ABRAHAM and MARY ANN SINNARD This section of information is based on stories told by Aunt Hattie Sinnard Pashley born 1868, a granddaughter of Abraham Sinnard. She had heard discussions of some of the events and also had pages from Abraham’s 1791 Bible. And research by Myrle Sinnard in the 1960s. Abraham Sinnard is the son of Thomas Sinnard of York County, Pennsylvania. The name of Abraham’s mother is unknown. Abraham was born June 21, 1791 in Western Virginia, in 1792 this area was renamed Hinkston Creek, Millersburg, Bourbon County, Kentucky. In May 1796, Abe accompanied his parents when they moved from Bourbon County, Kentucky to the Hamilton area, Butler County, Ohio, a distance of about 45 miles. Ohio was known at that time as the Virginia Military District. Abe was 19 when his father died in 1810 in Hamilton, Butler County, Ohio. Joseph Potter was appointed guardian of Abe and his brother Thomas. Later Abe sold his ¼ interest in the father’s farm to his brother Thomas. Mary Ann Lewis was born May 22, 1792 in Kentucky. Mary Ann’s father was John Lewis and her mother was Alice Jones. Alice was the daughter of Elizabeth Sinnard (of York County) and Jacob Jones. Abraham and Mary Ann were married September 2, 1810, in Clermont County, Ohio. The Reverend Silus Hutchinson officiated. Abraham and Mary Ann were second cousins. Abraham was in the War of 1812. He enlisted at Cincinnati, Ohio August 12, 1812 in Cap't William McMeans Company, Colonel Sutters Regiment, Ohio Militia. He went from Cincinnati to Urbana, Ohio where his troop joined General Tuppers Brigade and marched to Piqua, Ohio, to guard a treaty with the Indians. Discharged February 11, 1813, at Fort Barber on the St. Mary River. His pension claim number was 9092. Information from claim papers of interest, monthly pension of $8.00, also confirms birth date of June 21, 1791. In 1853, he received a land warrant for this service. He was living in Wapello County, Iowa, by that time. On August 5, 1817 Abe and Mary Ann purchased lot #18 in New Richman, Ohio, from Jacob and Caty Light. The lot was at the junction of Quarry and Front Streets. They build a log house on the lot. Sold the property to David Dickinson for $400 on September 8, 1819. At that time Mary Ann’s mother Alice Jones Lewis Cummins lived in Batavia, Clermont County, Ohio. Alice had married John Cummins after the death of her first husband John Lewis. The Cummins family owned considerable land in the area. In 1819 Miami Valley area was plagued by an exceptional wet spring and followed by an unbearable hot dry summer that lasted into fall and winter. There was much sickness in the area at that time. Abraham, Mary and children moved to Madison County, Illinois, October 14, 1819, also the John Cummins family made the decision to move. The Sinnard house and the Cummins real estate were sold to get ready for the move. The two families probably moved by boats or rafts down the Ohio River, up the Mississippi River to the Illinois River to Madison County. Then on to Sangamon County, they settled about 15 miles north west of Springfield in Cartwright Township. Just a little east of Pleasant Plains. Their farm was on the State Road between Petersburgh and Springfield. The Sinnards operated a flax mill in connection with the farming. In 1821 this area was formed into Cartwright Township, Sangamon County, Illinois. Our Abe was a Whig and later on a Republican. Our Abe acted as judge of elections and also was appointed Justice of the Peace by virtue of a license issued by Chas R. Mathny, Clerk of Sangamon County (Executive Record, Vol. I, page 33). Abe performed the first marriage of Sangamon County on April 20, 1821 for William Moss and Peggy Sims. This is on page 540, History of Sangamon County, Illinois, published in 1881. Another book titled History of Sangamon County, Cartwright Township Vol. 2 part 1, page 705 say A Sinyard also served as first Postmaster. Abe was one of the incorporators of Sangamon Milling Co on June 5, 1821, and on December 4, 1827 he was summoned for Grand Jury duty. The first Census of Sangamon County in 1820 lists Abraham Sinard family and a few lines away shows the John Comeins family. 1830 Census shows Abraham Sinnard family in Sangamon County. 1840 Census shows Abraham Sinard family in Sangamon County, Illinois. In 1845 Abe and Mary followed their sons Thomas J Sinnard and John Lewis Sinnard to the northwest corner of Wapello County, Iowa. Settled near Eddyville and close to the Mahaska County line. Also near the Elm Grove schoolhouse, southeast of Kirkville, Iowa. Family of Abraham and Mary Ann: 1). Thomas Jefferson Sinnard born June 12, 1811. Married Julina A Lambert 2). John Lewis Sinnard born December 14, 1813. Married Polly Ann Rubel 3). Eliza R Sinnard born June 24, 1815. Married S P Robertson 4). William Sinnard born June 1, 1818, and died 1833. 5). Belinda Sinnard born February 14, 1820. Married Barzilla C Pelham 6). Susanah C Sinnard born December 28, 1821. Married Archibald Everett. 7). Mary Ann Sinnard born October 27, 1823. Married William W Smith 8). Cyrus Sinnard born October 17, 1825. Married Mary Kirkpatrick and Emily Dains. 9). Abraham Sinnard born July 5, 1827. Married Ruth Caples. 10). Alice Jane Sinnard born March 26, 1830. Married James D Odgen. 11). David D Sinnard born March 14,1832 and died in 1840. 12). Jacob E Sinnard born March 14, 1832 and died in 1840. Mary Ann died January 9, 1858, and is buried in Kirkville, Wapello County, Iowa, Cemetery. Abraham died July 27,1871, also buried in Kirkville, Wapello County, Iowa, Cemetery. His executor was John Kirkpatrick of Wapello County, Iowa. Abe lived in Richland Township, Wapello County, Iowa, at the time of his death in 1871. Abe left no father, or mother. On 1850 Iowa Census listed as Synard, in 1860 and 1870 as Sinard. Our Abraham Lincoln Sinnard was named after President Lincoln’s grandfather. The Sinnard farm was real close to New Salem where Abraham Lincoln (the future president) lived. When Abraham Lincoln was a young lawyer riding horseback, as a judge, he was a frequent visitor at the Sinnard cabin, over night. At that time there would be three Abrahams in the cabin our Abe, his son and the future president. Aunt Hattie Sinnard Pashley told of the marriage of one of John and Elinor Sinnard’s (of York County, Pennsylvania) girls to Mr. Jacob Jones. (Note: Roger Sinnard thinks it was probably the daughter Elizabeth). They had a daughter Alice Jones. Hattie said Alice, accompanied the Thomas Sinnard family (Abraham’s parents) on the move from Washington County in Southwestern Pennsylvania to Bourbon County Kentucky. Alice married a John Lewis and they had a girl Mary Ann Lewis born in 1793. John Lewis was killed by Indians shortly threafter. Alice then married John Cummins. Myrle observed that Abraham lived at a very interesting time. Son of a revolutionary War Soldier, born while George Washington was serving as first President of the new United States. When Abraham was born in 1791 in Kentucky County, it was a part of the Virginia Territory. It was the first region west of the Allegheny Mountains settled by Pioneers. Kentucky became a state in 1792. Then he moved to Ohio in 1796 seven years before Ohio became a state in 1803. Enlisted in the Army for the War of 1812. Moved to Illinois in 1819 when the State of Illinois was less than one year old. Moved to Wapello County, Iowa in 1845 when Iowa was still a territory. Iowa joined the Union in 1846. Abraham’s father, Thomas Sinnard, acquired 106 acres in the Northeast corner of Section 10, Range 2, in Fairfield Township, Butler County, Ohio, by forfeiture of deed from John Noble Cummins of New Jersey. How was this man related to the John Cummins who married Alice Jones? From Early Federal Land Sales Cartwright Twp, Sangamon County, Illinois-Abraham purchased 3 tracts of land in Sept 1826: Range 35-17-7; W1/2 of NE1/4, W1/2 of SE 1/4, E1/2 of SW1/4. 80 acres in each tract, 240 acres in all. This information is based on stories told by Aunt Hattie Sinnard Pashley born 1868, a granddaughter of Abraham Sinnard. She had heard discussions of some of the events and also had pages from Abraham’s 1791 Bible. Myrle Sinnard born 1904 researched this information in the 1950s and 60s. Roger Sinnard edited and organizated the information in 1999. ------------------------------------------------------------------ USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. 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