Joshua Hastings

Joshua Hastings held an account in John Nelms store in Salisbury, MD from 1765 to 1786. The surviving ledgers have him carrying £2/3/2 forward from elder Ledger C. In 1767 he bought trace ropes and gave credit to Nathaniel Lecates for £2/9/6. He paid to accounts of William Martin, Nathaniel Lecates, Thomas Gordy and Clement Callaway in 1768 and 1769 and for Moses Carmean in 1771. Jonathan Hearn delivered corn for his account in 1768 and carried balance of £0/5/6 to Ledger C. In 1775 and 1777, he bought rum, trace ropes, cambric and gave credits to Betty Bradley and Ignatius Anderson's wife for a total of £28/6/2. Paid in corn and wheat and pork and a credit of £10/11/8 from Ledger H. In 1784, he bought spoon moulds, steel forks, piece goods and accessories.

On Dec 23 1772, Joshua Hastings paid £5 for 42a of land "Jericho" to William Hastings both men "of Somerset". The first bounder of this land is described as being on the east side of Hastings plantation when it was surveyed for William Hastings on Oct 2 1759. This land in the modern day on the north side of Delmar, DE with the center of the tract located at the intersection of Alternate US13 and York Street about 0.3 miles north of the MD/DE line. (SoLR-E:224) He also purchased for £50 the following items from William Hastings, planter; two horses, six head of cattle, three feather beds/furniture, 12 head of hogs, all my corn and most all my dung? hill, two ploughs, two harrows, one cart with possession of my houses, land and dwelling? personal estate of whatever it may consist on Feb 13 1773. (Compiler's note: this is very close to the time - 1774 - that Delaware officially took control of old Maryland land from Somerset and Worcester into Sussex County) (SoLR-E:225)

On May 16 1785, Joshua Hastings, of Sussex County, bought 81a of land, parts of tracts "Hazard" and "Addition to Collins Adventure" from Robert Scroggin and Nathan Culver for £50 (SoLR-H:19). This land today is located on the south side of Delmar, MD at the edge of town (2017).

Joshua Hastings, planter, wrote his will on Oct 13 1794 and it was proven on Apr 30 1799 in Sussex Co., DE:
- To well beloved wife Rhoda, my dwelling house and all this part of my plantation on this side of my lane where I now live between Elijah Moor's and Widow Bradley's for her widowhood
- To son William, all remainder of land that lies in Sussex County and the land to my wife after her decease or marriage after paying my son Job £80 good and lawfull money of County within 4 years or half the allotment to go to son Job
- To son Daniel, all the lands I hold in Somerset Co., Maryland and a bond for convereyance of 10 acres from Leah, Sarah and Hannah Bradley on his paying Leah Hastings, d/o Ezekiel Hastings and Jane his wife, £10 when she arrives at the age of sixteen years
- remainder to equally divide between all my children Levinah, William, Ezekiel, Grace, Nelly, Daniel, Job, Lydda and Elizabeth
- appoint son William as sole executor.
Witnesses: John Williams, Elijah Hearn, Samuel Hearn Jr. (SxW-E:218)

Joshua married Rhoda (?). (Rhoda (?) was born about 1749 in MD and died after 1810 in Sussex Co., DE.)