HILTON, Truman, of Maryland, North Carolina, and Clark Co IN

Truman Hilton was born about 7 Mar 1758 in St John’s Parish, Prince George’s County, Maryland,[1] the son of James and Monica (Cavenaugh)[2] Hilton. He died in Clark Co IN after 7 Aug 1827,[3] and is buried in the New Chapel Cemetery, Watson, Clark Co IN.[4]

Truman was married in Frederick Co MD, 27 Oct 1780, to Christena Patrick. Christena was born in 1761 in Maryland and died in Clark Co IN in 1823. She was a daughter of William and Elizabeth Ann (Stephens) Patrick. Members of the Hilton, Prather, Holeman, Jacobs and Patrick families were together in Rowan Co NC, then in Clark Co IN, and there were many marriages within the group.

He may have been the Truman Hilton who served in the Revolutionary War as a private in the First Company Maryland Troops, among other service in the Battle of Long Island.[5] Althouh his name was transcribed as “Freemen Hilton,” he appeared near the names of John Hilton, James Hilton, and James Hilton Sr,[6] he certainly signed an Oath of Fidelity in 1778 in Montgomery Co MD.[7]

In 1792, Truman and his brothers and brothers-in-law signed a deed of manumission for their mother’s slaves.[8] And in 1795, Truman was in Rowan Co NC, when he purchased land there.[9]

In 1800 he was in Iredell Co NC, p 621. “Freeman” Hilton, 110010/42010/00.

In 1810, the family was in Iredell Co NC, p 174: Truman Hilton, 10010/03010.

In the 1820 census, they were in Clark Co IN, p 7: “Trueman” Hilton, 010201/011110/3.

From 1809 to 1816, Truman Hilton was among many of his neighbors (and my ancestors) who signed petitions to the Indiana Territorial government.[10]

Writing in the 1890s or earlier from unknown sources, but probably his wife’s memory, Rev. Oliver Perry Light made a list of the children of Jacob Veach and Polly Hilton. He did not know the names of Polly’s brothers and sisters.[11]

The children of Truman and Christena (Patrick) Hilton were:

1. Mary HILTON was born in 1781-1790 in Frederick Co MD. Mary died probably in Johnson Co IN, on 27 Aug 1846. On 18 Dec 1805 Mary married Jacob VEACH, son of Benjamin VEATCH and his first wife, in Jessamine Co KY. Born about 1781 in PA or KY, Jacob died in Johnson Co IN, after 1840. They had the following children:

i.            Louvica Caroline (1806-1841)

ii.            Frances Maude (1808-1860)

iii.            Milton William (1809-1865)

iv.            Elizabeth (1813-<1838)

v.            Hannah (1814-<1880)

vi.            Sarah Ann (ca1816-1880)

vii.            Elvira M (1818-1860)

viii.            Mary Ann (ca1820-1887)

ix.            Rachel May (1822-1861)

x.            Lucinda (1823-1848)

2. James HILTON was born in 1788 in KY. James was living in 1850 in Jennings Co IN. On 30 Mar 1815 when James was 27, he married Ary PRATHER, daughter of William Skipjack PRATHER & Lettice McCARROLL, in Clark Co IN. Born on 18 Aug 1797 in Iredell Co NC, Ary died in Jennings Co IN, on 26 May 1854. They had the following children:

i.            Emsley (ca1818-)

ii.            Peggy (ca1818-)

iii.            Lucinda (ca1820-)

iv.            Jane (ca1822-)

v.            Clara (ca1828-)

vi.            William (1831-)

3. Aletha HILTON was born on 31 Oct 1793 in Frederick Co MD. Aletha died in Johnson Co IN, on 31 Oct 1869. On 13 Aug 1813 when Aletha was 19, she married Aaron HOLEMAN, son of Isaac Hardy HOLEMAN & Catherine WILCOX(S)ON, in Clark Co IN. Born on 28 Jul 1792 in NC, Aaron died in Johnson Co IN, on 28 Jan 1874. They had the following children:

i.            Truman (1814-)

ii.            Isaac M (1816-)

iii.            William (ca1818-)

iv.            John (1820-)

v.            James Martin (1826-)

vi.            Mary Elizabeth (1828-)

vii.            Moses (1830-)

viii.            Lillis (1834-)

4. Nancy HILTON was born in 1795 in MD. Nancy died in Utica, Clark Co IN, on 9 Feb 1861. On 1 Aug 1810 when Nancy was 15, she married John ODEM in Clark Co IN. Born ca 1791 in VA, John died in Utica, Clark Co IN, on 20 Aug 1863. Her relationship to Truman Hilton is speculative, based on proximity, similar moves, and burial in the same cemetery. They had the following children:

i.            James W (1819-)

ii.            Adam (1825-)

iii.            Andrew Jackson (1828-)

iv.            Clarissa Jane (1831-)

v.            John W (1833-)

5. Pressha HILTON was born on 20 Nov 1796 in Iredell Co NC. Pressha died in Owen Co IN, on 26 Nov 1873. On 7 Jun 1829 Pressha married Francis Kittredge PORTER, son of Amaziah PORTER & Rhoda KITTREDGE, in Clark Co IN. Born on 24 Sep 1794 in Langdon, Sullivan Co NH, Francis Kittredge died in Owen Co IN, on 18 Apr 1874. They had the following children:

i.            Christiana (1831-)

ii.            Lethana (1833-1920)

iii.            Verlinda (1835-1912)

iv.            P Elizabeth (1837-1908)

v.            Mary J (1842-)

6. Sarah HILTON was born possibly about 1798. On 25 Oct 1816 Sarah married William E PRATHER, son of Walter PRATHER & Martha JACOBS, in Clark Co IN. He was born in 1794 in Dutchmans Creek, Iredell Co NC. They had the following children:

i.            Elizabeth (ca1819-)

ii.            John (1820-)

iii.            Rebecca M (1826-)

iv.            Mary E (ca1830-)

v.            Isabella (1837-)

7. Verlinda HILTON.[12]

8. Cynthia HILTON.[13]

9. Emsley HILTON was born on 16 Jul 1800 in NC. Emsley died in Clark Co IN, on 17 Mar 1854 and was buried in New Chapel, Clark Co IN. Emsley married Ethelinda HARRIS. Born ca 1808 in KY, Ethelinda died in Clark Co IN, in 1876. They had the following children:

i.            Nancy Jane (1827-)

ii.            Martha A (ca1829-)

iii.            James W (ca1831-)

iv.            John M (ca1837-)

v.            Sarah Ethelinda (1843-)

10. William HILTON was born in Iredell Co NC. William died on 19 Sep 1844 in Clark Co IN. On 28 Sep 1828 William married Rebecca Dowden JACOBS in Clark Co IN. Born on 4 Mar 1811, Rebecca Dowden died in Clark Co IN, on 29 Jul 1851. They had the following children:

i.            Enoch W (1829-)

ii.            Christina Jane (1831-)

iii.            Sarah Ann (1834-)

iv.            Marinda Caroline (1838-)

v.            William James (1840-)

vi.            Eli Jacob (1843-)

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[1] Baptismal records.

[2] Named in her brother’s will, Cavenough, William Shirley, Prince George’s Co., soldier In 44th Regiment, 14 Mar 1759; 21 Feb 1763. To sister Monaca Hilton, wife of James Hilton. Exs: Sister Monica, and sd. James. Wit: David Husband, Geo, Lyles, Charity MuckMillian.

[3] Truman Hilton will, Aug 7 1827, Clark Co IN.

[4] New Chapel Cemetery, Watson, Clark Co IN: “In memory of Truman Hilton who was born in 1762 and died in 1829 aged 67 years.” “In memory of Christena Patrick wife of Truman Hilton who was born in 1768 and died in 1823 aged 55 years.”

[5] Archives of MD – AMV18.5-7 [HQ & 1st Co]. Muster Rolls and Other Records of Service of Maryland Troops in the American Revolution. 1775-1783 Early and Independent Companies. “The Council of Safety was empowered to order these troops into Virginia, Delaware and Pennsylvania.” 1776. At Headquarters in the City of Annapolis: First Company: Hilton, Truman.

[6] G.M. Brumbaugh, “Unpublished Revolutionary Records of Maryland,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly Vol VI (Jul 1917), No. 2, pp 33-34.

[7] Peden, Henry C., Jr., “Revolutionary Patriots of Montgomery County, Maryland, 1776-1783,” p. 160.

Research question: which Truman Hilton was among the Maryland 400?

Facts: there were two Trueman Hilton baptisms in Prince George’s County, Maryland:

A. son of Andrew and Judith, baptized 1753

B. son of James and Monica, born and baptized 1758

Possible Scenarios:

I. Whether or not the child of Andrew died young, the man who served was James’s son.

II. The son of Andrew served and was among the many casualties since he is not heard from again; James’s son never served, which explains why he did not ask for bounty land.

The 1778 Oath of fidelity was clearly the Truman who moved to Clark Co IN. James’s Truman was a patriot.

[8] Signed 14 Oct 1792, files 22 Oct 1794, Montgomery Co MD. Signatories as heirs of Monica Hilton were James Hilton Jr, William Hilton, Luke Hilton, Truman Hilton, Archibald Cecil, Levin Hays, and James Talbott.

[9] Shirley Coulter. Iredell Co NC Deed Abstracts, Vol. 1, 1788-97. 1977. B: 386-7  27 Mar 1795, Jas. Swinford to Truman Hilton for 200 pds, 17 sh, 6 pn, 225 1/2 acres. Situated on the bank of Rocky Creek and John Dobbins Corner. Henry Clagett, Jas. Parker, Feb 1796.

[10] Territorial Papers of Indiana, various petitions dated 1809-1816, from University of South Dakota Library, copied 1967. Clark Co IN petition, dated 12 Dec 1809, included: truman hilton, James Hilton, Joshua W redman, Lloyd Prather, Benjamin Redman, Basil R Prather, Aaron Prather, Roger Redman, Jacob Veatch, Wm Prather. Another peition from 1809 included:  Wm Prather, Truman Hilton, James Hilton, John Prather, Basil R Prather, Aaron Prather, Lloyd Prather. A territorial memorial signed 31 Dec 1810 included Aaron Prather and Jacob Veatch. A territorial petition, 11 Dec 1811, had: Aaron Prather, James Hilton, Basil Prather, Wm Prather, Basil R Prather. Clark Co IN petition, dated 16 Dec 1813, included: Aaron Prather, Samuel Prather, Basil Prather, Loyd Prather. Clark Co IN Memorial, 15 Oct 1812: Rezin Redman, Commandant of a Detachment from Clark.  Territory Memorial, 1 Feb 1815: Basil Prather. A footnote mentons Basil Prather, a native of Maryland and postmaster in 1816 at Salem. 17 April 1816: a note from the Postmaster General to Basil Prather.

[11] Family data compiled by Oliver Perry Light (1828-1904), papers in the possession of his granddaughter, Evelyn (Light) Eichor copied by Katherine Alvis, 1966, at

https://alvispat.wordpress.com/2008/08/25/family-charts-of-oliver-perry-light/

[12] The source who named this daughter is unclear.

[13] The source who named this daughter is unclear.