Scotland -- The Hairston family is from the Dumfries area of Scotland. Documents found in Scotland spell the name in many ways: Hairstanes, Hairstains, Hairstones, Harestons, Herstaines, Hairstens, Harston, Hairsteins, Hairstons, etc.
Ireland -- Peter Hairston signed a land lease with Sir Robert Adair in Antrim, Ireland in 1726 and around 1728 he and his family moved to Pennsylvania in the British Colonies along the North American coast.
Pennsylvania to Virginia -- Peter Hairston was living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania about 1729 and lived there until about 1739, when Peter and his family move to Virginia. Peter had three known sons names Andrew, Samuel and Robert and one known daughter Eleanor. There are stories about other children, but no proof.
South Carolina Hairstons -- I have not found any old records indicating the name of the father of the South Carolina Hairstons. There are a couple of books that list their father, but they offer no evidence. The original South Carolina Hairstons were named William, Thomas, John, and Peter and they appear in South Carolina records in the mid-1760s, which is shortly after "Peter the Immigrant" sells his Virginia property. Y-DNA testing indicates the Virginia and South Carolina branches are related. Possibility 1: The idea that Peter the Immigrant had a son named Peter that was the father of the South Carolina Hairstons was proposed by Carl Greenway in a 1966 letter. Even in this letter, Carl Greenway states that his addition of a son named Peter is based on "circumstantial evidence". A son named Peter is mentioned by Elizabeth Seawell Hairston in her book "The Hairstons and the Penns" in 1940, however this Peter was Andrew Hairston's son who died unmarried and left a will about 1780 in Virginia. There are no known records that “Peter the Immigrant” had a son named Peter. There are no known wills, land records, court records, militia records, etc. relating to a son named Peter. Court records mention the brothers Andrew, Samuel, Robert and their father Peter, but no son Peter. Jury lists mention brothers Robert, Samuel and Andrew, but no son Peter. Possibility 2: The South Carolina Hairstons immigrated directly from Scotland or Ireland and are related but not descended from the Virginia branch. Possibility 3: Some stories say Peter the Immigrant's wife died at sea. If this is true, Peter the Immigrant would have been in his 40s and may have remarried and had a second family in Virginia. Peter Hairston and his wife Agnes sold their Virginia property in 1762, about the same time as the four Hairstons appeared in South Carolina. Also, an Agness Hairston witnessed the 1777 will of Samuel Crawford in South Carolina. Could this Agness Hairston be a wife/widow of Peter the Immigrant?
Daughter Eleanor -- New research indicates that "Peter the Immigrant" had a daughter named Eleanor. Samuel Hairston, son of "Peter the Immigrant", mentions niece Jane Phillips and nephew Samuel Phillips in his 1782 will. Jane and Samuel Phillips moved to Georgia about 1777. In 1754, a Richard Phillips lived close to Samuel and Robert Hairston and worked with Samuel Hairston to clear a road. In 1758, Richard Phillips is in the Militia with Samuel, Andrew and Robert Hairston and in 1768, Richard Phillips and the Hairston brothers witness the same deed. Richard Phillips sells his Virginia properties in the late 1780s and then appears in Georgia. In 1789, Richard Phillips and Samuel Phillips obtain land grants #572 and #573 on the same day in Franklin County, Georgia. In 1790, Richard Phillips bought land and Samuel Phillips was the witness. It appears that Richard Phillips and Eleanor Phillips are likely the parents of Jane and Samuel Phillips.
Daughter Jane -- Was there another daughter named Jane "Jenny"? Andrew Hairston named a daughter Jane "Jenny" and his brother Robert named a daughter Jane "Jennett". Also, the above mentioned Eleanor Phillips named a daughter Jane "Jennett". It is possible that "Peter the Immigrant" may have had a daughter named Jane.
Genealogy Notes - Hairston.org is an ongoing project compiling many, many years of research by Victor Hairston, the late Edward J. Bregenzer and myself, Robert Hairston. Victor and Ed concentrated their research on the descendants of Andrew, the son of "Peter the Immigrant". My research is focused on Peter’s son Robert and records prior to 1750 in Scotland, Ireland and America. We all relied on the publications by Elizabeth Seawell Hairston (1855-1944), Ruth Hairston Early (1849-1928) and Judge Peter W. Hairston, III (1913-2007).
Please let me know when you find errors on this website and I will correct them. Many old genealogy books about the Hairston family have incorrect information. Records of living people and most people born after 1940 are not listed on this website for privacy reasons. Thank you.
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Scotland & Ireland
Coat of Arms of William Hairstanes -1720
Agnes Hairstanes - Covenantor Imprisoned For Her Beliefs - 1685
Lady Alva, Lady Glenorchy and the Countess of Sutherland