook Bohannon and Helen Cook Bohannon. Hosea was married to Elizabeth Edrington, a sister of Joseph Edrington who married Elizabeth Bohannon Cook in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1793. The two Betsys, Elizabeth Bohannon Cook and Elizabeth Edrington Cook, are renowned for their heroic defense against the Indians who killed their husbands.18 The Bohannon who was killed with the Cooks must have been closely related to John Bohannon who married Helen Cook. He was killed in 1792 in the part of Woodford County which became Franklin County, Kentucky, but it is possible that he was Joseph Bohannon whose estate inventory was appraised and returned to Mercer County Court, at the March term, 1796, by Jonathan Colliar, Charles Hart, John Goodnite and Abraham Goodnite.19 It consisted of “1 hat cover, 1 hat, 1 straight body coat, 3 1/4 yards coating, 1 fiddle, some leather, 1 blanket, 1 pocket handkerchief, 1 rifle gun, 1 saddle, 1 garcoat pattern, a breeches pattern, a pair stockings, jacket, brieches, lagins, old cloaths, a pare shoes and bucles, and a hankerchief.” The probability of a connection between Joseph Bohannon of Mercer County and John Bohannon, who married Helen Cook, is supported by the fact that John had 150 acres on the Salt River in Mercer County, which he conveyed to Joseph Edrington before 19 July 1797, when Edrington was taxed for it as a resident of Woodford County.20 Joshua Bohannon and Rhoda Cook had a son, Abraham Bohannon, who was born about 1779 and married Prudence Jones in Woodford County, Kentucky, in 1797.21 Prudence was a daughter of John and Mary (Rentfro?) Jones and the sister of Sarah Jones who married Abraham Cook; Rachel Jones who married Royal Wade; Mary Ann Jones who married Isaac Miles; Tabitha Jones who married Elijah Davis and Elizabeth Jones who married John Miles.22 Since Abraham Bohannon inherited a share of the estate of William Bohannon, which was divided into eighteen portions, apparently representing eighteen children or their heirs, Abraham must have been the oldest surviving child of Joshua Bohannon and Rhoda Cook. Since Joshua was born in December 1757 and Rhoda was born about 1760, they probably did not marry before 1776, perhaps as late as 1779 when Abraham was born. Joshua was dead by 16 October 1781 when Rhoda married John Jameson, so he could have had another child or two, but such children have not been identified. JOSHUA BOHANNON Born Dec 1757 Virginia Died before 16 Oct 1781 Married Rhoda Cook c1778 Born c1760 Died Child: Abraham Bohannon b. c1779 Virginia d. after 1850 Oldham County, Kentucky m. Prudence Jones 1797 Woodford County, Kentucky After his marriage in Woodford County, Abraham Bohannon resided in northeastern Shelby County where he was ordained as a minister of Indian Fork Baptist Church:23 Abraham Bohannon was connected with a numerous respectable family of his name, who settled early, near the northeast corner of Shelby county. He was an ordained preacher in Indian Fork church, in that locality, as early as 1811. About 1827, he moved to Oldham county, and united with East Fork church, in Henry. He appears to have been useful in his early ministry; but later in life, he became so entangled with the affairs of the world, that he lost his influence as a preacher, to a great extent. He was poorly educated, was possessed of very moderate gifts, and it is not known that he was ever pastor of a church. In his early ministry, he aided in constituting several churches, and was frequently called on to assist in the ordination of young preachers. After he had lost his influence to such a degree that he could not command an audience, he is said to have remarked that the people were tired of hearing preaching, and that he believed he would engage in lecturing. It is not known that he carried this purpose into effect. He died at his home in Oldham county, at a good old age. Abraham Bohannon was taxed in Shelby County on 07 August 1800.24 He was a lieutenant in the 18th Regiment of the Kentucky Militia in Shelby County from 04 February 1805 until 09 February 1807.25 On 08 September 1806 John Jameson (Jamison) of Tennessee issued his power of attorney to Abraham Bohannon of Shelby County, Kentucky, to conduct business and execute deeds of conveyance.26 This undoubtedly pertained to the execution of the 1797 Franklin County will of Margaret Jones Cook who left a share of her estate to her daughter Rhoda Jameson. Abraham Bohannon moved to Henry County after he was dismissed from Indian Fork Baptist Church in 1826.27 He joined the East Fork Baptist Church in Henry County, Kentucky, in August 1827 and bought 250 acres of land on the waters of the Little Kentucky River in Henry County on 23 October 1827 for $1,750 in gold and silver paid in hand. [Data of Bill Smith, Henry County, Kentucky, Deed Book 12, page 399.]* Abraham Bohannon of Henry County issued his power of attorney to Henry Bohannon of Shelby County on 10 October 1829 to represent his interests during the administration of the estate of William Bohannon, deceased, of White County, Tennessee. Henry Bohannon was Abraham's first cousin, the son of John Bohannon of Shelby County, who also gave Henry his power of attorney at the same time, for the same purpose. Attached to John Bohannon's power of attorney was certification that he was a son of William Bohannon. A similar certificate, identifying Abraham Bohannon as a grandson of William Bohannon, probably accompanied his power of attorney but, apparently, is no longer in the White County files.28 Abraham must have moved to Oldham County after 1829. ABRAHAM BOHANNON Born c1779 Virginia Died after 1850 Oldham County, Kentucky Married Prudence Jones 1797 Woodford County, Kentucky Born c1781 Virginia Died after 1850 Children: Thomas Bohannon b. c1797-1800 Kentucky d. before 17 Sep 1850 m. Nancy Hackett 15 Feb 1821 Shelby County, Kentucky William C Bohannon b. 11 Nov 1802 d. 08 Nov 1880 m. (1) Charlotte Radford 04 Aug 1823 Shelby County, Kentucky (2) Eliza Ellen Netherton Hall 1864 Rhoda Bohannon b. c1805 Kentucky d. m. (1) Hercules Agee 01 Feb 1821 Shelby County, Kentucky (2) Hosea Cook Jr 14 Jul 1823 Shelby County, Kentucky (Jesse?) Bohannon b. c1800-1810 Kentucky d. m. (Mary?) Bohannon b. c1800-1810 d. m. (John Hudson?) Sarah Bohannon b. c1810 d. m. Wesley Hudson 22 Feb 1827 Shelby County, Kentucky Allen Bohannon b. 1810 Kentucky d. after 1860 m. Adeline Flint Weston (Western) Bohannon b. 11 Oct 1815 Kentucky d. 23 Jun 1871 McLean County, Kentucky m. (1) Sarah Ann Brown Shrader 21 Aug 1845 Oldham County, Kentucky (2) Sarah Farmer Lucinda Bohannon b. before 1820 d. m. (Winston McClure 02 Jan 1840 Oldham County, Kentucky?) Elizabeth Bohannon b. c1822 Kentucky d. after 1850 m. Milly (Emily) Bohannon b. 09 Mar 1826 Shelby County Kentucky d. 25 Aug 1854 m. Wesley Clore 01 Mar 1853 Oldham County, Kentucky The children of Abraham Bohannon and Prudence Jones have been identified from marriage records, the 1850 Oldham County census and family records.29 Abraham Bohannon was enumerated on the 1810 census in Shelby County:30 Abraham Bohannon 1 M 26-45 1 F 26-45 (Prudence) 1 M 10-16 (Thomas) 3 F 10-16 (Rhoda) 2 M -10 (William C/Jesse?) (Sarah/Mary?) The second son aged under 10 could have been Jesse Bohannon (Buckhannon) aged 20-30, who lived alone in Shelby County in 1830 and has not been identified with the family otherwise.31 Abraham Bohannon was tabulated on the Shelby County census on 10 December 1820:32 Abraham Bohannon 1 M 26-45 1 F 26-45 (Prudence) 3 M 16-26 (Thomas) 2 F 16-26 (Rhoda) (William C?) (Mary?) (Jesse?) 1 F 10-16 (Sarah) 2 M 16-18 (William C?) 1 F -10 (Lucinda) (Jesse?) 1 M 10-16 (Allen) 1 M -10 (Weston) One of the 2 females aged 16-26 on the 1820 census (and of the 3 females aged 10-16 in 1810) probably was Mary Bohannon who married John Hudson and had a daughter Elizabeth Hudson, who born on 28 May 1832 in Henry County, Kentucky, three miles from Smithfield. One of Elizabeth’s grandfathers was a Baptist minister, which could apply to Abraham Bohannon. However the reference also states that the grandfather was of French extraction which does not apply to Abraham Bohannon. Elizabeth Hudson married Robert Sullivan Waters. [Middletown Days and Deeds, Edith Wood, page 115, e-mail data of Bill Smith, 26 Jan 1998.]* The farm of William C. Bohannon was at Smithfield, so his father Abraham probably lived nearby. [E-mail data of Bill Smith.]* The records of the Smithfield Baptist Church revealed some information about the Bohannon family but nothing very significant about Abraham Bohannon because the records from 1828 through 1887 were missing: [E-mail data of Bill Smith*] First Minute Book: Sept 11, 1801. Church constituted on East Floyds Fork. First members included 5 whites and eight slaves. Saturday Sept 1, 1810: Agreed that every free male (or any other member that sees cause) pay annually to the church 25 cents in order to defray the expenses of the church. 1st Saturday in Aug 1817: Received by experience in order for baptism Col. Callaway's Nancy. Oct 1818: A circular from I. McCoy was read and agreed to make some contribution for the Indian Missionary and agreed to put the circular in the hands of Col. J. Callaway with his consent in order to obtain contributions. Oct meeting 1821: A charge against Nancy (a black woman of or belonging to Col. J. Callaway) for making an attempt to take the life of her master. The church, being satisfied of her guilt, agreed unanimously that she is no more a member with us. Feb 2 1822: From a report it is believed that brother Elijah Miller has acted disorderly by suffering dancing in his house. Brother George and John Chastain agreed to go and request him to attend our next meeting and give satisfaction. June meeting 1822: After prayers, the few members present proceed to inquire for business. Inquired of brother M. Lancaster whether a report be true of his going to and being present at a chicken fight. July 6 1822: Brother M. Lancaster excluded from the church. Nov 18th 1826: Received for baptism Nancy Buchanon. 3rd Sunday in August 1827: The church met and after prayer, proceeded to business. Received by letter Ruthanna Thompson and Abraham Bohannon and his wife Prudence Bohannon. Received by experience in order for baptism Elizabeth Grimes and Nancy Engle and Eddy Drane. S. Bond appointed to write a letter to the association and brother J. Mount and Abraham Bohannon and S. Bond to bear the same. Dismissed in peace. Sept 15 1827: Received by letter sister Rhoda Cook. (Book ended in 1827) Book #2 (1888 - to 19__) deals with mundane things like finance and maintenance. The only personal notes were upon the death of a church elder or pastor. Then they would pass a very moving resolution about the person's attributes. However, a few entries pertained to Bohannons and related families: March 17th 1888 4th Gen M&S a committee of three R.L. Tidrick, John Radford and L.W. Sanders are to have the ceiling of church replastered. April 16th 1892: Gen M&S a committee of three was appointed to assess the church for incidental expenses amounting to $100. (Drane Bohannon mentioned as part of the committee). W. A. Bohannon was a member in 1888. Henry County, Kentucky, Deeds: [E-mail data of Bill Smith.*] 23 Oct 1827 William and Jane Eddy of Henry County to Abraham Bohannon of Henry County 250 acres of land in Henry County on the waters of the Little Kentucky, $1,750 gold and silver paid in hand. [Deed Book 12, page 399.] 15 Aug 1827 Alfred Thruston of Louisville to William C. Bohannon 201 acres for $804 lawful money in hand paid. Property adjoins Watkins heirs and others. [Deed Book 12, page 344] 15 Aug 1831 William C. Bohannon and Charlott his wife of Henry County to John Watkins 100 acres on the waters of Floyds Fork...Part of survey entry surveyed and patented by Charles M. Thruston. [Deed Book 14, page 259] 19 Feb 1833 Abraham Bohannon of Henry County and Prudence his wife to Peter B. Force of Henry County 132 acres on the waters of Little Kentucky for $900. [Deed Book 15, page 185] 20 Oct 1832 Abraham Bohannon and Prudence his wife to Felix G. Watkins 8 3/4 acres on Floyds Fork and Little Kentucky for $61.25. [Deed Book 15, page 186] 18 Feb 1833 Abraham Bohannon and Prudence his wife to Stephen Watkins 231 acres on Floyds Fork and Little Kentucky for $1,850. Property description adjoins Felix Watkins. [Deed Book 15, page 187] 09 Feb 1833 Charles Thruston and Mary his wife of Louisville to Abraham Bohannon of Henry County 282 acres on Floyds Fork and Little Kentucky for $1,149. [Deed Book 15, page 188] When Rhoda Bohannon and Hercules Agee were married on 01 February 1821, Abraham Bohannon was surety on the bond and identified as the father of Rhoda. William C. Bohannon was bondsman for Hosea Cook and Rhoda Agee (Age) when they married on 14 July 1823. The bride was described as widow of Hercules Agee (Age) and daughter of Abraham Bohannon.33 Born in 1792 in Woodford County, Kentucky, Hosea Cook, Jr. was the only son of Hosea Cook and Elizabeth Edrington who were married in Woodford County on 03 December 1791. Hosea, Sr. was killed by Indians on 28 April 1792. Hosea, Jr. was married previously to Elizabeth Livingston on 25 October 1815 in Woodford County.34 Rhoda Cook moved to Henry County, Kentucky, before 15 September 1827 when she was received into membership of Smithfield Baptist Church by letter. [E-mail data of Bill Smith*] Charlotte Radford who married William C. “Will” Bohannon on 04 August 1823 was a daughter of John Radford. Richard Radford was security on the bond.35 They had a son William A. Bohannon. who was born on 17 November 1833 in Kentucky, married Mary E. Baugh of Shelby County, widow of James E. Baugh, on 16 February 1865, and died on 09 November 1903. William A. . and Mary E. Bohannon, who was born on 05 January 1835 and died on 12 August 1912, are buried in Smithfield Cemetery in Henry County, Kentucky. In March, 1864, William C. Bohannon sold his farm to his son William A. Bohannon. Three months later, the 61-year-old widower married (2) Eliza Ellen Netherton Hall, widow of William Hall, who was 39. Eliza Ellen was a sister of William K. Netherton, who married Catherine Bohannon, daughter of William C. Bohannon and Charlotte Radford. Seven years later, William C. Bohannon was living with his son William A. Bohannon in Jericho, without Eliza Ellen, who probably died in the interim. [Data of Bill Smith.]*
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