Elijah S.* Hastings

*Elijah Hastings is said to be son of James Hastings of Robert. However, this compiler has found no evidence of that. It is most probable that Elijah is a grandson of Robert Hastings born c1695 however, it is uncertain to which son of Robert he belongs.

Elijah "Hastey" is listed in the 1800 Sussex Co., DE Census with a household in Little Creek Hundred as 23010-02010-00. Elijah Hasting is in Little Creek Hundred in 1820 as 010021-01010. He is very close to Jacob Elliott, Daniel Hasting, Elihu Hasting and Frederick Hasting. In the 1830 Census, Elijah Hasting is head of household in Little Creek Hundred, Sussex Co., DE with 0000001001000-0000000100000. 1830 makes him to be age 70-80 or born in the 1750s. However, in 1840, Elijah is in a household with 0100000000010-0000010000000, showing an age of 90-100! This suggests a birth year in the 1740s and this compiler originally thought this to just be an error by the census taker given the discrepancy of the two censuses and the unlikely fact that someone were to live to be 100 in the 1840s. Regardless, it still suggested that Elijah Hastings lived to a very old age, especially for the times and likely born about 1745-50. After this compiler reviewed more of the records, he stumbled upon the probate records that state the age of the man,"...Elijah Hastings Sr. departed this life at the County of Sussex aforesaid on or about the tenth day of August in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and forty three at the advanced age of abought (sic) one hundred..."

There is a 39 page probate case from an 1845 family squabble over his estate in the Delaware State Archives that lays out the family of Elijah Hastings Sr. in much detail. It begins when Peter Hastings submitted a petition on Jun 16 1845 to the Probate Court in Sussex Co., DE as son and heir-at-law of Elijah Hastings "of Pickaway County in the State of Ohio," deceased who was son of Elijah Hastings Sr. late of Little Creek Hundred. It states that Elijah, the father of Peter and son of Elijah died on May 11 1845 having lived in Pickaway Co., OH for some time and he was making claim to Elijah Jr.'s part of the estate of Elijah Sr. It also states that the elder Elijah had died on Aug 10 1843 after he had reached an age of about 100 years having out-lived all his children except the younger Elijah Hastings in Ohio who died in May 1845. The other children (all deceased) and grandchildren are listed as such:

- Son Frederick Hastings who had 10 children as issue: Peter Hastings; Euphemia Hastings; Ameila, wife of Elijah Murphy; Matty, wife of Joseph Palmer (Parramore); Archelus Hastings; Elizabeth, wife of William Gordy; Hetty, wife of John Lynch; Mary Hastings; Nancy, wife of Renatus Hastings (dec'd); and Charity, wife of Samuel Elliott.

- Son Martin Hastings who had 3 children as issue: Mariah, wife of Felty Hastings; Winder Hastings (executor of Elijah Sr.'s will); Arena, wife of Winder Hastings of Archelus.

- Son Jonathan Hastings who had 8 children as issue: Aquilla, wife of Charles Culver; Noah Hastings; Elizabeth, wife of Peter White; Frederick Hastings; Esther Hastings; Jonathan Hastings; Harriett Hastings and Sarah Hastings

- Daughter Nancy Hastings who married Elijah Murphy had children as issue: Elijah Murphy; Elizabeth, wife/widow of Ebenezer Christopher.

In this probate case, basically, the children of Elijah Hastings Jr., who had moved to Ohio (Pickaway Co.) were contesting the will of Elijah Hastings Sr. against the survivors of his other children Frederick, Martin and Jonathan Hastings and Nancy (Hastings) Murphy. Given the distance to the family in Ohio from Sussex Co., DE, depositions were taken of the folks in OH in late 1845. Eleanor Parker, age 55 of Pickaway Co., deposed that she had known Peter Hastings (of Elijah Jr.) since he was a child and thought his residence was now in Mississippi. She stated that Elijah Jr. was from Sussex Co., DE but left there for Ohio some 27 or 28 years ago (e.g.; 1817/1818). Thomas Hastings, age 48 of Ross Co., OH, deposed that he knew Peter Hastings since childhood and that he now lives in Mississippi. He thought that Elijah Hastings Jr. had relocated from Delaware to Ohio about 30 years ago (1815). Benjamin H. Willis, age 62 of Ross Co., deposed that he was not acquainted with the parties of this suit. He did state he knew Elijah Hastings Jr. 44 or 45 years and knew he was dead but not when he died or where. He further stated he believed he was originally from Worcester Co., MD (Note: given that Elijah Jr. was born c1768, that was at the time when where he was born in Sussex was still considered Worcetser Co., MD) and moved to Pickaway Co., OH. He stated that he knew Elijah Sr. for 8 or 10 years but had not seen him in over 30 years since. He finally stated that Elijah Hastings Sr. had a total of EIGHT children: Frederick, Elijah, Jonathan, Martin, Jacob and Noah, boys, and Nancy and Esther, girls. From the record, it seems that Peter Hastings of Frederick joined Peter Hastings of Elijah Jr. in the suit against Winder and Archelus Hastings, the executors of Elijah Hastings Sr.'s estate.

On Sep 21 1785, Elijah Hastings purchased 22a of land and right of resurvey in the tract "Kings Lot" from John Parker (both are of Little Creek Hundred) in Sussex County, DE for 150 punds lawful money of Delaware. (SxLR-N13:458) Compiler's Note: Elijah Hastings took this land and the right of resurvey that had begun in 1776 to expand the 22a tract "Kings Lot" into a new and larger ~450a survey called "Parkers Addition" - Hastings completed the survey on Sep 26 1793. This land in the modern day is just to the north of Delmar, DE and straddles US Route 13 and the railroad tracks.

On Mar 19 1836, Elijah Hastings purchased 100a of land from John B. and Charlotte Lewis (she was nee Parker and was willed the land from her grandfather George Parker according to this record) for $445, parts of tracts "Gordys Safety," "Brandy Ridge," and "Poor Chance?." (SxLR-Reel 41:136)

Elijah Hastings Sr. wrote his will on Dec 22 1840 and it was proven in Sussex Co., DE on Aug 15 1843:
- To Polly Hastings, widow of Frederick, all lands where she now dwells during her widowhood then to Archelus Hastings after her death
- To grandson Frederick Hastings, s/o Jonathan, all lands I own in Maryland
- To grandson Archelus Hastings, son of Frederick, all lands where I now live
- grandson Winder Hastings, son of Martin, 116a of land in tract "Poor Chance" that I bought of John Lewis. If he dies w/o issue, then this to go to to my grandsons Thomas and Elijah Christopher, sons of Eben
- To grandson Winder, also, a negro boy named William
- I wish that my grandson Archelus to take care of old Rose during her life and he to pay grandson Thomas Christopher $100 good money of Delaware when he reaches age 21
- Grandson Winder to pay grandson Elijah Christopher the same amount when he reaches age 21
- Sell rest of my moveable estate and divide between grandsons Winder and Archelus Hastings and Thomas and Elijah Christopher, the last two heirs sons of Eben Christopher
- Appoint Archelus and Winder Hastings as executors.
Witnesses: John James of J, John E. Law, Elizabeth Christopher (SxW-I:397)

Elijah is likely buried in an unmarked grave in the Archelus Hastings Cemetery north of Delmar, DE.

Elijah married Elizabeth (?) about 1780 in Sussex Co., DE. (Elizabeth (?) was born about 1750 in MD and died in 1828 in Sussex Co., DE.)