Follow this link to see  photos of many of those listed.

William Batson Sr. was born 1785 to 1795. William’s birthplace is uncertain, (I will update this information as it becomes available to me). William’s parents are unknown at this time but some speculate William Batson’s father might be Mordecai Batson born about 1773 in North Carolina.

Mordecai was living in Bourbon Co. Kentucky in 1800 and 1810; there was also a Jonathan and a Robert Batson living there in 1810 & 1820. Both Jonathan and Mordecai were living in Indiana; Jonathan was in Knox Co. and Mordecai in Sullivan, in 1830. Jonathan was the only one living in Sullivan Co. Indiana; there were 4 Batson's living in Henry Co. Indiana.  Supposedly William Batson came from Ohio according to the History of Wayne & Clay Counties Illinois, he could have been born in Kentucky and then went to Ohio and then to Illinois. The basis of this assumption is his sister Mary married in Ross Co. Ohio.

(My cousin Loranna Gray supplied some of the information above. Thanks Loranna!)

Note: The death certificate of William’ son, William M. Batson, lists his fathers birthplace as Virginia. This information is not 100% reliable as is given “third party” and has not been proven to be correct or incorrect.

The one known sibling of William is Mary Batson who married James Huston, but…in plotting the land purchase of 1835 in Leech Twp, close to Wabash Village, I find a John Batson who purchased directly next to William. Further investigating is necessary but I have a strong suspicion John is a brother to William & Mary.

December 20^th, 1818 in Edwards County, IL. William Batson married Nancy Skinner, daughter of Benjamin Skinner and Charity Davis.  The 1820, 1830 census list William as living in the Massilon Township of Wayne County, IL.

October 4^th, 1819 Rebecca Batson was born. In Wayne County on June 8^th, 1837 Rebecca married Leander Melrose, son of William Melrose Sr and Elizabeth Deputy. They were the parents of two children, Christina and Gibson. Rebecca died June 6^th, 1845 and is buried in the Bethel Cemetery in Wayne County.

In 1822 son Benjamin Batson was born in Wayne County.  In 1848 he married Maria Melrose in White County. Maria gave birth to 14 children, Laura J, Rose Elizabeth, Emma, Elizabeth, William Marshall, Charles Melrose, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel L, John Davis and 5 who died as infants. Benjamin was listed in the census records as being a cabinetmaker. Maria Melrose died in 1879 and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Grayville, Wayne Co, IL.

Benjamin then married Catherine Dugan. Benjamin died 1898 and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Grayville.

March 24^th, 1823 daughter Mary Batson was born in Wayne County. Mary married Felix Warren Harvey on August 24^th, 1841. They were the parents of 4 children, John, Arabella, Araminta and Felix Warren Jr. The 1850 census lists Nancy Jane Batson, sister of Mary Batson as living within the household. Another child as yet not connected with the family, but most obviously she is somehow, Hester A. Batson age 3.  I will explain my conclusions at the end of this timeline. Felix Warren Harvey Sr. died March 5^th, 1857 and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Grayville. Mary did not re-marry; she died April 8^th, 1918 and also is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Grayville.

October 30^th, 1825 William M. Batson was born in White County, IL. For a much more detailed history of son William M. Batson, (my G.G.G.Grandfather) please follow the link.

 The articles written in “History of Leech Township” and “Edwards County Illinois 1814-1980 (listed below), differ a bit on William Sr. being in White County at this time, but I will use the information I have from William M. Batson’s death certificate until proven otherwise for my timeline.

In 1827 the sister of William Sr., Mary Batson Huston died (husband James had died in 1821). It is proposed William Batson was made the guardian of their children. Mary and James Huston are reported to have 8 children, Rebecca, John, Elizabeth, Jane, Sarah, Andrew H, Isaac and Charles F. Studying the census records, there is evidence of their being only 2 additional children unaccounted for in the early years, (early census does not list names), and later none show to be living with the family.

October 14^th, 1829 Elizabeth the fifth-born child of the family was born in Wayne County. On September 10^th, 1846 in Wayne County, she married Leander Melrose. (Elizabeth’s sister Rebecca, wife of Leander, had died the year before). Elizabeth helped raise the children of her sister and also bore one child of her own, Elzira. Leander died April 8^th, 1872 and Elizabeth on November 10^th, 1915. Both are buried in the Bethel Cemetery, Wayne County, IL.

1831 William was in Captain Solomon Hunter’s Company during the Black Hawk War. For full listing of Capt. Hunter’s Regiment click on this link.

August 27^th, 1833 Clarissa C. (Kitty) Batson was born in Wayne County. June 7^th, 1855 she married Mason Patterson. They were parents of one known child, Sofia. In the 1860 census John Harvey Batson, the eldest child of Mary Batson and Felix Warren Harvey is living with them. Listed, as a servant is Esther Batson, age 12, born in IL. (More on Esther/Hester below). Clarissa died December 8^th, 1921 and is buried in the Oak Grove Cemetery, in Grayville.

1835 the William Batson Sr. family is living in Edwards County next door to the Skinner family, refer to the land map.

August 9^th, 1839 the last confirmed child of William and Nancy Batson was born, Nancy Jane. The 1850 census finds Nancy Jane living with her sister, Mary Batson Harvey. Nancy Jane never married; she worked as a dressmaker and lived with her sister until Mary passed away. I believe Nancy Jane continued to live in the home of her sister Mary, until Nancy Jane passed away as well.

William Batson Sr. is said to have died in 1844. Nancy Skinner Batson I believe died between 1840 -1850, as I am unable to locate her on the 1850 census.  I have not been able to locate either of their graves.

Hester/Esther A. Batson, (for the sake of simplification I will use the name Hester) the child listed in both the 1860 and 1870 census with the last name of Batson is a major puzzlement as to her connection. I have come up with several scenarios but all seem to have a flaw. One might first think she is the daughter of Nancy Jane, the unmarried spinster, and that is a possibility though doubtful.  If it were the case, Nancy would have been only 8 when Hester was born!

Another scenario might be, she is a child of Nancy Skinner Batson. The flaw here is William had died in 1844 per several articles listed below, (whose accuracy I question, often times one incorrect bit of information is repeated over and over until it is considered a fact). I am of the opinion William did not die until about 1846-47. It would then be possible he was the father and it would make sense her last name being Batson. Nancy Jane and Hester (the two youngest children of William and Nancy, in this scenario) went to live with their eldest sister after their mother Nancy died (1847-1850), possibly giving birth to Hester. Nancy stayed with Mary Batson Huston throughout her life, while Hester moved in with her sister Clarissa and husband Mason Patterson. I do not yet have a copy of the 1870 census, but I imagine Hester age 22 might very well have been married by this time.

Of course this is just conjecturing on my part, and certainly cannot be considered fact! There are several bits of information, which can either prove or disprove my theory. Concrete evidence of the date of William and Nancy’s death, or some sort of documentation listing the names of Hester’s parents would do wonders to clear up this quandary.

Captain Solomon Hunter's Company

For full listing of Capt. Hunter’s Regiment click on this link.

Transcribed from the “Black Hawk Records”,

Pages 334-337, held in the Illinois State Archives

Of Third Regiment Second Brigade of Illinois Mounted Volunteers, called into the service of the United States on the requisition of Gen. Atkinson, by the Governor's proclamation dated May 15, 1832.  This company was organized in the county of Edwards May 5, 1832.  Mustered out August 15, 1832, by order of Brigadier-Gen. Atkinson.  Men from Edward County, Illinois are listed above.

Ordered to Dixon’s Ferry July 21st, 1832 since discharged. Those ordered to Dixon’s Ferry are said to have been discharged under Capt. E. Jordan.

Those mustered out in Dixon’s Ferry were listed under the heading of Captain Elias Jordan's Detachment.

William Batson is listed under “remarks”. It shows William to have been discharged to Edwards Co, IL and that he had suffered a loss while in service and the U.S. owed him money.  $4.75 to cover the expense of saddlebags, saddle blankets and 4 shirts lost in service. The original record was written with the money owed in pounds and shillings, but had been transcribed to reflect standard currency.

"Record of events, which may be useful to be noticed:

This company was organized in Edwards Co on the 5th day of May 1832. Mached (sic) according to the Governors order for Henipen June 1st, 1932 was mustered into the service of the United States on the 19th day of June 1832.

Each man of the company furnished six days rations for himself and horse. The officers of said company drew one ration per day in kind, the officers and men about 1/2 bushel of corn as forage during the whole campaign.

The rations drawn by the men in the company for the purpose of traveling home was 12 days to each man of flour bacon and salt.

                                 Written and signed by Capt. Solomon Hunter

                                 Certified by Robt. Anderson, Lt. & Asst. Inr. Genl.

I do have the full copies of these pages and the remarks listed for each of the men (if any noted). If you would like me to do a look-up for you, no problem… just e-mail me from the link below.

Sources of Reference

 “History of Leech Township”,

Pg. 29, By Lelah Allison, 1954

George Merritt from Union Co KY, followed the Harris families here

(Leech Twp) in 1816 and made his home near the Harris homes.

Alexander Campbell came about the same time; he settled in northern White Co. just at the edge of Wayne Co. Later members of the family did settle in Leech. Campbell Hill derived its name from old Uncle Jimmie Campbell. Three other families followed shortly afterwards; Daniel Gray, Clarinda Hooper, and Samuel Slocum all from the south. Western Leech was fast becoming one of the first settled regions in Wayne.

Some neighbors from KY followed but further north to Massilon (twp).

William Baton (Batson) was one; later he moved to Leech and settled just a short distance east of Wabash (village), later called Scottsville. He lived there until his death in 1844.

 “Edwards County, Illinois 1814-1980”, Pg. 223

Regarding Massillon Township:  "William Baston (Batson)

came to Massillon Township as early as 1828, and settled on the west half of

the southwest quarter of Section 34, where he improved a good farm, planted

a large orchard, built a hotel on the road leading from Mt. Carmel to Salem,

and was a progressive man, and valuable citizen generally.  He died in Leech Township about 1844."

“Combined History of Edwards & Wabash Counties, Illinois, 1883” Pg. 140

Sept 17, 1818 a William BASTON (sp?) entered land at Shawneetown Land

Office; Southwest 1/4 of Section 32.

(Source: Combined History, Pg. 206 but this was not proven out with a check of original land sales in IL, so it’s a question).

William Batson was a private in Capt. Solomon Hunter’s Company of Third

Regiment Second Brigade of Illinois Mounted Volunteers during the Black Hawk War. The company organized in Edwards County May 1832, mustered out August 1832.