Granduncle Mark's Genealogy Parlor

The FARNSLEY Family

Reported by Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD


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Photo of
Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears
My great-grandmother

(born August 1852 in Indiana)
(died 17 July 1903 in Orange County, Indiana)






    Seven generations ...


  • I am Mark Ellsworth HICKMAN (born 1952 in Indiana).

  • I am the son of Harold Ellsworth HICKMAN (born 1920 in Illinois) and Winifred Jean (EDDLEMAN) HICKMAN (born 1930 in Indiana).

  • I am the grandson of Charles Ambrose HICKMAN, Jr. (born 16 March 1877 in Orange County, Indiana) and Mary "Mamie" Elizabeth (FEARS) HICKMAN (born in November 1880 in Orange County, Indiana).

  • I am the great-grandson of Jesse David FEARS, Jr. (born January 1858 in Franklin Township, Floyd County, Indiana) and Lavina Frances "Fanny" (FARNSLEY) FEARS (Born August 1852 in Indiana, Died 17 July 1903 in Orange County, Indiana).

  • I am the great-great-grandson of David Martin FARNSLEY (born about 1818 in Harrison County, Indiana) and Eliza Ann (ZENOR) FARNSLEY.

  • I am the great-great-great-grandson of James FARNSLEY.

  • I am the great-great-great-great-grandson of James FARNSLEY (who lived at Fort Duqueene, Pennsylvania, then at Bullitt's Station near Louisville, Kentucky).

  • These FARNSLEYS descended from a FARNSLEY man and a WRIGHT woman who came from England.








    My great-grandmother, Lavina Frances "Fanny" (FARNSLEY) Fears, was born in the month of August, 1852 in Posey Township of Harrison County, Indiana.

    My great-grandparents, Jesse David Fears, Jr. and Lavina Frances "Fanny" (FARNSLEY) Fears, had only one child -- my grandmother, Mary Elizabeth (Fears) Hickman.

    However, they raised a second child -- William Fears (Born January 1888, a newphew of Jesse David Fears, Jr.)

    My great-grandmother, Lavina Frances "Fanny" (FARNSLEY) Fears, died on 17 July 1903 in Orange County, Indiana. Her Orange County (Indiana) Department of Health Certificate of Death includes the following facts:

    • White female, known as Fanny Fears of Paoli, (Orange County), Indiana, died on 17 July 1903 at the age of 49 years.

    • Fanny was married to Jessie Fears.

    • Fanny's cause of death was a chronic infomation of the liver, which had endured for 6 months.

    • Fanny's parents were Martin Farnsley and Eliza (Zenor) Farnsley.

    • Fanny's death was certified by Dr. S. L. Lingle of Paoli, Indiana.

    • Fanny's funeral arrangements were handled by Maris & Ham of Paoli, Indiana.

    • Fanny was buried on 19 July 1903 in Paoli Cemetery, Paoli, Orange County, Indiana.

    • This information was recorded in the year 1903 in Book Number 19, Page 49.






    My great-great-grandfather, David Martin Farnsley, was born about 1818 in Harrison County, Indiana.

    This David Martin Farnsley was a grocer and was the father of:

    • James W. Farnsley (born about 1849 in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana)

    • Lavina Frances "Fanny" Farnsley (my great-grandmother, born 1852 in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana)

    • Elizabeth Farnsley (born about 1855 in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana)

    • John J. Farnsley (born about 1859 in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana)

    • Mary J. Farnsley (born about 1862 in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana)






    My great-great-great-grandfather, David Farnsley, purchased 160 acres in Posey Township, Harrison County, Indiana on 22 August 1807.

    David's brother, James Farnsley, also purchased 160 acres at this time.

    These Farnsley brothers were pioneers, making these land purchases as soon as the Indiana territory was open for settlement by Euro-Americans.






    My great-great-great-great-grandfather was James Farnsley, from Fort Duquesne, Pennsylvania. He was owner of "Braddock's Field."

    In 1770 he bought land in the Indiana Territory before the area was officially encouraging settlement. At that time, land south of the Ohio River was being settled by Euro-Americans, but the land north of the Ohio River was still Native American territory. Nevertheless, James Farnsley bought a township of land near Terre Haute.

    However, while James was moving from Pennsylvania, conflicts between Native Americans and European settlers were occuring more frequently in the Indiana territory. A practical (and wealthy) man, James stopped before he got to his new Indiana land and bought 160 acres at Bullitt's Station, near Louisville, Kentucky. He paid nine shillings for this land. He remained on this land until his death.








    SOURCES


    • Birth, marriage and death records from Harrison County, Indiana.
    • Birth, marriage and death records from Orange County, Indiana.
    • U. S. Census Records in Indiana.
    • Souvenir Sketches of Harrison County (Indiana), by Charles S. Clark (1970).
    • Indiana land purchase records
    • Interviews with Farnsley descendants, including grandchildren of Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears.
    • Cemetery marker for Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears in Paoli, Orange County, Indiana.
    • Identified photographs of Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears, copied from the owner of these photographs, my first cousin, Allan Hickman.
    • First person accounts of Charles Ambrose Hickman, Jr. (who was a son-in-law of the Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears who is listed above)
    • First person accounts of Harold Ellsworth Hickman (son of Charles Ambrose Hickman, Jr. and grandson of the Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears who is listed above.)
    • Research of Maribeth Brinson (who is a great-granddaughter of the Lavina Frances "Fanny" (Farnsley) Fears who is listed above)
    • Research of Rev. Claude Wilson, a descendant of John Hickman and Isaac Hickman.
    • Identified ancestral photographs







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Copyright 1996-2006, Granduncle Mark
(Mark Ellsworth Hickman, PhD)



Granduncle Mark's Genealogy Parlor

Click here to contact me