Hedgeman Wilson

Hedgeman Wilson is my 2nd great-grandfather. Below is a summary of what I’ve found in my genealogy search and trip to Ralls County, MO. I hope it helps anyone who is interested in this family line. Feel free to contact me if you have questions or need deeper source data.

Summary

 Hedgeman Wilson was born July 28, 1802 in Fauquier County, Virginia which is about 50 miles west of Washington, DC. He was the eighth child of 10 children of Benjamin Wilson, age 36, and Sarah Sally Newton, age 32. All of his other siblings were born in Montgomery County, VA which is about 230 miles southwest.

Hedgeman married Levina Fuqua on June 23, 1823 in Bourbon Kentucky when he was 20 years old. Their first three children were born in KY, then in 1828, they moved to Ralls County. They had a total of 14 children.

According to The Portrait and Biographical Record of MARION, RALLS, PIKE COUNTIES MISSOURI 1895, Hedgeman Wilson “was a thrifty farmer and successful dealer in livestock, also being proprietor of a mill on Salt River. In his early years, he was a Whig and upon the formation of the Republican party, he became one of its enthusiastic supporters. A man of noble and upright character he put into daily practice his religious faith and was a pillar in the Christian Church.”

He died in 1869.

Links

Please note that most of what is online about this individual is wrong, especially on FamilySearch.

Ancestry – links to my tree
WikiTree (note errors – he did not serve in the Civil War – this was a nephew that did)
FIndaGrave – the family members are correct but he was not the son of Esther Fickle

Disambiguation and Alternate Spellings

 Most of the online errors are due to the mixing of 3 Hedgeman Wilsons.

• Hedgeman Wilson, subject of this bio. b. 28 Jul 1820, m. Lavina Fuqua 23 Jun 1823 in Bourbon, KY, d. 10 May 1869.
• Hedgman Wilson, nephew of subject. b. 2 Dec 1822. Son of above Hedgeman’s brother, Alexander Wilson b. 25 March 1795. This Hedgman is the one who married Polly Richardson on 9 Mar 1844.
• Hedgeman Wilson, another nephew of subject. b. June 4, 1839 d. 4 Aug 1912. Son of above Hedgeman’s brother, Benjamin Frances b. 26 Mar 1788. This Hedgeman is likely to be the one who fought in the Civil War.

Spellings: Hedgeman and Hedgman, Wilson and rarely Willson.

Detailed Bio

Hedgeman had nine aunts and uncles on his father’s side and one uncle plus two half- or step- aunts and uncles on his mother’s side. Here are his brothers and sisters, and this list was sourced from a family bible insert found at the Ralls County Historical Society Research Center located inside the Missouri Mule Museum in Perry, MO.

Benjamin Francis Wilson
Birth 26 March 1788 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 7 June 1854 • Floyd, Putnam, Indiana, USA

Hiram Wilson
Birth 1789 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 1857 • Cannon, Tennessee, USA

John Franklin Wilson
Birth 4 March 1791 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 3 June 1869 • New London, Ralls, Missouri, USA

Chloe Ann Wilson
Birth 5 June 1792 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 11 May 1856 • Floyd, Floyd, Virginia, USA

Alexander Wilson
Birth 25 March 1795 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 1882 • New London, Ralls, Missouri, USA

Amy Naomi Wilson
Birth 1796 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death Unknown

Frances Wilson
Birth 23 June 1799 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death Unknown

Richard Wilson
Birth 1804 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death 1820 • Floyd, Virginia, USA

Mary Polly Wilson
Birth 1807 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA
Death about 1858 • Montgomery, Virginia, USA

Prior to 1820, at least three brothers, Alexander, John F. and Hedgeman traveled 300 miles west and slightly north to Bourbon Co., KY. Alexander and John F. married sisters: Sally and Jane Bell, respectively in 1816 and 1817. They all lived for a time in North Middletown, Bourbon County, KY. The 1820 US Census does not have names and I could not match up the household numbers to see whether they all lived together or separately.  A trip to North Middletown and a look at local directories could clear that up.

Hedgeman married Levina Fuqua on July 23, 1823 in Bourbon Co., KY. Levina was 20. See the last line on the left. This is from Bourbon, KY marriage records.

Hedgeman and Levina had three children while in Kentucky.

• Alexander was born April 14, 1824 (had to name it after big brother)
• Armilda was born April 26, 1826. She died at age 13 and was buried at Salt River.
• Marilda was born Dec 14, 1827

The three brothers went west again 500 miles to Ralls Co. MO. I don’t have dates of when Alexander and John F. moved, but Hedgeman and Levina moved from Kentucky to Ralls County, MO in 1828. It’s likely that James Fuqua, Levinah’s brother went with them. More about that in Levinah’s writeup.

A little history for context: the Louisiana Purchase occurred in 1803. Congress passed the Land Act of 1820 as a result of mounting debt due to the War of 1812. This reduced land prices from $2 per acre to $1.25 per acre and allowed buyers to purchase smaller plots. There was also no credit. Buyers had to pay cash.

Missouri achieved statehood on August 10, 1821, becoming the 24^th state.  Completed in August 1822, the first Ralls County courthouse was a small log building measuring roughly 24 by 18 feet. Landowners would come here to get their indentures and deeds recorded. For the patents, I believe this happened in Palmyra, MO, farther north.

From the Bureau of Land Management dated February 15, 1828 and signed by John Quincy Adams, Hedgeman Wilson was granted 80 acres. James Fuqua, Levinah’s older (by 6 years) brother, received 80 acres on the exact same day.  Whatdya bet they rode horses or carriages together to the land office?

The remainder of Hedgeman and Levinah’s children were born in Ralls County, MO.

• Addeline was born November 18, 1829.

The 1830 US Federal Census shows Hedgeman Willson [sic] in Saverton with 8 people in the household. It doesn’t give names but classifies as follows:

• 2 free white males aged 20-29 (Hedgeman, ?)
• 1 free while female aged 20-29 (Levinah)
• 1 free while female aged 5-9 (Armilda)
• 1 free white male aged 5-9 (Alexander)
• 1 free white male aged 0-5 (?)
• 2 free white females age 0-5 (Marilda, Addeline)

On November 10, 1830, Hedgeman Wilson received another land patent for 131 acres.

Children continued:

• George Washington Wilson born 7-4-1831 – this is our great grandfather
• Levina Wilson born 4-30-1833
• Francis Marion Wilson born 8-31-1834
• Eveline Wilson born 3-12-1836
• Henry Clay Wilson born 1-27-1838

Earlier, the Whig party was mentioned. The American Whig Party was formed in late 1833 by leaders like Henry Clay and Daniel Webster to fight what they called executive tyranny by “King Andrew” Jackson. It existed through 1856. It’s notable here that Hedgeman named a son after Henry Clay.

From 1832 to 1866, Hedgeman Wilson bought and sold land in about 20 transactions. Land prices varied from $1.25 per acre to over $10 per acre in the 1850s and 1860s. Of course, prices depended on improvements, and those were not detailed in the deeds and indentures from the County office. Here is a sampling:

April 20, 1831 – Indenture – John Herrin and his wife paid $10 to Hedgeman Wilson for a tract of land Being the North East fractional lot of Section 2 being in the South East corner of Lot 7 Township 55 Range 4 West containing 3 acres running 40 Rods on the Section line hence west 12 rods.

April 20, 1831 – Indenture – James Fuqua paid $200 to Hedgeman Wilson for land being North East Fractional Lot of Section 2 binding on the Standard Line Township 55 and Range 4 West, containing 197 acres.

April 26, 1831 – Indenture – John F. Wilson paid Hedgeman and Levina $144 for land beginning at a stake in the section line of #2 thence North 54 poles to the section corner of #2 township 55 Range 4 West thence east running on the Standard line so far as will make 65 acres to be in a long square.

February 13, 1832 – Indenture – Hedgeman Wilson paid James and Frances Fuqua $500 for land being the North East fractional lot of section 2 lot 6 and 7 binding on the standard line township 55 range 4 west containing 197 acres.

From AI: In 1800s America, poles, rods, links, chains, and arpents were standard land-measuring units. A pole and a rod are identical linear units equal to 16.5 feet. A chain (Gunter’s Chain) equals 66 feet (or 4 rods). An arpent is a French colonial unit equal to roughly 192 feet linearly or 0.85 acres as an area. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Linear Measurements

• Link: Exactly 7.92 inches; 100 links made up one full chain. [1, 2]
• Pole (or Rod / Perch): Exactly 16.5 feet (5.5 yards) or 25 links; 4 poles equaled one chain. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• Chain: Exactly 66 feet (22 yards). Surveyors used physical metal chains to map out townships and property lines, where 80 chains equaled one statute mile. [1, 2, 3]
• Linear Arpent: Roughly 191.99 feet (in Louisiana/Gulf Coast regions) or 180 old French feet, frequently used to describe the front width of river properties. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Here’s a sample map of where Hedgeman bought and sold land. This shows Sections in Township 55 (currently Saline, Spencer Townships) Range 4 West. However, this map is dated 1930.

By 1835 a 50-foot-square, two-story brick building was built in 1835 to serve as the new courthouse and replace the log structure. It was funded entirely through private community subscriptions.

On April 1, 1839, Hedgeman Wilson received another patent from the land office, this one signed by Martin Van Buren for 73.83 acres.

Children continued:

• Elizabeth Wilson born 2-14-1840

On April 10, 1940, Armilda Wilson died at age 13.

The 1840 census shows 16 people in their household:

• 1 free white males aged 30-39 (Hedgeman)
• 1 free white males aged 20-29 (?)
• 1 free while female aged 40-49 (?)
• 1 free while female aged 30-39 (Levinah)
• 1 free while female aged 15-19 (?)
• 3 free while female aged 10-14 (Armilda, Marilda, Addeline)
• 1 free while female aged 5-9 (Levina)
• 2 free white female aged 0-5 (Eveline, Elizabeth)
• 2 free white male aged 15-19 (Alexander)
• 2 free white male aged 5-9 (George, Francis)
• 1 free white male aged 0-5 (Henry Clay)

Children Continued:

• Harrison Wilson born 11-22-1841

On November 3, 1842 Hedgeman recorded a lien owing Samuel F. Caldwell $194.20. The collateral was a water saw and grist mill along with lumber.  Glascock is to have an interest in the mortgage to Harvey Wellman September 2, 1842. I think this last is further collateral or order of debt priority.

During the 1800s, the phrase “water saw and grist mill” was a common pairing. A water saw (or sawmill) used a waterwheel to power a vertical up-and-down blade to cut timber. It’s likely why Hedgeman settled on Salt River.

A grist mill (or flour mill) used the same water power to grind grains into flour. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Building a mill was a massive capital investment. In the 19th century, a standard rural water-powered mill typically cost between $500 and $1,500 to build from scratch. For perspective, an average laborer at the time earned roughly $1.00 a day. [1]

Hedgeman may have made money from other farmers using his equipment.

The Grist Mill Fee: By 1800s law, a miller was permitted to keep 1/16th of the grain brought in as payment for grinding the remaining 15/16ths into flour or cornmeal. [1]

The Sawmill Fee: If a settler brought logs to a water sawmill, the standard toll was up to half of the lumber produced. The miller kept 50% of the boards to sell commercially, and the farmer took the other 50% home to build barns or houses.

From the Ralls County Register, August 18, 1916, page 6, an article about 2 of his children describes Hedgeman as a wheelwright. He made chairs, spinning wheels, and looms for many households in the county. He “threw” a dam across Salt River and built a mill, grinding corn and wheat and sawing lumber. Wilson Mill produced much of the flour, meal, and lumber for nearly residents.

Levina was a skilled weaver and used the sheep’s wool and flax grown to create cloth and blankets. She taught her daughters the same skill. The farm was nearly self-sufficient and this independence was a mantra of the family.

Later in 1842, another interest transaction arose from the deeds records at Ralls County Courthouse.  Hedgeman was paid by the County out of the School Fund for the use of 100 acres. It was paid off in 1848.  He may have played some role in the local school.

Children Continued:

• Frances Wilson born 10-24-1843
• John J Wilson born 8-2-1846
• William Wilson born 6-14-1848

Levina was 42 when she had her last child. They had a total of 14 children, 11 of which lived to adulthood, which seems pretty amazing.

Here is the 1850 census; see the last lines of the first page and the top lines of the second page.

It lists Hedgeman as a miller with land worth $1,000.

Son Alexander was no longer living at home, Armilda was dead. Marilda was still at home at age 22 and never married. So was George, age 18 and labeled as a laborer, Lavina, age 17, Francis M., age 15 and a laborer, and Evaline, age 16. The second page lists Henry, 11, Elizabeth, 9, John, 3, and William, 2.

Addeline, age 21 in 1850, likely got married as she is not listed in the 1850 census.  Neither is Harrison, 9, or Frances, 7.  Searched Barkley and Salt River and didn’t find any graves based on the pics I took.

On December 25, 1856, Hedgeman ran a notice in the Hannibal Weekly Messenger about a stray heifer. This could have been his nephew.

The current Ralls County Courthouse in New London, Missouri, was built in 1858 (with construction extending into 1859).

The 1860 census shows Hedgeman and Levina with land worth $1200. Also listed is Marilda, age 32, George, age 30 with land valued at $700, Evaline, 25, Henry, 22, Elizabeth, 20, John, 13, and William, 11.

Hedgeman is also listed in the 1860 Agricultural Census.  Page 9 line 11. Hedgeman owned 70 improved acres, 130 unimproved acres, cash value of farm listed as worth $4000, value of farm implements and machinery listed as $150, 5 horses, no asses or mules, 5 “milch” cows, no oxen, 7 other cattle, 40 sheep, 100 swine, $300 being the value of livestock, 500 bushels of Indian corn, 94 pounds of wool, 5 bushels of Irish potatoes, 2 bushels of sweet potatoes, 350 pounds of butter, 3 tons of hay, value of homemade manufactures $50, value of animals slaughtered $180.  (Source : Missouri Secretary of State Archives Census Records  https://s1.sos.mo.gov/records/archives/census/pages/agsup )

From 1861 to 1865, the Wilsons had to contend with the Civil War.  From ChatGPT, the most significant Civil War activity in Ralls County consisted of:

• Guerrilla warfare and bushwhacker raids by Confederate sympathizers.
• Union militia patrols attempting to suppress guerrillas.
• Operations in Monroe and Ralls Counties (September 11–16, 1864), involving detachments of the 39th Missouri Infantry during the period of increased guerrilla activity in northeast Missouri.
• Frequent small-scale encounters along the Salt River, around New London, Saverton, and rural portions of the county.

Hedgeman’s youngest son William W. was a Union Soldier in Company E of the 39^th Missouri Infantry. He was roughly 16 years old when he enlisted in late 1864, which was common for volunteer infantry regiments formed during the crisis of Confederate General Sterling Price’s Missouri Raid. [1, 2]

While three companies of the 39th Missouri Infantry (Companies A, C, and H) were almost entirely wiped out by “Bloody Bill” Anderson’s guerrillas at the catastrophic Battle of Centralia on September 27, 1864, Company E was not among the decimated units. Company E survived the fall guerrilla campaigns and was eventually mustered out safely with the rest of the surviving regiment in March 1865. [1, 2, 3] William survived the Civil War.

Hedgeman’s other son John was on the Union side. However, Hedgeman’s son Henry Clay served in the Ralls County State Guards on the Confederate side.  It was brother against brother in the Wilson family, or so it was reported in the book Hannibal Too by J. Hurley Hagood and Roberta (Roland) Hagood.

Here is a photo of Union John and wife and Confederate Henry (right).

Hedgeman’s nephew (possibly son of Benjamin Francis) served in the Civil War on the Union side. These are records from 1861-1865.

And here it shows that 20 years after the war, he filed for invalid. This was after Uncle Hedgeman died.

I think it’s important to note that Hedgeman Wilson did NOT have slaves in his household.

In 1861, Hedgeman set George his son up with land containing 86.63 acres. Here are the details:

February 11, 1861 – Deed of Mortgage – George W. Wilson paid Hedgeman Wilson $1 for the north part of the South East fractional quarter of Section 33 Township 56 Range 5 West containing 86 63/100 acres. Along with the following notes:

• One bond due to the County of Ralls for the use of the school fund of said County for $220 for which he agrees to become the security
• One note due to Francis Shuck for $150 due one day after date with interest at 10% per annum from date
• One note due to James Buford for $150 due one day after date with interest at 10% per annum from date
• One note due to Madison Wilson for $50 due one day after date with interest at 10% per annum from date
• Also $530 for money borrowed of George W. with interest at 10% per annum, the date of said recited notes not now recollected

Note at side: This mortgage (above) is satisfied in full as of Jan 11, 1866

Here is George’s signature. He was at least literate enough to sign his name.

January 11, 1866 – Deed – George W. Wilson paid Hedgeman and Levina $2,100 for 86 63/100 acres of land. The north part of the South East fractional quarter of Section No. 33 Township No. 56 Range No. 5 west containing 86 63/100 acres.

As of 1866, it doesn’t look like Levina was literate. Here is her mark on a Warranty Deed.

Hedgeman Wilson died May 10, 1869 and was buried in Salt River Cemetery.

The plaque added by the Salt River Christian Church reads as follows:

Hedgeman Wilson Jly 28 1802 – May 10 1869 A Bro to Alexander / Benjamin / Fraces / & John F. – Husb of Levina Fuqua; Parents of
1 Levinah : Namesake of Unk Alexander Dau – Mrd Elijah Jamison Bd Bark. Cem.
2 Wm. W. Military stone here
3 Henry Clay Mrd Zerelda steers 12/20/1876: Had 3yr old Mamie Bd here
// List con-td Levina’s Stone.

Levina Fuqua Wilson jan 26 1806-Feb 3 1875 Wife of Hedeman W.
Dau of Old John & Margaret Lawson Fuqua of Montgomery Co. Ken.
Sis to James Fuqua here
Aunt of CA of Most of Fuqua
The __ Wilsons here – their chd 4 Wa ____ rd Wm S. Lennox bd here
Ha __ A __ Henry __ ed Bark. By Chas Kennedy 2^nd H__
_______________________________ Marilda bd here
SGL ___

Her monument:

And here is Marilda’s who never married: