The Children and Grandchildren of George Sargent

This page is under construction - it still needs to be edited and fact checked

The Children and Grandchildren of Our Ancestor George Sargent of Frederick County, Maryland

A Page Dedicated to Determining Who They were

As described in an adjoining page just about our patriarch ancestor George Sargent of Frederick County Maryland and his possible ancestry, George Sargent (also spelled Sargeant, Sergeant, and Sergent) was first shown in a record ca 1776 when he was listed with a Maryland military regiment.

That page tackled the issue of what we know about the life of George Sargent and the “brick wall” of his ancestry. This page tackles the issue of who George’s descendants were in the first two generations after him. Both pages go hand in hand with a much longer text document that records every piece of information about the Sargent family members of these early generations, a document that I am not posting, but would share with interested Sargent researchers.

Every known child of George’s but one moved to the Knox County Ohio area ca 1815. That one child who remained behind, Jacob Sargent, is not shown in a record past 1816, the year after the rest of his family moved to Ohio. It is likely he died in this period, whether in Maryland or Ohio.

I descend from Barbara Sargent, George’s likely oldest child, who married Nathaniel Kinney and had nine children (one of whom was my third great-grandfather David Kinney) – most born in Maryland, but the last two born in Knox County Ohio after the family was part of the movement to Ohio. I have not included Nathaniel and Barbara and their children on this page, as I have done extensive research and know who their children were.

This page relies on census records to establish the children of the original George – and assign over twenty possible grandchildren of George – along with determining birth years and birth order. The challenge is that the Sargents of this period seem to have not owned much land, left almost no probate records, and had limited presence in tax and other records. It leaves this researcher a limited number of records and circumstantial evidence to try to piece the family together.

The Process To Figure Things Out

This page will attempt to ascertain George Sargent’s children and his grandchildren, using census entries and any other records I can find to identify the children of George and then attach Sargents of the next generation to each of them. Some of these are a guess – but it is surprising given the absence of probates and other definitive records – how many can be attached with some certainty. The problem really appears to be in attaching children to the likely sons of George – James and George Jr. – in early Knox County, Ohio - although at least one of the George Sargent daughters also presents a challenge in determining her children. This page will walk through all the known facts and how I got to the suggested family links.

I will begin with George the patriarch, go through each of his possible children, and then compile a list of the Sargents of the next generation shown in Ohio at the right time. Working from that list, I will try to either attach each one to a Sargent parent, or present facts as to why there is not evidence to tie them to one of our lines. There are still a few that cannot be placed into one of our families, but there’s a chance none of them actually belong in our family.

Starting With George Sargent

George Sargent – first known Sargent of our Line. George is the patriarch of our Sargent line, and his life is described in great detail in the adjoining page about him and the search for his ancestry. That page also details the process of determining who his children were, based on the fact that the other Sargents left Frederick County ca 1796 - and almost any record of a Sargent after that time is a record of someone related to our George.

Just below is recounted information about George that points to his family - so I can address the next question of who his grandchildren were. The central records in this process are the two census entries of 1790 and 1800, which give us a sense of the number of his children and their age ranges, and the census entry of George’s son Jacob for 1810 - the only Sargent in Frederick County in that census. That entry likely contains George’s widow Catherine, and some of the remaining Sargent children too young to be out on their own.

George was in a militia unit in 1776 in Frederick County, which generally required a man to be eighteen years of age. If George was eighteen by this year – it would place his birth year at 1758 or before. This is consistent with the 1800 census - which places his birth at 1755 or before.

George was enumerated in the 1790 and 1800 censuses in Frederick County, and was dead by 1803 when his son George was apprenticed as an “orphan”. Unrelated Sargents left Frederick County for Kentucky and then Ohio ca 1796 – which allows us to attach any Sargent in that County after that year to George. There appears to be no record for a Sargent in Frederick County after all of them went to Ohio ca 1815, except for the last known record for Jacob Sargent in 1816.

The two census entries for our George follow:

The 1790 Frederick County census for George Sargent, shown below. George was shown with one man over sixteen, two men under sixteen, and five women. (Based on my research, this would be George, and two of his three sons Jacob, James, and George; and the five women would be George’s wife Catherine, and daughters Barbara, Catherine, Elizabeth, and a fifth woman.)

The 1800 Frederick County census entry for George Sergent, shown below. George’s entry, in Liberty Township, shows one man over the age of forty-five (George); one woman between the ages of twenty-six and forty-five (George’s wife); one man and one woman between the ages of sixteen and twenty-six (Jacob and ?); one male between the ages of ten and sixteen (George Jr.); and one male and two females under the age of ten (James?, and Catherine and Elizabeth).

George Sargent Jr. was shown as an orphan in August 1803, which means that George had died by then. George and Catherine are in an 1801 deed, and there is one child, Hannah, who quite likely was born after the 1800 census, and obviously before George Sr.’s death. A second daughter, Nancy, was shown as born ca 1800, and given the listing, was probably also born after the 1800 census.

There one listing for a Sargent in Frederick County in the Maryland 1810 census, for J. Sergant, is shown below. It is likely of our Sargent family, and includes a woman of the age to be George’s widow. There are entries for P. Strine and W. West in Frederick County in 1810, and they are likely the entries of men who married Sargent daughters. That means that the entry of J. (appears to be Serjant), which is posted below, may include George’s widow and a few of the George Sargent children still young enough to not be on their own. The J. Sergant entry includes: one woman over the age of forty-five (George’s widow Catherine); two men and one woman between the ages of twenty-six and forty-five; two women and one man between the ages of sixteen and twenty-six; and one girl between the ages of ten and sixteen. It is quite likely that the woman over the age of forty-five is Catherine Sargent, so I have listed her in the family records file as died after 1810.

Probable Ages and Order of George’s Children

Based on these census records, it appears that George had eight children that can be identified by name. There is a possible ninth child, a woman born before 1784 – but for whom there appears to be no record listing her by name. The adjoining page examines how we got to the identification of the children below.

Barbara appears to be the oldest known child, born ca 1775-80. Jacob was first married in 1804, but was never clearly shown in a census, so he was probably older than George Jr., born ca 1782-86. The apprentice record determines that George Jr. was born in May 1787. James Sargent was born between 1780 and 1790, but there was an older son than James – so I will list George Jr. as the older of the two. Both the 1790 and 1800 censuses for George Sr. hint that James was born after 1790. Catherine Sargeant (Strine) was born between 1786-1790. Elizabeth Sargent (West) was born ca 1790, probably in time for the 1790 census. Nancy Sargeant (Kirby) was born ca 1800. Hannah Sargent (Lett) was born ca 1800 as well – both appearing to have been born after the 1800 census was taken. Jno. Sargent, probably not a child, will nevertheless be listed with this generation after everyone else – he would have been born ca 1790. There appears to be an older unidentified woman (daughter) in the 1790 and 1800 census listings.

This would place the following birth order for the purposes of considering George’s family: 1) Barbara; 2) Jacob; 3) George; 4) Catherine; 5) Elizabeth; 6) James; 7) Nancy; and 8) Hannah – with a possible unidentified additional daughter about the age of Jacob.

Census Entries of George’s Children and sons-in-law

1810 Frederick County – J. Sargent - J. (appears to be Serjant) includes: one woman over the age of forty-five; two men and one woman between the ages of twenty-six and forty-five; two women and one man between the ages of sixteen and twenty-six; and one girl between the ages of ten and sixteen. This entry is posted above, as it likely contains George’s widow Catherine and the children who were not of age to have left home by 1810.

1810 William West (Elizabeth Sargent) – Frederick County census entry showing one woman over forty-five, one man and one woman each between twenty-six and forty-five, one woman between sixteen and twenty-six, and two boys between ten and sixteen. There is no sure indication that this is the William West who married Elizabeth Sargent. However, it is the only W. or William West in Frederick County after the 1805 marriage.

1820 James Sargent – shown in Wayne Township, Knox County census with one man between twenty-six and forty-five, one female between twenty-six and forty-five, and three females under ten.

1820 George Sergeant – shown in Pike Township in the Knox County census, with one man and one woman each between the ages of twenty-six and forty-five, one boy ten to sixteen, two boys and one girl under the age of ten.

1820 William West – shown in Wayne Township in the Knox County census with one man and one woman each between twenty-six and forty five, two boys and one girl between ten and sixteen, three boys and one girl under the age of ten.

1820 Peter Strine – shown in Wayne Township, Knox County Ohio with one man and one woman between twenty-six and forty-five, one woman between sixteen and twenty-six, one man under the age of ten.

1830 William West – In Richland County, Perry Township, shows one man between forty and fifty, one woman between thirty and forty, and one woman between twenty and thirty; one woman and two men between ten and fifteen; and one woman and one man between the ages of five to ten.

1830 James Sergeant – In Jefferson Township, Richland County, Ohio – one line above James Welsh is James with one man and woman each between forty and fifty, one woman between fifteen and twenty, one woman between ten and fifteen, one boy and one girl each between five and ten, and one boy under the age of five.

1830 George Sergent – Shown in Morris Township, Knox County, Ohio with one male between forty and fifty; one female between the ages of thirty and forty; one male between twenty and thirty; one male between fifteen and twenty; two boys and one girl between the ages of ten and fifteen; one girl between the ages of five and ten; and one boy under the age of five.

1830 Peter Strine- Shown in Jefferson Township, Richland County, with one man between forty and fifty, and one woman between sixty and seventy.

1840 Sarah Sargeant – Shown in Knox County, Morris Township, with one woman between the ages of eighty and ninety; one woman between the ages of fifty and sixty; one woman between the ages of fifteen and twenty; one boy between ten and fifteen, and two girls between the ages of five and ten. [A record shown in the mid 1820’s in Knox County places George and his wife Sarah together.]

1840 Peter Strine – Shown in Richland County, no township listed, with one man between fifty and sixty, and one woman between thirty and forty.

1850 William West - In Franklin Township, Fulton County, Wm. West, 61, Elizabeth West, 60, he being a farmer and both of them being born in Maryland. With them is Anna Sargent, 20, born in Ohio.

1850 Peter Strine – He is shown in Jefferson Township, Richland County with Peter Strine, 64, laborer born in Ohio and Betsy Strine, 50, also born in Ohio.

1860 Peter Strine – He is shown in Jefferson Township, Richland County, by himself, age 72, born in Maryland. There is a Mrs. Strine shown in the 1860 mortality census for Richland County, showing she died in November 1859, was 68 and born in Maryland.

Unattached Sargeants

There were twenty-one unattached Sargeants that married in Knox County (or nearby) prior to 1850, or were shown in the 1850 or 1860 census with or near with family members – and thereforre are candidates to be connected to our lines, and are listed below.

James and George Sargeant (and George’s widow Sarah) had fifteen children listed between them in the censuses from 1820 to 1840. A couple of them look like they could have died before the next census – or were married or otherwise out of the house before then. There is a chance that a few of these Sargents were from other families or other Sargeants – such as Jacob, who does not show up in Maryland after 1816 or so. There are a few that are clearly in James or George’s families, because there is no other Sargeant of their age to match to the census entries. I have listed the twenty-one below, ordered in their approximate birth year. The oldest three could have been children of George and siblings of George, James, Elizabeth (West), or Catherine (Strine) – leaving eighteen possible Sargents to fit the fifteen indicated as children of James and George:

Probable/Possible Children of George (3), of the twenty-one unattached Sargents listed as such in my notes:

1790 – John (Jno.) Sargant – listed in 1860 census in Knox County, 70, born in Pennsylvania, a pauper. (no obvious connection)

Ca 1800 – Nancy Sergeant (Curby – Kirby) – married William Curby in Knox County OH in August, 1819. Of the age to be a daughter of George. Shown in 1860 census to have been born in 1804. Not right, given the marriage date. 1850 shows her born in Maryland, 1860 in Ohio. (likely daughter of George Sr.)

Ca 1800 – Hannah Sargent – married Henry Lett in Knox County in December, 1820. Hannah is shown in the 1850 census as born ca 1800 in Maryland. (Likely daughter of George Sr.)

Sargents of the age to be possible children of James, George, or other Sargeants (18), of the twenty-one unattached Sargents listed in my notes:

1809 – James Sargent – born on May 16, 1809 in Maryland, married Sarah Berk in March 1835, died in Knox County in November 1882. (now shown with George Jr.)

Ca 1812 – Jacob Sergeant – born ca 1812 in Maryland, married Nancy Piatt in Richland County, Ohio in 1834, died in Richland County in 1867. (now shown with George Jr.)

1813 – Mary Sargent (McDaniels/Newland) – Mary Sargent was supposedly born October 16, 1813 in Maryland. She married James McDaniel in Knox County in August, 1829, and appears to have remarried Garret Newland in August 1837, also in Knox County. She moved to Iowa in the 1850’s and reportedly died there in 1884.(shown with James)

1815 – George Sargant – shown in 1860 in Knox County, Jackson Township, shown as born ca 1815 in Ohio. (not sure if from our Sargent lines any more – not placed with one)

1816 – Alfred Sargent – born about April 1816, married Betsy Shapter in June 1844, and died in Knox County in 1849. Lists as heirs were his widow Elizabeth (Betsy) and James, Jacob, George W., Independence, Mary, Hannah, and Rose Ann Sargent; and Ann Hill and Channey (sic) her husband. (now shown with George Jr.)

1818 – Jemima Sargeant (Lafever) – born March 6, 1818, died March 1866, buried in Morrow County. Censuses show her born in Ohio. (Could be either James or George as each had a woman this age in their early census entries, but the only other candidate is Barbara Sargent Welsh, and she had a son named George. So I am listing Jemima with James. Jemima was not listed with the members of George Jr.’s family in the probate of Alfred.)

1818 – Ann Sargent (Hill) – born in Knox County in 1818, married Chauncey Hill in Knox County in 1842, died in September 1896 in Knox County. (attached to George Jr.)

1815-20 – Barbara Sargeant (Welsh) – married Peter Welsh in January 1839 in Knox County, appears to have died in 1848. According to the 1840 census, she was born between 1810 and 1820, probably closer to 1820. Her son was named James, which might be a hint. (will list with James because of the name, and because George seems to have a full house of women this age – as well as the fact that James is listed in one census next to a Welsh. The confusion is that Jemima fits as a person this age with James. Barbara’s 1840 census entry shows her as born between 1820 and 1820. Two things are possible – she is the female in James family born between 1810 and 1815, or the one born between 1820 and 1825 – I have placed her in the 1810 and 1815 slot.)

1818-1822 – Thomas Sargeant – born ca 1818-22 in Ohio, shown married to Nancy Thompson in Knox County in 1841. (Not sure where to place him.)

1821 – George W. Sargent – born 1821 in Ohio, his parents born in Maryland, married in 1842 and 1858 in Knox County, died 1883. Was bond holder at David Kinney’s 1868 probate. (placed with George, possibly through a fluke where in one census George has a son this age and in another he doesn’t – but a George is listed in Alfred’s probate among the siblings)

1823 – Joseph Sargent – possible Sargent relative, shown in Knox County in 1850, born in Ohio ca 1823. His 1880 listing states that his father was born in New Jersey. He has sons Solomon, George, and Alfred. (not sure where to place him)

Ca 1827 – Peter Sargeant – shown in Knox County in 1850, shown as born ca 1827 and in Michigan later. His oldest son was named George with children also named William and Sarah. I now believe that Peter belongs with James Sargent and Elizabeth West. His son George was George Irvin, which is a middle name linked to two other lines – of those I now believe to be his sisters.

1829? – Hannah B. Sargeant – shown Knox County marrying Joseph W. Hubbert (in later records this is Hulbert) on August 14, 1851. Listed in Alfred’s probate. If this were the Hannah above, she would have been about twenty-two at the time of the marriage. Lived her later life in New Jersey. (Placed with George Jr.)

Ca 1830 – Anna Sargent – shown in the 1850 census, at age 20, with her uncle and aunt – The Wests – placing her birth year about 1830. (have not yet placed her with any of our Sargents).

1825-1833 – Possible brothers and sisters of Ann Sargent Hill – Next door to Ann and Chauncey Hill in the 1850 census in Morris Township in Knox County were J. Sargeant, 23, shoemaker, Rosanna, 25, Hannah, 21, and Mary, 17, all born in Ohio. (All of these, some of them who are shown individually in this list – are attached to George.)

Ca 1831 – L. M. Sargeant – born ca 1831 in Ohio, shown in the 1850 census in College Township, Knox County. (not placed with our Sargents at this point.)

1833 – Mary Sargent – born in Knox County in 1833 (matches the Mary above), married Isaiah McNare in 1852, died in 1867. Her four children were Ida, Anna, Chancey H., and Mary Blanche. The child Chancey H., which likely stands for Chancey Hill, married to Ann Sargent – seems to tie this Mary to Ann. (placed with George Jr.)

Trying to Attach George’s children to his grandchildren, listed in birth order of George’s children

Barbara Sargent/Nathaniel Kinney – First identified child of George Sr. There were nine children for them, and I have fairly clearly identified eight. Those nine are listed in a biography of one of Nathaniel and Barbara’s children, and in birth order are: I cannot yet find records for the ninth child, Mary Kinney.

Jacob Sargent – Second identified child of George Sr. There is no record that shows children with either of his wives. It is quite possible he had some, but there is just no record at this point. This could be a way that some of the Sargents fit in. If he died in Frederick County about the time all the Sargents came to Knox County, any children could have just come with them and not have been clearly tied to him because there is no apparent probate. Then again, his wife left him ca 1816. If there were children, would they have gone with her?)

George Sergeant – Third identified child of George Sr. Taking the 1820 entry together with George Sargent’s 1830 entry and Sarah Sargent’s 1840 entry postulates the following children:

One male born between 1804 and 1810. – James Sargent, born 1809 Maryland

One male born between 1810 and 1815. – Jacob Sargent, born 1812, Maryland

Two males born between 1815 and 1820. – Alfred Sargent. Born 1816, likely Ohio.

– the second one not listed in 1820 – the second would be George W., which would round out Alfred’s probate – only “Independence” was missing.

One female born between 1815 and 1820. – Ann Sargent (Hill), born 1818.

One female born between 1820 and 1825. Rosanna Sargent (King), born ca 1824/25.

One male born between 1825 and 1830. J. Sargent, born ca 1827

Two females born between 1830 and 1835. Hannah (Hubbert), born ca 1829, Mary Sargent (McNare), born ca 1833.

Also based on these entries, George was born between 1780 and 1790, and his indenture in 1803 indicates he was born in May 1787. If the entries were accurate, and he and Sarah were who was shown in 1820, 1830, and then in her 1840 entry, Sarah’s age is confusing. She is shown as born before 1794 in 1820; between 1790 and 1800 in 1830; and between 1780 and 1790 in 1840. Given the fact that a child was born by 1810, her birth year was probably ca 1790.

Peter Strine/Catherine Sargent – Catherine was the fourth identified child of George Sr. Taking Peter Strine’s entries together, it postulates the following children:

One male born between 1810 and 1820.

Also based on these entries, Peter was probably born in the 1786-1788 period. His wife Catherine appears to have died between 1820 and 1830 – and her age based on the 1820 census was in the 1775-1794 period. Given Peter’s age, and the age of the child that was with them in the 1820 census, she was probably born in the 1786-1792 period.

William West/Elizabeth Sargent – Elizabeth was the fifth identified child of George Sr. Taking the William West entries together, it postulates children of the following ages:

Two males born between 1804 and 1810. George West is a like one of these two males, and Suzanne, was born during this period in 1809.

One female born between 1815 and 1820. Catherine ? born 1812.

One male born between 1810 and 1820. Joshua Wesley West, born 1814.

Two males born between 1815 and 1820.

One male born between 1820 and 1825. Jacob West, b. 1821.

One female born between 1820 and 1825. Margaret Ann, b. 1823.

Shelly Evilsizor shows give children – Susanne b. 1809; Catherine, born 1812 died Aug 30 1855 in Fulton Co OH; Joshua Wesley West, born May 14 1814 and died July 21, 1862 in Keokuk, Iowa; Jacob West, born 1821 died April 27, 1896 in Michigan; and Margaret Ann, born 1823 and died 1907, Hillsdale Co, MI.

Also, based on all the entries, William was born in the late 1780’s and his wife born ca 1790.

James Sargent – The sixth identified child of George Sr. [Taking the 1820 and 1830 entries together for James Sargent’s, postulates the following children:

One female born between 1810 and 1820. Probably Mary Sargeant McDaniels/Newland, born ca 1813 (She was married by 1829, which is why she was in 1820 but not 1830)

One female born between 1810 and 1815. Barbara Sargent Welsh (theoretically born 1815-1820), she was married 1839, shown in the 1840 census to have been born between 1810 and 1820, and could have been the daughter born between 1810 and 1815.

One female born between 1815 and 1820. Jemima Sargent LaFever, born 1818

One female born between 1820 and 1825.

One male born between 1820 and 1825.

One male born between 1825 and 1830. I now believe this is Peter Sargent – who had the name of Irwin in one of his children, a name that shows up with two of the sisters above.

(children attached at end of sheet)

Also based on these entries, James was born between 1780 and 1790. In the 1820 entry it appears that his wife was born in the decade prior to 1794. By 1830, she appears to have died.]

William Kirby/Nancy Sargent – Nancy was the seventh identified child of George Sr. Taking their census entries together, it postulates children of the following age:

One female born between 1819 and 1820.

Two males born between 1820 and 1825.

One male born between 1825 and 1830.

One male born between 1830 and 1835. Thompson, shown with them at age 15 in 1850.

Based on four censuses 1850 and after, William was born ca 1798, and Nancy was born in the 1800-1803 range.

[NOTE: My subsequent work on the Kirby’s, and some documents from descendants, indicate that Mary “Polly” Kirby was the first female born; James and Emerson were the two males born between 1820 and 1825; Thompson was born between 1830 and 1835; I have not identified a fifth child – the male listed between 1825 and 1830 – in this family. Complete details are in the Sargent notes.]

Henry Lett/Hannah Sargent – Hannah was the eighth identified child of George Sr. Taking their census entries together, it postulates children of the following age:

One male born between the 1815 and 1820 (before they were married.)

Two males born between 1820 and 1825;

Two females born between 1825 and 1830.

One female born between 1830 and 1835.(Jane)

One female born between 1835 and 1840.(Catherine, maybe Mary?)

One male born ca 1845. (Alfred)

[NOTE: Since I did this sheet, I was able to find a probate for Henry that named his children. That places William and George as the two males born between 1820 and 1825; and Arminda as one of the two females born between 1825 and 1830. A full explanation is in the Sargent text notes.]

Census entries are very conflicting on the ages of Henry and Hannah. It is likely that Henry was born ca 1790 and Hannah after 1800, but every census entry seems to conflict with the next. Given the child born between 1815 and 1820 – and Henry likely being older than Hannah, it is possible he was married before Hannah.

Summary

I feel relatively certain about the eight identified children of the family patriarch George Sargent. With regard to the Sargent children of the third generation, I feel relatively good about the assignment to various parents. Such strong reliance on census entries, when there are known to be errors and variations is both good and bad with regard to figuring it out – as it allows for some children of a slightly different age category to be assigned, but may allow for something to be missed.

I still have work to do on the families of the Sargent daughters of the second generation – and their children with husbands of another name. But this entire exercise provides a framework – and gives a place for other researchers to argue or accept, and see if there are facts not now in evidence that might confirm or alter it a little – or allow the researchers to argue that there might be a different way to interpret the facts in evidence than I have. But given that there are no probates or published books on this family and line – it moves the debate up a notch going forward by having a way to look at the probably family relationships.

Updated and Posted - January 2022