Abraham Hornback was born October 21,1761 in Hampshire County, Virginia to Simon Hornback and Margaret Alkire. He was one of nine children. Abraham migrated with his family to Bath Co, Kentucky in 1784. He married Eliza Trumbo on August 18, 1791 in Bourbon County Kentucky. Eliza was the daughter of Andrew Trumbo and Margaret Catherine Harness. I obtained a copy of Abraham and Eliza’s marriage license on which there was a note attached, hand written by Andrew Trumbo, giving Abrahams' permission to marry his daughter. There were eleven children born to this union, eight of whom I have documented information on. These children were as follows.
1. Margaret “Peggy” Hornback born February 06, 1791 in Bath Co, KY. Margaret married Asa Canterberry in 1809. She died July 08, 1857 in Sangamon Co, ILEliza died in September of 1810. Abraham then married Elizabeth “Betsy” Mappin Bracken in Bath County Kentucky September of 1811. According to the book “Histories of Menard and Mason Counties, Illinois ”Abraham Hornback and his sons, John, Jesse, and Andrew came to Menard County about 1826 and settled in the Indian Creek Precinct.
Abraham served under General Washington. He enlisted at the age of fifteen years and was a Private in Captain Able Westfall’s Co. 8th Virginia Regiment which was commanded by Colonel Abraham Bowman. His enlistment date was February 6, year not shown for a period of two years. His name first appears on Company payroll May 25, 1777 to April 20, 1777. He was detached July 1777 to Captain Knows Company, Colonel Daniel Morgan’s Rifle Regiment, Continental Troops, and his name last appears on an undated payroll of a part of that Company covering that period for December 1777, January and part of February, 1778. This made his time of service a total of two and one half years at time of his discharge. He was paid off at Romney, County seat of Hampshire County, Virginia at which time he was a private.
Abraham died January 29, 1833 and is buried in the Hornback Cemetery just outside of Petersburg, Menard Co. then Sangamon Co, IL. Abraham set aside the land for this cemetery for family burials and he was the first to be buried in this Cemetery. His grave is also marked by the Pierre Menard Chapter of the DAR. I obtained a copy of his will in Sangamon Co, IL.
Abraham Hornback-intestateAffidavit of Decease- ElizabethHornback, Athens, Illinois swore that Abraham Hornback died intestate 25 January 1833. Elizabeth Bracken, widow of Robert Bracken, Married as her second husband Abraham Hornback. Thomas Hornback son of Elizabeth and Robert Bracken died unmarried about 1824.
Administrators bond was signed by Elizabeth Hornback, John S. Alexander and John Hornback. Appraisers were Elijah Scott, Micheal Killion and Francis Rayburn.
Heirs in the estate: Elizabeth Hornback; Widow, Margaret Canterberry Hornback, John and Jesse Hornback, Martha Bradley (late Hornback), Mary Hornback, Andrew Hornback, Telitha Renfro (late Hornback), the heirs of Doritha Bracken, deceased: Elvira Montgomery (late Bracken), Sarah Powell (late Sarah Bracken; Oliver P. Bracken; and James Bracken.
Attending the sale on March 05, 1833 were: Micheal Killion, Levi W. Benson, Asa Canterberry, Henry Clark, James Hagan, Mrs. Elizabeth Hornback, Walter Turner, Jacob Hornback, John Bracken, Jesse Hornback, Andrew Hornback, Elijah Scott, Joseph Moore, John Renfro, James Fulton, Jacob Williams, Franceway Day, Jacob Killion, Nicholas Tice, Joseph Powel, Hiram Powel, Benjamin Pollard, John Armstrong, James Bracken, Miss Mary Hornback, William F. Berry, Alexander Trent, and Edmond D. Powel.
References were:
“DAR Patriot Index, “Illinois State Archives Honor Roll”, “NSDAR Report”,
"Illinois DAR Report", “History of Menard and Mason Counties,Illinois,
published in 1874, page 729”, Marriage license personally obtained from
Bourbon Co, KY., State Historical Register Vol. 22, page 56. Rev. Soldiers of
VA., Va. State Library Report Vol. 8, page 226. Pension record W10120 on file
DAR Library. War Department Adj. Generals Office, Washington, D.C.", National
Numbers - No. 296852 & 266889", "Revolutionary Soldiers buried in Menard
County, Illinois", and “Selected Menard Co, Illinois Cemetery Inscriptions”.