In the Hocking Valley

Winslow Homer, "The Green Hill". 1878.

My 5th-great-grandparents Thomas and Margaret Patton Armstrong appear in the 1883 book, History of Hocking Valley, in the biography of their son, William Armstrong. This was the same William who served as administrator of both their estates, and who later acquired the land holdings of his siblings in Hocking County, Ohio. The family resided in Perry Township, neighboring Salt Creek Township, on the far western border of Hocking County.

History of Hocking Valley, page 1104.

The book notes that "Perry Township previously belonged to Fairfield County, but in 1849 became part of Hocking County." This explains why the family was in Fairfield County in the 1840 US Census but appeared in Hocking County in 1850. The biography of William provides important detail on the early lives of Thomas and Margaret. According to the passage, they were married on 16 October 1802.

History of Hocking Valley, page 1111.

History of Hocking Valley, page 1112.

Thomas and Margaret's first daughter, Nancy Ann Armstrong, married Daniel Keller Defenbaugh on 30 October 1822. Daniel was a veteran of the War of 1812 and he had a very interesting history (see page 1115). Descendants of Nancy Ann and Daniel will want to read this passage.

I ran a search on Newspapers.com to see if I could find any references to the Armstrong family. The Ohio Democrat newspaper carried an obituary for William Armstrong on 22 December 1888, which also provides some detail on the family.