JOSEPH HACKER and DESCENDANTS PT. 2

I want to devote this essay to one of the sons of Joseph Hacker, other than our direct ancestor, Julius C. Hacker. I have mentioned before that Joseph and Priscilla had two sons between the dates of the two marriage bonds. The proof that these two sons existed became known when a law suit relating to the settlement of Joseph Hacker’s modest estate was found. I will discuss that law suit in my next installment. 

The sons were John Hacker b. 1806 and Julius C. Hacker b. 1808. The two brothers married sisters, Cyntha and Elizabeth Beeler, daughters of Daniel Beeler of Claiborne County.  They were grand-daughters of Jacob Beelar of Sullivan County. The marriages probably took place in Claiborne County, but there is no surviving record of them. The two couples left a trail of records, however, of the children born to them and the places where they lived. So we know that the marriages did take place.

Both John and Julius are listed as head of households on the 1830 Federal Census for Claiborne County, Tennessee. John’s household contained, besides himself, a male 15-19, a female under 5, and a female between 20 and 29. He was also between 20 and 29.  The teenage male might have been one of his younger brothers, or a young man hired as a farm hand. John did not own any slaves. The young female would have been daughter Malinda. (I learned about her from a biograph that was written years later for John M. Hacker, a son.) His wife, Cyntha, was the female who was between 20 and 29.

How do we know Cyntha’s name? She is named on the 1850 Federal Census for Jefferson County, Missouri where she is living as a widow with her’s and John’s children. How do we know she was a Beeler? They named one of their sons Conrad Beeler Hacker. Cyntha and Elizabeth had a maternal grandfather and a brother named Conrad, and the Beeler part came from her maiden name. Her given name was spelled (and misspelled) Cynthia, Sinthia, Syntha, along with Cyntha. Her headstone says Cyntha so I have assumed that this was the actual spelling. 

John Hacker is listed four names from the bottom of p. 123 of the 1830 Claiborne Co. census book.  Julius Hacker’s household is found at the bottom of the page, on a line where two households are squeezed onto one line because the top line of the page was used for carrying forward totals for each column from the previous page. This was true of every page in that census book.

Daniel Beeler’s household is found at the top of p. 124 of the 1830 Fed. Census for Claiborne County. It is a large household with his wife and children of several ages living in the home.  He is the father of Cyntha and her sister Elizabeth. Presumably, they were all living in close proximity to one another in Claiborne County when this census was taken. Finding Daniel Beeler’s household close to John’s and Julius’s households helped to corroborate the fact that they had a relationship to each other—through Daniel’s daughters.

John and Cyntha left Claiborne County later in 1830 and moved to Indiana. How do we know this?  The main source of information was the 1850 Federal Census for Jefferson County, Missouri. As I said, Cyntha (now named Cynthia) Hacker, 43, was listed as a widow with several children living with her. Her age suggests that she was born in 1807. There is no Malinda, so she must have married, or died, by then.  Joseph D. is 20, born in Indiana. That would make him b. 1830. So we know that his parents had moved to Indiana some time after the 1830 census was taken in Claiborne County. Indiana was a common destination for many Tennessee families who were seeking cheap land and a new life. We can use the 1850 census to trace the movement of the John Hacker family because the children’s ages and birthplaces were listed. They are as follows:

• ·      Joseph D. – b. 1830 in Indiana
• ·      John M. – b. 1833 in Indiana
• ·      Margaret A.  – b. 1835 in Indiana
• ·      George – b. 1838 in Illinois
• ·      Mary E. – b. 1841 in Illinois
• ·      Conrad B. – b. 1843 in Missouri
• ·      James K. – b. 1846 in Missouri

There were two children named Theodore and Frederic Loney living in the home, but I do not know who they were.

I could not find a death record for John Hacker, but the family story is that he died in 1848.  The family was living on a farm in Jefferson County.

Sometime after the census was taken, Joseph D. and John M. Hacker traveled to California to join the Gold Rush that began in 1849 when gold was discovered near Sutter’s Mill. They lived in El Dorado County. This story was told in a biograph written about John M. Hacker published in the Goodspeed’s  Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Eastern Arkansas which I learned about from Ken Smith, a Hacker researcher. The biograph provides a great deal of information about John M. Hacker, including who his parents and siblings were, his story about the gold rush, his marriage, and his life as a fruit farmer in Eastern Arkansas. He must have come back from California with some profits from the gold mining, because he was able to buy a farm in Franklin County, Missouri, and also developed three fruit farms in Arkansas.

John M. Hacker was living in his mother’s household in 1850 and in 1860, and I would not have known about the gold rush years without the biograph. His brother, Joseph D. is listed on the 1860 Federal Census for El Dorado County, along with Nancy Hacker (wife) and five-month-old Joseph Hacker (possible son). But John M. probably lived in California from 1853 to 1858, so was listed in his mother’s household in 1850 and 1860.

Cyntha Beeler Hacker also made changes during that decade. In March, 1851 she married Isaac Loller. The marriage record actually spells his surname “Lawler” and his given name was transcribed as “Jesse.” His given name is hard to read and could be Isaac, which would agree with Beeler family published pedigrees. David Cosper, a Beeler researcher, recently re-examined a microfilm of the original and determined that it was “Isaac” instead of “Jesse.” I could find no other information about this person, although searches turned up several men named “Isaac Loller or Lollar.” He apparently died about 1859—about the time that John M. Hacker returned from California.

Cyntha Beeler Hacker Loller also moved to Franklin County, Missouri during that decade, and operated a hotel in a town called “Pacific” in Franklin Co., Missouri. I found the story of Cyntha and her hotel business in the Pacific section of a multi-county history. She ran the hotel for at least 10 years; eventually her son, Conrad Beeler Hacker (C. B. Hacker) joined her in the business. C. B. held positions in several Pacific civic organizations. John M. Hacker, by then the owner of a large farm in Franklin County, was also listed as a member of a civic organization. John M. married Martha F. Johnson in 1862, and they had one daughter.

According to the biograph, John M. also owned three large farms in Eastern Arkansas on which he grew fruit. He was active in his church and other organizations in Arkansas. The biograph implied that he and his family lived primarily in Arkansas, but he was listed on the Franklin County, Missouri 1880 Federal Census, and was never listed on an Arkansas census record that I could find.

Cyntha Beeler Hacker Loller opened the American Hotel in Pacific in 1855. She ran it herself until 1861 when her son, C. B. Hacker, became her partner. She and C. B. ran the hotel until May 1881 when it burned to the ground. The property was purchased by George Curry who rebuilt the hotel and called it the New American. C. B. Hacker purchased another local hotel a few years later and ran it for several years.

Cyntha died in 1888 and is buried in the Pacific, Missouri cemetery.  C. B. Hacker died in 1896 and is buried under a large monument in the Pacific, Missouri cemetery.  His wife and one of his daughters are buried nearby.  His mother’s grave is a little behind his.  George Curry, the fellow hotelier, is buried under a similar monument that is behind, and to the right, of C. B.’s monument. He is clearly situated to be part of the Hacker grouping so must have been a friend.  John M. Hacker died in 1893 and is also buried there, probably beside the George Curry monument. His headstone information is carved on the side of the Curry monument. 

John and Cyntha Beeler Hacker, and their family, fascinated me because their lives were so much different than the lives of Julius and Elizabeth Beeler Hacker—their sister and brother. I do not know if Cyntha maintained contact with her sister, Elizabeth. They both had sons named John M. Hacker, and both young men went to California during the gold rush.  I do not know if the two John M.s knew each other in California. They did not live in the same place. 

In my next installment, I will talk about George Washington Hacker, and the two sisters—Margaret and Elizabeth—who remained in their father’s house until he died.

Joseph Hacker, Our Ancestor, Part I

We can finally talk about our direct ancestor, Joseph Hacker.  He was the fourth son of Julius and Martha Beeler Hacker, and was born in 1775.  We know this birth year is certain because he is listed as being 75 years old on his 1850 Federal Census record.  The census record showed that he was living in Roane County, Tennessee, and that he was born in North Carolina.  His age of 75 in 1850 tells us that he was born in 1775.  His place of birth in North Carolina suggests that his family had moved to the area that became Washington County, North Carolina Colony by then.  

It is likely that his younger sisters, Susan and Catherine, were also born in Washington County.  The family moved to the area around the same time that members of the Beeler family were settling there.  Joseph would have known his Beeler uncles and cousins, since his father, Julius, obtained a grant in 1784 for 640 acres on Beaver Creek in Sullivan County.  This tract was located near land owned by Beeler family members.

The Julius Hacker family was named as one of the families that took refuge in Shelby’s Fort in 1780 while the men of the community went off to fight a battle at King’s Mountain, South Carolina.  This battle took place in September of 1780 when Joseph was five years old. It was necessary for families to live in the fort for safety while the men of Sullivan County were away because Cherokee Indians living in the vicinity frequently attacked unprotected families.

We know nothing about the childhood and teenage years of Joseph.  Presumably, he lived with his family on the 640 acre farm, and he probably worked with his father and brothers on that land.  The area was originally part of North Carolina Colony, and the Julius Hacker land grant was awarded under North Carolina’s authority.  Washington County was organized around 1775.  But in 1779, a portion of that county was broken off to form Sullivan County.  Around 1790, North Carolina relinquished control of this area and it became part of the Virginia Colony.  Then, in 1796 Washington and Sullivan Counties were included in land that became the State of Tennessee. 

Sullivan County, Tennessee published its first Tax list in 1796.  Julius Hacker, Julius Hacker Jr. and John Hacker are listed on it.  Julius Hacker (the father) was taxed for 640 acres of land.  Julius Jr. and John did not own land, but were taxed for one white poll each.  The white poll was assessed on male citizens aged 21-50, and gave them the right to vote.  Joseph’s name is absent from this tax list, indicating that he was no longer living in his father’s house.  He was about 21 years of age so would have been taxed if he had lived in Sullivan County..

So where was he?  We know that his brother Jacob was married and living in Greene County,  Tennessee.  But we don’t know where he was.  In 1798 his father, Julius Hacker, sold his 640 acre farm and moved to an area on the Clinch River.  This area eventually became Roane County, Tennessee.  It appears that Julius Jr. moved to Roane County with him, but John was married about then and might have moved to Grainger County with his new wife. 

The next record we have for Joseph Hacker is a marriage bond dated dated 8 June 1802, and issued in Roane County.  His bride was to be Priscilla Haggerty.  However, the marriage bond is part of a strange story that we cannot completely tell.  You see, there was a second marriage bond for Joseph Hacker and Priscilla Haggerty filed in 14 July 1810 also in Roane County.  So, did they get married in 1802, and then again in 1810?  We don’t know.  The filing of a marriage bond does not mean that the marriage actually took place; it just serves as a surety to be used if something goes wrong with the wedding plans.  Now, it would be simple enough to say that they did not get married in 1802, but did remain involved with each other and got married in 1810.  The thing wrong with that theory is that there were two sons born during the eight years between those bonds.  John Hacker was born in 1806 and Julius C. Hacker was born in 1808. Were they born out of wedlock?  We don’t know. But we know that  Joseph and Priscilla were married for sure in 1810.  They soon had more children.

I should note that there is no documentation for the birth of these two sons.  We know about them, their age and their parentage, from later records that have been found.  Their identity as sons of Joseph Hacker was finally proven through litigation that took place over Joseph Hacker’s estate after he died.  I will discuss that litigation .in another post

Hacker researcher Alexis Scholz, who is descended from Joseph, has found evidence that he might have been living in Russell County, Virginia (an area that had originally been in Washington County) around 1806-1807.  If so, he was probably living near his sister Catherine who had married Jacob Peters.  Jacob had purchased land that, according to the deed, was formerly owned by Joseph Hacker.  However, a deed record for his purchase of the land has not been found.  This information serves to show where Joseph might have been at that time.

The families of John and Julius Hacker, the sons, were both listed in the 1830 census for Claiborne County, Tennessee.  John had a daughter between five and 10 years old and a wife.  Julius had a  son under five years old and a wife.  The two households were listed at the bottom of P. 38 of the census record.  The household of Daniel Beeler was listed at the top of P. 40.  The intervening page is blank.

Daniel Beeler, son of Jacob Beeler (1750-1843), was the father of Cyntha Ann and Elizabeth, the sisters who married John and Julius Hacker in approximately 1827.  Jacob Beeler was named as a probable son of Ulrich and Maria Elizabeth Buehler for many years.  Recently, however, one Beeler researcher has asserted that there was no proof of his being a son of Ulrich and has questioned the whole relationship.  Actually, four of the children attributed to Ulrich Buehler have no documentation; they are George, Martha, Jacob and Ulrich.  The older children of Ulrich and Maria Elizabeth were baptized in Lutheran churches in Pennsaylvania, and can be proven to be his offspring.  They are John Valentine, Maria Elizabeth Susannah, and Joseph.

If Jacob Beeler is a son of Ulrich Buehler, he would also be a brother of Martha Beeler, wife of Julius Hacker.  Martha was the grandmother of John and Julius Hacker; she would be the great aunt of Cyntha and Elizabeth Beeler if she is Jacob's sister.  We will cover details about these two families in our next installment. 

The Beeler story is fascinating, but it should be fully told in its own blog post. 

Getting back to Joseph, he and Priscilla were married for sure on July 4, 1810 in Roane County, Tennessee. Joseph’s father lived on a farm located on the Clinch River; the date of his death is uncertain, but he was listed on tax records until 1808.  Joseph’s brother, Julius Jr. had married Sarah Haggerty, Priscilla’s sister in 1809, and they were living in Roane County.  In addition to John and Julius C. Joseph and Priscilla had the following children: 

• George Washington, b. 1811 d. 1844
• Joel, b. 1815 d. 1865
• An unknown son, b. 1817
• Margaret, b. 1818
• Elizabeth, b. 1825

Joseph did serve in the military during the War of 1812.  He was enlisted as a private in Brown’s Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers.

Joseph Hacker received a land grant for 100 acres from Roane County, Tennessee in 1827.  He applied for it on January 2, 1824, and the grant was registered on January 23, 1827.   He must have purchased 75 acres at an earlier date because he is taxed for two tracts—75 acres and 100 acres respectively—in 1837.  He apparently sold this 75-acre tract to his son, Joel, at a later date.

Joseph Hacker is listed on the 1830 Roane County Federal Census with the following household members:

1. one son between 10-15, 
2. two sons between 15-20, 
3. an adult male between 50-60 (which would be Joseph, himself), 
4. a daughter between 10-15, 
5. a daughter between 15-20, 
6. an adult woman between 50-60 (which would be wife Priscilla), 
7. two adult women between 80-90.  With regard to the elderly women, I do not know for sure who they were, but it is possible that they were the mothers of Joseph and Priscilla—Martha Beeler Hacker, and the mother of Priscilla and Sarah Haggerty.  

The children listed above can easily be matched to the age ranges of children shown on the census record.   In 1830, George Washington Hacker was the oldest son still living at home.

Joseph Hacker appears on the 1837 Roane County Tax List.  He was taxed on 75 acres (worth $350), and 100 acres (worth $150).  His son Joel is listed under him but he did not own land.  This tax list did not show the poll tax for anyone on it.  I should explain that Joel Hacker was the one son who stayed close to his father, and is shown as living next to him on subsequent tax lists.  George Washington is not listed on the tax list.  Since he was married in 1838 in Grainger County, Tennessee, he had probably left his father/s home by 1837 and was living near his brother Julius Hacker and family, who had moved to Grainger County by then.

Joseph Hacker next appears on the 1840 Roane County Federal Census.  Some changes had occurred in the intervening 10 years.  Priscilla had evidently died because there is no woman of her age on the record.  None of Joseph’s sons were left in the home.  The two daughters were still there, and were 10 years older.  Then, we find that seven females—80-90—were living in the home.  I do not know who these women were, but they were not the two women who were living there in 1830.  Those two women would have been 90-100 years old if they were still living.

Joseph’s son Joel Hacker is listed just under him on the census record.  He is living with a young wife, and a small female child.  At some point, Joseph sold Joel 75 acres of land—the 75 acres shown on the 1837 tax record—and Joel established his own household.  He probably worked with his father, however, as they continued to farm the land.  Joseph did not own slaves and also did not have farm laborers living with him.  He would need the help of his son if he continued to farm.

For the first time in 1850, Federal Census Records listed all members of a household by name, age, and place of birth.  As I said above, Joseph Hacker is listed in 1850 as being 75 years old, born in North Carolina.  Joseph’s daughters, Margaret and Elizabeth are also listed in the household.  Margaret is 33 and Elizabeth is 25.  In addition, some children are living there which have not been fully explained.

I am going to stop at this point, although there is much more information about Joseph to talk about.  But there is too much for one post, so I am dividing it into two.  I will post the second part of the Joseph Hacker story within a few weeks.