Elizabeth Jane Hearne 1822-1874.

Exchanged the following correspondence with Pat Condray about her Hearne Lines which seem to connect through a mysterious Elizabeth Jane Hearne 1822-1874:

18 Dec 2006

Dear Sir

I had a chance to read through the Hearne Book at a Library in Salisbury MD a couple of summers ago, and since then have pulled it up on the internet. Unfortunately I haven't been able to locate any record in it of an ancestress. Her name was Elizabeth Jane Hearne Bates, and she was my great great grandmother on my father's side.

A genealogical work about the "Descendants of Benjamin Boydston Condray" traces our ancestress to the William Hearne of England who died in 1691 in Somerset County Maryland, obviously the same patriarch as described in the Hearne Book. The line proceeds through Thomas Hearne (1691 posthumous?-1762, Thomas Hearne 1720-1800, Reverend Stephen Hearne 1748-? Reverend Thomas Hearne 1786-1857, married Frances Wilson, daughter Elizabeth Jane Hearne 1822-1874 married Reverend James Bates 1821-1878. Their daughter Martha Jane married Benjamin Boydston Condray, and they travelled to Faulkner County Arkansas in a train led by Reverend James Bates in 1871. Martha Jane Bates Condray died in 1911 and was followed by her husband Benjamin in 1921.They had ten children including my grandfather.

I don't know whether I missed it in the bulk of the book or what. But I didn't find any Bates in your index. Clearly the lineage identified in our book is clearly to the same original immigrant.

Did I miss it? Or did Elizabeth Jane fall out of the history somehow?

Pat Condray

My response:

18 Dec 2006

Pat,

Thank you so much for your letter. This does appear to be a line that's missing from the book. Hearne was dependent on other people to provide his detail. He only did research on his own direct lines (that I am aware of). Let's you and I figure it out, together.

In the book, we have Rev. Stephen Hearne (1748-1844) of Montgomery, NC. That fits your information. (Hearne pp. 468, 561, 576, 579) One of the children of Rev. Stephen Hearne and Prudence Coggin Steed is Thomas Hearne (Hearne, Pages 576,577,579) He was "A physician and Methodist preacher. They moved to Elbert Co., Ga in 1826." He married, according to Hearne, (1) Mrs Elizabeth Richardson Salter in 1808 and (2) Frances E (Winfrey) Williams in 1828.

Here is where your records and Hearne's diverge. There is no marriage to Frances Wilson.

There is a record of a daughter, Jane E. Hearne, born 1809 to Thomas and Elizabeth Richardson Salter Hearne. That *could* be your Elizabeth Jane Hearne 1822-1874.

Or maybe there is a third marriage. Because Elizabeth Salter died in 1817, there is a 10 year gap where there could have been a third marriage. It is in this gap that your Elizabeth Jane Hearne was born in 1822. Do you have any sources that would indicate that there is a third marriage?

Perhaps Frances Wilson is the same as Frances E Winfrey Williams? There is a daughter named Prudence Eliza Ann Catherine Hearne. However things fall quickly apart. Even though her middle name is close, Prudence E married a Verdel, and she was born in 1829. So she is not a good match.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this, especially about a third marriage.

Sincerely,

Brian

Pat's response:

19 Dec 2006

Brian

Thank you for your prompt reply. Unfortunately I don't have any direct
source of information on the marriages of Reverend Thomas Hearne. He is
listed in the ancestry of Elizabeth Jane Hearne Bates as being the son of
Reverend Stephen Hearne and Prudence Steed Hearne, born 3-25-1786, died
1-25-1857. Elizabeth Jane, as reported, born 4-3-1822, died 4-18-1874. She
married Reverend James Bates, who was born in 1821. They had a daughter (my
great grandmother) Martha Jane who was born in 1842 and married Benjamin
Boydston Condray.

There does seem to be room for a third marriage on the part of Reverend
Thomas Hearne, and Elizabeth Jane follows the family tradition by marrying
a Methodist Minister. But the middle years of Thomas Hearne's marital
career remain a mystery.

Pat Condray

So there you have it. At this time, I don't have any proof that there is a third marriage for Reverend Thomas Hearne. Let me know if you have any.