Third Generation

7. Alexander MCNUTT was born on 17 August 1760 in Big Lick, Botetourt County, Virginia Colony, British Colonial America.^1,3 (He was named after his father's brother.)

(A McNutt Family History as told by Alexander McNutt to his son Peter in 1848 states that his parents were Sir John Malcolm McNautt and Celia McRae. Several sources on MyHeritage.com list them as Solomon and Sarah (Barber) McNutt. Their true identities must be confirmed. A copy of the Family History is in the possession of Gary Griggs.) He lived in Botetourt County, Virginia Colony, British Colonial America in 1774.² Between 1776 and 1795 he was .² He attended surveying school and worked as a Military Surveyor for General Anthony Wayne. He served General Wayne in the Revolution.

As early as 1789, he had worked with surveyors in the Ohio Country. Later, he worked as a surveyor on mapping the route of the Cumberland or National Trail in Pennsylvania and Ohio.

In 1793-1794, he served in the Western Frontier Wars with General Wayne and became a Captain of the Riflemen.
After 1803 Alexander was in Preble County, OH.² From the McNutt Family History, as told by Alexander to his son Peter in 1848: "As a surveyor, he (Alexander) marked almost 1,000 acres of land in what came to be known as Harrison Township.

In mid-November, 1805, the families of Tobias Tillman, Alexander McNutt, John Tillman, Jr., Martin Rice, Jacob Loy, James Abbott, and John Harless (four of these men were married to Tobias' daughters). Also in the group were the 100 year old father of Tobias, John Tillman, Sr., and his wife, Eva.

Some members of the Lock, Hapner, Phillips and Meyers families accompanied the group as they traveled northward in part over the Wilderness Trail. The group had horse drawn wagons, other horses with loaded saddle bags as well as several head of cattle, sheep, hogs and boxes of chickens. The start was much later than planned due to the birth on October 23rd of Hiram (Hyrum) son of Alexander and Betsey McNutt. They were fortunate that the weather was mild and dry. However, when the Ohio River was reached and forded one wagon upset and John Tillman Sr.'s possessions were lost. Included in the loss was his copy of the Tillghman "Bible" or journal which recorded the history of the Tilghman family in England and America.
 
After they crossed the Ohio River, they followed streams and trails to what is now Franklin, Ohio then turned northwest to their land. The shelters built in 1804 were used as temporary shelters until more permanent ones could be built. The group finally reached its destination on Christmas Day, 1805. The next day the area was covered with a heavy snow storm. They were fortunate that the Indians had not destroyed the temporary shelters.
 
When Indian raids became a problem, John Tillman, Jr. and Alexander McNutt with the assistance of other men in the group built a blockhouse on what is now the Henry Wolfe farm as that was the highest point in the area. [The stone foundation of the block house with its gun slits is still there and during the War of 1812 was readied to be used as a fort. Each evening settlers were brought to the block house for the night and accompanied to their homes each morning. Fortunately no serious attack ever occurred. Earlier a girl had been kidnapped by the Indians but later returned. Some livestock was occasionally stolen.
 
John Tillman, Sr. died in 1809 a few months short of his 105th birth day. He was buried in an unmarked grave in the southwest corner of what later became the West Baltimore Cemetery. A few months later his wife died and was buried beside him. [Verona, Ohio].
 
John, Jr, and Alexander built the first lime kiln on Alexander's farm which lay along what is now the National Road. [You can still go back the lane to where a large lone sycamore marks the site where Alexander's homestead stood. Migrants were always welcome at Alexander's home, and many stayed overnight on their way to Indiana. The house was also used for Sunday services because its size could accommodate more people." In 1809 he was in Preble County, OH.² He was appointed the first surveyor for the county. After 1815 he was a farmer in Lewisburg, Preble County, OH.⁴ Alexander appeared in the census in 1820 in Harrison Township, Preble County, OH.⁵ His household consisted of 4 males, age under 10; 2 males, age 10-16, 1 male, age 16-18; 2 males, age 16-26; 1 male, age 45 and over (Alexander); 1 female, age 10-16 (unknown daughter); and 1 female, age 26-45 (Elizabeth). He appeared in the census in 1830 in Harrison Township, Preble County, OH.³ His household consisted of 4 males, age 15-20; 1 male, age 50-60 (Alexander); 1 female, age 5-10; and 1 female, age 40-50 (Elizabeth).

He lived a few farms away from the household of John Vance, probably the father of Mary Jane Vance, who would marry Alexander's son, Tobias. One of the daughters in that household was listed as 10-15 years old; Mary Jane was born in about 1820, so that may have been her. He appeared in the census in 1840 in Colerain Township, Hamilton County, OH.⁶ His household consisted of 1 male, age 60-70 (Alexander) and 1 female, age 50-60 (Elizabeth). Alexander appeared in the census in 1850 in Harrison Township, Preble County, OH.⁷ His household consisted of Alexander, age 80, farmer, born in VA; and Elizabeth, age 70, born in VA. He died on 11 December 1856 at the age of 96 in Lewisburg, Preble County, OH.^1,8 He was buried in 1856 in Lewisburg, Preble County, OH.¹ in the Lower Lewisburg Cemetery.

Alexander MCNUTT and Elizabeth G. "Betsy" TILLMAN were married on 22 December 1800 in Knox County, TN.^1,9,10 They had thirteen children: John, Jacob, Tobias, Betsy, Rhoda, Solomon, Levi (Eli), William, Hiram (Hyrum), Peter, Elizabeth and an unnamed daughter who was stillborn.

Their 13th child may have been Sarah Jane, who married Thomas B. Sharp, son of Joseph and Sarah (Ramsey) Sharp, who was born in 1819 in Armstrong Twp. He married Sarah Ann McNutt, the daughter of Alexander McNutt and Elizabeth McKnight (?).

Thomas and Sarah had seven children, all born in Indiana County:
(1) Isabella Sharp
(2) Sarah Ann Sharp, born 28 August 1845 and died 26 August 1929
(3) Martha E Sharp, born 1847; she married John Patterson
(4) Nancy Ellen Sharp, born 1849 and died 30 November 1919; she married John Ramsey Craig (see the Craig descendency for further information on this line.)
(5) Margaret Jane Sharp, born 1849 and died 30 November 1917.
(6) Amanda Sharp, born 1855
(7) Mary C Sharp, born 1858

Alexander and Elizabeth had a son named Tobias, who named one of his daughters Sarah Jane, so the name connection would fit.

.
Elizabeth G. "Betsy" TILLMAN, daughter of Tobias TILLMAN and Catherine SHARP, was born on 25 December 1780 in Roanoke, Botetourt County, Virginia Colony, British Colonial America.^1,3,10 She appeared in the census in 1830 in Harrison Township, Preble County, OH.³ She appeared in the census in 1840 in Colerain Township, Hamilton County, OH.⁶ Betsy appeared in the census in 1850 in Harrison Township, Preble County, OH.⁷ She died on 10 May 1860 at the age of 79 in Lewisburg, Preble County, OH.^1,8 She was not listed in the 1860 Census. She was buried in Lewisburg, Preble County, OH.¹ in the Lower Lewisburg Cemetery.

Alexander MCNUTT and Elizabeth G. "Betsy" TILLMAN had the following children:

Alexander MCNUTT and Catherine ECHELBERGER were married before 1856.² Catherine ECHELBERGER died after 1856.²