The History of
Jonathan Erastus Quicksall
(1758 - 1834)
According to a hand-written manuscript by Matilda Caroline Quicksall Bishop forwarded to me by her grandson, Jim Bishop of New York City, Jonathan Erastus Quicksall came to America "from France during 18th century and settled near Richmond, Va. Me married a young widow named Sarah Richards whose maiden name had been Clark of Maryland. To them were born nine children, six sons and three daughters." This means that the descendents of Jonathan Erastus Quicksall are apparently not descendents of William Quicksall of Boulones (1672- before 8/21/1736). If these two lines of Quicksalls are related, the connection must go back to England.
Laura Quicksall Hanks wrote the following in her manuscript entitled "Quicksalls" (c) 1988:
Hasting Court records of Richmond, Virginia, in Henrico County shows that on December 21, 1802, Jonathan Quicksall married Mrs. Elizabeth Richards, widow of George Richards. Her maiden name was Clark. Some family records show that Sara Clark Richards married Jonathan Erastus Quicksall, so her name possibly could have been Sara Elizabeth Clark.
From records, Jonathan and "Betsy," as she was nicknamed on the census, lived in Henrico County until circa 1819 and then moved a few miles west to Buckingham County. By 1830 they established themselves in the south-west corner of Virginia in Tazewell County with their married son, Jonathan Jr., living next door.
Three of Jonathan E. Quicksall's sons, James, Aaron, and Joseph, migrated to Kentucky in about 1847. James and Joseph died in Kentucky before 1860, but left offspring in the area. Aaron migrated on to Illinois in about 1860, and died in 1864. Another of Jonathan E. Quicksall's sons, Thomas, went to Kentucky in about 1867 and then later migrated to Texas in 1881.
The Quicksalls of Kentucky are apparently descendants of Jonathan E. Quicksall of Virginia through his migrated sons, although Quicksalls had entered the state in the late 1700s. After the deaths of Capt. John Quicksall, Jr., of the Revolutionary War, in 1783 and his wife in early 1784, John Hunt, the father -in-law, took the orphaned Quicksall children to Kentucky. The three Quicksall Girls, Sarah, Elizabeth, and baby Mary, married Kentucky men. The two Quicksall boys, Aaron and John, left Kentucky and went back to their home state and married New Jersey women.
The Bible names that Jonathan E. Quicksall selected for his sons indicates that he was a religious man, but most important, the names follow the same name pattern of the Quicksall families that lived in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The name pattern indicates a linkage to the families.
Jonathan E. Quicksall was born between 1771 and 1781. He either died on October 28, 1834, in Tazewell County, Virginia, or his will was proved at that time. Betsy was born around 1774, and it is thought that she was born in Maryland. She died February 7, 1852, in Tazewell County and most likely in the home of her married daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth (Quicksall) Hankins.
The issue of Jonathan Erastus Quicksall and Elizabeth "Betsy" (Clark) (Richards) Quicksall:
- Sarah Quicksall b. c1803 Va
- Jonathan E. Quicksall, Jr. b. c1805 Va
- (daughter) b. c1807 Va
- (daughter) b. c1809 Va
- James Quicksall b. March 3, 1811 Rockingham,Va - See History
- Daniel Quicksall b. c1815 Va
- Elizabeth Quicksall b. c1816 Va
- Aaron Quicksall b. c1818 Va - See History - See Tree
- Joseph Quicksall b. c1821 Va
- Thomas O. Quicksall b. c1824 Va - See Tree