52 Ancestors - ROAD TRIP: Jolletts in the Northwest

image from Pixabay

Westward expansion defined 19^th century America. Thomas Jefferson’s Louisiana Purchase in 1803 nearly doubled the size of the country. He believed that the health of the country depended on independent citizens who owned their own land and farmed their own farms. By 1840, nearly 40% of Americans lived west of the Appalachian Mountains and east of the Mississippi River. They had left their homes in the East in search of economic opportunity. Like Jefferson, they associated land ownership with freedom.

At least three of my Jollett families were among those who left Virginia to build a new life in the Northwest, the part of the country now known as Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

Clarissa Ann Jollett, daughter of James and Nancy Walker Jollett, was born in Orange County, Virginia about 1793. When she was 20, she married John Sampson. The Sampsons were a prosperous family in Virginia, all well established with very large farms.

So why did they leave Virginia in 1836? It seems they had already achieved economic independence. John and Clarissa were hardly a young couple starting out. They were nearly 50 years old. But they did it anyway with 8 children in tow. Maybe the move was to ensure more opportunities for the children.

Clarissa’s unmarried brother James accompanied them.

While I don’t know the exact route they took, it is likely they went north to Maryland to pick up the National Road.

 

from Google Images

This was the first major improved highway funded by the United States government. It was truly the gateway to the west for travelers and pioneers alike. 

Columbus, Ohio was their first significant stop where they spent the winter. A granddaughter was born there. Then in the spring of 1837, the Sampson gang arrived in Wayne County, Indiana, where they farmed for several years. In a book honoring the early pioneers of Indiana, several of the Sampsons were featured. John and Clarissa’s son John recalled that there were deer and turkeys roaming the woods near their farm and that they always had plenty of food on the table as a result. 

Two years later they moved on into Clay County. There in Dick Johnson Township, John and Clarissa purchased about 80 acres of land. Over the years they added to the parcel, developing quite a valuable farm.

Clarissa's brother Simeon and his family may have traveled with them as well, but clearly they did not stay together for long.

In 1840, Simeon Jollett was in Jefferson, Ohio, enumerated as Simeon Jolly. Clarissa’s family had already moved on to Indiana.

MALES
1 under 5	Robert
1 5-9	?
1 10-14	Henry
1 40-49	Simeon
FEMALES
1 5-9	Elizabeth
1 30-39	Nancy

In 1850, Simeon, aka Simon Jolley, was in Harrison Township, Indiana with his wife Nancy, and three children Robert, Elizabeth, and G.W. (George). I’m confident this is the same family from the 1840 census; plus, now I can see Simeon and Nancy were from Virginia. Henry had married and moved his family to Fayette, Ohio. Still no sign of the daughter Catherine who supposedly had married one J.J. Hunter. Simeon was working as a shoemaker.

 

1850 Harrison Twp, IN census

By 1860, Simeon and Nancy Jolly “no -e” had hit the road once again, this time to Tippecanoe, Indiana. Only George was still at home. As for the whereabouts of Robert and Elizabeth, I have no clue. Vanished.  There is no shortage of Robert Jolly’s and Robert Jolley’s in Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana, so he could be any one of them. Meanwhile, Henry and his family were in Randolph, Illinois.

 

1860 Tippecanoe, IN census

Between 1860 and 1870, Nancy died. In 1870, Simeon lived with his son Henry and family in Lexington, Illinois. Catherine’s son Charles was there too, enumerated as Henry’s nephew. Now Simeon’s son George was among the missing. 

 

1870 Lexington, IL census

John Sampson died on his farm in Clay County, Indiana, at age 73. In 1875, Clarissa died at the home of her son Sanford. The two are buried in the Stunkard Cemetery in Brazil, Clay County, Indiana. Other members of their family are buried nearby as well.

 

Tombstone of John and Clarissa Sampson
James Jollett's name is inscribed on the top

When and where Simeon Jolly/Jollett died is another mystery that might require a road trip of my own to solve.

Amy Johnson Crow continues to challenge genealogy bloggers and non-bloggers alike to think about our ancestors and share a story or photo about them. The challenge is “52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.”

Wendy

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