Charles Flanagan, 1779 – 1834

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According to the Whittle and Judah Flanagan Bible, Charles was born January 1779. The day of the month is written as well, but is difficult to read, the Bible pages microfilmed in negative, available at Library of Virginia, Richmond, and online.

Sometime during 1816-1817, Charles with family in tow moved his family some 400 miles west, to Madison County, Kentucky. After a few years, he moved even further west, to Breckinridge County, a distance of about 140 miles.

Family

Charles married Elizabeth Saunders, daughter of David Saunders. This is evidenced by a deed in Breckenridge Co KY, where Elizabeth Flanagan established a power of attorney to her husband 17 Nov 1821, wherein she declares she is the daughter of David Saunders, deceased, of Louisa County VA. (Louisa Co VA Deed Book P p 224)

Charles and Elizabeth had one son and three daughters. Based on the census records, it does not appear there were any other children. The children were listed in a typewritten note composed by Narcissa _____, who was the daughter of Caroline E C (Flanagan) Kelley and granddaughter of Charles and Elizabeth. The children are:

  • James Winwright Flanagan
  • Caroline Elizabeth Corbin Flanagan – married Norval C Kelley
  • Agrippina Ann Flanagan
  • Louisa Ann Flanagan – married James Burnett

Land and Property

Virginia

Charles acquired property between 1808 and 1811 in Albemarle Co VA from the Walker family, 58 acres including a mill, in several transactions among the Walker family. He first rented the Widow Margaret Walker’s interest in the land for a yearly rent of $36 for Margaret’s natural life (Margaret being the widow of Thomas Walker) (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 16 p 553). Jane C Walker, daughter of Thomas, sold her interest in the land to Charles for $1.00 (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 16 p 555). Another daughter, Elizabeth F Walker, also sold her interest in the land to Charles for $1.00 (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 16 p 600). Then, on 27 Jun 1810, he purchased Martha and Lewis Walker’s interest in their father Thomas Walker’s estate from their guardian and mother, Margaret Walker, for annual rent payments, and once the children are of age, he is to pay Margaret and Lewis $450 each (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 17 p 182). On 1 Jul 1811, he acquired Maria B (Walker) Duke’s interest in the land (her husband Richard Duke also signing) for $1.00 (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 17 p 370).

He also acquired property known as Winsor Hall from Thomas M Johnson and Polley Green Johnson, on 29 Feb 1812, for $1,250, consisting of 47 acres lying “near said Flanagan’s Mill.” (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 18 p 164)

SALES HERE

Kentucky

Charles acquired around 990 acres of land in Kentucky and sold 850 acres. Based on the tax records, at his death he owned 77 3/4 acres of land; the disposition of this land and the 62 acres he was taxed for in 1817 have not been located as yet.

1817 – 29 May – Madison Co KY – Charles Flanagan secured a loan of $500 from Benjamin Hays, same county, by assigning to Hays two female slaves, Lucy and Melinda (Madison Co KY Deed Book M p 140). The next month, Charles’s brother James marries Elizabeth Newman at Madison County.

1817 – Madison Co KY – Charles is first seen in Madison County KY on the 1817 tax list. He is the only Flanagan. He owns 62 acres of Class 3 land in Madison County, on the Kentucky River (1817 Tax List, Madison Co KY) Record of his acquiring this land has not been located.

1817 – 29 May – Madison Co KY – Charles Flanagan secured a loan of $500 from Benjamin Hays by assigning to Hays two female slaves, Lucy and Melinda (Madison Co KY Deed Book M p 140).

1819 – 14 Oct – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles acquired 300 acres of land on Clover Creek in Breckinridge Co KY from the Kentucky land commissioner, the land having been entered by Robert Rose and purchased by Daniel Morgan, who assigned it to John Pollock, who then assigned it to Charles Flanagan. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 130)

1819 – 14 Oct – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles acquired 250 acres of land on Clover Creek, the land having been entered by Thomas Macon and purchased by Daniel Morgan, who assigned it to John Pollock, who then assigned it to Charles Flanagan. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 133)

1824 – 8 May – Charles acquired 300 acres of land in Breckinridge Co (originally lying in Hardin Co) on Panther Creek, originally Hardin Co, the land having been granted to P Taylor and purchased y John Shelton, who transferred it to Thomas Duckham, who transferred it to Charles. (Breckenridge Co KY Deed Book G p 135)

1826 – 20 Mar – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles and Elizabeth Flanagan sold to James Flanagan (c1792-p1850) of Perry County, Indiana, for $1,950, land on the waters of Clover Creek and Panther Creek, a total of 850 acres that Charles acquired by the three separate deeds noted above in 1819 and 1824. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 411)

1831 – 20 Feb – At Breckenridge Co KY, the heirs of James Jennings, deceased, made a deed to Charles for 38 acres of land which Charles had purchased of James during his lifetime (date not stated) but for which a deed was never made. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book I p 387)

Kentucky county map

Military

Charles was commissioned first as Lieutenant and then as Captain during the War of 1812, at Albemarle County Virginia, during 1813 and 1814. He was with the Virginia Militia, First Battalion, 88th Regiment. The source records are located in his timeline, below.

Death

Elizabeth is said to have died September 1833 and been buried on a small plot at Satterfield Home, just outside of Cloverport – Satterfield Home being the house and land where Charles lived. I do not have evidence of this.

Charles died at Breckinridge County before 17 Nov 1834, when letters of administration were granted to his son-in-law James Burnett, with James W Flanagan acting as James’s security for the administration bond, which was in the amount of $500. (Breckenridge Co KY County Court Minute Book 1830-1835, Page 272):

On Motion of James Burnett letters of administration on the estate of Charles Flanagan decd is granted them and then [illeg] he under took the oaths required by law & with James W Flanagan his security entered into bond in the penalty of of [sic] $500 conditioned agreeably to law. Ordered that Jos B Oglesby Wm Cooper Obadiah Newman & Robt Brown or any three of them being first duly sworn do appraise in current money the slaves if any & personal estate of Charles Flanagan decd.

No record of settlement of Charles’s estate or division of land in any of the counties mentioned in the tax records have been found.

Timeline

There are more court records to come, both Virginia and Kentucky.

1798 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1800 – Albemarle Co VA Personal Property Tax List – the entry says “Charles and brother”
1805 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1806 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1807 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1808- Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1809 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1810 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1810 – Albemarle Co VA – Charles is enumerated next door to his brother-in-law Laurence Fergason. In Charles’s household are 1 male under ten, 3 females under 10, 2 males age 26-44, one female 16-25 (1810 US Census, Albemarle Co VA, Fredericksville, p 10)

1811 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List
1812 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1812 – 14 Dec – Louisa Co VA – Charles Flanagan and his wife Elizabeth of Albemarle County VA sold, for 5 shillings, to Thomas Bibb of Orange County VA, 60 acres of land in Louisa County on the waters of the Southanna River, bordering John Davidson and the heirs of Jeremiah Pate (Louisa Co VA Deed Book M p 126). Charles purchased this property from John Ragland and Ludlow and Sarah Bramham on 12 Jun 1811.

1813 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1813 – 15 Jul – Albemarle Co VA – Charles is nominated and recommended as Lieutenant in Captain Matthew Mowry’s Company of Militia, 1st Battalion, 88th Regiment (Albemarle Co VA Order Book 1813-1815, page 100)

1813 – 9 Sep – Albemarle Co VA – Charles receives his commission as Lieutenant (Albemarle Co VA Order Book 1813-1815, page 152)

1813 – 9 Sep – Albemarle Co VA – Charles is nominated and recommended as Captain, 1st Battalion, 88th Regiment, in place of Matthew Maury, resigned (Albemarle Co VA Order Book 1813-1815, page 160)

1814 – 5 Apr – Albemarle Co VA – Charles receives his commission as Captain (Albemarle Co VA Order Book 1813-1815, page 160)

1814 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1815 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1815 – 1 Dec – Albemarle Co VA – Charles and Elizabeth sell land (acreage not stated) which includes Walkers Mill, for $3,000, to Meriwether Walker (Albemarle Co VA Deed Book 19 p 511)

1816 – Albemarle Co VA – Personal Property Tax List

1817 – Madison Co KY – Charles is first seen in Madison County KY on the 1817 tax list. He is the only Flanagan. He owns 62 acres of Class 3 land in Madison County, on the Kentucky River (1817 Tax List, Madison Co KY)

1817 – 29 May – Madison Co KY – Charles Flanagan secured a loan of $500 from Benjamin Hays, same county, by assigning to Hays two female slaves, Lucy and Melinda (Madison Co KY Deed Book M p 140). The next month, Charles’s brother James marries Elizabeth Newman at Madison County.

1818 – Charles does not appear on the tax list

1819 – Madison Co KY Tax List, no longer owns land (1819 Tax List, Madison Co KY)

1819 – 14 Oct – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles acquired 300 acres of land on Clover Creek in Breckinridge Co KY from the Kentucky land commissioner, the land having been entered by Robert Rose and purchased by Daniel Morgan, who assigned it to John Pollock, who then assigned it to Charles Flanagan. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 130)

1819 – 14 Oct – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles acquired 250 acres of land on Clover Creek, the land having been entered by Thomas Macon and purchased by Daniel Morgan, who assigned it to John Pollock, who then assigned it to Charles Flanagan. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 133)

1820 – Charles is enumerated on the Breckinridge Co KY census, Stephensport. In the household are 1 male 10-15, 1 male 26-44, 1 male 45+, 1 female 1-9, 2 females 10-15, one female 45+ (1820 US Census, Breckinridge Co KY, Stephens Port, p 253)

1820 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – owns 550 acres on Clover Creek (1820 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1821 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List, 550 acres, but the watercourse is now noted as Tarr Fork (1821 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1822 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 550 acres, Clover Creek (1822 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1823 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 550 acres, Clover Creek (1823 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1824 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 550 acres, Clover Creek and 300 acres on Panther Creek (1824 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1824 – 8 May – Charles acquired 300 acres of land in Breckinridge Co (originally lying in Hardin Co) on Panther Creek, originally Hardin Co, the land having been granted to P Taylor and purchased y John Shelton, who transferred it to Thomas Duckham, who transferred it to Charles. (Breckenridge Co KY Deed Book G p 135)

1825 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 550 acres, Clover Creek and 300 acres on Panther Creek (1825 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List}

1826 – 20 Mar – Breckinridge Co KY – Charles and Elizabeth Flanagan sold to James Flanagan (c1792-p1850) of Perry County, Indiana, for $1,950, land on the waters of Clover Creek and Panther Creek, a total of 850 acres that Charles acquired by the three separate deeds noted above in 1819 and 1824. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book G p 411)

1826 – Not on the tax list for Breckinridge County

1827 – Breckenridge Co KY Tax List – 77 3/4 acres, no watercourse named. His son James W is also taxed, same page, for 2 lots in Joesville (later named Cloverport) (1827 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1828 – Breckinridge Co KY tax List – 77 acres on the Ohio River. He also pays the taxes on Whittle Flanagan’s 550 acres and Reuben Flanagan’s 300 acres. (1828 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1829 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 500 acres in Breckinridge Co, 600 acres in Oldham Co, and 78 acres in Breckenridge Co. He again pays the taxes for Whittle and Reuben. (1829 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

1830 – No tax list for Breckinridge County

1830 – Charles is enumerated on the census at Breckinridge Co KY. Household includes: 1 male 15-19, 2 males 20-29, 1 male 50-59, 1 female 15-19, 2 females 20-29, 1 female 40-49 (1830 US Census, Breckinridge Co KY, p 61)

1831 – 20 Feb – At Breckenridge Co KY, the heirs of James Jennings, deceased, made a deed to Charles for 38 acres of land which Charles had purchased of James during his lifetime (date not stated) but for which a deed was never made. (Breckinridge Co KY Deed Book I p 387)

1831 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 77 3/4 acres in Breckenridge Co, 500 acres in Ohio Co on Rough Creek, 600 acres on Adams Fork in Ohio Co, and 150 acres on the Ohio River in Breckenridge Co. Again he pays the taxes for Whittle and Reuben. This time the land that Reuben owns is noted as being in Hancock County. (1831 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

Note that the 600 acres in 1831 is listed as Ohio County, whereas in 1829 it was Oldham County. These two counties are not anywhere near each other; the land was probably in Ohio County, as it is again stated in 1833.

1832 – No tax list for Breckinridge County

1833 – Breckinridge Co KY Tax List – 77 3/4 acres in Breckenridge Co, 500 acres in Ohio Co, 600 acres on Adams Fork in Ohio Co, and 150 acres on the Ohio River in Breckinridge Co. Again he pays the taxes for Reuben and the heirs of Whittle Flanagan. (1833 Breckinridge Co KY Tax List)

17 Nov 1834 – On Motion of James Burnett letters of administration on the estate of Charles Flanagan decd is granted them and then [illeg] he under took the oaths required by law & with James W Flanagan his security entered into bond in the penalty of of [sic] $500 conditioned agreeably to law. Ordered that Jos B Oglesby Wm Cooper Obadiah Newman & Robt Brown or any three of them being first duly sworn do appraise in current money the slaves if any & personal estate of Charles Flanagan decd. (Breckenridge Co KY County Court Minute Book 1830-1835, Page 272)

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