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Greathouse Point > Families > John and Sarah McDade Greathouse

Family of John and Sarah McDade Greathouse

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William Henry Greathouse  1808 to 1891

William Henry Greathouse was the second born son of John and Sarah McDade Greathouse, his realtionship established by being an heir to his father's estate. Documentation from his application for a Civil War pension has identified his as the same William Henry Greathouse who lived and died in Kentucky after about 1865.. His exact birthday has not been verified, but he said he was 57 years of age in 1865 when discharged from the army which would make him born around 1808, which is consistent with the 1860 census but not the 1850 census which shows him as 49. In the 1880 census of Kentucky William H Greathouse's age is 72 which again would make his date of birth 1808. 

In his father's estate settlement, his daughter Margaret A Simpson is showing as his assignee. She was first married Mordacai Stackhouse and in 1867 married William Simpson. Because she is an assignee it is believed he was still alive at the time of the estate settlement in 1866, but not in the area, which is consistent with the statements made by the William Greathouse who applied for the Civil War pension..

In the "History of Roane County" by Bishop on page 282 it says, "William Greathouse and wife, Nancy, a daughter of Stephen Hicks, settled about the year 1830 on a tract of 400 acres, given her by her father, adjoining the Samuel Tanner tract on its north. The Spencer Cemetery on the Spencer and Ravenswood Turnpike, is a part of this land and was given by Nancy Greathouse as a community burial place." According to  Jackson County records the land was granted by her grandfather, John Boggs, not her father.  Jackson County Deed Book pages 74-75 show John & Susan Boggs deeded to Nancy Greathouse & her husband William Greathouse  400 acres lying on Rush Run and Spring Creek, a branch of the Little Kanawha River for 100 dollars cash, deed made August 4, 1836, delivered to William Greathouse February 15, 1855. There is a deed for the Spencer cemetery that shows the grantors as John and Sarah Greathouse. 

It is believed that the William in the 1840 census of Jackson County Virginia is the same William H Greathouse: 1 male age 30 to 40 (William); 2 males ages 5 to 10 (James Washington and John W);1 males under 5 (William A); 1 female age 20 to 30 (Nancy); 2 females 5 to 10 (Margaret and ?);1 female under 5 (Sarah)

1850 census of Wirt Co Virginia shows William age 49 VA Farmer; Nancy age 35 VA; Margaret age 16 VA; John age 14 VA; Sarah A age 12 VA; William A age 10 VA; Malinda age 8 VA; Mary J age 5 VA; David age 2 VA; Evaline age 2/12 VA; James W age 19 VA Laborer 

1860 census of Roane County, Virginia shows Wm H Greathouse age 51, Nancy J Greathouse 46, John W Greathouse 23, Sarah A Greathouse 22, Malinda Greathouse 18, David Greathouse 13, James Greathouse 6, Eliza E Radabaugh 10. Son John W's wife was Sarah Radabaugh, so Eliza may be her daughter or a relative.

Note from Rick Greathouse: A William H. was listed in two households in the 1860 Census-- the second time in the household of Margaret Kelley Greathouse, second wife of Solomon.Solomon was a brother of William. 

Information about William Greathouse in Kentucky was gathered by Robert Greathouse, a descendant:

Overview of William H Greathouse Civil War Records:
Residence prior to Enlistment: Reedyville, Spring Creek, Roane County, West Virginia
Born: Abt.1808 in Reedyville, Spring Creek, Mason County, Virginia
Birth Year derived from Declaration for Invalid Pension, dated 25 Nov 1890 
Enlistment Date: 12 Aug 1862
Enlistment Place: Spencer (County Seat), Roane County, West Virginia
Side Served: Union Army
State Served: West Virginia
Service Record: Enlisted as a Private on 12 Aug 1862
Union Army Unit: Company H, 13th Infantry Regiment
Length of Service: 12 Aug 1862 to 11 May 1865
Discharge from Service: 11 May 1865, Cumberland, Maryland
Wounded: 6 times - stayed at three separate field hospitals
Discharge: Honorable
Age at Discharge: 57 years of age
Height: 6 feet 0 inches
Complexion: Fair
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Dark
Occupation: Farmer and also practiced medicine

Deposition A - Case of William H. Greathouse for Pension, Claim 261415
Q. Where did you reside at your enlistment?
A. "I resided on Spring Creek of Roane County, West Virginia (near Spencer, the County Seat). I was born and raised there."

Q. After your discharge, where did you go and what did you do?
A. "I went to Elkview of Kanawha County, West Virginia and was engaged in logging with John Hall, who at that time lived in Charleston, West Virginia." This is twelve miles east of Charleston.

Q. Where did you go from Elkview, West Virginia? 
A. "Can't say. I traveled and had no settled home and doctored sore eyes and cancers until I moved to Wolf Creek near Grayson, Carter Co. KY in 1866. I lived on that Creek for one year then moved to this farm in 1867 and have been here ever since. I live in Gimlet, Elliott Co. KY, but I get my mail at Whitt P.O. of Carter Co. KY. I have doctored for a living as long as I was able to travel and hired my farming. William Counts, John Counts, John Lewis, and John Walker were my closest neighbors on Wolf Creek. Jessie Rose, Silas Maggard, John J. Whitt, Wilson Maggard, and Ambrose J. Bear are now my closest neighbors." 
 
In the series of Articles written by John A. Stegall for the Elliott County News and published Aug 23, 1996, entitled Elliott County's Union Civil War Veterans in 1890:

William H. Greathouse: Pvt., Co., H, Va., Vol. Inf. When the census taker talked with him in 1890, he stated that he entered the military in the Fall of 1861 and served until 1865 for a total of four years. He said he was wounded 5 or 6 times and "Suffered greatly". His post office in 1890 was Whitt, KY. If served in the VA Infantry, he obviously was not in KY when the 1860 census was taken. But in the 1870 Elliott Co. census he was found living in the Moccasin Precinct, where he owned land. Perhaps most everyone in the Gimlet area is familiar with the very high hill called the "Greathouse Knob", which was perhaps the dominant physical feature of his farm. I have heard the story told many years ago by our long-departed citizens that Greathouse often stated that his wish was to be buried atop this knob. He supposedly commented that this was as close as he would ever be to Heaven. If what I am told is true, he is not buried there. I seem to recall reading that he might have moved to Greenup co., and he may be buried there. I also read that he may have re-settled in OH. . . . . . . When the 1880 Elliott Co census was taken, William Greathouse was still a resident of the Moccasin Precinct. . . . William’s age was given as 72, which, in my belief, was an error on the part of the censustaker, or maybe a mistake by the one who transcribed the census from the original record. In 1880, Mary A. S. Greathouse said that she was 36 years of age. . . William H. Greathouse was a resident of Elliott Co. in 1890. the tax assessments for that year show that he owned 115 acres of land and his nearest neighbor was Tabitha Skaggs. A James W. Greathouse lived in the same precinct and owned 50 acres. I do not find anyone named Greathouse in the 1900 and 1910 census reports for Elliott County KY.It would appear that they moved from this county in the late 1890s. 

William Henry Greathouse married Mary A. Young on 19 Dec 1866 - Marriage Bond, dated 17 Dec 1866 - in Carter County, KY when he was living at Wolf Creek, Carter County, KY. He was 58 years old when he married Mary A. Young. William Henry Greathouse, Jr. was the only child of W. H. Greathouse Sr. and Mary A. Young. He was born on 27 April 1870. William Henry Greathouse, Sr. died 10 Nov 1891 on his 115 acre farm in Gimlet, Elliott County, KY and is buried on Greathouse Knob. General Affidavit, Death of W. H. Greathouse, 10 Nov 1891 

After the death and burial of Mary A. Young Greathouse beside her husband in the Winter of 1895, her son, William Henry Greathouse, Jr., sold the 115 acre farm in the Summer of 1896 and moved to the head of Alcorn Road in Greenup, Greenup County, KY and established residence on a 500 acre farm. He died on 9 Dec 1953 and is buried in the Greathouse Family Cemetery, located on a hill overlooking Jess Fraley's old homestead (adjacent to the Millard Archey farm) at the head of Alcorn Road in Greenup, KY

Children attributed to William Greathouse are  James Washington, Margaret, John W, Sarah A, Malinda, Mary J, David, Evaline and William Henry Jr.

 
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