Category Archives: Mahon

Mahon

Rabbit Hole #3: Clues to the Parents of Pleasant Mahon (c1780-1841), Pittsylvania County, VA, Part 2

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Before adding more clues to the Mahon puzzle, let’s do a quick review. We have seven Mahon men, born with about 8 years of each other who are the only men of the surname living in either Campbell, Pittsylvania or Amherst Counties, Virginia in the late 1700s and early 1800s.

  • Barnett Mahon, born c1772
  • Thomas Mahon, born c1774
  • James Mahon, born c1774
  • Dennis Mahon, born c1776
  • Pliant Mahon, born c1778
  • Pleasant Mahon, born c1780

We’re looking for clues to the names of Pleasant Mahon’s parents and, given their birth years, obviously, none of the other six men in this list could possibly be his father. Yes, they could all be brothers, but the birth years are getting a bit tight.

Since Thomas Mahon married in Amherst County, Virginia, a closer look needs to be given to Amherst County’s records.

I think it’s safe to say we’ve ruled out Thomas Mahon and Elizabeth Johnson as Pleasant’s parents, given that Thomas was only about 6 years older than Pleas.

One reason I think some people claim Thomas is Pleas’s father is because of a modern gravestone placed for Thomas Mahon in Fayette County, Illinois, where some Mahons migrated c1835. It credits Thomas with Revolutionary War service, a birth year of 1759 and his death year as 1840. We’ll look at that death year a bit more closely in a minute.

Amherst County Personal Property Tax Records exist back to the 1780s, but Thomas first appears in 1791, listed as Thomas Mahorn, one male 16+. With him is John Mahorn, one male 16+ and one horse.

These two men are listed as Mahorn until 1794. In 1795, we find John Mahon, 2 males 16+ and a horse with Thomas Mohon, one male 16+ and a horse.

I am quite sure that this Thomas is our Thomas Mahon because there is a third man listed sequentially with them in 1794 – Barnett Mahorn, one male 16+ and one horse. Given the uniqueness of Barnett’s name, and the fact that we know he was born c1772, I’d say it is quite certain that we are looking at our Mahon family.

Given that the first record for Thomas Mahon is in the 1791 tax list, it supports a birth year in the 1770s, which matches his reported age in the 1830 census.

John and Thomas are also both listed in the 1796 tax list, but then disappear from Amherst County. Land records indicate that John Mahon and wife Agnes sold 265 acres of land to Powhatan Bolling of Campbell County, Virginia on 10 December 1795.

John hasn’t been found in any other Virginia records. However, Agnes, 45+, is enumerated in Pittsylvania County in 1820 and, again in 1830, when she is 80-89 years old, so born 1740-1750. She is living next to William Mahon, only two doors away from Pleasant Mahon and 14 homes away from Doctor Mahon, who is living next door to his Lansford in-laws in 1820.

So, Thomas Mahon also disappeared from Amherst County in 1796 and apparently owned no land there.

By 1798, Thomas appears alone on the Pittsylvania County tax rolls. John never shows up, except for possibly being the John Sr. listed in 1807, although there is no John Jr. on the list, nor does Agnes even though she is listed in the 1820 and 1830 censuses. She apparently didn’t own land and perhaps was exempt from taxes due to her advanced age.

In terms of sorting out, or connecting the various Mahon men together, the most fruitful years are, in fact, 1806 and 1807, when Pleasant, Plyant, Thomas, James and Doctor are found in 1806 and Pleasant, Thomas John Sr., Doctor and James are listed in 1807.

What conclusions can be drawn from all this somewhat miscellaneous data in terms of identifying possible parents for Pleasant Mahon?

First, I think both Revolutionary War stories told in Part 1 of this rabbit hold adventure have been debunked. There is no record that supports a birth year as early as 1759 for Thomas Mahon and there is no service record to be found for him in Virginia.

Second, while the preponderance of evidence is pointing to John and Agnes Mahon being the parents of these Mahon men, given that he appears in the Amherst County tax lists beginning in 1791 and he sold land there in 1795, he obviously wasn’t shot and killed by British soldiers during the American Revolution for his silver buckles or anything else!

Finally, who do I believe are the parents of Pleasant Mahon? Given the rarity of the surname in Virginia at the time, the somewhat unique given names in this family and the fact that between two and seven Mahons are found living near each other in three counties – Amherst, Campbell and Pittsylvania – I believe that John and Agnes (maiden name unknown) Mahon were the parents of Pleasant Mahon. One of the strongest clues is that widow Agnes Mahon lived only two doors away from Pleasant in 1820.

What do you think? Is the preponderance of evidence strong enough?

Mahon

Rabbit Hole #3: Clues to the Parents of Pleasant Mahon (c1780-1841), Pittsylvania County, VA, Part 1

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Rabbit holes seem to be a good fit with this busy time of year. Shallow enough to spend some genealogy time but just deep enough to ferret out a few clues in the lives of the ancestors.

Pleasant Mahon was born c1780, reportedly in Virginia, although the died in the decade before the 1850 census so never personally reported his place of birth in that record.

He married Mary Williams, daughter of Matthias Williams, the Revolutionary War soldier, on 20 February 1802 in Campbell County, Virginia.

I’ve never added parents to Pleas, as he was known, in the family, mainly because there is so much undocumented family lore that has accumulated by Mahon descendants.

Checking for online trees is enough to give the reader a migraine. His reputed father and mother have been blessed with multiple names – none with even a hint of a proven source.

Pleasant Mahon is sometimes attributed to be the son of Thomas Mahon and Elizabeth Johnson, other times of John Mahon. It is further said that Thomas was the son of one “Jane Agnes Byrd Dial who married John Mahon, who was shot and killed by British soldiers during the Revolutionary War because they wanted the silver buckles on his pants and shoes. The origin of this tale is an unnamed great grandson. Thomas then raised his siblings before he married and had his own family. The only place mentioned as home, until many left for Fayette County, Illinois c1835, is Pittsylvania County.

So, what can be gleaned of the extant records for the 1700s? Let’s begin with the documents concerning Pleasant Mahon’s life.

With the loss of the early Virginia census records, Pleasant only appears in the 1820, 1830 and 1840 census records, where his age is reported as 45+ and then born 1770-1780 and, again, 1770-1780. His given name is mis-indexed in every census – first as ‘Pharietta,” then as ‘Thomas’ (although careful reading shows it does say Pleasant) and, finally, as ‘Slearant.’ Those census reports support a birth year of the late 1770s to 1780.

His 1802 marriage record in Campbell County, Virginia indicates he was of legal age, so again, born no later than c1780.

Tax records help fill in some of the blanks in Pleasant’s young adulthood, but it’s necessary to begin introducing the other Mahons because they were a somewhat mobile family, at least in Virginia.

Because Pleasant married in 1802 in Campbell County, I began there. In 1802, the only Mahon is Pliant Mohon, with one male 16+. In 1803, however, we find three men listed together – Pleasant, one male 16+, Dennis, one male 16+ and one horse and Pliant, one male 16+.

It is claimed that these three men are brothers. Pleas married in 1802, Dennis married Susanna Neal on 11 March 1805. Dennis and Susanna were living in Butler County, Kentucky in 1850. He was 74 years old, so born c1776 in Virginia. No marriage record has been found for Pliant, but in 1850, he lived in Logan County, Virginia (now WV), aged 72, wife wife Ann, 63, and four inferred daughters, Aggy, 28, Sarah, 25, Elizabeth, 22, and Nancy D., 13. James Mahon, 34, and his family lived next door.

Back to Pleasant – by 1804, he is no longer in Campbell County. However, neither is Pliant. Instead, Barnett Mohon appears, with one male 16+ listed next to Dennis Mohon, with one male 16+ and one horse.

In fact, I haven’t found Pleasant Mahon on any tax list in any county in 1804, but the 1804 list for Pittsylvania County is missing. I suspect that Pleas moved there.

Barnett was still living as late as 1860, aged 88 years, so born c1772.

So far, we have four men, all close in age:

  • Barnett Mahon, born c1772
  • Dennis Mahon, born c1776
  • Pliant Mahon, born c1778
  • Pleasant Mahon, born c1780

By 1805, only Barnett remained in Campbell County. However, there are three Mahon men in Pittsylvania County, but, first, we need to back up to 1799 in Pittsylvania County.

Between 1799-1803, Thomas Mahon appears in every tax list in Pittsylvania County, but he is the only man of that surname listed.

In 1805, there are three Mahons on the Pittsylvania tax list: Thomas, Pleasant and Plyant Mahon, all visited by the taxman on 17 July.

The list was a bit longer in 1806 as we now find Pleasant, Plyant, Thomas, James and Doctor (his first name, not his occupation.) We’ve already met and identified Pleas and Plyant, but need more information about Thomas, James and Doctor.

Doctor Mahon married Dolly Lansford on 4 December 1810 in Pittsylvania County. In 1850, they lived in Fayette County, Illinois and was 68 eyars old, so born c1782 in Virginia. We can now add another man to our list of early Mahon men.

  • Barnett Mahon, born c1772
  • Dennis Mahon, born c1776
  • Pliant Mahon, born c1778
  • Pleasant Mahon, born c1780
  • Doctor Mahon, born c1782

To glean more information about Thomas and James, let’s look at marriage records. Thomas Mahon married Elizabeth Johnson on 16 February 1795 in Amherst County, Virginia. Let’s say he married when he was 21 years old, so born c1774. James Mahon married Mary Nowlin on 2 March 1795, but in Pittsylvania County. If James was about 21 when he married, then he was also born c1774. The 1770s are getting quite crowded now for Mahon births.

We now have seven Mahon men, all close in age:

  • Barnett Mahon, born c1772
  • Thomas Mahon, born c1774
  • James Mahon, born c1774
  • Dennis Mahon, born c1776
  • Pliant Mahon, born c1778
  • Pleasant Mahon, born c1780
  • Doctor Mahon, born c1782

James Mahon appears in the Pittsylvania County tax lists from 1806 to 1810, when he is listed as ‘James & Doctor’ Mahon, which seems to indicate they were living in the same household. James then disappears from all records. He isn’t found in the 1820 census either and there are no land deeds indicating he bought or sold any land. What became of James and wife Mary is unknown.

The Mahon story gets a bit more complicated and will be covered in Part 2.

Mahon

Lawsuit Over Estate of Pleasant Mahon, Pittsylvania County, VA 1843

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Pleasant Mahon is part of an extended Mahon family that settled in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in the late 1700s. Sorting out the various family members isn’t easy because of the usual problems – the surname can be spelled Mahon, Mahone or Mahan and not all of them are related, children’s given names are repeated in various branches of the family and the Mahons not only intermarried, they removed from Virginia in large family groups and settled in Missouri and Illinois. Add to that that they lived in that black hole time period after the Revolutionary War and before the 1850 census AND there were no birth or death records kept, the problems in correcting identifying people are evident.

In the case of Pleasant Mahon’s family, there was a lawsuit filed in Pittsylvania County, Virginia in 1843 by Joseph H. Eanes. This lawsuit not only identifies Pleasant Mahon’s heirs, it also tells us that Pleasant died unexpectedly – either by an accident or a sudden medical issue like a heart attack or stroke – that brought on his death in October 1842 or very early in November 1842.

In October 1842, Joseph states that he and Pleasant came to an agreement for Joseph to purchase a tract of land containing about 330 acres at the headwaters of Cascade Creek in Pittsylvania County. Joseph and Pleasant further made plans to meet “in several days time” to draw out bonds and create a deed of conveyance to seal their deal. However, before they could meet, Pleasant “departed this life.”

All the pages of the lawsuit only number about seven and the suit itself isn’t very interesting. Basically, Joseph Eanes wanted Edmund Mahon, Pleasant’s son and estate administrator, to close the deal and sell him the land. Mr. Eanes stated that the adult heirs of Pleasant Mahon agreed to sell the land, but that there were two infants (children under 21) who were incompetent to agree (becuase they were minors) and the dower rights of widow Polly Mahon had to be considered. He requested that the court decide the matter. The judge ordered Joseph Eanes to make the payments agreed upon and take clear title of the land on 23 August 1844.

Heirs of Pleasant Mahon, 1843

To the Honorable Fleming Saunders Judge of the circuit court of Law and Chancery held for the county of Pittsylvania. —

Humbly complaining your Orator Joseph H. Eanes of the county of
Pittsylvania respectfully represent that in the month of October in the year 1842 your Orator purchased of a certain Pleasant Mahon late of said county a tract of land lying on the head waters of Cascade Creek in the county of Pittsylvania containing three hundred and thirty acres at the price of $737. To be paid in the following manner $450 of the said purchase money to be paid on the 1st day of September 1843, and the residue on the 1st day of September 1844 that at the time of the contract your Orator paid the said Mahon as earnest money one dollar in part of said purchase money and he then and there delivered to your Orator full possession of said tract of land which he has retained from that period.

Your Orator further expressly charges that at the time of the contract aforesaid the said Mahon and your orator agreed to meet in a few days there after to carry into full effect the agreement by executing bonds for the purchase money and making a conveyance by deed of the land aforesaid to your Orator, but before the time arrived for carrying out the premises aforesaid the said Pleasant Mahon departed this life Intestate leaving the following persons his heirs and distributees to wit Edmund Mahon Sally Bullington the wife of Josiah Bullington, Sheppard Mahon, Nancy Garrett the wife of John Garrett, Elizabeth Mahon the wife of Plyant Mahon, Wesley Mahon, Reuben Mahon, Williamson Mahon, Mary Mahon, Jeduthan Mahon and Julia Mahon the children and Polly Mahon the widow and relict of the said Pleasant Mahon decd.

The pages in this file are not numbered. I purchased the copies from the Pittsylvania County Clerk.

From this, the family of Pleasant Mahon and Mary (Polly) Williams Mahon can be constructed. Pleasant Mahon is said to be the son of Thomas Mahon and Susan Johnson. Mary is the daughter of Matthias Williams and Sarah Butler.

Children:

1. Edmund, born c1802, Virginia; died 1875; Henry County, Virginia; married Mary Casey, 29 January 1828, Henry County, Virginia. She was born c1810; died 1880.
2. Sarah Jane, born c1804, Virginia; died after 1880, probably Putname County, Tennessee; married Josiah Bullington, 2 December 1822, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was born c1801; died after 1870, probably Putnam County, Tennessee.
3. Shepherd, born 14 March 1807, Virginia; died 5 September 1843, Osage County, Missouri; married Nancy Griggs, 9 December 1832, Pittsylvania County, Virginia
4. Nancy, born c1811, Virginia; died after 1870, probably Henry County, Virginia; married John Garrett, 3 February 1830, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was born c1805; died after 1900, probably Henry County, Virginia.5. Elizabeth, born 8 May 1816, Virginia; died 4 January 1858, Fayette County, Illinois; married Pliant Mahon, 24 January 1834, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was born c1809; died 1868.
6. Wesley, born c1818, Virginia; died 28 February 1885, Fayette County, Illinois; married Mary Godsey, 27 February 1839, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. She was born c1818; died 1904.
7. Williamson, born c1819, Virginia; died between 1866-1870, probably Adams County, Illinois; married Martha Ann Bullington, 20 May 1844, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. She was born c1824; died 1861, when she gave birth or later.
8. Mary, born c1824, Virginia; died after the 1843 lawsuit; no further record
9. Jeduthan, born 26 December 1825, Virginia; died 1 September 1900, Fayette County, Illinois; married Ruth Hoover, 6 November 1850, Fayette County, Illinois. She was born c1832; died 1912.
10. Julia, born 17 December 1826, Virginia; died 8 March 1881, henry County, Virginia; married Stephen L. Martin, 19 October 1846, Pittsylvania County, Virginia. He was born c1825; died after 1900.

Pleasant and Polly Mahon have many descendants to day. If you are one of them and would like the few pages pertaining to this lawsuit, please contact me.