Kentucky: spelled Cane-tuck-eeCantuckyKain-tuck-ee, and Kentuckee before its modern spelling was accepted, comes from Native American words, variously interpreted to mean  “meadow lands.” 

 

The Ingrams: Early Kentuckians

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Every genealogical search inevitably goes back to an individual who is the last tracable ancestor.  In the Ingram family’s case, this figure is William Ingram (1796-1826), who came to Kentucky “from either Virginia or Tennessee,” as stated in several accounts, and was married to Elizabeth Horn in Station Camp, in 1817, by Rev. Joseph Proctor, who was an uncle of Elizabeth Horn, and among the first settlers in Eastern Kentucky.  The scant details of William Ingram’s life, that he was married, had three children and died at a relatively young age, is all that is known of him.  But he would have thousands of descendants.  An Ahnentafel for the Ingram family can be found here.

 

Hardin Ingram (1820-1895), the eldest son of William Ingram, was a Union soldier in the Civil War, having fought at the battles of Murfreesboro, and Lookout Mountain, TN.   More is known of him than other members of the Ingram family, likely as a result.  Married three times, Ingram had seven children.  A discussion on his life follows below.  The “old place” as it was referred to by later members of the Ingram family, initially belonged to Hardin Ingram, and was located in an area called Rosses Creek (KY).   His house still stands today in what is a remote, largely unpopulated area.  Much of Estill and Lee County was more populated in early times than now.

 

Five generations of Ingrams lived in what is now Estill and Lee Counties for over 150 years.   

 

The Ingram Family in Estill and Lee Counties

 

William Ingram, b. 1795, in Virginia or Tennessee, d. 1825 = Elizabeth (Betsy) Horn.

Children of William and Betsy Horn:

1. Susan Ingram, b. 1819; m. William Richardson, 1835, Estill Co., KY.

2. Hardin Ingram, b. 1820, Estill Co., KY; d. 1895 Estill Co., KY; m#1 Deborah Alcorn, 1845; m#2 Mary Patrick, 1865; m#3 Elizabeth Stamper, 1882.

3. William Ingram, b. 1824, Estill Co., KY; m#1 Mary Hoover, 1844; divorced abt. 1863.

  

Adapted from text appearing at: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~kyestill/family/ingram/ingram.htm

 

Hardin Ingram, b. 1820 in Estill County, Kentucky.  Married Deborah Alcorn in 1845.  She was the daughter of William Alcorn and Deborah Philips.  Hardin and Debory purchased a small piece of property on Rosses Creek in 1853, and bought an additional 50 acres in 1858.  In November, 1860, they sold the property.  Deborah died in the spring of 1861, as a result of the birth of their youngest child, Sarilda.

 

He subsequently enlisted in the 8th Regiment of the Kentucky Infantry at Estill Springs in October, 1861.  Wounded at Murfreesboro (Stones River), Tennessee in December, 1862, and after recovering, Hardin was returned to duty to fight at the Battle of Lookout Mountain in 1863.  That next year he was transferred to Company D, 8th Battalion of the Kentucky Infantry.  He was wounded a second time in April, 1864, and was reported to have died in the hospital at Louisville.  However, the muster roll for May-June, 1864, reports him present but sick.  He received his discharge at Chattanooga in November of that year.

 

In January of 1865, he married for the second time to Mary Patrick in Estill County.  That November, and then married to him, Mary Ingram purchased the same 50 acres on Rosses Creek that Hardin and Deborah had sold in 1860.  This property, on the south side of Rosses Creek, was in Estill County prior to the War, but was incorporated into the newly formed Lee County in 1870.  The 1880 Lee County census has Mary Ingram listed as housekeeper for another family and Hardin Ingram as divorced and living with another family.

 

Hardin married for the third time to Elizabeth Stamper in Lee County, KY in March 1882, at the residence of Joseph C. & Malinda Sparks in Lee County.  Hardin states, on the marriage bond to Elizabeth, this his father was born in Tennessee, but it’s unclear if Hardin is speaking of his natural father, William Ingram, or his step-father, William Watson, who raised him from the age of six after William Ingram's death in 1826.

 

In 1892, he applied for his Civil War pension and was granted a pension of $6.00 a month.  He died June 26, 1805, and is buried at his farm on Rosses Creek.  Adjoining his headstone are three additional, but unidentified, headstones.

 

Some prominent friends and acquaintances of Hardin's were Joseph C. & Malinda Jane (Barnes) Sparks.  Nancy & Hiram Estes, Alice and W. W. Henderson (notary public), A. R. Bryant, minister of the gospel.  Thomas Kidwell and J. B. Ashcraft, attorneys, were also friends with Hardin's parents.

 

When Ingram applied for his pension, he lived in a place called “Whynot” in Lee County.  Debbie's mother kept the children while he was in the army.  Ingram was discharged at Chattanooga on Nov 17, 1864.  He had been shot in the left side at the Battle of Stone River in 1863.  His Pension Number is listed as 220637, and he received four dollars per month, beginning on October 21st 1891.  The amount was increased to six dollars monthly, on April 4th 1892.  When Ingram applied for his army pension, the following depositions were given:

 

Deposition of Elizabeth Ingram, 70 years old in 1904

"I was never married until I married the soldier Hardin Ingram. We lived together 23 years. I moved back to Owsley Co., Vincent, Kentucky, until 1903, when I moved to Wagersville. Soldiers who 'tuck him in' were Isaac Botner, Eliga Griffy and Eliga Reece."

 

Deposition of Joseph Sparks, 87 years old in 1904 at "Evelene,” Lee Co.

"I have known Hardin for 70 years. I made his coffin. I was in the same regiment [with him] in the fall of 1861.  After serving our term in the 8th, we returned to the same neighborhood."

 

Deposition of Isaac Sparks, 68 in 1904 at Wagersville

"My wife was sister to Debbie Alcorn. Their marriage license [was] issued in Lee County, Kentucky, but they were married at Joseph Sparks' on Rosses Creek by Allie Briant. Joseph Sparks made Debbie Alcorn's coffin. I also enlisted in Co. K, 8th Regt. Kentucky Infantry."

 

Deposition of John S. Turner, M.D., a doctor in Irvine, 48 in 1904

"Hardin had a disease of the kidneys, rheumatism in his knees, shoulders, and neck and also disease of the heart.  He suffered continuously for about six weeks before his death.”

 

Deposition of Lucinda Hoover, 66 in 1904, lived 3/4 miles from Hardin at Wagersville

"Mary Patrick was staying at my house at the time Hardin returned home after being mustered out of the service. Hardin came there one day and hired her to go to his house and do some house work such as washing and cleaning up.  She was to also make his children some garments. They agreed on a price and she went to his house as agreed. He afterwards got me several times to go to his house and cut his children some clothes as Mrs. Patrick was not a good hand to cut a garment."

 

Deposition of Joseph Angell, 54 in 1904 at "Eveline"

"Debbie's mother was a widow woman and remained with the children until she died near the close of the war. Mary Patrick was hired by Hardin after he came home from service. After the war, he found the children at loss and everything dirty and in a bad shape. Later, Mary burned his house and ran off with a man in the neighborhood. Mary Patrick lived with other people."

 

Depositions of Hiram Estes and Nancy Estes of Wagersville; Hiram was 68 in 1904.

Nancy Estes visited Debbie when she was on her death bed. Hiram Estes said Ingram was buried by the "Grand Army.” He also stated that Ingram lived in the same place after he returned from the war until his death, and that he left little property which the applicant soon disposed of to live on.”

 

Deposition of John Hoover, 65 in 1904

John had known Elizabeth since she was 18 years old. Also mentioned were Vera Henderson, Barbara Henderson, James G. Gentry, Henderson Brandenburg, Alice Henderson, Isabell Angell, John Evans, Hanna Morris, and George Brinegar.

 

Children of Hardin Ingram and Deborah (Debory) Alcorn:

1. William Scott Ingram, b. 1847 Estill Co., KY; d. 1926 Estill Co., KY; m. Elizabeth Smith Reed, 1869;  Elizabeth had been previously married to Jesse Reed and brought a daughter, Gillly Ann, into the marriage

2. James Marion Ingram, b. 1849 Estill Co., KY; d. 1925 Estill Co., KY; m. Nancy Jane Chesney Young, 1871.  Chesney, b. 1850 Owsley Co., KY; d. 1917 Estill Co., KY.  Chesney's parents were John C. Young and Sarah Alice Spivey

3. John P. Ingram, b. 1851, m. Rebecca Jane Horn, 1876

4. Sylvester Ingram, b. 1854; m#1 Polly Warner, 1876; m#2 Amanda (Mandy) Plowman, 1882

5. Sidney Ingram, b. 1856

6. Franklin Ingram, b. 1858; d. 1884; m Elizabeth Horn, 1877

7. Sarilda Ingram, b. 1861; m#1 Jefferson Frank Riley, 1876, 2 children; m#2 Jim Lewis Plowman, four children

 

Children of Sylvester Ingram and Amanda Plowman:

1. John P. Ingram, b. 1882, d. 1958; m. Carrie Jones, b. 1888, d. 1974.

2. Cynthia A. Ingram, b. 1865

3. Mary Eliza Ingram, b. 1887

4. Millard Ingram, b. 1889

5. Huston Ingram, b. 1891

6. Neva Ingram, b. 1893

7. Alice Ingram, b. 1896

8. Columbus Ingram, b. 1896

 

Children of John P. and Carrie (Jones) Ingram:

Earl Ingram b. 1909, d. 1991

Dorthy Ingram b. 1911, d. 1979

Esther Ingram, b. 1912, m#1, Albert Owens (circa 1932); m#2, Robert Lee Henry, 1940; d. 2003.

Finley Ingram, b. 1915, d. 1992

Daisy Ingram, b. 1917, d. 1991

Tony Ingram b. 1922, d. 1993

Shirley Ingram, b. 1929, d. 1974

800px-Map_of_Kentucky_highlighting_Lee_County

Lee County, KY