Abigail Britton | William Howsmon |
Parents: Ann Gibson and Jesse Britton | Parents: Martha Frost and John Howsmon |
Born: April 18, 1783 Frederick County, VA | Born: December 15, 1782, Winchester, VA (birth record - 1805 fractur book) |
Married: May 26, 1802 William Howsmon in VA | Married: 1- 5/26/1802 Abigail Britton in Winchester, VA, and 2- 12/29/1833 Frances Wrenn (Roberts) in London, OH |
Died: November 26, 1831, Madison County, OH—near Sedalia | Died: August 19, 1863, in London, OH (Madison county) |
Interred: Bethel Cemetery, near Sedalia, OH (picture) | Interred: Bethel Cemetery, near Sedalia, OH (picture) |
Occupation: farmer, hotel proprietor (late in life) | |
"Abigail Britton and William Howsmon were married in Winchester, VA; their marriage bond may still be seen today. The Britton family is said to have come to Virginia from near Reading, PA—at least her father was born there. In Boss’ History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio, Abigail’s father Jesse is said to have come to Pickaway in 1807, and William and Abigail also moved to Ohio in 1807 (Ross County, with one toddler and an infant!), and subsequently moved to Madison County by 1813." -- William Perry Hay (1871-1947). Abigail died at age 48, leaving behind five children at home—her youngest living child was 9. Only three of the children had married by the time of her death, and daughter Letticia Howsmon Britton’s children were her only grandchildren at that time. | "William Howsmon has been described as a tall, spare man with a small beard. He was extremely irascible and when angered would lose control of his voice. The boys of the town discovered this and would annoy the old gentleman by pounding on the doors of the hotel (the “National House” in London, Ohio) and when he came out would make faces at him. All he could utter was ooah, ooah; and he came to be known as 'old ooah Billy.' This must have applied only to the latter years of his life for he was a good father to a large family and stood well in his community." -- William Perry Hay (1871-1947). His first ten children were by Abigail; after she died in 1831, he married Frances and had two more. Only four of his 12 children survived him. Frances stayed on in London, keeping the hotel. |
Census data: 1787, |
William Perry Hay's Howsmon Genealogy book
Children: | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Name | Date of Birth, Place | Date of Death, Place | Married - date and to whom | # children | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
1. Letticia | 4/3/1804 Winchester, VA | 9/23/1841 Madison, OH | 5/8/1820 John Britton* | 7 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2. John Britton | 6/12/1807 Winchester, VA | 12/22/1880 London, OH | 7/28/1833 Mary Foster | 11 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
3. Isaac Frost | 8/13/1809 Ross, OH | 4/9/1856 Madison, OH? | 9/22/1831 Elizabeth Fisher | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
4. Mary Martha | 11/27/1811 Ross, OH | 11/7/1859 Towanda, IL | 10/7/1830 David Rayburn | 9 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
5. William | 10/7/1813 Madison, OH | 11/3/1813 (1 month) | n/a | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
6. Joseph | 6/23/1815 Madison, Ohio | 9/29/1890, Illinois | 6/1/1837 Elizabeth Gregory* | 9
7. Frances 2/19/1818 Madison, Ohio 2/22/1873 Madison, OH 7/7/1836 John Byers 7
8. James W. 3/28/1820 Madison, OH 9/8/1849 Madison, OH (never married?) 0?
9. Martha 1/28/1822 Madison, OH 1876 Madison, OH 11/18/1868 John Nicholson 1
10. Charles 1/17/1824 Madison, OH 9/17/1825 (20 months) n/a 0
11. Jacob Wrenn** 12/10/1834 7/6/1835 (7 months) n/a 0
12. Loraine Byers*** 1835-1840 2/1/1864 Madison OH? A. B. Walker 2
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Note: *Letticia Howsmon and John Britton were married in a double-ceremony with Isaac Cook and Elizabeth Lewis—the same Isaac Cook who raised Elizabeth Gregory after she was orphaned at age 6! Isaac and Betsy Cook also raised Letticia and John's youngest son after Letticia's untimely death. **Jacob Wrenn was by William’s second wife Frances Wrenn. ***Loraine, daughter of A & W Byers, was "adopted" by William and Frances Wrenn -- probably just taken in by them when her parents died, and not legally adopted.
