Hittle Genealogy Symposium

[Joe Hittle]

Valentine Leonard moved from Kentucky to Vermilion County Illinois about the same time that George Hittle moved from Rush County, Indiana to Tazewell County, Illinois. It appears that George made his move in 1826, while Valentine made his after the harvest in 1828 and before planting time in 1829.

Valetine was about 11 years older than George, which would have made him about 65 years old at the time of the emigration to Vermilion, which probably means that like David Hittle's move to Marshall County, Indiana, and Michael Hittle's move to Monroe County, Iowa, Valentine's was probably made at the insistence of his children.

Valentine's daughter Elizabeth Leonard married Charles Scott Young in Harrison County Kentucky in January of 1829, which probably indicates that the move to Illinois was still in the process of being planned, and probably the plan was in its early stages of implementation. 7 years later, in 1836 Elizabeth and Charles' fourth daughter, Cindica, was born in Vermilion County. It was Cindica who married George W. Claypool and whose youngest granddaughter, Cecil Marguerite, is my mother.

It appears that Valentine Leonard may have been married 3 times: 1) to Polly Jones, 1793 in Harrison County, Kentucky; 2) A year later, 1794 to Mary Fowler in Harrison County, Kentucky; and 3) to Mary Stipp, 1847 in Vermilion County, Illinois after the death of Mary (Fowler) Leonard in 1845. Mrs. Stipp was probably the widowed mother of Valentine's daughter-in-law by his son Valentine.

There appears to be some confusion as to who Polly Jones was, as the record for them in Harrison County, Kentucky is exactly one year earlier than the date usually cited for his marriage to Mary Fowler.

Valentine lived to be 90 years old, and is buried in Leonard Cemetery, Newell Township, Vermilion County, Illinois just SE of Bismarck.

Joe

[Joe Hittle]

The matter of where Valentine Leonard was married in Kentucky appears to be one of disagreement.

Some records indicate that both Kentucky marriages took place in Mason County, some indicate Harrison.

The varying reports are probably due to Harrison County being taken from Mason County in the developement of county structure in NE Kentucky. Today, the 2 counties are separated by Robertson County, which is a much smaller land mass then either present day Harrison or Mason.

Joe