Hannah Morton Sankey 1776-1839 DE>OH>IN

My 5th great grandmother is Hannah Morton born 27 Nov 1776 in Delaware (presumably New Castle Co); died Nov 1839 in Vigo Co Indiana; married Thomas Sankey 27 Feb 1797 (presumably New Castle Co). Hannah Morton and Thomas Sankey moved to Milford Twp, Butler Co Ohio after their marriage and that is where my ancestress Rebecca Sankey (their 3rd child) was born about 1803. Between 1811 and 1813 they moved to Franklin Co Indiana and about 1829 they moved toVigo Co Indiana where they remained the rest of their lives.

For years I have looked for Hannah's parents (off and on that is). I would put her away and occassionally bring her out and work again to try to find them. This time I found something new -- an entry in the New Castle Co Orphans Court 1792-1799, that says Ebenezer Morton had Hannah, Ebenezer and Andrew. I immediately ordered the microfilm for that subject and -- lo and behold -- there was an entry for these three children choosing Sylvester Welsh as their guardian on 24 Feb 1795. The next entry was for Patience Morton being appointed guardian for William, Sarah and Anna Morton on the same day.

I have the will of Ebenezer Morton, and it mentions Sarah and Anna, but none of the rest of the children. Obviously, Ebenezer was married before his marriage to Patience, his widow. The will was a nuncupitive will and Patience chose to not mention all of the children, only her own daughters (strangely did not include William). Sarah Morton married David Evans as he released Patience from her responsibility for Sarah in the estate in 1808.

So I was happy to have found ANYTHING about my Hannah Morton, and I am convinced it is the same Hannah I am descended from. Now I am off on a quest to study these folks. Of course, I need further evidence of Ebenezer being her father and -- who is her mother? Hannah named one of her sons Ebenezer and I believe that is of importance as a family name. What the story is with her stepmother I will probably never know -- and Sylvester Welsh, the appointed guardian is a co-administrator of Ebenezer's estate, with Patience being the other co-administrator. I feel the first set of children were probably not represented very well. Thomas Sankey had lost HIS father, Abraham, in 1787 and his mother remarried so he was in the same situation as Hannah. Interestingly, Andrew Morton was involved in both Thomas Sankey and Hannah Morton's Orphans Court proceedings.

I am convinced that the Ebenezer Morton in Butler Co Ohio is the brother of Hannah Morton. This Ebenezer married a Rebecca and apparently lived in Butler Co the rest of his life. Who was the first Morton to move to Butler Co Ohio I have not determined.

This is one of my favorite types of "hunt". That is for an ancestress' history. Most were long forgotten in the records and I feel an extra special need to speak for them at last. Stay tuned for the story of Hannah Morton Sankey.