Mary Robbins and Nathaniel Holt

Mary Ann Robbins married Nathaniel Holt about 1835 or 1836 in Buncombe, North Carolina.  Mary Ann Robbins was born about 1813 in Randolph County, North Carolina to Jonathan Robbins and Mary Masagee.   Mary Robbins' family moved to Yancey County, North Carolina sometime about 1830.  Her mother, Mary Masagee Robbins appeared as a widow on the 1840 census in Yancy County, NC.  In 1850 Nathaniel Holt and his wife Mary Robbins were in Clay County, KY.  Mary Robbins Holt's mother, Mary Robbins was also in Clay County in 1850 living with another daughter Abigail Robbins Ball (mis-spelled Baugh on the census), and next door to a son, Jacob Alexander Robbins.

Nathaniel Holt was born in Virginia in about 1813.  His father, Nathaniel Holt Sr. first appeared in North Carolina on the 1830 census of Buncombe County.  He was in Yancey County in 1840.  Nathaniel Holt Sr. was also in Clay County in 1850, living with a Lucy Holt, age 80.  I don't know the nature of the relationship of Nathaniel Holt Sr. and Lucy Holt.   Two of Nathaniel Holt Sr.'s daughters were also living in Clay County in 1850, his daughter Ruth Holt who married Hosea Holcombe and his daughter Mary Holt who married James Hampton. The vital records of Clay County list children born to both of Nathaniel Holt Sr.'s daughters.

Clay Co. VR: Births: Henry Holcom born 26 April 1853, son of Hosea Halcom and Ruthy Holt; William J. Holcombe born 15 September 1855, son of Harvy Halcom and Ruthy Holt.

Clay Co.VR Births: James Hampton born 30 August 1853, G. W. Hampton born 1 October 1855, and Robert Hampton born November 1861, all sons of James Hampton and Mary Eliza Holt.

Clay Co. VR: Deaths: Robert Hampton November 1861 aged 2 months, James Hampton, 8 October1853 of whooping cough, age 1 month, sons of James and Mary Hampton.

During the February 1859 term of the Jackson County Court, Nathaniel Holt Senior was listed "in bad circumstances as for living as is deemed a pauper."  In 1860 Nathaniel Holt Sr. was living with Charles and Elizabeth Spivy.

On the 4th day of the June term, 1865 of the Jackson County Circuit Court, the Grand Jury indicted Nathaniel Holt [Jr.] for marking hogs.  During the June term, 1867, on the 3rd day of court, the case was dismissed.  

During the February term of the Jackson County Court, Mary Ann Holt sought an allotment of dower.  

Jackson County Court, Feb term Feb 17th, 1868, p. 59

Mary Ann Holt, plaintiff agst Nathaniel Holt hrs, defendants - petition for allotment of dower

The defendants having been summoned according to law and failing to answer and the court being fully advised. It is therefore ordered that Robert E. Nichols, Andrew Cornelius and John Pennington be and they are hereby appointed this court�s commissioners to allot dower to the plaintiff, Mary Ann Holt, widow of Nathaniel Holt in and to the hands of the said Nathaniel Holt decd who will after being duly sworn allot the same and report to this court on the 1st day of its next March term until which this cause is continued.

Mary Robbins Holt was listed as a widow on the 1870 census.  She was living with her son, James O. Holt in 1880.

And interesting note:  On the 1910 census Tenant Holt, the son of Nathaniel Holt and Mary Robbins was living in Powell, Knox County, Tennessee, two doors away from his first cousin Thomas J. Runions, the son of Thomas Runions and Jane Robbins. Nathaniel and Mary Holt left North Carolina sometime after 1840 and before 1850 and moved to Kentucky.  Thomas and Jane Runions left North Carolina about the same time and moved to McMinn County, Tennessee for a few years, but then returned to North Carolina by 1860.  So even though by 1850, the families lived over 300 miles apart, they apparently kept in contact with each other because it would be too much of a coincidence that their children would be living two doors away from each other in an entirely different state sixty years later.

 

Children of Nathaniel Holt and Mary Robbins

1. James Owen Holt was born about 1837 in Yancey County, NC.   James O. Holt was indicted by the Grand July of the Jackson County Circuit Court, on the 3rd day of June term, 1866, for swearing.  He plead not guilty and the trial was set for the first day of the next term of the circuit court.  The cause was dismissed for want of prosecution on the 3rd day of the November term, 1866.  He was single and living with his parents in 1870.  He married Eliza Edwards on 12 February 1874 in Jackson County.  In 1886, James O. Holt bought some land from Godfrey & Lydia Isaacs:

Bk 5, Pg. 400 - 19 July 1886 Godfrey Isaacs and Lydia sold to James O. Holt for $25.00 a tract of land containing 50 acres situated on Bell Branch Waters of Rockcastle River to E. Faubus� line.

In February, 1888, James O. Holt gave a deposition for his aunt, Matilda Robbins, his mother's sister, in regard to Matilda's Civil War widow's pension application.

State of Kentucky
County of Jackson

In the matter of the pension claim of Matilda L. Robbins, widow of Jacob A. Robbins, late Co A 47th KY . On this the 18th day of February 1888, personally appeared...James O. Holt, well know to me to be reputable and entitled to full faith as a witness, [who says]  "I am 51 years old. I reside in this county, I am a farmer, I am a nephew to claimant. I knew Jacob A. Robbins ever since I knew anybody. I never knew him to have any serious sickness until after he returned from the army....I heard him preach the last sermon he ever preached. He told them then his health was bad and it would be the last sermon he would preach he went home and was took down and never did preach any more."

2. Mary Jane Holt was born about 1838 in Yancey County, NC.  She married Willoughby Inman on 26 July 1859 in Jackson County.  They were living in Jackson County in 1860.  Willoughby Inman was deposed concerning Addison Ball, his wife's uncle, on the 3rd of June 1885, he said:

I am 47 years old.  My P.O. is Marshon's Cross Roads Laurel Co. KY.  I am a farmer, I am the identical Willoughby Inman who was a Pvt in Co. G, 47th Ky Vol.  I am a pensioner.

3. Abigail Holt was born about 1839 in Yancey County NC.  She married George McQueen on 9 August 1859 in Jackson County.  Abigail and George appeared in the 1860 census of Jackson County.  Abigail died prior to 1867.  A bond dated 8 October 1867 was listed in Jackson County for the marriage George McQueen and Esther Jackson.  George McQueen and Esther appeared in the 1880 census with their children from previous marriages as well as a son Clay.

4. William Holt was born about 1841 in Clay County, KY.  He married Martha Inman on 23 March 1862 in Jackson County.  They were in Jackson County in 1870 and in Laurel County in 1880.

5. Elizabeth Holt was born about 1844 in Clay County.  She married Andrew Inman on 15 November 1862 in Jackson County.

6. John Holt was born about 1845 in Clay County.  He married Cyrilda  ______ in about 1866.  John Holt gave a deposition on the 11th of March, 1884 for his aunt, Abigail Ball, widow of Addison Ball.  John was deposed concerning a Civil War widow's pension application for Abigail Ball.

Please state your name, age, occupation and residence:

John Holt, 36 years old, farmer - and [I] live on the waters of More's Creek, Jackson Co. KY -- have lived here about 2 years and before that 1 year at Barber City, Kansas, and before that on Sexton's Creek, Clay Co. KY and More's Terrel's Creek in Jackson County about 18 years.

Were you ever present when any of them [the Ball children] were born

Yes sir.  I was present when one was born

 Who was that?

Cynthia Ann, the youngest child

When and where was she born

On Sexton's Creek, Clay Co. KY in October 1867

Where do you get your positive information from

I had a child born one day before Cynthia was born and my wife happened to be caught at Addison Ball's and was confined there and I was present in the room when Cynthia Ann Ball was born and saw her washed and dressed -- Old aunt Judy McDaniel had been called to Mrs. Ball but was too late and Kate Spivey, Julius Spivey's wife brought the child -- Kate is dead.

Was you in the Army?

Yes sir, as Pvt in Capt. Herd's Co. G 47th Ky Vols Inf.

When did you enlist and how long did you serve?

In the fall of 1863 and served until mustered out in Dec 1864-- I was with the company pretty much all the time.

John Holt's wife Cyrilda Holt was also deposed on the 11th of March 1884:

Please state your name, age and residence

Cyrilda Holt - 35 years old - and [I] live on the waters of More's Cree Jackson Co. Ky.  I am the wife of John Holt, to whom I have been married 17 or 18 years.

7. Alexander Holt was born about 1848 in Clay County.  He was enumerated with his parents on the 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses, but I haven't found him on the 1880 census.

8. Susannah Holt was born about 1850 in Clay County.  She married David Lucker, Ludar, Tucker on 28 January 1867 in Jackson County.

9. Matilda Holt was born about 1851 in Clay County.  She married Peter Hammons on 25 August 1870 in Jackson County.

10. Thomas Holt was born about 1853 in Clay County.  He married Sarah E. Thomas on 4 April 1872 in Jackson County.

11. Tenant Holt was born about 1856 in Clay County.  He married Margaret Angel on 8 December 1874.

12. Rosannah Holt was born about 1857 in Clay County.  She married Adam Price on 13 August 1875 in Jackson County.

13. Lewis Holt was born about 1860 in Jackson County.  He married Evaline Flinchum on 11 February 1885 in Jackson County.  Evaline was born in Breathitt County, the daughter of Golden L. and Mary J. Flinchum.

14. Syntha A. Holt was born about 1865 in Jackson County.