Aaron Hendrix Hayter1

b. 7 March 1816, d. 7 September 1862
FatherJames C. Hayter2 b. 20 Jun 1787, d. 20 Dec 1859
MotherTabitha Fullen2 b. 8 Mar 1781 or 8 Mar 1783, d. 4 Jun 1853
Birth7 Mar 1816 Aaron Hendrix Hayter was born on 7 Mar 1816, probably in Washington County, Virginia.3 
Marriage7 Jun 1838 He married Eleanor Ann Duff on 7 Jun 1838 in Washington County.4 
Land13 Oct 1841  In Sept. 1838 Aaron's father purchased a tract of land from Charles C. Gibson who had been appointed by the Washington Co. Court to sell lands formerly belonging to Robert Goode, deceased. James Hayter agreed to pay $1,620 for the property. In May 1841, being advised that the land was fully paid for, the court conveyed the tract to Aaron H. Hayter at James' request. The deed was recorded Oct. 13, 1841.5  
  Aaron built a large brick home on the property (see photo link below). The construction date has been reported as 1848 or 1858.6,7 
  Wide steps led up to the front door which opened to reveal delicately carved walnut woodwork. A basement below the house held slave quarters.8 
Cens-185029 Jul 1850  The family appears to have been living in the home, or at least on the land gifted to Aaron by his father, when the 1850 census was recorded. Besides Aaron (33) and Ellen (32), the household included Hiram (10), William (8), Sarah (6), Thomas (3) and Samuel (1). Aaron's occupation was entered as "farmer"; his land was vaued at $1,600.9 
  Aaron's immediate neighbors included 52 year old John Maiden and his sons. John had purchased several tracts of land in the area from Jeremiah Gardner in 1847. Jeremiah had acquired the land from John Goode a few years earlier.

Thirty years later another census would record Aaron's children and John Maiden's children living side by side in the same neighborhood. 
ParentsDcd  Aaron's mother died in 1853 followed by his father in 1859. James Hayter wrote a very detailed will in which he went to some length to distribute his estate equally among his children. James noted that he had already provided Aaron with land for which James had paid $1,620. In addition James had advanced Aaron cash to bring the total to $2,500. Aaron's brother James E. Hayter received acreage worth $2,500 from land known as the Christopher Haynes tract.

James also provided for Aaron's sisters Ester Campbell, Sallie Lynch and Dorcas Hayter (formerly Dorcas Nelson) and for the children of Aaron's deceased sister Ann Ledbetter. James named Aaron as the Ledbetter children's trustee and also named Aaron as one of his executors.2 
Cens-186023 Jun 1860  Aaron and his brother James were enumerated as adjacent households in 1860. Both men claimed land worth $10,000 and personal property worth $15,000. By 1860 Aaron and Eleanor's family included 7 children (5 sons and 2 daughters).10 
29 May 1861  On May 29, 1861 the couple's two eldest sons, Hiram and William, rode into Abingdon and enlisted in Company K of the 37th Virginia Infantry of the Confederate Army. Hiram was killed August 9, 1862 at the Battle of Cedar Run.11 
Death7 Sep 1862 Aaron died less than a month later, on 7 Sep 1862 at age 46.3 
Burial He was buried at Hayter Cemetery in Washington County, Virginia.3 

Research Comment:

Several family members who predeceased Aaron were already interred at Hayter Cemetery. Both of Aaron's parents had been buried there in the 1850s, along with his sister Ann Ledbetter. Aaron and Eleanor's son Hiram was buried there along with the couple's youngest child, Aaron Whitley Hayter, who died in 1861. The cemetery also contains a headstone for a James C. Hayter with dates 25 June 1843-5 June 1847. Given the gap in Aaron and Eleanor's known children from Feb. 1841 to June 1845, and given that Aaron's father was named James, and given that the couple had no other son of that name, it is presumed that the child James born in 1843 was also Aaron and Eleanor's son.12

Related Links and Images:

The home Aaron and Eleanor (Duff) Hayter built about 1848/1858 near the intersection of Maiden Creek and Shortsville Roads. The home eventually passed into the hands of Aaron and Eleanor's daughter Dorcas Shortt, who was photographed with her husband and children on the front porch. Click on the camera icon for a larger image13
The 1850 Washington Co., Virginia census listed Aaron as the head of household number 124. Follow the link to see who lived nearby.

Family

Eleanor Ann Duff b. abt 14 Sep 1817, d. 27 Aug 1879
Children
Last Edited5 Nov 2013

Citations

  1. [S2594] "Public Member Trees", database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Apr. 2013), "Shortt Hochhauser Cohen Stock/Stark Family Tree", entries for Americus D. Shortt, Dorcas Hayter and their children, citing family data compiled by Bertha (Shortt) Anderson (digital image of family group sheet included).
  2. [S2146] Jack Hockett, Washington Co. VA Will Book 14 1856-1859, abstracted, p. 102, abstracting the will of James C. Hayter (Washington Co. Will Bk 14: 555) dated 6 Jan. 1859 and proved 26 Dec. 1859.
  3. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 117. Stone reported to read: Aaron H. Hayter, 7 Mar 1816-7 Sept. 1862.
  4. [S4] D.E. Brown, Marriages of Washington Co., VA 1781-1853, p. 31. Aaron Hayter marr Eleanor Ann Duff, 7 Jun 1838.
  5. [S3023] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 15, 1841-1842, abstracting Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 15: 134. The metes and bounds, and acreage were not recorded in the deed, but referenced to the records of a chancery suit wherein William T. Johnston & Elizabeth, his wife, and Richard Weisiger & Patty, his wife, were the complainants, and Nancy Moore, Mary Goode and others were defendants.
  6. [S1616] Joanna Owens, "George Crenshaw home," e-mail to Diana Powell, 7 Apr. 2013. Dr. Owens visted the home when it was owned by her uncle George Crenshaw and/or his widow. She reports that the year 1848 was marked in the front right upper corner near the roof, and was probably covered during a 1970s era renovation.
  7. [S952] "Historical Houses of Washington County, Virginia", Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia Bulletin Series II, #6 (Spring, 1968): 28. Article titled "Hayter House" states that the home was built in 1858 by Aaron Hayter. The author of the article is not stated, however a general note at the front of the publication states that most of the articles were originally written by Mrs. Phebe Fullerton Blevins and published in the Bristol Herald Courier and Roanoke Times in 1959 and 1959. The article states that the Hayter house was built in 1858 however there is no source provided for that statement.
  8. [S2594] "Public Member Trees", database, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Apr. 2013), "Shortt Hochhauser Cohen Stock/Stark Family Tree", entries for Americus D. Shortt, Dorcas Hayter and their children. The pages include a digitized image fom an undated newspaper article titled "Hayter Home Stands As Romantic Reminder Of Grandfather's Era."
  9. [S367] Aaron Hayter household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., District 67, p. 18 (original script), dwelling 124, family 124, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Apr 2013. Household includes: Aaron Hayter, 33, farmer, owns land worth $1,600; Ellen, 32; Hiram, 10; William, 8; Sarah, 6; Thos, 3; Samuel, 1; all b. VA.
  10. [S234] Aaron Hayter household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 61 (original script), dwelling 420, family 415, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Apr 2013. Household includes: Aaron Hayter, 44, farmer, owns land worth $10,000 and personal property worth $15,000; Ellen, 43; Hiram, 21, farmer; William, 19, clerk; Sarah, 13; Thomas, 12; Samuel, 10; Dorcas, 8; Whitley, 6; all b. VA.
  11. [S2729] "Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Belonging to Units From Virginia," digital images, Fold3.com (http://www.fold3.com : accessed April 2013); Hiram F. Hayter (additional cards filed under Fullen H. Hayter), private, Co. K., 37th Virginia Infantry.
  12. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 117. Stone reported to read: James C. Hayter, 25 Jun 1843-5 Jun 1847.
  13. [S1376] Photo courtesy of Richard Shortt.
  14. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 117. Stone reported to read: Hiram Hayter, s/o Aaron H. & Eleanor A. Hayter, 22 Mar 1839-10 Aug 1862.
  15. [S3143] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 29, 1871-May 1872, abstracting Washington Co. VA Deed Bk 29: 228, 328, 426, 428: set of deeds dated 9 Oct. 1871 whereby William D. Hayter (and Nancy H.A., wife), Thomas J. Hayter (and Sarah J., wife), Samuel E. Hayter, and Dorcus E. Short [sic], formerly Dorcus E. Hayter (and husband A.D.L. Short) divided the land which descended to them as children and heirs of their father Aaron H. Hayter, dec'd.
  16. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 117. Stone reported to read: Sarah A.H. Hayter, s/o Aaron H. & Eleanor A. Hayter, 7 Jun 1845-17 Jan. 1864.
  17. [S2] Catherine McConnell, High On A Windy Hill, p. 117. Stone reported to read: Aaron W. Hayter, s/o Aaron H. & Eleanor A. Hayter, 30 Nov. 1853-20 Nov 1861.