Hackleys in Early Virginia

The Hackley family most likely originated from the south of England.⁽¹⁾ The name itself is probably derived from a contraction of two early Anglo-Saxon words which, when combined, represent a place name: ac or oak tree, and leah which means open ground or meadow... literally translated: of the oak meadow. The earliest reference found so far which refers specifically to the Hackley surname dates to 1496 in England; however, records dating back to the 13^th century refer to names which may be variant spellings of the Hackley surname (e.g., Hakeley, Hakele, Acley, Acly, Aklee)⁽²⁾ In addition, many records dating from the 16^th century refer to Hackleys in and around London. Several Hackleys are known to have immigrated to Virginia during the early 1600's, the earliest in 1638,⁽³⁾ but the progenitor of the Virginia line is thought to have been John Hackley, born ca.1655 on the Isle of Wight off the southern coast of England, who came to settle in Essex County in eastern Virginia some time prior to 1680.⁽¹⁾ Evidence also suggests that several associated Isle of Wight families may have immigrated to the new world at the same time. John married Elizabeth Lambert and they had several children, including James Hackley, born about 1691, from whom all Virginia Hackleys appear to have descended. They had two other sons, John and Joseph, about whom little is known.

James was a landowner in Essex County as late as 1719, but appears in King George County, Parish of Hanover, in 1724. Land he owned in King George was about 15 miles below Fredericksburg on the Rappahannock river. Hackley's Ferry operated from his land, over the river to Moss Neck plantation in Caroline County.⁽⁴⁾

On September 30, 1724, James was granted 740 acres of land in King George County by Robert "King" Carter acting as agent for Lord Fairfax.⁽⁵⁾ This land grant lay in that part of King George which is now in Fauquier County on the western most side of Summerduck Run close to the Rappahannock river. For this land James paid 10 shillings sterling for each 50 acres, and each year thereafter a quit rent of 1 shilling for each 50 acres, payable on the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. On April 18, 1741, James obtained another grant for 126 acres adjoining the first tract.⁽⁶⁾ These two tracts were located on what is now the right side of the road leading from highway 17 by way of Summerduck to Remington, just beyond Summerduck Run in southeastern Fauquier County.

James Hackley married Elizabeth Shippey, also of Virginia, and his sons (John, Joseph, Lott, Francis and James) eventually inherited equal parts of the granted land at Summerduck. Eldest son, John, was one of the early vestrymen in St. Mark's Parish in Culpeper County. John owned land in both King George and Culpeper counties, and eventually married Judith Ball.

Son Lott inherited 246 acres of his father's land at Summerduck Run where he lived most of his life. He was granted 334 acres in Fauquier County on February 27, 1792 by Henry Lee, Governor of Virginia, by virtue of warrant of the Lord Proprietor of the Northern Neck.⁽⁷⁾ Lott and wife Jael were among the original members of the Hartwood Baptist Church. She signed the constitution for the church as number 124. They are said to be buried in the cemetery not far from the Summerduck Store, presumably on the old family homestead.

On March 1, 1756, at age 15, son Francis was apprenticed to John Catlett to learn carpentry. Francis was later a member of Colonel Byrd's regiment from Orange County in 1758-9. This regiment served in the French and Indian War and participated in the capture of Fort Duquesne on November 25, 1758. Francis was established as a carpenter in Culpeper County in 1763-64, as Richard Hackley, son of Francis's brother Joseph, was apprenticed to him to learn carpentry at this time. Francis inherited 186 acres of his father's land at Summerduck Run, but apparently never lived on it. He lived in Culpeper for a while, according to tax records, but in 1795, with wife Fanny and family, moved to what is now Anderson County, Kentucky. Francis built his house on Fox Creek near Lawrenceburg. A family cemetery is nearby, where Francis and Fanny are buried. Several Hackleys would migrate west from Virginia into Kentucky and Missouri during the late 18^th and early 19^th centuries in search of land. As a result, numerous descendants are spread across this area of the country and other points west.

James was born about 1742. As the youngest and orphan son of James Hackley, deceased, he chose his older brother Lott as guardian in November 1755.⁽⁸⁾ Lott remained guardian at least until November 1757, when he settled a bill against James in the King George County court. James inherited 186 acres of his father's land on Summerduck Run,⁽⁹⁾ and he married Mary Freeman in 1771 in Warrenton, Virginia. He first appeared on Fauquier tax lists in 1783 with 2 slaves, 6 horses and 7 cattle. On January 1, 1786, James bought 93 acres in Fauquier County from John and Catherine Hedgeman for 44 lbs.⁽¹⁰⁾ James appears to have lived on this land until 1795, when he sold this tract to William Freeman, his brother-in-law.⁽¹¹⁾ In 1789 James appeared with 100 acres in Culpeper County, which was taxed for the first time that year (Land Tax List). After selling his land on both sides of the Hedgeman (Rappahannock) River⁽¹²⁾ in 1795, James bought from Joshua Willis of Madison County 500 acres in Culpeper County lying by Mozingo mountain on May 15, 1797.⁽¹³⁾ This land was just east of the Blue Ridge Mountains, on Poe's Road which leads from a point above Amissville to Hackley's X Roads. This part of Culpeper later became Rappahannock County. Hackley's X Roads was the intersection of Poe's Road with another route which originally crossed the Rappahannock river, but is now a private right of way. Part of this land was eventually sold off by James, and part of it was given to his sons. On September 17, 1804, James deeded his oldest son Walter 100 acres,⁽¹⁴⁾ and on September 20, 1813, he deeded his son Samuel 99 acres.⁽¹⁵⁾ James died sometime after 1822, and is probably buried in the cemetery at Hackley's X Roads, to which place he gave his name.

Samuel's son, Burkitt Hackley, operated an ordinary at Hackley's X Roads for many years. An ordinary was an inn regulated by state law that provided food and lodging for fixed prices. The building is still standing on the property (shown on right), which is now owned by the Lawrence family who purchased the land from Thomas Hackley, another of Samuel's sons, in the late 1800's.

The records indicate that many of the early Hackleys were tobacco planters and medium size land owners, meaning that they belonged to the Cavalier ranks of Colonial Virginia society. Also, many of the early Hackleys were carpenters, a trade that can be traced back to the first ancestors in Virginia, and was probably a skill brought over from England and later passed down through the family for many generations. Often, a son would be apprenticed to an uncle or older brother to learn the family trade, in this case carpentry, and many early records attest to this practice among the Hackley family. With the exception of farming, carpentry is probably the most common occupation or trade amongst Hackley men even into the 20^th century. There are also numerous references to Hackleys as proprietors or merchants dating back to the 18^th century. There have been several establishments known simply as "Hackley's Store" around Culpeper and Rappahannock counties, including one in Jeffersonton during the late 1800's and the current one in Amissville (shown below),⁽¹⁶⁾ west of Warrenton, which is still run by the Hackley family and dates back to 1934. Additionally, several early Hackleys owned or operated mills, a common site along the rivers and creeks of early Rappahannock and Culpeper counties.

There are several references to Hackleys serving in the Revolutionary War. The most documented case is that of John Hackley, son of John and grandson of James and Elizabeth Hackley of Summerduck Run. He served as Lieutenant in the Virginia Continental Line, and was an original member of the Society of the Cincinnati in the State of Virginia.⁽¹⁷⁾ In addition, a list of the men selected by Culpeper County to aid Lafayette and the Continental Army during the war includes the names of Francis, James and Richard Hackley.

The Hackleys described above left several lines of descent in Virginia, and are without doubt the ancestors of our family. In fact, I strongly suspect that all Hackleys of Virginia stock are related descendants of John Hackley of Essex County, Virginia. Unfortunately, the exact connection to our line remains uncertain, although some evidence points to Samuel Hackley as the link. Samuel was the son of James and Mary Hackley of Hackley's X Roads. It is believed that Samuel and wife Francis Porter had a son named James who was born ca. 1804 in what was then Culpeper County. The next section will outline the family genealogy which was established by working back in time to this point.

Footnotes

1. Notes on Some Members of the Hackley Family, by Woodford Broadus Hackley, unpublished manuscript, on file at The Library of Virginia manuscript archives, Richmond, VA, 1968.

2. International Genealogical Index, Family History Center, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City, UT.

3. Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666, by George Cabell Greer, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1960.

4. SWEM-11W (1) 94, and Journals of the House of Burgesses (from ref. 1).

5. Northern Neck Grants, Land Patent Office, Book A, Grant #80, Library of Virginia, Richmond, VA.

6. ibid, Book E, Page 246, plat on Page 245.

7. ibid, Book V, Page 404.

8. King George County, Virginia Minute Book 3, Page 584 (from ref. 1).

9. King George County, Virginia Fiduciary Book 3, Page 97 & 106 (from ref. 1).

10. Fauquier County Land Records, Deed Book 9, Page 99, County Court House, Warrenton, VA.

11. ibid, Book 12, Page 193.

12. The upper stretches of the Rappahannock River, named for old Rappahannock County which was in turn named for the Rappahannock Indians, in early records was often referred to as Hedgeman's River after the family who settled in that area during the early 18^th century.

13. Culpeper County Land Records, Deed Book T, Page 191, County Court House, Culpeper, Va.

14. ibid, Book Z, Page 147.

15. ibid, Book GG, Page 60.

16. In 1907 Lewis E. and Rosalie Hackley began a general store in Amissville, Virginia, west of Warrenton, which they sold in 1926. In 1934 they relocated across the road, now Route 211, and opened Hackley's Store. After Lewis died in 1937, Rosalie ran the store until she turned over management to son Emmitt Graham Hackley. The store is now run by Graham's daughter Janet, and Graham and his wife Dorothy still live next door. The store has been an important meeting place and news center for Amissville and the surrounding area for over 50 years. Source: Rappahannock News, 10 May 1984.

17. Virginia Soldiers of 1776, edited by Louis A. Burgess, Genealogical Publishing Co., Baltimore, 1973.