Notes on Lydia K. Hamill Harrison Hill:
By: Jerry Webb
Lydia K. Hamill Harrison was the second wife of Alfred G. Hill of Lauderdale County, Alabama. Lydia’s first marriage was to Henry S. Harrison. Alfred and Lydia had six children. Olive, Alphreta, Sara Arella, Alfred Hugh, Henry Augustus, (my great grandfather) and Jacob Lee. They were all born in Lauderdale County, Alabama.
The purpose of this paper is to prove lineage from Elizabeth Kennedy as descended from David and Joanna Kennedy of Moore County, North Carolina and Lauderdale County, Alabama. I am going to make the following assumptions and will make every effort to prove or at least support these assumptions.
1. Elizabeth Kennedy was the daughter of David and Joannah Kennedy.
2. Lydia K. Hamill was Elizabeth Kennedy and Hugh Hamill’s daughter.
3. Lydia K., Aaron, and Emily Hamill were siblings.
Elizabeth Kennedy was the daughter of David Kennedy and Joannah Moore. Elizabeth was born January 1, 1799 in Moore County, North Carolina. Hiram Kennedy Douglass records her birth date in, My Southern Families, as January 1, 1799. However, Douglass records Elizabeth’s death date as September 15, 1827. This date is wrong as will become evident later in this writing. Elizabeth married Hugh Hamill about 1821. They were probably married in North Carolina as all their children were born in North Carolina. There were at least three children born to the marriage of Elizabeth and Hugh. Their names were, Aaron, born around 1821, Lydia K., born August 8, 1828, and Emily, born approximately 1835. It is interesting to note that David and Joannah Kennedy also had a son named Aaron and a daughter named Lydia. As mentioned, Elizabeth named two of her children Aaron and Lydia. Lydia Kennedy died on September 12, 1827. This is the same date that is incorrectly listed for the death of Elizabeth. This leads me to believe that this is possibly the way that the incorrect death for Elizabeth originated. This was probably a typographical error.
Elizabeth probably moved to Lauderdale County after the death of Hugh Hamill. Hugh presumably died and is buried in North Carolina in that he is not recorded in any of the cemetery recordings in the Cemeteries of East Lauderdale County. East Lauderdale is the area where all the relatives of this family lived and are buried.
David and Joannah moved to Lauderdale County prior to 1823. There is a historical marker at the junction of highway 43 and County Road 47 in Lauderdale County recognizing the gun factory of Green Hill, Alabama that was established by David Kennedy in 1823. It was in this area that Hiram Kennedy, a son of David and Joannah’s, had a plantation.
Elizabeth Kennedy married Luke R. Harrison on January 10, 1849. They were living in Lauderdale County. Elizabeth is buried in the Harrison Family Cemetery with her husband and his first wife. According to the listing Luke is buried between his first and second wife. Elizabeth’s headstone lists the dates she was born as being January 1, 1799 and she died March 30, 1854. This information will correct the death date recorded by Douglass in his book, My Southern Families, on page 373. In addition the 1850 Census records Luke and Elizabeth Harrison living in, "The 2nd Division, East of Military Road, Household 14". Elizabeth’s age is 51, which is in accordance with her 1799-birth date. Living with them was her daughter Emily Hamill, age twenty-five and being born in North Carolina. The census listed a Joanna Kennedy age eighty-five living with the Harrisons along with Emily Hamill. Joanna Moore Kennedy was Elizabeth’s mother and the wife of David Kennedy. The 1850 census record is the most conclusive evidence that Elizabeth was Joanna Kennedy’s daughter. The census record shows that Joannah was also born in North Carolina. Elizabeth is buried in the Harrison cemetery. Joannah died on July 28, 1850 and is buried with David Kennedy. David died May 2, 1837 and is also buried in the Kennedy-Stutts Cemetery. This cemetery is located on County Road 140 about one mile East of highway 43 in Lauderdale County.
Aaron Hamill is listed in the 1850 census as living in Household # 4 next to Henry and Lydia Harrison. He is listed as having four children. Hugh’s age is seven, William’s age is five, Frances’ age is three, and Wincey’s age is ten months. All the children are listed as being born in Alabama. There is no wife listed with the family. At this writing, 2000, there is no information indicating what happened to the wife of Aaron. It is presumed she did not die in Lauderdale County in that there are no Hamills recorded as being buried in East Lauderdale County. They could have lived someplace else in Alabama. Remember that all the children were born in Alabama so it is unlikely that she would be buried someplace other that Alabama.
I am going to assume at this point that Aaron Hamill, Lydia K. Hamill, and Emily Hamill were siblings. Their parents were Elizabeth Kennedy and Hugh Hamill. All the children are listed as being born in North Carolina. It is also within reason to think that they may have moved to Lauderdale County upon the death of Elizabeth’s father, David Kennedy, in 1837.
Lydia K. Hamill married Henry S. Harrison on January 25, 1848. Lydia and Henry are recorded in the 1850 census as living in the same district as Luke and Elizabeth Harrison. They were living in "Household # 14. Henry had been married to Elizabeth H. _____and had three children by this marriage living with Lydia and Henry. The children of Henry’s were William, age eleven, Caroline, age seven, and John, age four. Elizabeth was the child of Henry and Lydia. Elizabeth was born in 1848. She was listed a being two years old in the 1850 census. Lydia is listed as twenty-three and was born in North Carolina. Elizabeth H. Harrison is buried in the Harrison Cemetery located south of highway 72, at Killen, Alabama. Also buried in this cemetery are two children born to Henry and Lydia. An infant born December 15, 1849 and died December 24, 1849 and Louisiana, born February 26, 1852 and died June 30, 1852 are buried next to each other. They are listed as being the children of H.S. & L.K. Henry S. died Feb 9, 1855 and is buried in this same cemetery. The census of 1860 lists an Elizabeth Harrison, age eleven, Martha E. Harrison, age nine, and Wiley Harrison, age seven, living with Alfred G. Hill and Lydia K. These were obviously children born to Lydia and Henry Harrison. Five children were born to Henry and Lydia. They are listed earlier in this writing.
After the death of Henry S. Harrison, Lydia K. Hamill Harrison married Alfred G. Hill on December 28, 1856 in Lauderdale County, Alabama. The marriage is recorded in "Book 5 & 6" page 208. The marriage document is on record at the Lauderdale County Courthouse.
Alfred G. Hill had five children by his first wife, Lucinda Woods. There were three children living at the time of Alfred’s and Lydia’s marriage. They were Benjamin F., age one, John T., age ten, Orlando, age seven. James H. died at about one year old in 1848 and a twin born at the same time as Benjamin on February 22, 1856. It must have been a still birth in that it is not named. Both children are buried at the Hill Family Cemetery. Benjamin F. is not listed as living with Alfred and Lydia at the time of the 1860 census. However, Benjamin F. is listed in the 1870 census as living with his grandparents, James and Catherine Hill. James and Catherine were living in the house next to Alfred G. and Lydia.
Lucinda Woods, Alfred G. Hill’s first wife, died on February 22, 1856 just nine days after the birth of Benjamin F. and the infant twin. She is buried in the Hill Family Cemetery near Atlas, Alabama. Evidently James and Catherine Hill took Benjamin and cared for him and continued to keep him after Alfred and Lydia got married. By the fact that Benjamin is not listed as living with Alfred and Lydia in neither the 1860 or the 1870 census it is assumed that he was raised by his grandparents.
Alfred and Lydia had six children. Olive Hill was born November 22, 1857. Alphreta was born September 22, 1859, Sarah Arella was born Dec 19, 1860, Alfred Hugh was born July 20, 1864, Henry Augustus was born December 16, 1866, and Jacob Lee was born April 9, 1872. Lydia K. passed away on February 17, 1873 in Lauderdale County and is buried in the Hill Family Cemetery Near Atlas, Alabama. Alfred passed away September 27, 1898 and is also buried in the Hill Cemetery.
It is my conclusion that Lydia K. Hamill Harrison Hill was the daughter of Elizabeth Kennedy and Lydia’s second marriage was to Alfred G. Hill. Elizabeth was the daughter of David and Joanna Kennedy of Moore County, North Carolina and then later of Lauderdale County, Alabama. Elizabeth first married Hugh Hamill and after his death she married Henry S. Harrison of Lauderdale County, Alabama. Alfred G. Hill and Lydia had a son, Henry Augustus Hill that was my great grandfather. JDW
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