Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
NameCharles Hathcock Sr. 529,2232, 3C5R
Birthca 1794, Kershaw Co SC
Deathca 1865 Age: 71
FatherJohn Hathcock Sr. (ca1745-1833)
Spouses
Marriageca 1823, Prob Bibb Co AL529
ChildrenMahaly (1823-)
 Henry (1823->1880)
 Charles (1826-)
 Polly (1827-)
 William B. (1829-ca1875)
 Barney Franklin (ca1830-1863)
 Matthew W. (ca1832-)
 Samuel (ca1833-1863)
 Martha (Adopted) (1847-)
 Mary Frances (1851-)
Notes for Charles Hathcock Sr.
The following essay was written by Douglas Wilburn Hathcock as part of his study of Hathcocks of Alabama and other Souhern States.2243

Charles Hathcock was born in Kershaw County, South Carolina in 1794. Though there is no conclusive proof, most certainly he was the son of John Heathcock, Sr. who appears in the Kershaw County us of 1800. John Heathcock, Sr. was the son of Thomas Heathcock, Sr. (born 1697) who lived in Northampton County, North Carolina in 1762 and in Richmond County from 1779 until 1818. The Thomas Sr. is known to have been the son of Edward Hathcock of Northampton County. Edward was probably the son or grandson of the immigrant ancestor, Thomas Hathcock.*

[Note added 3 November 2016 by Clayton Heathcock: Douglas Hathcock wrote this essay in 1984, before certain information pertaining to the Y-DNA profile that is associated with the American Hathcock name. This became clear after about 2008 and it is now clear that the earliest male Hathcock progenitor had African, not European DNA. It is not likely that Edward was the son or even the grandson of the original immigrant Thomas Hathcock. Possibly he was a step-grandson, but Thomas was probably not Edward’s biological ancestor. The Hathcock Y-DNA is indisputably African (haplotype E-M2), not European. That means that the earliest man in our Y-DNA line (the line of ancestral men named Hathcock) was a black man. While we have no idea how this came to be, we are pretty sure that Thomas Hathcock the immigrant did not have the E-M2 haplotype because of an experiment done in 2008. The Administrators of the Hathcock/Hathcoat Surname Group at Family Tree DNA located three different men named Heathcock who lived in England, in different parts of the country, and who did not know each other. The only thing these three Heathcock men had in common was their surname. The Y-DNA profile was carried out for these three men and found to be identical, with a typical European halpotype (R-M269). This is evidence that modern Heathcocks living in England have a diffferent (and characteristic European) haplotype than modern Heathcocks (and related spellings) living in America, who all have minor variants of the same characteristic African haplotype. If Thomas was white and had the European haplotype that modern English Heathcocks have, then he was NOT the biological ancestor of American Hathcocks. We don’t know how our ancestral Hathcock got the African DNA. I have speculated that Thomas may have taken as his mate a black woman who already had a son and that this son was raised with his adopted father’s surname, but with his African DNA. This man, whose name we do not know, was our actual biological Hathcock ancestor. It was almost certainly not Edward because there is absolutely no evidence in any of the early records of Edward being recorded as black or mulatto. Also, there was another Hathcock man, Joseph Hathcock, who was Edward’s contemporary, who lived near Edward, and whose Y-DNA was identical or virtually identical to Edward’s. Now, with respect to the matter of whether Edward (and Joseph) were “multiracial", I think the answer is almost yes. There can be no doubt that both had the characteristic African E-M2 Y-DNA hapoltype. Also, there are scattered records of other Hathcocks in the early colonial period records, descendants of Edward and Joseph, who were recorded as mulatto or “other free.” I think it is more likely that Edward (and Joseph) were great-grandsons of the original Thomas (through the probably adopted African son to whom Thomas gave the Hathcock surname). If they were grandsons of Thomas (sons of Thomas' African stepson), then Edward and Joseph would have been truely mulatto, 1/2 African and 1/2 European. If this were the case, it is likely that one of them would have been recorded as of mixed racial heritage in some colonial record. If Edward and Joseph were great-grandsons of the original Thomas, they would have been at least 1/4 African and possibly would have passed as white and not be recognized in early records as of mixed heritage. Whatever their actual % of African blood, Edward and Joseph were both prosperous and owned large plantations.]


About 1803 Charles Hathcock, his father, John Hathcock, Sr. and brothers, Barney, John Jr. and perhaps Ranson; moved to Burke County, Georgia and after a few years, moved to Bedford County, Tennessee. Very few records are preserved that indicate their presence in Tennessee during that period, but Charles Hathcock along with his uncles, cousins and other close relatives indeed appear in some early Tennessee records. The first record of Charles Hathcock found among the old Tennessee records is The Bedford County Tax List of 1812.

Charles Hathcock married a woman whose first name was Frances, but whose last name is unknown. They may have married in Tennessee, however, it is more likely that they were married in Alabama. When Charles Hathcock was about 29 years of age, he, his parents, brothers, uncles and other members of the Hathcock family of Bedford County, moved to Bibb County and Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. This was about 1819, before Alabama became a State and opened for settlement.

Charles Hathcock appears on the Census of Tuscaloosa County in 1830 while other members of the Hathcock family appear in the Bibb County, Alabama Census. These two counties adjoin and they lived near each other. There is a brief mention of a Frances Hathcock in the records of the Cannan Church in Jefferson County, Alabama. This record is dated March 1827, and indicates a transfer of membership. This Frances, however, is probably the wife of Philip Hathcock, a first cousin of Charles Hathcock, Sr.

1830 TUSCALOOSA COUNTY, ALABAMA CENSUS

Charles Hathcock
3 Male children 0-5 years (B. Franklin and William)
2 Male children 10-15 years (Charles Jr.)
1 Male 20-30 years (Charles, about 34)
2 Females 5-10 years (Mahaley and Polly)
1 Female 30-40 years (Frances)

An analysis of the subsequent census records leads to some confusion as to just who the children were in the 1830 census above. Not until the 1850 census are the children listed by name. The names in parentheses above are speculative .

The next record of Charles Hathcock, Sr., is found in 1834 in the Minutes of The Mount Moriah Baptist Church. In October of that year, an entry is made on Page 35:

"There being a public charge against B. Bennet for Falls Swaring on a lawsuit betwixt J. Green and Charles Hathcock which was denied by him and referred to the next Conference."

In this period, Courts of Law were few and far between and the burden of settling some disputes fell within the jurisdiction of the Church. In this case cited, it is clear that there was some dispute between B. Bennet and Charles Hathcock presumably regarding some business transaction between Charles Hathcock and John Green. In the case brought before the Church, Charles Hathcock charged B. Bennet with lying about some matter .

Charles Hathcock was not a member of The Mount Moriah Baptist Church according to the records of membership available. Several members of the Hathcock family had been members of the Cannan Baptist Church and had transferred their membership to Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Roupes Valley when it was organized in 1827. The Mount Moriah Church is located just inside Tuscaloosa County very near the Bibb County line and today is still an active church.

Between 1834 and 1835, it would appear that John Hathcock, Jr. and Barney Hathcock moved back to Bedford County, ssee where they had once lived. It can be assumed that Charles Hathcock also moved back to Tennessee about this time. Charles does not appear on the Alabama Census in 1840 nor on the 1840 Census of Tennessee.

There is an Allen C. Hathcock, however, who appears on a Bedford County Tax List in 1836 through 1839 who has not been identified. (See discussion of John Hathcock, Jr., brother of Charles Hathcock.) However, in 1850, Charles Hathcock, his wife Frances, and their children were living in Molino in Lincoln County, Tennessee along with some other Hathcock families which have not been identified. Molino is in the very southern part of Lincoln County, Southwest of Fayetteville.

The census records mentioned above and other records, would indicate that Charles Hathcock, Sr. lived in Alabama from about 1818 until 1835, for the census indicates that all his children were born in Alabama. This would include: Mahlaey born in 1823, Charles Jr., born in 1826, Polly born in 1827, William born in 1829, B. Franklin born in 1831, Samuel born in 1833, Matthew born in 1835. Another child [listed in the 1850 census], Martha Arnold, was born in Tennessee in 1847. Census records, however, are not altogether reliable as a good source of times and places of birth and Martha Arnold, may have been adopted.

Apparently Charles Hathcock, Sr. lived in Lincoln County from at least 1850 until about 1855 when he moved to Limestone County, Alabama. The dates and places of marriages of his children indicate this. Limestone County, Alabama and Lincoln County, Tennessee adjoin and the place where Charles Hathcook lived, Molino, Tennessee is very close to the state line. So it is possible he moved only a short distance from Tennessee to Alabama. In 1860 Charles
Hathcock was enumerated in the Census of Limestone County, Alabama.

It would appear that Charles Hathcock, Sr. died either in Limestone County, Alabama or Lincoln County, Tennessee between 1860 and 1870. This conclusion is drawn by the fact that he is not found in either the 1870 Census of Limestone County or in the Census of Lincoln County. However, who is believed to be his wife Frances, and their youngest daughter, Mary Frances, are found in the 1870 Census Lincoln County. Although there are definite discrepancies between the census records as to dates and places of birth, it should be remembered that census takers were very careless in 1870 and mistakes are to be expected.

Just why the surname was recorded as Haithcuat in 1870 is unknown but it is noted that Charles Hathcock, Sr. was recorded as Heathcock in the 1850 census and the children of Charles Hathcock, Sr. were recorded in the 1870 census as Haithcoat.
The place of burial of Charles Hathcock, Sr. and his wife is unkown.

CHILDREN OF CHARLES HATHCOCK, SR.

The children of Charles and Frances Hathcock were: Mahaly, Polly, Charles. Jr., William, Barney Franklin, Samuel, Matthew; and Mary. Martha Alnold is believed to be adopted.
Mahaly Hathcock was born in Alabama in 1823, probably in Bibb county. It is beieved that she married James Arendale in Lincoln county on 13 September 1847. No further records have been located on Mahaly.

Polly Hathcock was born in Alabama in 1827, probably in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. She was still living with her father and mother in 1850 and also in 1860. Her record ends with the 1860 Census of Limestone County, Alabama.

Charles Hathcock, Jr. was born in Alabama in 1826, probably in Bibb County, or Tuscaloosa County. He and his wife Adaline, whose last name is unknown, appear in the 1850 Census of Lincoln County, Tennessee living next to his father and mother. They had a son named Thomas who was born about 1849. Nothing further is known of Charles Hathcock, Jr. and his family. It is possible that they moved to Arkansas.

William Hathcock was born in Alabama in 1829, probably in Tuscaloosa or Bibb County. He moved with his parents to Tennessee when he was about 6 years of age. He married Elimina Heathcock 17 July 1854 in Lincoln County, Tennessee (Book A, page 265). He and his family appear on the 1860 census of Lincoln county along with an unidentified family of Rees Haithcoat.

In 1870, William B. Hathcock was still living in Molino, Tennessee and is enumerated in the 1870 Census of Lincoln County.

Apparently William B. Hathcoat died between 1870 and 1880 because his wife and children are listed as living with her brother M. D. Hathcock in the 1880 Census of Lincoln County. Since the only other Hathcocks in Lincoln County (other than the family of Charles Hathcock, Sr.) Elmira must have been the daughter of John Hathcock who appears on the 1850 Census of Lincoln County with a daughter of 16.

B. Franklin Hathcock, son of Charles Hathcock, Sr., was born in Alabama in 1830 or 1831, in Bibb or Tuscaloosa County. He moved to Tennessee with his parents and appears in his father's household in Lincoln County in 1850 and in Limestone County, Alabama in 1860. B. Franklin Hathcock enlisted in the Army of the Confederate States during the early part of the Civil War and soon attained the rank of Sergeant. He enlisted in Company C of the 41st Tennessee Infantry. He was captured at the fall of Ft. Donelson in Tennessee on 16 February 1862. He was later exchanged at Vicksburg and became ill and was transferred to the Confederate Hospital at Greenville, Mississippi. There he died 19 October 1863.

Matthew W. Haithcock, son of Charles Hathcock, Sr., was born in Bibb or Tuscaloosa County, Alabama about 1832. He moved back to Tennessee with his parents as a child and was living with them in Lincoln County in 1850. He married Martha Ann Dupree, the daughter of Haley Dupree who is believed to have been from Greensville County, Virginia. The marriage took place on 10 October 1858 in Limestone County, Alabama (Old Marriage Book, page 828 ). A notation on the marriage record indicates that Matthew and Martha Ann were married "At the dwelling house of Charles Hathcock." Apparently Charles Hathcock, Sr. and his family had moved from Lincoln County, Tennessee to Limestone County, Alabama during the mid-1850's. Matthew and his family appear on the 1860 Census of Lincoln County.

Matthew Hathcock enlisted in Company C, 41st Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry on 10 November 1862. A year later he was reported missing on 23 November 1863. Though the record indicates desertion from a Camp near Chattanooga, Tennessee, this notation was often made in cases of capture where such capture was unknown to CSA officers. He was more fortunate than his brothers, B. Franklin and Samuel, in that he survived the war and returned to Lincoln County, Tennessee. His household is enumerated in the 1870 census o£ that county.
A full search of the Lincoln County, Tennessee Census was not completed. The indexed 1880 census prepared by the WPA in the 1930's uses the Soundex System. Since the name was changed from Hathcock to Haithcoat it is possible that the Haithcoats are not found in the same part of the records, and were therefore overlooked.

Martha Arnold was born in Tennesee, probably in Lincoln County, in 1847, according to the 1850 Census of Lincoln County. She does not appear in the Haithcoat household. It is believed that she was not the daughter of Charles Hathcock, Sr., but perhaps an adopted child .

Mary Frances Hathcock was born in Lincoln County, Tennessee in 1851. She was the youngest child of Charles and Frances Hathcock and appears first in the 1860 Census. of Limestone County, Alabama, living with her parents. The 1870 Census of Lincoln County, Tennessee includes a Frances Hathcoat living in the household of F. Hathcoat. This is believed to be Mary Frances Hathcock and her mother Frances. No further information is presently available on Mary Frances Hathcock.

Samuel Hathcock was born in Bibb or Tuscaloosa County, Alabama about 1833, the sixth child of Charles and Frances Hathcock. He moved from Alabama with his parents about 1835 to Tennessee and appears in his father's household in Lincoln County in 1850. On 27 November 1851 he married Caroline Isham in Lincoln County (Book A, page 224). In 1860 Samuel Hathcock was living in Lincoln County, Tennessee and he and Caroline had a family of six. (Note added by Clayton Heathcock; the family was really only five).

Samuel Hathcock enlisted as a Private during the early part of th Civil war, with the Army of the Confederate States. He enlisted in the same organization as did his brothers, Matthew W. and B. Franklin, and probably at the same time. They all were members of Company C of the 41st Regiment of the Tennessee Infantry. Samuel Hathcock died in the military service at Lauderdale Springs, Mississippi 1 July 1863, and he is probably buried there.


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Charles Hathcock and family were enumerated in the 1850 census of Lincoln Co TN:

Name Age
Chas Heathcock 55
Frances Heathcock 45
Mahaley Heathcock 27
Polly Heathcock 25
William Heathcock 21
B Franklin Heathcock 19
Samuel Heathcock 17
Mathew Heathcock 15
Martha Arnold 3
Last Modified 11 Aug 2020Created 3 Jul 2023 using Reunion for Macintosh
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