Documenting his life

New Jersey Years
Indiana Years
Deeds
Marriages
1807 Census of Indiana
Wills
Clark County, Indiana; Court Order Books; Probate Book A

Introdcution to Documents

In the fall of 2001 Joanne and Ben Bloxham followed the life of General Joseph Bartholo-mew from his birthplace in New Jersey (1766-1770), to Pennsylvania (1771-1788), to Kentucky (1788-1798), to Indiana (1798-1830), and finally to Illinois (1831-1840), where he died. Note the years he was in each place. In the process we made photocopies of court records that we intended to use once we returned home. These various documents are bound separately in various volumes for future use.

New Jersey Years
(Joseph was in New Jersey from 1766 to 1770)

In 2001 the belief was that General Joseph Bartholomew was born on 15 March 1766 in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey, the son of Daniel Bartholomew and Elizabeth Syne. Daniel died intestate (without leaving a will) in February 1768 at Amwell Township in Hunterdon County, New Jersey. He left a wife named Elizabeth and children whose names were not mentioned. The administrators were John Bartholomew [whose wife was Dorothy Endt], Yeoman [farmer owning his own farm], and John Hanna, Clerk [probably minister], both of Bethlehem Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey. Amwell is in the south and Bethlehem in the north, 25 miles apart. Whoever sent George Wells Bartholomew, Jr., the information that General Joseph was the son of the Daniel Bartholomew who died intestate in Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey in February 1768, was probably in error. The preponderance of the evidence now is that the General's mother's first name was Catherine, not Elizabeth. The General's father, according to Joseph's sons James and William, died in Laurel Hill, Pennsyl-vania. This would eliminate this Daniel as Joseph's father. Hence, the connection with Amwell Township may not be correct as far as General Joseph is concerned. Yet, there is very likely a connection somewhere between General Joseph and these Hunterdon County, New Jersey Bartholomews, since Joseph was born somewhere in New Jersey.

Joanne and Ben Bloxham
State Archives - Trenton, New Jersey - December 2001

Probate File of Daniel Bartholomew (Intestate) of Amwell Township, Hunterdon County, New Jersey: There are 3 documents in this file: (1) Letter of Administration (dated: 22 Feb. 1768); (2) Inventory (dated 24 Feb. 1768); and (3) Final Settlement Papers (dated 17 Feb. 1769).

Hunterdon County - Hall of Records

We photocopied all Bartholomews (including John and Daniel) from the "Minutes of the Court of Common Pleas": Vol. 5 (1737-1750), Vol. 6 (1750-1754), Vol. 7 (1754-1756), Vol. 8 (1756-1761), and Vol. 22 (1821-1823). There are 72 laws suits involving John Bartholomew (three of them including his wife Dorothy). There are 4 involving Daniel Bartholomew, one of which involves both Daniel and John. The law suits themselves now need to be examined.

Indiana Years
Clark County
(The General lived here from 1798 to 1830)

Deeds

1. 7 February 1798 - Jefferson County, Kentucky: Joseph Bartholomew of the Illinois Grant from Basil Prather and Fanny his wife of Jefferson County, Kentucky, containing 200 acres for $200. Recorded: Jefferson County, Kentucky, 5 March 1799. (Vol. 1:355-359.)

2. 6 May 1806: Joseph Bartholomew from John Berry and his wife Sarah (or Sally), all of Clark County, Indiana Territory, containing 100 acres for $200, Illinois Tract, Clark County, Indiana Territory. Recorded, 30 May 1806. (Vol. 3:85-87.)

3. 6 October 1806: Joseph Bartholomew bought from John Berry, both of Clark County, Indiana Territory, for $600, 140 acres of the Illinois Grant. This transaction was to be security against John Berry for the previous deed of 100 acres. (Vol.4:11-14.)

4. 22 September 1808: For the payment of taxes, Joseph Bartholomew became the owner of 9 acres of the land of John Swan. Recorded: 11 February 1811. (Vol. 6:208.)

5. 22 September 1808: For the payment of taxes, Joseph Bartholomew became the owner of 70 acres of the land of George R. Clark. Recorded: 11 February 1811. (Vol. 6:209.)

6. 22 September 1808: For the payment of taxes, Joseph Bartholomew became the owner of 100 acres and another 1 ½ acres of land of Hoops and Moylan. Recorded: 11 February 1811. (Vol. 6:210.)

7. 22 September 1808: For the payment of taxes, Joseph Bartholomew became the owner of 3 acres of land of Hoops, Moylan and Rhea. Recorded: 18 February 1811. (Vol. 6:210-211.)

8. 27 March 1809: Pleas in Chancery, Courthouse, Clark County, Indiana Territory: Judge Waller Taylor. Complainant: Joseph Bartholomew, Defendants: John Green, George R. Clark, William Croghan, Richard Taylor, Robert Brackenridge & James L. Moore. This apparently was the only way General Joseph Bartholomew was able to obtain a title to his land. Recorded: 23 October 1830. (Vol. 27:161.)

9. 2 January 1810: Joseph Bartholomew, for the payment of taxes, became the owner of 500 acres of land belonging to Jacob Van Meter. (Vol. 9:375.)

10. 31 January 1811: Joseph Bartholomew, assignee of Marston G. Clark, from Isaac Shelby Collector of Land Tax for Clark County, Indiana Territory. 100 acres, for taxes for 1807. Recorded 21 February 1811. (Vol. 6:72-73.)

11. 15 April 1811: Joseph Bartholomew sold to William Combs, both Clark County, Indiana Territory, for 150 acres (Gen. George R. Clark's #134 grant) for $800. Recorded: 15 April 1811. (Vol. 9:117-120.)

12. 7 June 1811: Joseph Bartholomew from Marston Green Clark, both of Clark County, Indiana Territory, $400 for 100 acres. Recorded: 7 June 1811. (Vol. 6:186-189.)

13. 1 February 1816: Joseph Bartholomew and his wife Elizabeth sold to William Crawford, all of Clark County, Indiana Territory, for $315 fifty acres of the Illinois Grant. Recorded: 4 June 1819. (Vol. 9:405-406.)

14. 1 May 1817: Joseph Bartholomew sold to John Works, all of Clark County, Indiana, for $20, 87 acres. Recorded: 10 May 1817. (Vol. 13:145-147.)

15. 2 May 1817: Joseph Bartholomew sold to John Works, all of Clark County, Indiana, for $10, 14 acres. Recorded: 10 May 1817. (Vol. 13:147-149.)

16. 2 May 1817: Joseph Bartholomew and John Works, all of Clark County, Indiana, for $10, 27 acres. Recorded: 10 May 1817. (Vol. 13:149-150.)

17. 10 September 1824: Joseph Bartholomew and his wife Elizabeth sold to Robert Hopkins, all of Clark County, Indiana, for $1479, 123 and 1/4 acres (Lot #94 of Illinois Grant). Recorded:12 October 1824. (Vol. 23:482-483.)

18. 12 September 1827: Joseph Bartholomew sold to John Boyer, David Lutz and Henry Ashabranner, Trustees in Trust of Clark County, Indiana, one acre for $1.00, for a place of worship. Recorded: 14 September 1827. (Vol. 25:225-226.)

19. 14 November 1829: Joseph Bartholomew of Clark County, Indiana, for $100, from Luman Griswold, Lot #182, 146 ½ acres. Recorded: 2 August 1830. (Vol. 27:25-26.)

20. 7 April 1830: Joseph Bartholomew sold to Isaac Hawk, both of Clark County, Indiana, for $250, for certain lots of land (#s 343, 12, 33, 34, 35, 60, 61, 59) in Charlestown, Clark County, Indiana, which were bought by Joseph Bartholomew from Sheriff Thomas Carr. Recorded: 10 May 1830. (Vol. 26:424-425.)

21. 27 April 1830: Joseph Bartholomew and Isaac Hawk bought from Thomas Carr, Esquire and Sheriff of Clark County, whereas on the fourth day of June 1829 a certain writ of the State of Indiana of fieci facias did issue forth out of the Clerk's Office of the Circuit Court of Clark County to the said Sheriff of Clark County directed, whereby the said Sheriff was commanded that of the goods and chattels, lands and tenements of Andrew P. Hay, late of this bailiwick, be cause to be made the sum of two thousand, two hundred, and sixty dollars and fourteen cents, to be discharged by the payment of one thousand, four hundred, and forty three Dollars and forty four cents with interest thereon at the rate of six percent per annum from the 18th day of January 1819 untill paid, also one dollar & fifty cents for that and two former executions which David Hollaway and Job Pugh lately in the Circuit Court for said County received against the said Andrew P. Hay and William Booen, since deceased, as well for their debt upon replevy bond as for their cash by them about the suit in that behalf....(Vol. 26:396-397.) [This is the lawsuit in which General Joseph Bartholomew was security to Dr. Andrew P. Hay, who apparently misused money he collected as U.S. Land Office seller of lands in the Public Domain.]

22. 11 September 1830: Joseph Bartholomew sold to Peter Battorff, both of Clark County, Indiana, for $2352, 196 ½ acres (Lot #94). Recorded: 11 September 1830. (Vol. 26:521-522.) [This apparently was General Joseph's farm with the famous brick home, the first to be built in Clark County.]

23. 27 April 1831: Execution of the judgement against General Joseph Bartholomew and the others in the Dr. Andrew P. Hay default. Recorded: 27 April 1831. (Vol. 27:152-153.)

Marriages

i. 9 October 1810 Thomas McNight (sic) Catharine Bartholomew (A:5)
ii. 30 July 1811 Joseph Bartholomew [Elizabeth] McNaught (A:7)
iii. 22 August 1815 John Bartholomew Nancy McNaught (A:15)
iv. 12 November 1820 Patrick Hopkins Mary Bartholomew (B:9)
v. 21 September 1822 Robert Hopkins, Jr. Emilia Bartholomew (B:30)
vi. 15 May 1828 Marston C. Bartholomew Mary Hopkins (C:4)
vii. 25 March 1830 Isaac Epler Elizabeth Bartholomew (C:40)
viii. 8 April 1830 Gamaliel Vail, Jr. Martha Bartholomew (C:41)

1807 Census of Indiana

Names of Voters Order Listed Enumerator Relationships
Hugh Espy 8 Thomas Downs Joseph's son-in-law - Probate Judge
John Cleghorn 14 M. G. Clark
Joseph Bartholomew 17 "
Abraham Eplar 18 "
John Prather 23 "
Aaron Prather 34 "
Walter Prather 35 "
John Harmond 53 "
Henry Pottorff 65 James Beggs
Peter Smith 57 M. G. Clark Any relation to Catherine?
John Pottorff 69 "
George R. Clark 62 M. G. Clark
Basel R. Prather 72 James Beggs

Taken by Thomas Pile and John Goodwin, Clark County, Indiana Territory, 4 February 1807

Wills

Printed Index to Wills in Clark County, Indiana, 1805-1875. There are no entries for Bartholomew. General Joseph's mother Catherine married a Smith in Laurel Hill, Pennsylvania and then moved to Kentucky and finally to Clark County, Indiana where she died. General Joseph's son William Milton said this about his grandmother:

"Joseph Bartholomew was born in the state of New Jersey, March 14, 1766. When he was two years old his father moved to Laurel Hill, Pennsylvania, where he soon after died. A few years after the death of the father the mother married a man by the name of Smith who was very unkind to the Bartholomew children. Having been obliged to shift for himself from an early age, Joseph grew up to be a strong, self-reliant boy." (McLean County [Illinois] History, pg. 312.)

The first name of her husband Smith has never been found. In this volume of Wills (intestate cases are not included) there are nine Smiths, as follows:

Abel M. 1834 John C. 1835
Adam 1853 Matilda 1870
Catharine 1844* William 1805*
Edward 1864 William 1855
John A. 1874

*Copies of these two wills Joanne and I made. Catherine's maiden name was Prather and there is nothing in her will to suggest a link with the Bartholomews. William Smith appointed "my friend Joseph Bartholomew Executor of this my last Will and Testament," but did not indicate any relationship. The other Smith wills should be copied and examined for evidence of Catherine's second husband.

Clark County, Indiana
Court Order Books
Probate Book A
1817-1828

In this book of Probate business in the Clark County Courthouse in Jeffersonville, Indiana, Joanne and I found the following references to General Joseph Bartholomew:

1. Monday, 9 June 1817: "Joseph Bartholomew, Abraham Epler, and John Prather, the Commissioners heretofore appointed at the April Circuit Court 1816 to divide the Real Estate of Lucy A. Terrell, deceased, daughter of Richard Terrell, deceased, which lies within the State of Indiana, not having made their Report agreeably to said Order, it is now therefore Ordered that the aforesaid Commissioners do proceed to make such division, and that they also make Report to the next Term of this Court respecting the same" (pg. 9).

2. 18 September 1817: "We, Joseph Bartholomew, Abraham Epler, & John Prather, Commissioners aforesaid, do hereby certify that we have diligently examined the above named land and do hereby report the above as a Just a[nd] Proper Division of the same in persuance (sic) of the authority vested in us by virtue of the order of the Honorable the County Court of Clark County. Given under our hands and seals this 18th day of September 1817. Joseph Bartholomew (signed), Abraham Epler (signed), John Prather (signed)" (pg. 65).

3. Monday, 13 October 1817: "This day Joseph Bartholomew and John Prather, two of the Commissioners heretofore appointed to make partition of the Real Estate belonging to Lucy A. Terrell, deceased, which lies in the Illinois Grant [in Indiana], made report of their proceedings on the division thereof, which report is ordered to be filed" (pg. 17).

4. 13 October 1817: "State of Indiana, Clark County: Be it remembered that on this day came the within named Joseph Bartholomew and John Prather, two of the Commissioners appointed to divide the lands in the Illinois Grant belonging to Lucy A. Terrell, deceased, and acknowledged their signatures to the within and foregoing partition or division aforesaid as their proper and voluntary act and deed. Given under my hand & seal this 13th day of October 1817, William Goodwin" (pg. 66).

5. Tuesday, 14 October 1817: "Joseph Bartholomew, administrator of the Estate of Mrs. Catherine Smith, deceased, this produced to the Court a statement of his account with the Estate of said decedent, which being examined by the Court is found to be correct from which appears there is a Balance in the hands of the said Administrator due the Estate aforesaid of the sum of Four hundred and ten dollars and fifty cents and one third of a cent, which account and vouchers thereto is ordered to be filed" (pg.23 ). [NOTE: This is the Catherine Smith who is believed to be Joseph's mother.]

6. Tuesday, 7 April 1819: "It is ordered that Joseph Bartholomew and Charles Beggs be appointed Commissioners to settle the account of John Miller and Henry Roby, Executors of the last Will and Testament of Leonard Roby, decease, with the said decedent's Estate and make report to the next term of this court" (pg. 68).

7. Monday, 3 April 1820: "This day Joseph Bartholomew, Executor of the Last Will and Testament of William Smith, deceased, came and returned into Court the Bills of Exchange which he by a former order of this Court made at July 1816 was authorized to withdraw from on file in the Clerk's Office of the Clark Circuit Court which are now ordered to be filed in the Clerk's Office with the papers of the settled accounts of said deceased" (pg. 94).

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