HAMPTON, JAMES P.
, was born April 17, 1787, in the vicinity of Hampton Roads, Va. In 1790 his parents crossed the Alleghany mountains, and embarking in boats, at Pittsburg, went down the Ohio river. Some families had been massacred a short time before, at Limestone, now Marysville. The Hamptons and their friends intended landing at the same point, but were convinced by the movements of the savages on shore that it would not be safe. They landed further down, and thus saved their lives, but the Indians captured one of their boats with all their stores. Mr. Hampton settled in what became Franklin county, Ky. James P. was a soldier from that county, in the war of 1812-'13, under Gen. Harrison. He was married in 1818, in the adjoining county of Woodford, to Sarah Poindexter, who was born in that county, March 24, 1800. They made their home in Franklin county, four miles from Frankfort, until they had five living children. The family moved to Sangamon county, Ill., arriving Oct., 1829, in what is now Illiopolis township, where they had two living children. Of their seven children--WILLIAM H., born July 17, 1821, in Franklin county, Ky., married April 20, 1843, in Sangamon county, to Mary A. Garvey. They had ten children in Sangamon county--EMILY J., ANNIE M., JAMES W., SURRILDA E., FRANKLIN P., HATTIE; LOUISA died in her eighth year; LAURA, NANCY and ELBIE, the nine living, reside with their parents in Illiopolis township, two miles east of Mechanicsburg.
JAMES M., born about 1823, in Kentucky, died in Sangamon county, July 17, 1845.
JOHN S., born Aug. 29, 1824, in Frankfort, Ky., married in Sangamon county, April 29, 1847, to Nancy C. Garvey. They had eight children born in Sangamon county; one died in infancy. MARY E., born Sept. 6, 1848, married March 26, 1872, to John S. Ford, have one child, HORACE N., and live three miles east of Mechanicsburg, in Illiopolis township. ELIZA F., SUSAN B. and SARAH, live with their parents. CHARLES LINCOLN was drowned while bathing, July 27, 1875. ELEANOR and ARTHUR E. reside with their parents. John S. Hampton had one foot amputated in June, 1875. He has acted as a Justice of the peace many years, and part of the time was engaged in merchandizing. He now--1876--resides in Illiopolis, Illinois.
MARTHA J., born Nov. 23, 1826, in Kentucky, is unmarried, and lives in Illiopolis.
MARY A., born Aug. 29, 1828, in Franklin county, Ky., married in Sangamon county, Aug. 7, 1862, to Simon P. Williams, who was born Sept. 17, 1825, in Tuscarawas county, Ohio. They had two children, ROLLIN E. and RENA A., and Mrs. W. died July 19, 1873. Mr. Williams and his children live in Illiopolis.
PRESTON B., born Jan. 28, 1831--during the "deep snow"--in Sangamon county, married in Mechanicsburg, March 5, 1857, to Dorothy Rankin, who was born March 25, 1832, in York county, Maine, raised in New Hampshire, and came to Mechanicsburg, April, 1855. They have five children, SHERIDAN, ABRAHAM LINCOLN, JOHN LOGAN, FLORA MAY and JAMES GRANT. Preston B. Hampton enlisted Aug. 4, 1862, for three years, in Co. A, 73d Ill. Inf., served until April 18, 1863, when he was discharged on account of physical disability. He resides in Illiopolis township, five miles east of Mechanicsburg, on the farm where his parents settled in 1829, and where he was born.
HARRISON P., born April 2, 1840, in Sangamon county, enlisted Aug. 4, 1862, for three years, in Co. A, 73d Ill. Inf., served to the end of the rehellion, and was honorably discharged with the regiment, June 24, 1865. He was married March 14; 1867, to Mary J. Hunter. They have two children, EBER and CALLIE, and live in Illiopolis.
James P. Hampton died Dec. 15, 1853, and his widow died Jan. 14, 1858, both near Illiopolis, Sangamon county, Illinois.