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William Hess was born January 23, 1813, in Kentucky, possibly in Logan County. He was the eldest child of Solomon Hess and Nancy (possibly Tate).
William's father Solomon Hess moved his family to Lawrence County, Arkansas Territory, about 1814. That area became Independence County, Arkansas.
The 1830 Independence County, Arkansas, census shows William, a male age 10-15 years, at home with his family.
William married Permelia Sutton on January 9, 1834, in Independence County. Permelia Sutton was born February 4, 1820, in Alabama, the daughter of Dempsey Sutton and Elizabeth Donohoe.
William and Permelia appear on the 1840 Independence County, Arkansas, census in Washington Township. The census shows one male age 20-30 years (William); one male age 5-10 years (Thomas); one female age 20-30 years (Permelia); and 2 females age 5-10 years (Nancy and Mary). William was living near his father, Solomon, and his brother Joseph. William Hess was a farmer.
William's father died about November 1840, in Independence County, Arkansas. William was named in his father's will to receive ten acres of land and other property.
On October 3, 1848, the Independence County Probate Court appointed William Hess as guardian of his sister, Evaline "Elva" Jane Hess, a minor. On October 8, 1848, William, as principal and his brother Martin, as security, posted a bond, binding themselves to their sister, Elva Jane.
William was mentioned in an agreement which was signed June 30, 1849, by the younger heirs of Solomon Hess, concerning the property left them by their father.
William and Permelia appear on the 1850 Independence County census, in Wallace Township. The census shows William Hess, 37, a farmer, real property valued at $3000; Permelia, 32; Thomas M., 16, a farmer; Henry B., 9 and Binks, 5 months old. William's widowed mother, Nancy Hess, age 56, was living with them. Also listed with William and Permelia were Ravana Middleton, age 24, born in Tennessee; Allen Craighead, age 22, a laborer, born in Tennessee; Brannick Middleton, age 7, born in Arkansas; John M. Middleton, age 2, born in Arkansas; and Henry Middleton, age 4 months, born in Arkansas. William was living next door to his brother Martin.
Permelia died between January 1855 and December 1858, in Independence County. William and Permelia had at least eight children.
William married Angeline L. Roberts on June 17, 1860, in Independence County. Angeline Roberts was born November 23, 1840, in Tennessee. She was 28 years younger than William, and about 5 years younger than William's oldest son Thomas, who she later married.
William and Angeline appear on the 1860 Independence County census, in Wallace Township. The census shows William Hess, 46, a farmer, $5000 real property, $1500 personal property; Angelina, 18; Thomas M., 23, a farmer; Binks, 10; Lucy B., 8; and Fanny, 6 years old. Living with William's family was his mother, Nancy Hess, age 62, and his nephew and niece, William Hess, age 11, and Cyntha A. Hess, age 13, who were the children of his dead brother Thomas Wright Hess.
On September 3, 1861, William signed his will, appointing his eldest son, Thomas, his executor. In his willl, William named his wife, Angeline, minor daughter, Gertrude, heir yet unborn, and children: Thomas, Binks, Lucy and Fanny.
William died on September 19, 1861, in Independence County, just sixteen days after signing his will. William was only 48 years old.
William's will was probated on September 26, 1861, in the Independence County Probate Court. An inventory was conducted on William's estate holdings. The inventory contained the usual livestock, equipment, household goods, one dulcimer and violin, a musket and rifle gun, plus dozens and dozens of boxes of pills: 30 bottles bitters, 3 dozen boxes ointment, 26 dozen panacea, 5 bottles sarsapharilla compound, 16 bottles utaime catholicon, 17 boxes health bitters, 16 dozen boxes Moffatts pills, 4 bottles consumptive balm, 26 bottles childrens panaca, 3 1/2 dozen boxes Green Mountain ointment, 17 boxes health bitters, 2 3/4 dozen boxes Spencers pills, 3 2/3 dozen boxes Strongs Stomach pills, and 3 1/2 dozen boxes Strongs Compe Lantive. (List contributed by Pauline Pierce.) It has been suggested that William could have been a doctor, considering all the medicine that he had in his possession at the time of his death.
On July 9, 1867, William's widow, Angeline, married William's eldest son, Thomas. Thomas applied for guardianship of his father's minor heirs: Bink, Lucy, and Fanny, at the October 1867 term of the Independence County Probate Court. Guardianship was granted.
Children of William Hess and Permelia Sutton
1. Thomas Marion Hess was born Oct 31, 1835, in Independence Co, AR.
2. Nancy Jane Hess was born Oct 7, 1837, and died before 1850, in Independence Co, AR. Nancy appeared as a female 5-9 years old on the 1840 census.
3. Mary Elizabeth Hess was born Feb 24, 1839, and died Nov 1849 from scarlett fever, in Independence Co, AR. (ref: 1850 Mortality Schedule) Mary appeared as a female 5-9 years old on the 1840 census.
4. Henry B. Hess was born Jan 4, 1841, and died 1851-1858, in Independence Co, AR. Henry was listed as 9 years old on the 1850 census. He was not on the 1860 census and was not named in his father's will in 1861.
5. Joseph Hastings Hess was born Sept 7, 1845, and died before 1848, in Independence Co, AR.
6. Binks Hess was born Jan 4, 1850, in Independence Co, AR.
7. Lucinda Rola Hess was born 1852, in Independence Co, AR. She appears as Lucy B., age 8, on the 1860 Independence Co census with her family. The 1870 Independence Co census lists her as Lucinda R., 11, living with her brother, Thomas M. Hess. The 1880 Independence Co census shows Rola Hess, 26, sister, still living with her brother Thomas. We found no other record of Lucinda.
8. Frances "Fanny" Ferreby Hess was born Jan 8, 1855, in Independence Co, AR. She married John M. Goodman on Sept 18, 1873, in Stone Co, AR. John Goodman was born 1855, in TN. The couple appear on the 1880 Stone Co census. John died Nov 3, 1886. Fanny died 1899. Children included: (1) Luella F. Goodman, b. May 1875; (2) William T. Goodman, b. 1877; and (3) Francis M. Goodman, b. 1878
Children of William Hess and Angeline Roberts
1. Gertrude Hess was born about Mar 1861, and died before 1869, in Independence Co, AR.
2. William Hess was born about Mar 1862, and died before 1869, in Independence Co, AR.