Col. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr.

HAIRSTON.org ID#39, b. 27 November 1784, d. 13 October 1863
Father*Gen. George Stovall HAIRSTON1 b. 20 Sep 1750, d. 5 Mar 1827
Mother*Elizabeth PERKINS1 b. 13 May 1759, d. 26 Jan 1819
Birth*Col. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr. was born on 27 November 1784 in Marrowbone Plantation, Henry, Virginia.2,3,4 
He was the son of Gen. George Stovall HAIRSTON and Elizabeth PERKINS.1 
DeedCol. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr. is mentioned in the property documents of John HORD and Gen. George Stovall HAIRSTON on 26 March 1798; On 26 March 1798, John Hord and his wife Ruth convey 400 acres on Horsepasture Creek to George Hairston, Sr.. This is the land George Hairston Jr. built the Hordsville Plantation home. - Henry County Deed Book 6, pages 457-458. FSL #7898571 image 457.5
PropertyGeorge Hairston, Jr., 13 June 1804, acquired 50 acres on the south waters of Wolf Creek in Patrick County. Book 53, page 113.6 
College*He graduated from Princeton University in 1805.7 
Tax RollsGeorge Harston pays taxes in Patrick County in 1807. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 508. 
Elected*George Hairstone, Jr. and Benjamine Jones were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the December 7, 1807 - February 10, 1808 session.8 
ElectedGeorge Hairstone, Jr. and Joseph Martin, Jr. were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the December 5, 1808 - February 18, 1809 session.8 
Tax RollsGeorge Hairston pays taxes in Patrick County in 1809. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 539. 
ElectedGeorge Hairstone, Jr. and Joseph Martin were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the December 4, 1809 - February 9, 1810 session.8 
Tax Rolls1810 - Hardin Hairston and George Hairston pay taxes on 18 3/4 acres of land in Patrick County. FSL #7834306 image 537.
ElectedGeorge Hairstone, Jr. and Joseph Martin were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the December 3, 1810 - February 14, 1811 session.8 
ElectedGeorge Hairstone, Jr. and Patrick H. Fountaine were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the December 2, 1811 - February 21, 1812 session.8 
DeedOn 12 January 1811, George Hairston, Hardin Hairston, Buddy Grey Harm and Washington Rowland sign an agreement to sell 170 acres. - Patrick County Deed Book 3, page 448. FSL #7897279 image 242.
Marriage*Col. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr. married Louisa HARDYMAN, daughter of Littlebury HARDYMAN III and Elizabeth EPPES, on 24 February 1811 in Greenway, Charles City, Virginia, at the home of Governor John Tyler, marriage security John Southall.9,7,10,11,12 
Military*He was a Brigadier General in the War of 1812.7

 
Tax RollsCol. George Hairston of Henry County pays taxes in Patrick County in 1812. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 591. 
ElectedGeorge Hairstone, Jr. and John Dillard, Jr. were elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the November 30, 1812 - February 23, 1813 session.8 
Tax RollsGeorge Hairston pays taxes in Patrick County in 1813. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 610. 
Tax RollsGeorge Hairston, Jr. pays taxes in Patrick County on 6 May 1815. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 651. 
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick, Henry and Pittsylvania counties for the December 1, 1817 - February 26, 1818 session.8 
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick, Henry and Pittsylvania counties for the December 7, 1818 - March 13, 1819 session.8 
Tax RollsCol. George Hairston pays taxes in Patrick County on 10 Apri 1818. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 702. 
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick, Henry and Pittsylvania counties for the December 6, 1819 - February 25, 1820 session.8 
Census 1820*Col. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr. appeared on the census of 1820 in Henry, Virginia, Males <10 3 (John 9, George 7, Nicholas 3), 26-44 1 (George 36), Females <10 2 (Elizabeth 5, Susan2), 16-25 1 (unknown), 25-44 1 (wife - Louisa 33), Slaves 65.13
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick, Henry and Pittsylvania counties for the December 4, 1820 - March 5, 1821 session.8 
WillIn Gen. George Stovall HAIRSTON's will dated 7 March 1820 in Henry, Virginia, Col. George "Old Rusty" HAIRSTON Jr. was named as an heir; Henry County Will Book 3 page 159. FSL #7645134 image 455.14
Tax Rolls*1820 - George Hairston, Jr. pays taxes in Patrick County on 17 March 1820. Samuel Hairston and Harden Hairston also pay taxes in Patrick County, Virginia in 1820. Family History Library Film #007856160 Image 735. 
PropertyGeorge Hairston Jr. purchases 159 acres of land in the Choctaw District of Mississippi on 20 July 1826.
Census 1830*He appeared on the census of 1830 in Henry, Virginia, Males <5 1 (Samuel William), 5-9 1 (Robert Henry), 10-14 1 (Nicholas Hardyman), 15-19 1 (George Stovall), 30-39 1 (unknown), 40-49 1 (George), Females 5-9 1 (Louisa Hardyman), 10-14 1 (Susan Maria), 15-19 1 (Elizabeth), 30-39 1 (unknown), 40-49 1 (wife - Louisa), Slaves 138.15
Property*In 1836, George and Louisa left Marrowbone and built Hordsville.3,16 
PropertyGeorge donated land for the construction of the First Methodist Episcopal Church south of Martinsville, in 1838.16 
Court Record*June Court 1840, 11th day of June 1840 - "George Hairston Sr. of Henry, Nicholas Hairston and Baines Carter or any two of them being first sworn before some justice of the peace are appointed commissioners to appraise the personal estate of Peter Hairston dec'd in the County of Patrick." - Family history Library Film #008574638, image 284.
Census 1850*He appeared on the census of 16 October 1850 in Henry, Virginia, his daughter Susan Hairston Martin and family are living with him.17

ElectedGeorge Hairston was elected to the Virginia House of Delegates representing Henry County for the January 12 - June 7, 1852 and the November 22, 1852 - April 11, 1853 sessions.8 
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick and Henry counties for the December 3, 1855 - March 19, 1856 session.8 
ElectedGeorge Hairston, Jr. was elected to the Virginia Senate representing Franklin, Patrick and Henry counties for the December 7, 1857 - April 8, 1858 session.8 
Photo*In 1858 a portrait of George Hairston II was painted by James Westhall Ford. The National Society of Colonial Dames of America in Tennessee has a copy of the portrait on the following website: http://www.tnportraits.org/hairston-george-rusty-ii.htm. 
PropertyGeorge Hairston Sr. of the county of Henry of the State of Virginia sells 243 acres of land in Lowndes County, Mississippi to N. E. Hairston. Lowndes County Deed Vol.31, page 324. Family History Library Film #008567104, image 177.
Census 1860*He appeared on the census of 1860 in Henry, Virginia, Geo 75, Robt 36, Mary 5 (Robert's daughter), Bettie 2 (Robert's daughter), Thomas Pugh 57.4

PropertyOwned G. H. Iron Works and Union Furnace Iron Works, which would later become Fairystone Park in Patrick County, Virginia.3 
Will*He left a will on 15 September 1862 in Henry, Virginia; Executors were his 3 sons Geo. S., Robt. H. & Saml W. Hairston. 
Death*He died on 13 October 1863 in Hordsville, Henry, Virginia, at age 78.2 
Burial*He was buried in Hordsville Plantation Cemetery, Henry, Virginia;


Photo: by Robert E. Hairston, Jr., 1990.2 
ProbateHis estate was probated on 9 November 1863 in Henry, Virginia. 
Anecdote*COL. GEORGE HAIRSTON, SR

When the War of 1812 came on, Col. George Hairston was an old but being full pluck and in mind and uody, he raised a Company of mountain cavalry and at once entered the field and fought until the close of the War in 1815. His friends insisted that he was too old active ser vice; that he had already done enough to remand him to pri­vate life with the gratitude and good will of his countrymen. But the old gentleman thought differently and in one of his curious letters to a friend who had insisted on his retirement, he wrote, "I was never young enough provoke or desire a fight with individual or nation, but can never grow too old to fight it out when once begun."

Among the many anecdotes related about the old Colonel, is that when he first entered the service during the Revolu­tionary War, appeared Yorktown with rifle on his shoulder and offered himself for duty, he was not very well versed in the rules and tactics of war. After examination, he was ordered by the Commanding officer to "file left." He misunderstood this command and hotly replied, "File hell! I did not come here to file, I came here to fight!"

Col. Hairston lived to. a very old age and was the largest land and slave owner ever in the State. At one time his landed estates were estimated at 238,795 acres of the soil of the State and at his death, his negro slaves numbered 2,960.

Col. Hairston had twelve children, ten sons and two daughters, and to each of them as they married, he gave an estate in land and negroes valued at about $500,000. Nearly all of them used their fortunes to advantage, and many of their immediate descendants enjoy them to this day. His youngest and last surviving son, Marshall Hairston, died some years ago, leaving an estate worth $700,000.

During the latter part of the eighteenth century, CoL Hairston built his home at Beaver plantation (about three miles north of the Courthouse) and here he and his wife, Elizabeth Perkins Letcher Hairston, are buried.

Beaver Creek, is now the home of Mrs. James E. Covington, a direct descendant, who has restored the old place to its former beauty and dignity.

The above is from "The Hairston and Penns and Their Relations", by Elizabeth Seawell Hairston, 1939.9 

Family

Louisa HARDYMAN b. 25 Dec 1787, d. 23 Oct 1847
Children
ChartsDescendant Chart
Descendant Chart Box

Sources (www.HAIRSTON.org)

  1. [S249] George Hairston Family Bible - 1750-1916, Peter Hairston Bible - 1750-1928, The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, Translated Out of the Original Greek: and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised. Cooperstown, (N.Y.) Sterotyped, Printed and Published by H. & E. Phinney, 1829., Library of Virginia - http://www.lva.virginia.gov
  2. [S16] Hordsville Plantation Cemetery, Henry County, Virginia.
  3. [S24] Hall, Wm. Kearney 1918-. Descendants of Nicholas Perkins of Virginia. 1957 Ann Arbor, Michigan.
    https://hdl.handle.net/2027/wu.89069618338, Hathi Trust Digital Library.
  4. [S1860] 1860 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  5. [S258] The Hord Family of Virginia: A Supplement to the Genealogy of the Hord Family, Compliled by Reverend Arnold Hord, (1915).
  6. [S3599] Nugent, Nell M., Commonwealth's Grants or Patents, Patrick & Chesterfield Counties, Virginia, 1793-1925 1748-1925 https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/76656, Family Search Library, Salt Lake City, Utah.
  7. [S145] Pedigo, Virginia G. and Pedigo, Lewis Gravely. History of Patrick and Henry Counties, Virginia - Genealogical Publishing Co., 1933 available on ancestry.com - CAUTION - this book was written in 1933 and has many errors regarding the Hairston family., Personal Collection - printed book.
  8. [S3579] Fourteenth Annual Report of the Library Board of the Virginia State Library 1916 - 1917 , Richmond: Virginia State Library, Division of Purchase and Printing, 1917 https://hdl.handle.net/2027/osu.32435031019854, Hathi Trust Digital Library.
  9. [S22] Hairston, Elizabeth Seawell, The Hairstons and the Penns and Their Relations, Roanoke, Virginia 1940 https://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=13164, Ancestry.com.
  10. [S217] Pippenger, Wesley E. Death Notices from Richmond, Virginia Newspapers, 1841-1853. Richmond: Virginia Genealogical Society, 2002. Print., Personal Collection - printed book.
  11. [S3076] Virginia Marriage Records, From the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, the William and Mary College Quarterly, and Tyler's Quarterly; Indexed by Elizabeth Petty Bentley, Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore 1984, Ancestry.com.
  12. [S3544] Watkins Family Bible record, 1782-1983. Bible of Peter Wilson Watkins, of Shawnee Plantation, Henry County, Virginia. The Library of Virginia, 32502 MBRC 28., Library of Virginia - http://www.lva.virginia.gov
  13. [S1820] 1820 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  14. [S3296] Will of George Stovall Hairston -1820 - copy of will recorded in case #1833-008, Amos A. Atkinson & Wife vs. Exrs. of George Hairston, Chancery Records, Library of Virginia, Library of Virginia - http://www.lva.virginia.gov
  15. [S1830] 1830 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
  16. [S3319] Pace, Ruth and McGee, Mary Pace. The Life and Times of Ridgeway, Virginia 1728-1990. Pocahontas Press, Inc., Blacksburg, Virginia, 1990., Personal Collection - printed book.
  17. [S1850] 1850 Federal Census - National Archives and Records Administration - Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
Last Edited5 May 2024