The Sylvester Lanham Family 1790

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Hand drawn Family Tree
Figure 1. Sylvester Lanham Family Tree
SylvesterLanham1790FanChart
Figure 2. Sylvester Lanham Fan Chart

Sylvester LANHAM, was born in Madison County, Kentucky, 1790/91, a son of Thomas and Patience (Sappington) Lanham.

Sylvester’s Uncle John Sappington went to St. Louis. County, Missouri in 1804 and bought a Spanish Grant from Pierre Didier, then returned in 1805 and brought his wife and 17 children and a number of other families from Kentucky to Missouri, where he established a Trading Post.

Sylvester married Jane Estes about 1810 or 1814 in Kentucky.

JaneEstesFanChart
Figure 3. Jane Estes' Four Generation Fan Chart
Note
More research is needed on Jane Estes. We don’t have much information on her ancestors yet.

About 1811 Sylvester Lanham joined these families in Missouri. Sylvester’s brothers: Hartley and Stephen were already in Missouri by this time. In 1814 Sylvester enlisted in the War of 1812 (1812-1815), but saw no service. He also participated in the Winnebago Campaign. April 12, 1815, Sylvester sold to his brother, James Lanham, household goods, horse and saddles, nine hogs, 400 pounds of bacon and other property. [1]

 Received of James Lanham 50 pounds it being it being in consideration of the following spies of property to wit: One sorrel mare, two beds and furniture and nine head of hogs together with a half dos knives and forks with the plattes and dishes, two water pails one buikett and hing tull bb and also one aseo….a of els lrs.swingle tree,irons, one pot hook and 400 hundred of baken,also one bead stead and table one bridle and two saddles, one pair of hames and trees. All of which property I do warrant and defend unto the said James Lanham against the claim or demand of all other persons whatsoever. Given under my hand and seal this 12th day of April 1815

 Witness present                                                                      
 Sylvester Lanham Geo Witt Little B. Hutt

Sylvester moved to Morgan County, Illinois about 1828. During this seven year period at Morgan Co. many of their children were born. In the 1830 Morgan Co. census, the Sylvester Lanum household consisted of: (2 males under 5, 2 females under age 5, 1 female under 10, 1 male and 1 female under 15 and 1 male and 1 female under the age of 30.

Sylvester Lanham was a government patentee as of 21 January 1829, 87 acres in the W 1/2 SW 1/4 Section 6 Township 13 North Range 8 West of the Third Principal Meridian. This is in the area of present day Waverly, Morgan Co., Illinois. Records indicate he sold this land to John C. Caldwell, 29 June 1830. Taxes on this property in 1836 was $1.30, plus $.75 road tax.

About 1835 they moved to Adams County, Illinois, and about 1839, they moved to the Platte Purchase northwest corner of Missouri. Sylvester’s Father, Thomas died in 1840, Madison Co. KY. The Sylvester Lanham Family is listed in the Crawford Township of Buchanan County, Missouri in the 1840 census. This is in the southern part of the county.

USCensus1840BuchananMO SylvesterLanhamHeader
Figure 4. US Census 1840, Buchanan, MO Header Row [2]
USCensus1840BuchananMO SylvesterLanhamRow
Figure 5. US Census 1840, Buchanan, MO Showing Sylvester Lanham

In Goodspeed’s 1888 History of Andrew and DeKalb Counties (see maps on page 13,14), Sylvester Lanham is listed as one of the early settlers of Andrew County, and that the land upon which the village of Rosendale now stands was pre-empted by Sylvester Lanham in the early forties and he sold it in 1846 to Bethel Allen and his son, who built a saw mill near the village site, on the One-Hundred-and-Two River.

The Lanham brothers came in 1841 and settled on the One-Hundred-and-Two River, four miles east and a little north of the present site of Maryville. Their claims were near each other in the timber, one mile and half east of the One-Hundred-and-Two River.[3]

The Lanham brothers were most likely Curtis Harden Lanham and Benjamin Garfield Lanham along with father, Sylvester.

Drusilla Lanham married James K. Allen of Andrew County on 20 April 1845. The Minister was Moses Allen.[4]

"A quarter of a century after Missouri has gained statehood, the small town of Rosendale emerged from a plot of land near the back of the 102 River. Our Mill, which probably is responsible for the existence of Rosendale, was located 10 rods north of center of section34 on the east bank of the 102 river approximately 100' south of the 48 highway river bridge.. Bethel and William Allen bought the land from Sylvester Lanham in 1845." [5]
— Pioneer on the 102: Rosendale, 1946-1979, Rosendale, MO, Page 70.

Sylvester Lanham was a government patentee for 80 acres in Nodaway, MO in 1848.[6]

BLMGLOPatentee1848SylvesterLanhamNodawayMO
Figure 6. Map of the Land to Sylvester Lanham in 1848 from the US Government
BLMGLOPatentee1848SylvesterLanhamNodawayMOCert
Figure 7. Land to Sylvester Lanham in 1848 from the US Government

Sylvester and Jane Lanham and son Hiram were listed in the 1850 Nodaway County, Missouri census.[7]

USCensus1850NodawayMO SylvesterLanhamHeader
Figure 8. United States Census, 1850 showing the Header Row
USCensus1850NodawayMO SylvesterLanhamRows
Figure 9. United States Census, 1850 showing Sylvester, Jane, and Hiram Lanham

This is the county adjoining Andrew to the north. According to the Nodaway County History (p310), Polk Township, Sylvester settled on the 102 river, 4 miles east and a little north of the present site of Maryville, in 1841.

According to our information Sylvester and family left Missouri 1853, and were on the road seven weeks, arriving in Dallas County, Texas, December 24, 1853.

Sylvester and his son Benjamin Garfield Lanham bought 600 acres of land in Dallas County, Texas, from David M. Cook, 18 December 1852. On the waters of White Rock River near the Grate Military Road from Austin, Texas, to Red River. Eighty acres being the only improvements on the place. Game was said to be plentiful, the senior Lanham found himself too old to enjoy the pleasures of the land and the chase. The deed witnessed by C. H. Lanham and Isaac Elam, and recorded 11 January 1853. [8]

DallasCoTaxRolls1858 SylvesterLanhamHeader
Figure 10. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1858, Header Row [9]
DallasCoTaxRolls1858 SylvesterLanhamRow
Figure 11. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1858, Showing Sylvester and CH Lanham
DallasCoTaxRolls1860 SylvesterLanhamHeader
Figure 12. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1860, Header Row [10]
DallasCoTaxRolls1860 SylvesterLanhamRow
Figure 13. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1860, Showing Sylvester and CH Lanham
DallasCoTaxRolls1862 SylvesterAndBenjaminGLanhamHeader
Figure 14. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1862, Header Row [11]
DallasCoTaxRolls1862 SylvesterAndBenjaminGLanhamRow
Figure 15. Dallas County Tax Rolls, 1862, Showing Sylvester and Benjamin G Lanham

Sylvester died in Dallas,1863 and is buried in the Old Elam Cemetery, Dallas, Dallas, Texas. Jane died 1868, and we assume she is buried in the old Elam Cemetery, Dallas Texas.

a photo of text showing descendants
Figure 16. Descendants of Sylvester Lanham

Sylvester and Jane had eight children, three sons and five daughters: Margaret, Curtis Harden, Lucy, Clara, Benjamin Garfield, Drucilla, Julia A., and Hiram Lanham.

The 1860 United States Census (page 137) shows: [12]

 Lanham, Sylvester -age 70 - birthplace KY.
 Jane -age 68 - birthplace KY.
 Lanham, C. H. -age 45 - blacksmith -birthplace, KY
 Margaret L - age34 --" KY
 Thomas B - age 16 -' MO
 Hiram D -age 13 -" MO
 William C - age 10 -" MO
 Wade, Elizabeth - age 16 -" LL
 Lanham, B.G. - age 46 -" MO
 Mary A - age 30 -" ILL
 Julia A. - age 10 -" MO
 Hiram - age 8 -" MO
 Jack - age 6 -" Texas
 Sarah S. - age 4 -" Texas
 Jane - age 2 -" Texas
scan of a page from the census
Figure 17. 1860 Census Scan of Sylvester Lanham

(i.) Daughter, Margaret LANHAM, first born to Sylvester, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, 25 December 1811, and married ISAAC ELAM, who was born 2 June 1803, Warren County, Kentucky. They married 19 November 1828 ( Margaret being age of 16), Morgan Co., Illinois by John Wooloms, JP. (pg 3 Bk A Records of Morgan Co.) Margaret died 2 September 1869 and Isaac died 26 November 1873, and both are buried at Dallas Texas. [13] See The Issac Elam Family for details.

(ii.) Son, Curtis Harden LANHAM, was born in Kentucky, 18 January 1813 and married MARGARET L. CHANDLER ca 1843. See The Curtis Harden Lanham Family 1813 for details.

(iii.) Daughter, Lucy LANHAM was born ca 1817, and married Jacob SHEPHERD, born about 1812 of Nodaway Co., Missouri. In the 1850 Nodaway County census, Jacob Shepherd is not listed, although Lucy A. is listed with five children. Lucy Shepard was listed w/Sylvester, Joseph, Benjamin, James, Thomas and Amanda in the 1860 census. They were in Maryville, Nodaway Co. MO. See The Jacob Shepherd Family for details.

(iv.) Daughter, Clara LANHAM, was born ca 1818 in Missouri, probably in Franklin County, and married Andrew SHEPHERD, born July 1834, who was born in Madison Co., Illinois, 1818. The 1850 Nodaway Co. census listed six children. See The Andrew Shepherd Family for details.

(v.) Son, Benjamin Garfield LANHAM was born on 14 Jan 1820 in , Franklin, Missouri, USA. He died on 09 Mar 1902 in Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA. He was buried in Pleasant Mound Cemetery, Dallas, Texas. See The Benjamin Garfield Lanham Family for details.

(vi.) Daughter, Drucillia LANHAM, married James K. ALLEN, 27 March 1845, probably in Nodaway County, Missouri. She married J.K. Allen. We think she died young. [14]

(vii.) Daughter, Julia Ann LANHAM, was born 12 April 1829, Morgan County, Illinois, and married Jonathon COOK, 1 August 1844 in Andrew or Nodaway County Missouri. According to the 1850 Nodaway County Mo. census, they has four sons and three daughters. (1) James W. Cook, born 1850, in Missouri.(2 boys died at birth or infancy.) The family moved to Collin County. Julia is buried near McKinney, Collin, TX. See The Jonathan Hammer Cook Family for details.

Note
This is Jane Hudson Samuels Line

(viii.) Son, Hiram LANHAM, was born 1830, in Morgan County, Illinois and died in Nodaway County, Missouri, 1850-53. Hiram was unmarried.


1. Madison County KY Deed Book K, page 496
2. "United States Census, 1840," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XHTF-MCG : accessed 04 Mar 2013), Silvester Lanham, 1840.
3. History of Nodaway County, page 262, 1882 edition.
4. History of Nodaway County, page 140, 1882 edition.
5. Pioneer on the 102: Rosendale, 1946-1979, Rosendale, MO, Page 70.
6. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/details/patent/default.aspx?accession=MO4500.169&docClass=STA&sid=xizxik0f.l3n,Accession Nr: MO4500.169 Document Type: State Volume Patent State: Missouri Issue Date: 11/1/1848 Patent Details Patentee LANHAM, SYLVESTER Land Office: Plattsburg Authority: April 24, 1820: Sale-Cash Entry (3 Stat. 566) Document Number: 5873 Total Acres: 80.00, Land Descriptions State:MO, Meridian:5th PM, Twp - Rng:065N - 035W, Aliquots:W½NW¼, Section:36, County:Nodaway. Accessed 04 Mar 2013.
7. "United States Census, 1850," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MDZN-HTN : accessed 04 Mar 2013), Silvester Lanham, 1850.
8. Deed Book page 339-340, Dallas County, Texas
9. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VY1B-KJV : accessed 04 Mar 2013), Sylvester Lanham, 1858.
10. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VY1B-PJQ : accessed 03 Mar 2013), Sylvester Lanham, 1860.
11. "Texas, County Tax Rolls, 1846-1910," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VY11-C7Q : accessed 03 Mar 2013), Sylvester Lanham, 1862.
12. "United States Census, 1860," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/MXFN-J8C : accessed 04 Mar 2013), Sylvester Lanham, , Dallas, Texas; citing p. 137, family 960; NARA microfilm publication M653, FHL microfilm 805292.
13. Lillian P. Goodknight line. Goodknight has three manuscripts on her family line and the Lanhams. They had children.
14. Amos Graham Recorder, History of Nodaway Ct 1888.
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