There are FIVE George Hartzells of interest to the descendants of Adam and Christina (Sink) Hartzell. All seem to be related to Adam Hartzell.

Two were born about the same time, married in Franklin County, Virginia, and died about the same time. One married Susannah Toney (1809), and died in Union County, Indiana. The other married Nancy Goode (1823), and died in Franklin County, Virginia.

For the third George, all I have is a will apparently executed in 1839. His wife's name was Sarah.

The fourth is George Hartzell of Montgomery County, Ohio, who married Margaret Yaughey. He was born in 1812 in Ohio, before Adam's family arrived.

NEW: The fifth is a mystery George Hartzell, father of the George born 1812 in Ohio.

Note that FamilySearch IGI records mentioned below are notoriously inaccurate.

Born: 1780-1790, presumably in PA.

FamilySearch IGI (?) says son of John and Catherine (Schneider) Hartzell of Northampton County, PA, who married in 1781. Likely, since George named his first daughter Catherine and his first son John. George named his second son Adam, which implies a link to Adam Hartzell. George was probably the oldest child.

May have lived with Adam Hartzell (near the Toneys) before his marriage, since he was presumably in Franklin Co. VA by 1807, while his parents were presumably still in PA.

Married: Mar. 28, 1809 in Franklin Co. VA, according to "Marriage Bonds of Franklin County, VA".

Spouse: Susannah Toney, surety James Toney.

In 1810 Census for Franklin Co. VA, eight names from Adam Hartzell.

Daughter Catherine was born in VA, according to "History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa (Chicago: O.L. Baskin, 1883)", p. 83. She would have been born about 1811.

Children of George & Susannah Hartzell: Catherine, b. ~1811; Frances, b. ~1819; John/George, b. Nov. 28, 1820; Susannah, b. Aug. 18, 1822; Adam, b. Dec. 9, 1825; Salina, b. Mar. 20, 1827.

NEW! This George could still have been in Virginia in 1819 (was in Indiana in 1820).
Found by Thelma Price-Papillo in 2002:
George's daughter Frances married Merrill Davis Aug. 13, 1834 in Union County, Indiana.
Found by Jim Hartsell 4/28/2008:
1850 Census, Platte County, Missouri, Carroll Township:
Merrel Davis, 35, farmer, b. ~1815 TN
Frances Davis, 31, b. ~1819 VA - at least Susannah was still in Virginia! Probably George, too.
Adam Davis, 13, b. ~1837 IN - validates we have the right Frances (Indiana).
Abram Davis, 11, b. ~1839 IN
John Davis, 10, b. ~1840 IN
Jane? Davis, 5, b. ~1845 MO - they moved to Missouri after 1840.
William Davis, 3, b. ~1847 MO
Cathryn? Davis, 9 mo., b. ~1849 MO
If this George was still in Virginia in 1819, he was most likely the owner of land adjacent to Adams's son Jacob Hartzell before 1818.
In the 1840 Census, the "Mirell" Davis family is in Union County, Indiana, with 2 males under 5 (Adam & Abram). Could not find any member of this family anywhere in 1860.

In the 1820 Wayne County, Indiana census, he is listed as George "Harzell". That part of Wayne County became Union County. Nearby are several families from Franklin County, VA, e.g. Lybrook and Moss. In George's household was one male under 10, two females under 10 (Catherine & Frances), and one female 10-16. George and Susannah were 26-45 years old.

George was witness to the will of John Stanley, Union County, IN, Nov. 1826. The 1820 Census shows John Stanley 3 names below George. Also witnessing was Abram/Abraham/Hiram Moss.

Daughter Catherine married James Alexander in 1827 in Union County, IN.

In 1828, George Hartzell bought 160 acres in SW 1/4 Section 24, Harrison Twp., Union County, IN, from Micheal Snider. (In 1850 this land was quitclaimed to George's son Adam, by George's heirs.) The Four Mile Church was in the SW tip of what was George's land.

George is in the 1830 Census for Union Co. IN, age 40-49. The order of names is: James Toney, Balzer Lybrook, Abraham ____, Philip Lybrook, John Lybrook, Barbara Kingery, Jacob Lybrook, Philip Lybrook, William Moss, George Hartzell, James Alexander, Rachel White, Joseph Kingery. These are people from the Blackwater River Valley, Franklin County, VA.

Note that in 1810, George Hartzell's next door neighbor was Edmund Moss from Virginia. In 1830, George's next door neighbor was Elder William Moss, son of Edmund Moss. William was an elder in the Four Mile Church.

Died: late 1830 after the 1830 Census, in Harrison Twp., Union County, Indiana.

George's 1830 will left half his estate to his wife Susannah, and the other half to son-in-law James Alexander. In 1834, Abram Moss is listed as an executor for George's will, and in 1839 Hiram Moss is listed as guardian of three of George's minor heirs.

Son-in-law James Alexander named two sons Adam & David. (This has to do with a close relationship with Adam Hartzell and Adam's son David.)

For much more information, see www.jdhartsell.com/hartsell/GeoHartzellWriteup.doc.

Born: 1780-1790

Presumed owner of land adjacent to Adams's son Jacob Hartzell before 1818 (or was it the George above, since this George wasn't married yet?).

Note that Adam's family left Virginia in 1815 but son Jacob stayed behind.

Married: June 2, 1823 in Franklin Co. VA at age 33-43. Surety was Cornelius Kinsey. (Adam's sister Elizabeth married Jacob Kinzie 9/11/1798; surety was Philip Hartsell.)

Spouse: Nancy Goode

Not in 1810 Census (not married yet)

Not in 1820 Census (not married yet)

In 1830 Census for Franklin Co. VA, age 40-49. Listing is alphabetical. Jacob's wife was Hannah Capper. In George's household were 2 males under 5 years, 2 females under 5 years, and 1 female 5-9. George's wife was age 40-49.

Died: between 1830 and 1840

A Nancy Hartzell is listed in 1840 as head of household, and widowed. Listing is alphabetical. Nancy was age 60-69 (too old?), another female in household was age 90-99.

All I have is a copy of a will for a George Hartzell apparently executed May 6, 1839. It is on file at Rocky Mount, Franklin County, Virginia. Wife's name is Sarah. Children named were Margaret Hartzell, George Washington Hartzell, and Jacob Jackson Hartzell. (Margaret must not have yet married.) George named a friend Alseack(?) Griffith as Executor. Will was witnessed by Nathaniel Clairborn, Samuel Debo(?), and Catherine Griffith.

Son George W. Hartzell could be the one who married Sally Clark in July, 1838 in Franklin County, VA.

In the 1840 Census for Franklin Co. VA there is no George, but there is a Sally Hartsell, age 30-39 (b.1801-1810). Being listed as head of household, she most likely was a widow, making it seem she was wife of the elder George with the will. (I've seen Sally used as a nickname for Sarah.) In the household was 1 male 5-9, 2 males 15-19, and 1 female 15-19. If Sally's children, she may have married about 1820 (and after the 1820 Census). Again, more likely the elder George's widow Sarah.

The 1850 Census for Franklin Co. VA has a Sarah Hartsel (no Sally), age 43, born about 1807, consistent with the Sally in 1840. She was living by herself. But, she would have married around age 13-15 if widow of the elder George.

Note: an unsubstantiated FamilySearch IGI has a "George Washington Hartzell", son of George (Doc) & Sarah Hartzell, and born about 1798 in Franklin Co. VA.

Born: April 8, 1812 in Montgomery County Ohio before the Adam Hartzell family arrived.

There is a guardianship record at Dayton, Ohio (Montgomery County) dated 30 July 1827 for a George Hartzel, age 14, heir of George Hartzel, deceased, guardian Joseph Watson.

Since George was born in 1812 in Montgomery County, Ohio, and married there in 1834, you would expect his father George to be in the 1820 Census for Ohio. (There is no 1810 census for Ohio.) The only one found so far is George Hartsel, of Portage County, but there is no male in the household 8 years old. However, households in 1820 with a son age 8 are Margret Hartsal of Pickaway County. Also there is Abraham Hartsel, Joseph Hartsel, William Hartsel, and John Hartsel, all of Portage County. Portage County is in NE Ohio.

For guardian Joseph Watson, you would expect Joseph to be in the 1830 census for Ohio with a male age 18. There is a Joseph Matson household, Cincinnati Ward 4, Hamilton County, Ohio. It seems the father died, because the oldest male is 15-19 years old (Joseph Watson "Jr." or George Hartzell?). There is a female age 30-39 (widow?). There was another male 5-9, and a male 10-14.

Did Adam have a brother George who preceeded him to Ohio, like his brothers Abraham and Frederick, sister Katarina, and daughter Catherine? Did this brother die in or before 1827? See "George senior" section below.

Married: Sept. 14, 1834 in Miamisburg, Miami Township, Montgomery County, Ohio. Miami Township is just south of Jefferson Township were Adam Hartzell lived.

Spouse: Margaret Yaughey, born Aug. 31, 1812 in Germany (Baden), died Feb. 6, 1897, Hillgrove Township, Darke County, Ohio.

Died: Sept. 28, 1894. Buried in Darke County, Ohio, west of Union City.

This George is erroneously listed as a son of Adam Hartzell in "The Hartzell Ancestral Line". He was born before Adam arrived in Ohio in 1815.

In the 1840 Montgomery county Census for George (and Margaret) Hartzell, it says "Miami Township" in the left margin, the same township where they were married.

George & Margaret moved to Darke County, Ohio between 1840 and 1850, and stayed there the rest of their lives. In 1850 they were in Greenville Twp., in 1860 thru 1880 in Washington Twp. (perhaps township boundaries changed), and in 1880 they were both living with their daughter Miranda & her husband Moses Criminee. Birthplace of George's parents are not given in the 1880 census. Arrgh! Maybe he didn't remember. In 1860 through 1880 George's occupation was Tailor. The 1860 Census for Darke County, OH says their children were born in Montgomery County, OH. George should have been listed in the 1890 census, but the 1890 census was destroyed by fire. Arrgh!

Their children were Lucinda, Miranda, John T., Marion, and Minerva. John T. is John Treon Hartzell, ancestor of James Hartzell of Hartzell Industries, Piqua, Ohio.

Margaret Yaughey's father: For a clue on where Margaret lived before her marriage, I searched the 1830 and 1840 Ohio census via ancestry.com for "Yaughey", with Soundex spelling. For 1840, I found William Yaughkey (with a "k") in Butler Township, Montgomerty County. In the household was
3 males 20-29
1 female under 5
1 female 20-29
1 female 30-39
Butler Township is in the northeast corner of Montgomery County. Also in this township, on the page before William Yaughkey, was Frederick Sinks, probable son of George Sinks. According to Paul Swan's Hartzell Chapter, Adam Hartzell and his family first headed for George Sinks' place when they arrived in Ohio in 1815.

Gravestone of George Hartzell, died Sept. 28, 1894.
Click photo for larger image.

Sometimes in genealogy there are few records for an ancestor. Sometimes you have to take what few clues you have and create a likely scenario that would fit those clues. From this scenario you can say "if this is true, then this other thing should be true". Kind of like some scientific research. Over time, as new clues surface, you can fine-tune that scenario.

Much of the following information is from George's descendant Jim Hartzell of Piqua, Ohio. Also from George Nieman of Monmouth, IL, who is descended from Adam Hartzell's son John. (Adam was the oldest son of Philip & Christina Hartzell.)

In 2010, both George Nieman and I, given all the clues, independently placed George "Sr." as a son of Philip and Christina Barbara (Kreiling) Hartzell. Even in old forgotten notes I recently found, I had come to this conclusion. Since Philip Hartzell's youngest son is up to now unidentified, I propose that this youngest son was George Hartzell, born about 1790, brother of Adam Hartzell, and father of the George Hartzell born in 1812 in Ohio.

George Hartzell "Sr.":

• Had a son George born in Miami County or Pickaway County, Ohio, Apr. 8, 1812.
• Was married before July, 1811 (son George's conception).
• Could have been born as late as 1790.
• Was probably born in Pennsylvania.
• Named George, according to the 1827 guardianship document.
• Died in or before 1827.
• Son George married in 1834 in Montgomery County, Ohio.
• Has not been found as head of household in any Census report.

Known family members who went to the Montgomery County Ohio area before Adam Hartzell (1815):

• Adam's brother Abraham, about 1798 (spouse Eva Houtz)
  
• Adam's sister Katarina, about 1802 (spouse Jacob Mullendore)
  
• Adam's brother Frederick, before 1810 (spouse Sarah Houghman)
  
• Adam's son Philip (b. 1787), before 1810 (spouse Mary Elizabeth Miller)
  
• Adam's daughter Catherine, before 1812 (spouse __ Bulacher)
  
• George Hartzell "Sr.", before 1812.

We have not found any 1800-1815 Hartzells in the Montgomery County Ohio area who were NOT of the Hartzell family from Franklin Count, Virginia (except possibly George "Sr.").

Here are the birth years of the children of Philip and Christina (Kreiling) Hartzell:

• 1768, Adam
• 1769, Katarina/Catherine
• 1771, Abraham
• 1773, Maria
• 1778, Elizabeth
• abt. 1782, unidentified daughter
• 1786, Frederick
• aft. 1786, youngest son, unidentified. Possibly George "Sr."?

The 1810 unidentified son of Philip & Christina Hartzell is mentioned in Paul Swan's Hartzell Chapter: "One daughter and the youngest son remain unidentified." This son could be George "Sr.". He could have been born right after the 1790 Census, and he would have been 19 years old in 1810. He could have gone to Ohio right after the 1810 Census, married there about 1811, and son George "Jr." born April 8, 1812.

I should note here that Abraham is barely mentioned and little was known of him when the Hartzell Ancestral Line was written. In fact, only Abraham, Katarina, and Adam are mentioned as children of Philip Hartzell. The author didn't know about Maria Margaret, Elizabeth, an unidentified daughter, Frederick, and the unidentified youngest son. Therefore it's not surprising he didn't know about a George. In Paul Swan's Hartzell Chapter, some of the missing children were identified later, some by input from descendants. From my own experience with my ancestor David Hartzell, his identification as a son of Adam Hartzell has come only from me. (The David that originated in "The Hartzell Ancestral Line" was David Hetzel, not a son of Adam Hartzell. Nor was the George who married Margaret Yaughey.)

Abraham was in Kentucky by 1798, and arrived in German Township, Montgomery County, Ohio, in 1798, according to the 1882 History of Montgomery County, Ohio by W.H. Beers & Company, German Township. He bought land near the site of Germantown, Ohio in 1805.

Frederick married Sarah Houghman Nov. 11, 1810 in Butler County, Ohio (adjacent and south of Montgomery County).

George "Jr." was definitely born in Ohio in 1812 as shown in the Ohio Census for 1850, 1860 and 1880. The 1860 Census says he was born in "Piqua" County, which doesn't exist. It would be either the town of Piqua (formerly Washington) in Miami County, or Pickaway County south of Columbus. When the 1860 census was taken, George "Jr." was living in Washington Township, Darke county (just west of Miami County). It's hard to tell if the census taker heard "Piqua" or "Pickway" or "Pickaway". But he did spell it Piqua, with a "q", not Pickwa, so he must have known of the town 30 miles east. But then if he heard "Pickway", he might have been more familiar with the town of Piqua and took it that way.

The town of Piqua is in Washington Township, which is at the north edge of Miami County. Before 1810, Adam Hartzell's oldest son Philip settled in Covington, Newberry Township, which is in the northwest corner of Miami County. Covington is 8 miles from Piqua. In 1810, Philip's oldest child was born in Covington, before George "Jr." was born in Piqua(?) in 1812. George "Sr." could have been Philip's uncle. Did George "Sr." join Philip, or vice versa, in northern Miami County?

A Sep. 21, 1818 court order in Pickaway County, Ohio, "to find and return George Hartsel" for a lawsuit involving use of defamatory language, shows that George "Sr." could have been in this area. The lawsuit was for $500.00 (a lot of money in those days), so George "Sr." may have been avoiding the sheriff.

Pickaway County is 3 counties east of Montgomery County, and just south of Columbus, Ohio. This is not an unreasonable distance for a family connection.

The 1820 Census for Washington Township, Pickaway County, Ohio has

Head of household Margret Hartsal,
1 male under 10 - George "Jr."?
1 male under 10
1 male 16-25
1 female under 10
1 female 16-25
1 female age 26-44 - Margret

If you have an ancestry.com subscription, the URL for the page is
search.ancestry.com/iexec/default.aspx?htx=View&r=0&dbid=7734&iid=4093881_00180&fn=Margret&ln=Hartsal&st=r&ssrc=&pid=295199

George "Jr." was about 8 years old, so he would fit in this family. If Margret was the wife of George "Sr.", she would have been 30-35 years old, and fits. George "Sr.'s" absence could be that he was in hiding from the lawsuit, or already died.

There is a similarity with Abraham Hartzell. He also seemingly disappeared before 1820. The 1820 Census for Cincinnati, Ohio shows Eve Hartsell as head of household. I believe she was Abraham's wife Eva Houtz, especially since Abraham was in an 1810 and 1817 Cincinnati Tax List. It could be that both Abraham and George "Sr." were out exploring the West, as we believe Abraham had done. In 1820, both Margret and Eve were heads of household and seemingly "widowed".

The July 30, 1827 guardianship order for 14-year-old George "Jr.", Montgomery County, Ohio, explicity states that George "Sr." was deceased, and it suggests that his wife was also deceased.

On top of all this, the Eva Houtz Ohio Connection shows a connection between George "Sr.'s" "brother" Abraham Hartzell and the Joseph Watson who was appointed guardian for George "Jr." July 20, 1827. Abraham Hartzell married Eva Houtz, and Eva had a niece or 2nd cousin Nancy Houtz who married Joseph Watson May 10, 1827 in Miami County, 2 months before the guardianship. Nancy's father John Houtz had arrived in Jefferson Township, Montgomery County, Ohio in late 1819 or early 1820, and lived in the area of Adam Hartzell. John Houtz later moved to Lostcreek Township in Miami County. Jim Hartzell of Piqua, Ohio thinks Eva Houtz had something to do with newlyweds Joseph & Nancy Watson taking on guardianship of a 14-year-old boy. This is a critical clue. It's like Eva felt responsible but couldn't take him in herself. If Joseph was a farmer, it could have been useful, but the 1850 census says he was a machinist.

Another coincidence: In 1824, Adam's son Philip Hartzell must have been living in Darke County, Ohio, where his son Philip was born on January 23. George "Jr." moved to Darke County between 1840 and 1850.

The 1850 Census entry for Joseph Watson shows that he was living in Indiana in 1831 when George "Jr." was about 19, and in 1833 when George "Jr." was 21. But George married Margaret Yaughey in 1834 in Montgomery County, Ohio. This would mean George "Jr." went back to Ohio when he was "of age".

Jim Hartzell of Piqua Ohio said Joseph Watson must have come back from Indiana to Miamisburg in the middle 1830's because he got involved in the banking business with a John Treon. (This would explain George "Jr." being in Ohio for his 1834 marriage.) The business went broke and there were a lot of lawsuits filed against many people, and many against Joseph, which is probably why he headed for Indianapolis. Jim thinks his ancestor John Treon Hartzell got his name from this John Treon, who may have been a doctor.

In 1850, Joseph Watson was living in Indianapolis, Center Township, Marion County. Joseph born in Vermont in 1800, Nancy born in 1805 in PA, agrees with our RootsWeb information. In the household was a daughter Candace Watson born in 1831 in Indiana, and a son David Watson born in 1833 in Indiana.