The Vaughn Family

NOTE:  The Beach Family of Kentucky by T.J. Beach, pp. 124-127, is the source of most of the following information.  See that book for information on the first Cornelius Vaughn of Caroline Co., VA whose children are not known, but who is probably an ancestor of this line.

1^st generation

James Vaughn

(1746-1837)

(Revolutionary soldier)

Sarah Coleman

(1759-1838)

            James Vaughn was born about 1746 in Virginia.  He married in about 1780 in Virginia, Sarah Coleman who was born about 1759 in Virginia.[1]

          James is first found in Caroline Co., VA, in 1775 where he enlisted in the Army during the Revolutionary War.  According to the Beach Book, "He served as a private in Captain Long's Company and in Col. Davies' 14^th Virginia regiment and in Col. Stephens' Virginia regiment.  He was in the battles of Bunker Hill, Brandywine, and Germantown.  He served in the Army for three years.  He was allowed pension on his application executed in July 1818, at which time he was living in  Fayette Co., KY, aged about 73... Since he was 73 in 1818, he was born about 1745."

          James and Sarah lived in Orange County, VA, then later Fayette County, KY.

          They had 8 children[2]:

          i.       Nancy Vaughn m. Bailey  Beach in Orange County, VA in 1793;
                   moved to Fayette Co., KY, then to Grant Co., KY.  (see BEACH)
                    

          ii.       Joseph Vaughn, m. 1798 Nancy Turnery in Orange Co., VA.

          iii.      Betsy Vaughn m. George Boston.

          iv.     Cornelius Vaughn b. 1787, m.  Frances Webster in 1806 in

                   Fayette Co., Ky.  They stayed in that area.

          v.       Mary "Polly" Vaughn m. Dudley Webster in 1808 in Fayette

                   Co., KY.

          vi.      Judith Vaughn b. 1792, m. James Webster in 1806 in  Fayette

                   Co., KY.

          vii.     Griffin Vaughn, 1799-1870) m. (1) Sarah Lloyd, (2) Sarah Lee

          viii.    Sarah Elizabeth Vaughn m. Martin Webster in 1810.

           James Vaughn died in Fayette Co., KY on 11 December 1837 at the home of his son Cornelius.  His wife Sarah died 2 December 1838 also at the home of her son Cornelius.  Cornelius was appointed administrator of his father's estate.  James did not leave a will but his heirs are listed in the estate settlement. 

             Vaughn descendant W. G. Vaughn sent this information in 2007:  "It is said that a Lord Robert Vaughan of the Isle of Wight, England, sent his 3 sons to America, then was executed by the Crown for this.  James reportedly respelled his name to make it more difficult for the Crown to find him in Virginia.  James and his brothers then served in the Revolutionary Army, not surprising considering what happened to their father."  NOTE:  In the 1870 census, James' son Griffin does NOT indicate his father was foreign born.

2^nd generation

Griffin Vaughn

(1799-1870)

Sarah (Sally) Lee

(1799-1868)

            Griffin Vaughn, one of eight children of James Vaughn and Sarah Coleman, was born, according to the Wheeler website,[3] on 14 May 1793 in Orange Co., VA.  However, the birth date on his tombstone is May 14, 1799[4].

          He married, first, Sarah Lloyd on 3 April 1816 in Fayette County, KY.  They had (probably) two children: 

          i.       George Washington Vaughn, b. about 1818[5].  Called a son of

                   Griffin in a statement in the estate settlement of James Vaughn,

                   he may have stayed in Fayette County.

          ii        John J. Vaughn (1818-1901[6]) m. Averilla Sturgeon[7] (Beach

                   book says she is daughter of Elijah Sturgeon, but Sturgeon

                   Family History says she is daughter of Elijah's brother

                   Jeremiah; her death certificate says she is daughter of Elijah

                   Sturgeon[8])

          Griffin married, second, Sarah (Sally) Lee in Grant Co., KY on 2 February
          1823.[9]

          Griffin and Sally had the following children:

          i.       Griffin Vaughn, Jr., (1826-1883[10]) m. Hulda Jane McCullock

                   16 Dec 1847.

          ii.       Sarah Vaughn, b. about 1828, m. John Webster 11 March 1852.

          iii.      Nancy Vaughn, b. about 1830, m. (1) James H. Richardson,

                   (2)  Samuel Speagle  (see SPEAGLE)

          iv.      Mary "Polly" Vaughn b. about 1835, m. Parker Hall, d. before

                   1860.

v.       Cornelius Vaughn (b. 1840) m. (1) Melinda Margaret Lail, (2)

          Lucy Stewart

          Griffin Vaughn appears in the Fayette County census of 1830, and probably moved to Grant County about 1836[11].

          The family appears in the 1850 Grant Co., KY census, p. 330A, as follows:

          Vaughn, Griffin, 53

                   Sarah 53

                   Sarah 22

                   Nancy 20

                   Elizabeth 18

                   Polly 15

                   Cornelius 12

                   Jonathan J. 24 (oldest son still at home)

                   Averella 20 (Jonathan J.'s wife)

          They appear in the 1860 Grant Co., KY census, p. 97, Crittenden precinct, as follows:

                   Vaughn, Griffin 67

                             Sarah 69

                             Cornelius 21

          According to her tombstone in Lebanon Presbyterian  Cemetery, Sarah Vaughn, wife of Griffin, died May 30, 1868.

          In the 1870 census, Mt. Zion Precinct, p. 558, Griffin Vaughn, age 78, is living with his youngest son Cornelius.

          Griffin died May 31, 1870, and is buried in the Lebanon Presbyterian Cemetery, Grant Co., KY beside his second wife Sarah.