Major Adam Heiskell 1754-1822

Adam Heiskell was born 1754 9 in Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. The son of John Christof Heiskell.

He married Margaret Upp 30 January 1778 in Hampshire County, W. Virginia 10. She was born 1755 in Virginia, and died 15 January 1812 in Newton, Frederick County, Virginia.

Adam was a veteran of the Revolutionary War. In the summer of 1775, he marched northward with Captain Daniel Morgan's Rifle Company of Winchester, Virginia to Boston, where George Washington was organizing the Northern Army. The company was assigned to the Invasion of Canada, under the joint command of Generals Richard Montgomery and Benedict Arnold. Adam fought at the Battle of Quebec in the winter of 1775, where he was wounded 5 and taken prisoner by the British. Heiskell was eventually released as part of a prisoner exchange. Adam Heiskell was a member of the Dutch Mess, a select band of Morgan's veterans, along with his brother-in-law, Peter Lauck. See also A partial list of Capt. Daniel Morgan's Rifle Company 6. Adam Heiskell's association with the Dutch Mess is also discussed in Winchester, Virginia And Its Beginnings, 1743-1814 by Katherine Glass Greene 2007:126-7.

Source: 5 (p. 222)

Adam Heiskell died 28 July 1822 in Hampshire County, Virginia,and was buried in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery in Romney, West Virginia. He was 69.

Synopis of the will of Adam Heiskell published in Early Records, Hampshire County, Virginia by Clara McCormick Sage and Laura Sage Jones (1939:118)

Adam and Margaret had eight children:

Isaac Noble Heiskell b: 30 JAN 1777 12 in Frederick County, Virginia, died 28 October 1855. He married Mary "Polly" Sowers20 (b. 3 November 1777, died 17 January 1829) on 13 May 1802 in Frederick County, Va. Isaac Noble Heiskell was a Captain during the War of 1812.4 (Capt. Isaac Heiskell’s company of rifleman of the 1st Regiment, 1st Brigade, Virginia Militia, United States NW Army). He was an innkeeper in Frederick County, Va. in 1801-02. (11: 17-18). Isaac Noble Heiskell appears to have had considerable financial difficulties. In 1818, Isaac was involved in a business enterprise called Heiskell & Wilson, which could not settle its debts, and there are other difficulties that ended in court proceedings14. See Reports of cases in the Supreme Court of Appeals of Virginia (p.179ff.) on Isaac's insolvency. In 1821, Issac took over the post of sheriff of Harrison County, W.Va., having been its deputy sheriff, and again ended up in financial straits. 15

Lewis Heiskell b: 1779 in Frederick County, Virginia. Died October 1832, in Monongalia County, W.Va.

Christopher Heiskell b: 14 MAR 1781 9 in Frederick County, Virginia. He was a Justice of Hampshire County in 1824.2 Christopher was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the town of Romney on 24 February 1818.3 He was also representative of Hampshire County in the Virginia House of Delegates (1823-24) 1:608. Christopher and members of his extended family were involved in the construction of the Cacapon and North Branch Turnpike 16

Christopher owned land and a tavern in North River Mills, W. Va. The gap in North River Mountain was called Heiskell's Gap during the 1800s. Hampshire County [West] Virginia Personal Property Tax Lists, 1800-1814 by Vicki Bidinger Horton 1999:166 shows Christopher paid from 1 Dec 1813 to 1 May 1814 $9.55 and from 1 May 1814 $30.00.
Winchester Lutheran Subscription List 1790 Adam HEISKELL (1 pound, 10 shillings) and Christopher HEISKELL (10 shillings).

He married Eleanor Abernathy 29 JAN 1807 in Frederick County, Virginia. She was born 1 JAN 1782 in Virginia.
Christopher Heiskell died Dec 29, 1851 "in the 71st year of his age".
Eleanor Heiskell died Jan 26, 1845 "Who departed this life"; "Aged 61 yrs".
They are buried at Indian Mound Cemetery Romney, WV.
Known children are:
[Harriett] Elizabeth Heiskell (see above "Cemeteries of Romney" & below "wife of Francis William Heiskell); born on March 28, 1822.
Sarah Ann Heiskell (unmarried), who died on 12 April 1879, aged 67. Sarah Ann is also buried in the Indian Mound Cemetery 11.
Margaret Eleanor (b. 3 March 1817, died 4 July 1902; also buried at Indian Mound Cemetery). She married James Caudy 17. One of their offspring is probably Christopher Heiskell Caudy: born 1847; died 1898; buried in Indian Mound Cemetery.
Caroline Heiskell was born 4 May 1814, and married Joseph Smith Hiett. He was born Nov. 11, 1815 and died Aug. 3, 1897. He and Alexander Monroe were elected to serve in the Virginia House of Delegates in 1863, the last members from Hampshire County to serve in that legislative body before West Virginia became a State.
John C. Heiskell was born in Virginia on 18 January 1820. He died 28 November 1902. He is buried in Indian Mound Cemetery, Romney, Va. with his wife Mary Frances Heiskell. She was born 10 November 1820, and died 28 November 1891. She was nicknamed "Fannie" (see 1880 census). John C[hristopher ?] Heiskell was Deputy Sheriff of Romney, Hampshire County, Va. The record of Hampshire County Hotel Licenses shows that on 23 June 1846 a license was granted to Robert (brother of John?) and John Heiskell. Also John C. Heiskell was given a license on 28 May 1840, 22 May 1848 and 27 May 1850. The Staunton Vindicator: February 24, 1865 shows that John was a slave owner. He was a member of the Committee of Safety for Hampshire County, whose job it was to oversee the sale of bonds to support the Confederacy's war effort. In the devastating aftermath of the Civil War, John joined his fellow citizens in restoring the library of the Romney Literary Society. John C. Heiskell was appointed by the the Legislature of West Virginia to be a commissioner in the incorporation of the South Branch Railway Company in 1871, and in 1874 he was similarly engaged in the incorporation of The Petersburg, Massanutta and Toledo Railway. He was also on the board of directors of Hampshire County's first bank, the Bank of the South Branch of the Potomac (19:115). He had three children (1880 census) Mary H. abt 1855 (unmarried in 1900 census) and [David] Hopkins Heiskell: born Nov 13, 1860; died Mar 28, 1904, and buried in Indian Mound Cemetery, Romney. He married Anne "Annie" Covell Heiskell (1862-1938). She too is buried in Indian Mound Cemetery. They had 3 daughters: Mary H. Heiskell (b. Jun 1893); Avery C Heiskell (b. Feb 1895); Kitty V Heiskell (b. Sep 1899). Willie Heiskell died in infancy born 10 August 1859, died ages 1 yr. 3 months, 9 days, and buried in Indian Mound Cemetery, Romney, W.Va.

Jacob Heiskell b: 1782 in Frederick County, Virginia. He married Kitty (Catherine) Campbell, born 1789. They are both buried in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery in Romney, West Virginia.

John Heiskell b: 13 FEB 1785 in Frederick County, Virginia. He married Elizabeth Plummer 16 JUN 1808 in Frederick County, Virginia. She was born 13 FEB 1790 in Virginia, and died 11 APR 1845. John, Elizabeth and their five children moved from Virginia to Springfield, Ohio in 1818. He was a Trustee of Madison Township (Ohio). John was a hatter by trade, and he kept a hotel in Springfield. In 1829, he and his family moved to South Charleston, where he opened a mercantile business with his son-in-law, Absolom Mattox. Mattox left the business after ten years, and John took his son, Daniel O. Heiskell, as a partner. On April 18 1829, John was appointed as one of two Overseers of the Poor. In 1827, he pledged $5 worth of hats to help build a non-denominational church six miles northeast of Springfield (source: Ohio Township Histories).
John and Elizabeth's children were: Margaret Caroline (wife of Dr. E. Lawrence), Drusilla (wife of Absolom Mattox), Mary D (wife of Rufus Putnam: married in 1832 18), Adam and Daniel O.
  There is a memorial erected to the family of John and Elizabeth Heiskell in the Columbia Street Cemetery, Springfield, Clark County, Ohio. It records Margaret Caroline daughter of John & Elizabeth Heiskell, wife of E. Lawrence, who died on 9 May 1830, aged 21 yrs, 2 mo. 7 days. ; Margaret Elizabeth Heiskell 21 died 17 Jan 1841 aged 14 ; Adam Heiskell d. 2 September 1835 age 12 yrs, 3 mo. 22 days.

Susanna Heiskell b: 26 September 1787 in Hampshire County, Virginia. Susanna married James Lawrence Henshaw on March 19 1833. James and Susan had no children. James Lawrence Henshaw was born Apr 27 1808 in Virginia.

On Apr 5 1836, "James L. Henshaw of Berkley [sic] County, Virginia" purchased three 80-acre parcels of land in Noble County, Indiana. His twin brother, Washington Henshaw, had previously purchased land in Noble County in 1834. On Mar 15 1837, "James Lawrence Henshaw of Noble County, Indiana" purchased an additional 40 acres in Noble County.d (Note that he had apparently moved to Noble County, Indiana sometime between Apr 1836 and Mar 1837).

The following article was published in the "South Branch Intelligencer" on December 8, 1838:

In Chancery, James R. HEISKELL in his own right and as administrator of Margaret HEISKELL, Daniel HEISKELL and Susan HEISKELL plaintiffs against Christopher HEISKELL executor of Adam HEISKELL dec'd, Susan McRAE, John HEISKELL, James L. HENSHAW and Felix HEISKELL children of Samuel HEISKELL dec'd and James VANCE and Catherine, his wife defendants.

Samuel Heiskell (born 1791; died 22 February 1834); married Sarah Davis 13 on July 3, 1817 10. Sarah was born in 1800, and died on 24 February 1876. Their known children are:
    1. Adam Heiskell, born 1819;

    2. Francis William Heiskell born Feb 19 ,1822 in Hampshire County, Va.; died 2 October 1881. He owned a farm at the lower end of Critton Hollow near the Cacapon River.
Francis William Heiskell first married Harriett Elizabeth Heiskell (his cousin and daughter of Christopher Heiskell and Eleanor Abernathy Heiskell) on Jan 2, 1850 10/11. She appears to have died on 10 January 1852, at the age of 29, and is buried in Indian Mound Cemetery, Romney. Their child was
Edgar Senseney Heiskell (born Oct 18, 1850; died May 22, 1910.) married Ella Scanlon Heiskell: born may 15, 1864; died Apr 18, 1926. They are buried in Mt. Bethel Primitive Baptist Cemetery, Three Churches, WV. (also buried in this cemetery is "baby" Heiskell: died 1897; "Aged 9 mos 22 days").
His second marriage was to Elizabeth "Bettie" Van Arsdale (aka Vanorsdale/ Vanarsdale / Vanowdall) (3 May 1828 - 27 August 1909). Children:
Mary Florence Heiskell born July 25, 1858, died 6 June 1862 (infant)
Charles Lee Heiskell, born 4 September 1859, died 4 June 1862 (infant).11
Emma M Heiskell born abt. 1863
Cornelius C Heiskell born abt 1865
Edward Mortimer Heiskell born May 20 ,1866. Married Clara [Heiskell] children: Ethel G Heiskell ; Eva C Heiskell ; Amy E Heiskell
Eleanora G. Heiskell born abt 1869

    3. Isaac Noble Heiskell

    4. Felix Heiskell married Sarah C. Smith on July 25, 1825. He died abt. 1860. They had the following children: Edward; and Felix Randolph (b. abt. 1840).

Emily Heiskell b: 1793 at Romney, Hampshire County, Virginia, and died 31 August 1814. She married Dr. John Snyder. 11

The census for 1810 shows Adam, Christopher and Jacob Heiskell as separate heads of households living in the Romney District. Romney is the seat of Hampshire County, West Virginia. Adam declared that there were, in his household, 7 free white males between the ages of 10 and 16, and one older than 45 [himself]; with 2 free white females: one between 16 and 26, the other between 26 and 45 [Margaret]. He had seven slaves. Christopher's household contained 3 white males: one younger than 10, one between 16 and 26, and one between 26 and 44 [himself]; and three white females: one younger than 10, one 10 to 16, and one 16 to 26 [his wife?]. He had one slave. Jacob declared two males: one younger than 10, one between 26 and 44 [himself]; and one female between 16 and 26 years of age [Catherine].

1 A History of Shenandoah County, Virginia By John Walter Wayland, 1980.
2 History of Hampshire County, West Virginia by Hu Maxwell & H.L. Swisher. Morgantown, W.Va., 1897.
3 History of West Virginia by Virgil A. Lewis. Philadelphia: Hubbard Brothers, 1889.
4 "Judge Beaty was in the war of 1812, under Captain Isaac Heiskell, brother of the late John Heiskell, of Clark County, and uncle to D. O. Heiskell, of South Charleston, a brave Virginian, who was the son of a veteran of the Revolution, Adam Heiskell. About the time the enemy were preparing to attack Fort Stevenson [Fort Stephenson], the frontiers were in great danger, and General Harrison wrote to the Governor of Virginia, to send to his aid the volunteer riflemen, organized under the State Laws. Captain Heiskell, on getting the news, was soon on the war path." Pioneer record and reminiscences of the early settlers and settlement of Fayette County, Ohio by Rufus Putnam. Cincinnati, 1872:17.
5 Shenandoah valley pioneers and their descendants: A history of Frederick County, Virginia from its formation in 1738 to 1908 by Thomas Kemp Cartmell (1909:103).
6 Gleanings of Virginia history. An historical and genealogical collection by William Fletcher Boogher (1903:171).
7 Virginia and West Virginia Genealogical Data from Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty Land Warrant Records by Patrick G. Wardell (2009).
8 Compare these names to the "Dutch Mess" link above. See also History of the Lutheran church in Virginia and east Tennessee (p.5)
9 Hampshire County WV Births
10 Hampshire County WV Marriages
11 Historical records of old Frederick and Hampshire counties, Virginia by Wilmer L. Kerns (1992:193)
12 Historical records of old Frederick and Hampshire counties, Virginia by Wilmer L. Kerns (1992:193-4) gives his birthdate as 21 January 1778. The will of John Sowers, Isaac's father-in-law, gives the name of Isaac's wife as Polly (Frederick County, Virginia, Wills & Administrations, 1795-1816 by M. N. Kangas & D. E. Payne 1983:114).
13 Sarah's brother, Francis Davis, died unmarried. In his will he left his home and property to his widowed sister, Sarah Heiskell. After her death, it was divided between nephew, Felix Randolph Davis (son of Felix), and two of Sarah's grandsons, Francis Lovit Heiskell, son of Isaac Noble Heiskell & Edgar Senseney Heiskell, son of Francis William Heiskell.
14 Monongalia County, (West) Virginia, Records of the District, Superior, and County Courts: 1811-1812 and 1814-1820 by
Melba Pender Zinn 2009:116
15 Journal of the House of Delegates of the Commonwealth of Virginia 1828
16 Acts passed at a General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Virginia 1838:134.
17 One of the Caudy family, James Caudy, was one of the first settlers on the Cacapon River at North River Mills in 1747.
18 Pioneer record and reminiscences of the early settlers and settlement of Fayette County, Ohio . Rufus Putnam and John Heiskell went into business together selling goods; 1872:35.
19 Hampshire County, West Virginia, 1754-2004 ed, by Roberta Munske and Wilma L. Kerns (2004:46)
20 Isaac's cousin, John Heiskell, married Ann Sowers (perhaps of the same family).
21 Gateway to the West (2 vols.) compiled by Ruth Bowers and Anita Short, shows Margaret Elizabeth as the daughter of E. & M.C. Heiskell. (p. 228).