E-mail from Sharon Kingen - sakingen@@hrtc.net - 5/4/2002 Forwarded to me by Leroy Eastes

This message concerns data you have posted on Ancestry.com showing John N. Eastes (ID: I04975, Reference No. 4979). John Newland Eastes was the son of Philomen Eastes b. 27 Mar 1795 Greenville Dist., SC d. 15 Aug 1822 Fayette County,IN (reported died in a fall from a horse. Eric Jensen, who has data
posted on Ancestry.com also says, "Philomen Eastes fell from a horse in 1820 and was seriously injured -- he died August 5, 1822 as a result of this. He is buried in Simms (Symmes) Cemetery, North of Fairfield, IN." I have not tried to confirm this report). Philomen left a widow Rachel (maiden name -
Newland) and two children - John N. and his sister Louisa Mahala. Obediah Eastes and Frances Harvey were John N.'s paternal grandparents. At the time of Philomen's death, he owned the NW 1/4 of section 26, twp. 13, range 13, which was in Jackson Twp. in Fayette County,IN. Rachel petitioned to be appointed guardian in Franklin Co. On Nov. 12, 1832 Obediah Eastes appeared in Fayette Co. court to request to be appointed guardian and to sell Philomen's 90 acres on behalf of the minor heirs. Philomen's son John,
identified as aged 14 years and 4 months, chose Obediah as his guardian. Obediah was also appointed guardian of Mahala, identified as about twelve years of age. The land was appraised as being worth $600. Obediah was supposed to sell the property and then purchase better land for the heirs. On May 11, 1835 Obediah reported that he had purchased the E 1/2 of SW 1/4 of section 29, twp. 16 N, range 6 E and put a down payment on the E 1/2 of the NW 1/4 of section 32, twp. 16, range 6 E for Mahala. He had purchased the NE 1/4 of section 32, twp. 16, range 6 E for John Eastes. These tracts of land were in Hancock County,Buck Creek Twp. John Newland Eastes did marry Elizabeth Charlotte Woods, but she died in 1842. As far as I have been able to determine, they had only one child - James Alexander Tobias Eastes. John then married 1 Dec 1842 Hancock County,IN Sarah Elizabeth Casey. They had 11 children before she died in 1863. John then married 11 Oct 1865 a widow named Mary Jane. Her maiden name was Wright. Her first marriage was to James F. Dillman by whom she had 4 children. She and John Eastes had 5 children. That means that John Newland Eastes had a total of 17 children. You might like to examine that data which is posted at www.eastes.org for more information about this family. Hope this helps to clarify what is most definitely a confusing family situation.