A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mail from Frances Hanson Arnold who had zoomed in on my mention of Nathan Fowler in this column.

It seems that Frances' line through Margaret (Peggy) Jones, said to be the daughter of Jethro Jones, goes back to a Nathan Fowler. As soon as I read her letter I knew who she was talking about.

Genealogy plays cruel tricks on you sometimes and nothing is more frustrating than the "same name" game.

My ancestor is Nathan Fowler with a son named Zephania. Her ancestor is Nathan Fowler with a son named Zephaniah. Same person? Don't we wish!

Her Nathan was born in the mid 1700s and died in 1817 in Jackson County. My Nathan was born about 1800 and died sometime before 1860 in Gwinnett County. Close, but no cigar.

You would think with both having sons named Zephania(h), it would be easy to connect the two families. Nothing is further from the truth. We have been trying to connect these families for years with no luck. We have not given up, though and, having met Frances, I feel we now have another ally.

Frances was generous enough to share her Hanson family file with me, though, and I took it home and entered her data into my genealogy program. The Hanson family story, like all family histories, is interesting. And, as is the purpose of this column, maybe someone out there can "connect."

The earliest ancestor of her Hanson family in Georgia is Robert Hanson, born in 1728 in Stafford County, Va. The Hanson name is spelled many ways in genealogical records Hanson, Henson, and Hinson are just a few.

Robert's wife's name is not known, but he left a will dated March 29, 1802, in Fauquier Co., Va., listing a few of his children. Further research has shown the children to be: (1) Elizabeth, m. Unknown Whitten; (2) Ann, m. Unknown Dialls; (3) James, b. 1765, m. Ann Qusinberry; (4) Jesse, b. 1767, d. 1852, m. (1) Elizabeth Crawford, dau. of Reuben Crawford, m. (2) Mary Murphy; (5) Tapley, b. 1768, m. Elizabeth Holder, dau. of David Holder; (6) William, b. 1770; (7) Haney, b. 1772, m. Martin Dye; (8) Margaret, b. 1775, m. Presley Garner, b. 1793; and (9) John, b. 1777.

Several members of the Hanson family migrated south from Virginia along the most common migration pattern, first to North Carolina, then into Georgia.

Jesse Hanson, son of Robert, along with his wife, Elizabeth, arrived in Georgia as early as 1798. Jesse is found on early tax records living in the Wild Cat Creek District of Jackson County. He was living in Morgan County in 1809 and was still there in 1818 when his son Reuben married. In 1820, he is found on the Walton County census.

Jesse and his family then came into Fayette County about 1826, when records show he bought land from James McNeill. He later sold the land to Moses Westbrook in 1827.

Jesse and Elizabeth had ten children: (1) Jane, m. Phillip A. Phelps in Jasper Co., Ga.; (2) Reuben Crawford, b. 1793. d. 20 Nov. 1848 in Carroll Co., Ga., m. on 16 Jan. 1818 in Morgan Co., Ga. to Margaret "Peggy" Jones, b. 1797; (3) Sarah (Sally), b. 1796, d. 1868, m. Edwin Lamberth; (4) Thomas b. bef. 1800; (5) James, b. 1803, d. aft. 1867. m. Betsy Unknown; (6) George Washington, b. 1807, m. on 18 May 1825 to Jerusha Lamberth; (7) William, b. 1797, d. 1866, m. Sarah Lamberth, d. 6 Jan 1882; (8) Catherine (Kate), b. 1800, m. Allen Lambert, b. 1801 in Tenn.; (9) Jesse Jr., b. bef 1810, m. Unknown Murphy; (10) Margaret (Peggy), b. bef 1825. m. Lewis Davis.

Jesse Hanson served in the War of 1812, as stated in the pension application of his widow, Mary Murphy. He was a volunteer in Capt. Butts' Company, Hoggs Regiment, in Morgan County, Ga., in spring 1812 and was honorably discharged in fall 1812.

Sometime before 1841, Jesse divorced Elizabeth and married Mary Murphy. Elizabeth stayed in Fayette County and lived with her daughter and son-in-law, Peggy and Lewis Davis. Jesse and his new wife moved from Georgia to Randolph County, Ala., where he died Feb. 7, 1852. All five of Jesse's sons served in the Confederate Army.

Jesse's son Reuben Crawford Hanson and his wife, Peggy Jones, moved to Carroll County, Ga., where they raised their children:

(1) Nancy, b. 1818, d. bef. 1870, m. Richard Bearden of Fayette County; (2) Jane, b. 1820, d. bef. 1880, m. Jesse Brian Silvey; (3) Sally, who died in infancy; (4) Elizabeth, who died at the age of 3; (5) Mahala, b. 1826, d. aft. 1880, m. Lewis Odom; (6) Henry Butler, b. 20 Feb. 1828., d. 5 Aug. 1897, m. Sarah H. Stewart; (7) Mary, b. 1830, m. Martin R. Boon(e); (8) Margaret, b. 1832, m. E.Z. Lambert; (9) Reuben Crawford Jr., b. 1834, d. 1909, m. Caldonia (Donia) Bearden, sister to Richard, above; (10) John Jesse, b. 1840, d. 1914, m. Sarah Arkansas Vines; and (11) James Francis Marion, b. 1842, d. 1905, m. Martha Almeda Bailey.

While some of the Hanson family stayed in the east in Georgia and Alabama, some migrated west to Oklahoma. There is much more information than I am able to give you here. Many of the descendants of Robert Hanson of Virginia stayed in the south metro Atlanta area.

For more about this Hanson family, contact Frances by e-mail at ArnoldF1916@aol.com. Okay, Frances got us started. Let's hear about your family. If you don't have a computer, send your letters to The Citizen, Drawer 1719, Fayetteville, GA 30214. You may send e-mails to jkilgore@thecitizennews.com or to jodiek444@aol.com. Until next week ... happy hunting!

Back to the Citizen Home Page