COOPER COUNTY, MISSOURI

VAUGHAN FAMILY

Comments and Analysis

The Bureau of Land Management shows 13 patents issued to Vaughan men in Cooper Co.

Hiram Thomas and William C. are in three different areas of the county and are not covered by this discussion.

The Land Patents to Joshua Vaughn, Elisha Vaughn, Joseph Vaughn, James Vaughn and John G. Vaughan are all clustered together in the very SE corner of the county, which suggest some sort of relation among them. To them, I added Obediah Vaughn who was immediately adjacent to Joshua Vaughn in the 1830 Census. Additionally, Elisha Vaughan sold his patent to James Vaughan.

A review of FSFT shows descendants have chosen three different men as the parents of these six men. These three men are: Robertson Vaughan, Benjamin A. Vaughan and Obediah Vaughan. The differences are remarkable and no supporting sources are attached. For reasons that are set forth below Robertson Vaughan appears to be quite in error. Benjamin A. Vaughan is possible, but he has no middle initial “A”. Obediah Vaughan is also possible.

Benjamin Vaughan and Obediah Vaughan lived in the southern portion of Barren Co., KY that became Monroe Co., KY in 1820. Unfortunately, Monroe County has profound record losses in the time period being studied. What we do have is a great series of tax digests in each county. From these, we learn:

•            Obediah Vaughn arrived in Barren Co., KY in 1802.

•            Benjamin, William, Sr. and William, Jr. Vaughn all arrived together in Barren Co. in 1809. This suggests a relationship among them. (The two Williams make a brief appearance in Bedford Co. from 1787 to 1790. 1782 to 1786 have not yet been checked.)

•            Obediah dies after paying 1813 taxes; and a younger Obediah starts paying taxes in 1817.

•            Benjamin does not have a middle initial “A”. This comes from the abbreviation Benj^a. being erroneously transcribed as Benj A. Vaughan. He paid taxes continuously through 1826 in Monroe Co. From comparing the 1810 Census in Barren Co. and the 1820 Census in Monroe Co., he was b. 1765-1775 and it appears he had a large family of at least eight sons and six daughters.

•            Over the years Benjamin, Jr., Elisha, Elijah (may be the same as Elisha), John, Samuel and a third William all appear.

•            After the 1824 to 1826 Tax Digests all of the Vaughan die or leave Monroe Co., with the exception of John and Samuel who remained. Notably, Obediah Vaughn leaves after 1825 and Elisha Vaughan leaves after 1826. They both are enumerated in the 1830 Census in Cooper Co., MO.

Tentative Conclusions:

•            Obediah, Sr. is the father of Obediah, Jr.

•            Benjamin Vaughn, Sr. is the father of Benjamin Vaughan, Jr. as well as Joshua Vaughn, Elisha Vaughn, Joseph Vaughn, James Vaughn and John G. Vaughan. Benjamin, Sr. died about 1826 to 1827, which resulted in the exodus of his children from KY.

Research Plan

This will be tedious, but it has potential to yield some great results. Benjamin and the two Williams likely came from Virginia which has annual tax digests starting in 1782. Kentucky has amny consecutive years as well. Benjamin will have come of age 21 1786-1796. Obediah, Sr. was b. before 1765. The best way to figure out and prove where they come from is to check each county in Virginia Personal Tax Digests from 1787 thru about 1815 and find them leaving Virginia; and check Kentucky Tax digests prior to 1809 to see if they stopped off somewhere along the way. Ugh, what a job!

Compiled by David Robertson, 159 Hickory St., Roswell, GA 30075, davidhr@hushmail.com