Notes for: Isaac A. Bodine

(* - This symbol inserted in the following text means the information comes from the Isaac A. Bodine Bible.)

In the records from his family Bible, Isaac's father and mother's names are listed, "Isaac Bodine son of Cornelius and Mary was born January 12, 1752." Isaac died on February 25, 1818 in Nelson County "in the sixty-seventh year of his age."* He married Elizabeth Pullin on June 15, 1777.* She was the daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Pullin.* In his will of August 15, 1796, Charles Pullen of Loudoun County, Virginia, named Elizabeth Bodine as one of his daughters - Loudoun County Will Abstracts 1793-1797, by Sam and Ruth Sparacio, 1993, p. 120 (from Loudoun County Wills, Book E, pp. 332-333). Does Pullen/ Pullin come from Poillons/ Poulains? Probably. Elizabeth, Isaac's wife, was born on July 11, 1759* and died before December 8, 1845 in Nelson County in "the eighty-seventh year of her age." The death date in the Bible record gives only the year 1845. Her will is in Nelson County Wills, Book 4, p. 468. It was proven on December 8, 1845. This is undoubtedly not the death date, but it would be close. Isaac was appointed an Ensign (an officer) in the 56th Regiment Company of the 2nd Battalion in Loudoun County on May 14, 1793 (Loudoun County Court Orders, Book P, p. 121). The Militia Rolls (LDS Film #32376) regarding the 56th and 57th Regiments show the following: 10 June 1793, 56th Regiment, p. 7, 2nd Battalion, Isaac Bodine, Ensign; Isaac Bodine, Lieutenant. It is most likely that this refers to Isaac A. Bodine. He appears on tax lists in Loudoun County until 1795. Then he moved to Nelson County (Chaplin, Kentucky area) where he first appeared on tax lists in 1797.

My great appreciation to Bob Kenney, my newly discovered 5th cousin, once removed, for helping me get Isaac Bodine's property purchase from Thomas Bayne in 1802 more correctly located on a map. I had it going south of the Bluegrass Parkway, but that was incorrect. After my discussions with Bob by email, here below is the updated map of where this property would approximately be today. Bob may get me some even closer measurements later on. This is not exactly what Thomas Bayne bought off of Cuthbert Harrison, but it is the majority of it. Some additions and subtractions were made by Thomas Bayne before selling it to Isaac Bodine. I may have time to write some about that later on.

Isaac Bodine is listed as having 300 acres, which had originally been entered under the name of Harrison. Isaac also appeared on the "Second Census" of Kentucky in 1800. In 1802, he bought 295 acres of land from Thomas Bayne for four hundred and forty-three pounds (Nelson County Deeds, Book 6, pp. 50-52). This includes most of the same land he had been living on since 1797 since a Cuthbert Harrison owned the land before Bayne did. This was found in the Kentucky State Archives in Frankfort: Deed Book 6, pages 50-52 (microfilm roll #482736). Following the picture is the text of said deed:

Land sold from Thomas Bayne to Isaac A. Bodine in 1802 in Nelson County, Ky. This Indenture made this 14th day of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and two by and between Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife of the County of Nelson and State of Kentucky of the one part & Isaac Bodine of the County & State aforesaid of the other part. Witnesseth that for and in consideration of the Sum of four hundred & forty three pound twelve Shillings & Six pence Lawful money of Kentucky paid into the hands of the Said Thomas Bayne & Sary his wife at and before the Sealing and Delivery of these presants the receipts whereof the Said Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife doth hereby acknowledge and thereof doth equit and discharge the Said Isaac Bodine his heirs Executors and admors (§-type symbol written above previous word) by these presants they the Said Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife have granted bargained & Sold aliened & released & confirmed and by these presents doth grant bargain and Sell Alien release and confirm unto him the Said Isaac Bodine & his heirs One certain Missuage tenement tract or parcel of land Situate lying & being in Nelson County & on the waters of Jesse Davises Run a branch of Chaplins fork of Salt river and bounded as follows to wit Beginning at an ash & white oak Corner to Eli Hobs then with Hobbses line South thirty five degrees East one hundred and twenty poles to two Sugar trees Standing in a branch then down Sd. branch South eighty six degrees East Eighty four poles to two beaches and Sugar tree thence South Seventy eight Degrees east fifty two poles to Elm & beach thence North eighty eight degrees east sixty poles to two beaches & poplar thence north fifty five degrees East forty two poles to two beaches thence north thirty five degrees West two hundred and eighty poles to two Sugar trees then South fifty five degrees west fifty six poles to ash and Sugar tree thence South fifty five Degrees west one hundred & thirty three & one third poles to two Sugar trees Standing on a Ridge thence South thirty five degrees east Sixty poles to the Beginning Containing two hundred and ninety five & three quarters acres of Land at least being part of a tract of Land pattented in the name of Cuthbert Harrison and also a part of a tract of Land pattented in the name of Charles Chinn and from the said Harrison & Eli Chinn heir at law with Charles Chinn Conveyed to the Sd. Thomas Bayne which will fully appear of record in Nelson County being the land laid of & set appart for the Said Isaac Bodine with all woods under woods ways water ways water courses houses building orchards fencing improvements Emoluments heriditiments and appertinances thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining or which have been accepted taken Reputed occupyed or Enjoyed as part or parcel of the Same & the remainder & remainders, reversion & reversions of all and every part thereof together with the Rents profits and Isues thereof and all deeds Evidences touching or in anywise concerning the same to have and to hold the Said land & premises together with all and Singular its appertinances unto the said Isaac Bodine his heirs and assigns to the only proper use and behoof of him the said Isaac Bodine his heirs and assigns forever & the Said Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife for themselves & their heirs Executors & admors (sign above this word) locommand (sp?) & grant to & with the Said Isaac Bodine his heirs & assign that they the Said Thomas Bayne & Sary his wife now at the time of the Sealing & delivery of these presents are Seized & possessed of a good sure perfect absolute indefeasible Estate of Inheritance in _________ & that they have full legal & ample power & authority to sell and Convey the Same to the Said Isaac Bodine in manner aforesaid & that the said premises now are & forever hereafter shall remain & be free & clear & from all former. & other, gifts, grants, bargains, Sales, dowers, rights & tithes of Dowers Judgments Executions, tithes troubles charges & incumbrances whatsoever made done or committed or Suffered by the said Thomas Bayne or any other person or persons whatsoever hat the said Thomas Bayne & his heirs all and singular the premises hereby bargained and sold with the appertinances unto the said Isaac Bodine his heirs & assigns again them the said Thomas Bayne & Sary his wife & their heirs & all and every other person & persons whatsoever Shall warrant and forever Defend by these presents in Witness whereof the Sd. Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife have hereunto set their hands & Caused their Seals to be affixed to these presants the day & year first above written. Signed Sealed & delivered in presence of Thomas Bayne her mark Sarah + Bayne

Nelson County Act To all whom in may concern I Benjamin Grayson Clerk of the Court of Quarter (sp?) Sessions for Nelson County do make known that on the 14th day of January last Thomas Bayne and Sary his wife a party to this Indenture did in my presence in due form of law execute & deliver the Same as their Voluntary act and deed & she the said Sarah being at the time of her executing and delivering as aforesaid separate from and out of the hearing of her said husband and that I have recorded the same Indenture in my office as required by law Witness my hand this 13th day of February 1802. Ben Grayson GM (sp?) Note: A pole equals 16.5 feet.
Here is something from Loudoun County, VA about Cuthbert Harrison. It is dated 1784/04/17/:
Rightmire, Benjamin of Loudoun to Isaac BODINE of Loudoun. Bill of sale for farm and household items, blacksmith tools. Wit: Cuth. HARRISON, James LEITH. Loudoun Co., Virginia. See "Index to Loudoun Co. Land Deed Books A-Z, 1757-1800" by Pat Duncan: Bk:Pg: O:111 Date: 17 Apr 1784 Recorded in court: 14 Sep 1784

In Nelson County, Isaac seemed to be a fairly well-to-do landowner. He had around 600 acres of land since he had also bought other tracts for his sons. An inventory of his estate after his death totaled about $7000. This included 27 head of cattle (and calves), 10 horses, 40 hogs and 25 sheep. He also owned 11 slaves (Nelson County Wills, Book D, p. 72).

It appears that Isaac and Elizabeth were Methodists in religion. Proof of this is that most of their children were married by a Joseph Ferguson (see the notes dealing with their children). Ferguson was one of the original Methodist ministers in this area of Kentucky. He came to the area around 1784 from Fairfax, Virginia and settled at Poplar Flat, about six miles east of Bardstown and about fifteen miles west of Chaplin. The minister was in his mid-twenties (Redford, v. 1, p. 285). His church was organized in 1790 and was first called Ferguson Chapel and was later called Woodlawn Methodist Church. This was the first Methodist church in Nelson County and the second in the state of Kentucky. The church was the center of the "Salt River Circuit." Ferguson used to make a monthly trip to Chaplin to hold services (Redford, v. 1, p. 286). In September of 1808, Bishop Francis Asbury visited the home of Ferguson. Isaac and/or his family may have occasionally attended services at Campground Methodist church, which later became Beech Fork Methodist. Services seem to have been going on there in the early 1800's in a log cabin. The Bodines were described as pillars of this church in its early days (Smith, 167-168). Isaac seems to have been surrounded by Methodists. His neighbor to the south was Captain Jesse Davis, Sr. of the Revolutionary Army. It was on his farm, it is said, that the first Methodist sermon was ever preached in Nelson County. The pews were logs that Davis was using to build a house (Redford, v. 1, p. 388). His neighbor to the east was Rev. Eli Hobbs, a part-time Methodist minister. Hobbs was born in Maryland and came early to Nelson County. He was one of the members at Ferguson's Chapel. He used to be called Uncle Eli. Older men of Chaplin who had known him said he was the best man that had ever lived at Chaplin. It is said that he never entered the church without first kneeling in a thicket by the way in order to pray. (Redford, v. 2, p. 271. See this reference for more info on Eli Hobbs' character and appearance.) He is buried at the Old Methodist Cemetery in Chaplin.

The main plot of land Isaac owned was located southwest of present-day Chaplin, Kentucky. This land can be found a little south of where Murphy Lane (Hwy 2738) meets Highway 62. The southern part of the property is also at mile marker 37 just north of the Bluegrass Parkway. There are foundation stones of several buildings that are still visible on a hill overlooking the confluence of two creeks on a part of the watercourse known as Jesse's Run. These could be from his original place as they appear very old and it would have been a beautiful spot for a house. LR, the present owner, later said that the property does contain a hill that the family refers to as "House HIll" and that it burned down in the 1950s. So Isaac's original house would have most likely been near Murphy Lane (or whatever it was called in the beginning) on LR's northern parcel.

BK told me that the entrances to the two parcels of land that today make up most of Isaac's original 296 acre "plantation" are on Murphy Lane not far south of Murphy Lane's intersection with Route 62 west of Chaplin. The more northern parcel is 93 acres and the more southern parcel is 162 acres.

It is very likely that Isaac, his wife and some of their children were buried in what was known as the McMakin Cemetery just east of Chaplin. In her will of January 15, 1845, Elizabeth Bodine (Isaac's wife), appropriated $50 from her estate "to enclose the graveyard at Elias Kincheloes..." (Nelson County Wills, Book 4, p. 468. Proven on December 8, 1845). It can be assumed that she had family buried on his land and was probably going to be buried there herself. Unfortunately, McMakin Cemetery is now destroyed. But from past records and transcriptions of some of the graves, it is known that Peyton McMakin and his wife and some of their family are buried there. There is a Rebekah Kincheloe there. Elias Kincheloe was once married to a Rebekah. [Conversation with R. Moore. The death date he had for her was 1825. The cemetery records have Rebekah's dates as March 20, 1785 to July 5, 1827. Elias Kincheloe, it is believed, remarried on September 3, 1828 to Ann B. Jackson (Nelson Co., KY Marriage Index, p. 84). She died October 13, 1860 at 77 and is buried in the Old Methodist Cemetery in Chaplin. Today there is a DAR marker for William Kincheloe next to her grave. Ann was originally of Cuthbert Harrison's family.] Isaac and Elizabeth's oldest son, Charles, was also buried there in 1819. And Richard Skinner, the husband of their oldest daughter, was buried at the small cemetery in 1823 (Nelson County, Kentucky Cemeteries, v. 1, p. 59). Since other graves were probably destroyed, we can assume that there are several missing ones. [In discussions with people who know the circumstances surrounding the destruction of the cemetery, it was discovered that stones may have been carried off by some relatives because these stones had been torn down and stacked up behind a barn. One stone carried off was not listed on the cemetery records. Certainly there were more. In addition, L. O., one of the women who did the grave transcriptions for the Nelson County cemetery series, said she used to play in that yard and there were more graves there than are presently listed. The way she and her friends got the "McMakin" list was to consult Bible records to see who was recorded as being in that cemetery. She says it is not complete.] Other Bodines are almost certainly there - Isaac A. Bodine, his wife Elizabeth, and their children who died young, Asher I and William, are most likely there. Work needs to be done to see who owned this land around 1818. [From Smith's book on Nelson County, there are some interesting facts. Page 202 says the Kincheloes had a mansion that stood where Mrs. James Perry's house was. (This was a house built by the Cheathams.) It is the same land where the McMakin Cemetery was before it was destroyed. Page 198 says that William Kincheloe was buried in the family cemetery on his plantation. This must have been where the Perry house was. The mansion was his plantation. It goes on to say that the cemetery was enclosed by a stone wall. In her will, Elizabeth Pullin Bodine paid to have a wall put up around the cemetery at the Kincheloe's. All this must refer to the McMakin Cemetery.]

Isaac Bodine was among the first settlers to reach Kentucky. The early 1800's are when pioneers were pouring into the fertile lands of Central Kentucky. It was just after the time of Daniel Boone's explorations there. In 1793, the previous landowner to Isaac, a Thomas Bayne, had bought his land from a large tract originally claimed by Cuthbert Harrison in 1780. [For Bayne's deed, see Nelson County Deeds, Book 4, p. 738. For the reference to Harrison's claim, see Early Kentucky Land Records, 1773-1780, by Neal O. Hammon, p. 126. Harrison made a Kentucky County Claim on December 5, 1780 for 1000 acres on the Chaplins Fork and Salt River.] Harrison had been the first white man to file a claim on this land. He had probably been allowed to file this claim because of military service rendered to the State of Virginia. If that is the case, this land would have been part of his payment for his service in the military. An article entitled BODINE FAMILY RECORDS, contributed by Amber L. Bodine, Yuba City, California, was published in the Kentucky Genealogist, and reads, in part, as follows: "The Bible records of Isaac A. Bodine, 1752-1812, of Loudoun County, Virginia, and Nelson County, Kentucky, were copied by Mrs. Karl (Barbara Craig) Hilty, of Grand Prairie, Texas, who obtained the Bible from Mrs. Isaa Ludwell Bodine, of near Bardstown, Kentucky, later returning it to her. The records were sent to Mrs A. O. (Amber L.) Bodine, who has added in parentheses information to clarify the entries. "The cover and title pages were missing from the Bible; the paper was brown and crisp. It is believed that the Bible was once the possession of Isaac A. Bodine, as the record begins with his family, mentioning his parents. There are several handwritings in the Bible, as the writers passed the record from one generation to another. "The additional data were gathered from living members of the family, vital records of Nelson County, Kentucky, wills of various members of the family, marriage records, and United States census records of the area." A copy of the _______________ may be found at the McClung Historical Collection, Knoxville, TN. The following was extracted from the "Kentucky Genealogist," v. 5, 1963, pages. 123-129. It was then arranged by family (by Rudie Slaughter?). Information in parentheses was added by the people who submitted the article to the "Kentucky Genealogist" in order to make some things clearer. Bible Records of Isaac A. Bodine, 1752-1812 of Loudoun County, Virginia and Nelson County, Kentucky. Isaac A. Bodine (b. 1752) Family Isaac Bodine son of Cornelius and Mary was born January 12, 1752. (Mary is the first wife of Cornelius. Idah _____ was his second, as she survived him. His will is in Will Book "B" 1772-1782, Loudoun County, Virginia, 372- wr.13 Sept. 1779, pr. 13 Aug. 1781.) Elizabeth (Pullin) Bodine daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Pullin born July 11, 1759. Isaac Bodine and Elizabeth married on June 15, 1777. Isaac (A.) Bodine son of Cornelius and Mary died February 25, 1818 in the 67th year of his age. Elizabeth Bodine daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Pullin died in 1845 in the 87th year of her age. 1- Mary Bodine daughter of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born April 14, 1778. Richard Skinner and Mary Bodine daughter of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) married March 24, 1801. 2- Charles Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born July 29, 1780. Charles Bodine, son of Isaac and Elizabeth died January 15, 1819 in the 39th year of his age. Eliza Bodine wife of Charles, was born August 3, 1788 (Eliza Stone, who married Charles Bodine, was also know in some records as Elizabeth, and in some as Eliza Elizabeth). Charles Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) married on June 6, 1805. 3- Isaac V. Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born ---1791. (These dates were missing in the old Bible, but supplied by Mrs. Isaac Ludwell Bodine, owner of the Bible and descendant of the same. Isaac V. Bodine was born 29 Jan. 1791.) Isaac V. Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born January 29, 1791. Isaac Bodine, son of Isaac and Elizabeth, died in 1861 in the 71st year of his age. Elizabeth (Murray) Bodine daughter of John and Dorcas Murrary was born January 14, 1800. Elizabeth (Murray) Bodine daughter of John and Dorcas Murray died April 17, 1853 in the 54th year of her age. (She married Isaac V. Bodine) Isaac V. Bodine and Louisa married June 16, 1835 (Son of Isaac A. and Elizabeth P. Bodine). 4- Cornelius Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born ------1783. 5- Catherine Bodine daughter of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born January 18, 1786. 6- Jacob Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born 24 July 1788. Jacob Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) married March 6, 1812. 7- Asher Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born August 26, 1793. (Died 1795). Asher Bodine son of Isaac and Elizabeth died December 17, 1795. 8- Asher, the second was born April 15, 1796. (Also a son of Isaac A. and Elizabeth P.) 9- William Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born October 30, 1798. William Bodine son of Isaac and Elizabeth died September 1813. 10 Lawson Bodine son of Isaac (A.) and Elizabeth (P.) was born April 1801. Lawson Bodine son of Isaac and Elizabeth died March 20, 1854. Nine of his eleven children are listed in his will of October 5, 1816. Asher I, as well as another son, William, had died by this time. He names his daughters Mary Skinner, Catharine Owsley, and Elizabeth Bodine, as well as his sons Charles, Cornelius, Jacob, Isaac, Jr., Asher, and Lawson. The ministers associated with the marriages of these children are J. Ferguson, J. Taylor, and J. Rogers. (See "Marriage Register for Nelson County, 1785-1859." This is an index with no page numbers. It's on microfiche roll 481488 at the State Archives in Frankfort, Kentucky.)