Given all the time I’ve recently spent delving into the Krieger and Alberty families, I decided to take a new look at my husband’s ancestor, Henry Alberty, born 1777 in Surry County, North Carolina, the son of Frederick Alberty, Revolutionary War pensioner, and his first wife, Elizabeth Krieger.
If Henry had stayed put in Surry County until the family migrated to Washington County, Arkansas, there might not be so many unanswerable questions about him and his family.
For example, although he was born in 1777, Henry doesn’t appear in any census until 1820, when he was living in Rowan County, North Carolina.
In 1830, he was back in Surry County, but appeared in Washington County, Arkansas in 1840 and 1850.
He left no probate records in Arkansas, no deeds identifying his heirs and no vital records pertaining to his family.
Henry married Rebecca (MNU), born c1782 in North Carolina, who might possibly be a Wright, but that is pure speculation at this point and considered a possibility only because the Wrights are in the extended family FAN club.
There is also family lore in my husband’s maternal side of the family about a possible Cherokee connection, which I’ve never proven, but could be true if Rebecca is indeed a Wright by birth.
Henry and Rebecca at least nine children based on the 1820 and 1830 censuses. Given that Henry was the eldest Alberty in Washington County, Arkansas and that the next generation living there and in the southwest corner of Missouri are of ages to be his children, most of his family has been pieced together.
From 1820 to 1850, Henry appears in each census. Wife Rebecca was also enumerated in the 1860 census. From those records, the following children can be identified:
1. Son, born 1802;
2. Samuel, born c1806, North Carolina; died 1890, Washington County, AR; married Sarah Agnew, c1829.
3. Daniel, born c1811; died after 1860, possibly Washington County, Arkansas; married Valinda Douthit, 17 March 1834, Davidson County, North Carolina. Valinda died before 1850.
4. Son, born 1811-1815, probably c1813; not found after 1830
5. Henry, born 15 July 1815; died 1888, Washington County, Arkansas; married Nancy Douthit, 29 December 1836, Union County, Indiana
6. Daughter, born 1810-1819, probably c1817; not found after 1830
7. John S., born c1818; died 1861, Newton County, Missouri; married Susannah Douthit, c1840.
8. Eliza, born c1821; reportedly married John I. Douthit, but no further information found.
9. Sarah, born 11 April 1824; died 12 May 1899; married Thomas Douthit, c1841. This family removed to Washington.
10. Mary, born c1826; unmarried and living with Daniel’s family in 1860.
Notice that there are two sons for which I’ve not accounted. I think preponderance of evidence has identified them.
Many people have tried to insert Rev. Nathan Alberty in this family as the fourth child, but I believe that is WRONG.
It’s not impossible, but Henry’s children all seemed to move in a mob-type experience in the first half of the 1800s. Nathan never left Surry County, marrying and raising his family there.
There will be a follow up post on clues about Nathan’s origins.
However, while searching out early tax lists that might include Henry in Rowan and Surry Counties (no luck – he didn’t appear on a single list and no land deed entries were recorded in his name), two interesting Alberty entries were found, supplemented by a marriage record found in Davidson County, North Carolina.
Remember, Henry Alberty appears on the 1820 census roll of Rowan County, North Carolina, which is bordered on the east by Davidson County.
By 1830, he was again living in Surry County, where he was born.
In 1840, he lived in Washington County, Arkansas.
The Surry County tax lists are plentiful, but somewhat incomplete with some district tax lists missing.
However, one William Albarty married Lucy Anna Foard on 20 August 1823 in Davidson County. No mention is made of him being under legal age, so we can assume he was at least 21 years old and born no later than 1802.
In 1829, William Alberty is living in Capt. Fultz’s District, Surry County, and is taxed for one white poll, no land.
In 1830, Henry Alberty and William Alberty are living 15 doors apart in Surry County.
The only other Albertys in the area are Frederick, Sr. (Henry’s father) and Frederick Jr. living next door to his father in 1830.
I believe that William Alberty is the eldest of Henry and Rebecca Alberty.
William Alberty is not found after 1830. There is no probate for him filed in Surry County; he may have died on the way to Arkansas or shortly after arriving there, which would account for him not appearing in the 1840 Arkansas census.
In 1830, there was one male, 20-30, one female, 20-30, one male 5-10, one male under 5 and one female under 5. None of these children has been identified.
As for the second missing son, the fourth child of Henry and Rebecca, I believe that is George Alberty. George is not a common name in this family and I find no other Georges which could prove there were two different men.
Remember, again, Henry removed form North Carolina to Arkansas between 1830 and 1840.
The 1836 Surry County tax list of the Baltimore District includes one George Alberty, taxed for one poll and 100 acres (for which I find no records of him buying or selling).
There is no George Alberty in the North Carolina 1840 census, but one George Alberty appears on the 1838 tax list of Washington County, Arkansas.
That is quite a good indication that the Albertys left North Carolina in 1837 and arrived in Washington County in time to be listed in the 1838 tax records.
From these clues, Henry’s and Rebecca’s family can be updated:
1. William, born c1802; died between 1830-1840; married Lucy Anna Foard [Ford?], 20 August 1823, Davidson County, North Carolina
2. Samuel, born c1806, North Carolina; died 1890, Washington County, AR; married Sarah Agnew, c1829.
3. Daniel, born c1811; died after 1860, possibly Washington County, Arkansas; married Valinda Douthit, 17 March 1834, Davidson County, North Carolina. Valinda died before 1850.
4. George, born c1813; died after 1860, probably Washington County, Arkansas; married Eveline (MNU), c1844, probably Washington County, Arkansas
5. Henry, born 15 July 1815; died 1888, Washington County, Arkansas; married Nancy Douthit, 29 December 1836, Union County, Indiana
6. Daughter, born probably c1817; not found after 1830
7. John S., born c1818; died 1861, Newton County, Missouri; married Susannah Douthit, c1840.
8. Eliza, born c1821; reportedly married John I. Douthit, but no further information found.
9. Sarah, born 11 April 1824; died 12 May 1899; married Thomas Douthit, c1841. This family removed to Washington.
10. Mary, born c1826; unmarried and living with Daniel’s family in 1860.
This family configuration leaves but one daughter for whom we can’t account. She may have been lost to time in an unrecorded marriage or she may have died in her teen years.