Through a combination of primary records research and DNA testing, we have discovered the first husband and three children of HANNAH RYAN who as "Hannah Hostley" later married BURCH ALLISON.

Hannah's first married name was actually HORSLEY. Her husband was WILLIAM HORSLEY, and they had children THEOPHILUS T. HORSLEY (b. 1803), JOHN B. HORSLEY (b. 1806), and MARY HORSLEY (rather than "Mary Hasley") who married Moses PARTON (see family overview below).

A then-common pronunciation and variant spelling of Horsley was "Hosley." William Horsley is listed in the 1808 Burke County tax list as "Wm. Hoslee" (the only surviving record found for him in NC so far). The 1811 bond for his widow's marriage to Burch Allison names her "Hannah Hostley." William and Hannah's daughter Mary's name is spelled "Hosley" on the original folder for Moses Parton's 1828 marriage bond at the NC State Archives, and the bond itself has "Marey Hasley," another proved variant of Horsley. William Horsley of Burke may be the "William Hasley" in Frederick Co, MD in the 1800 census with 1 male 26-44 in the household, but that is not yet proved. (Note: the Ancestry.com summary for this census entry is wrong--it picked up the next line from the right side of the page.)

According to DNA testing, the line of William Horsley in Burke Co, NC was related in some way to the line of James Horsley Jr. (b. 1731, MD), but contrary to long-held assumptions, this William of Burke was not James Jr.'s son William, nor was he William N. Horsley of York Co, SC (b. c1812, a great-grandson of James Jr.). The line of William Horsley of Burke and the line of James Horsley Jr. may have shared the same ancestor as recently as the 1600's in Maryland, but further DNA testing is being done to try to clarify that.

For more information, see "Theophilus T. Horsley and John B. Horsley: Who Were Their Parents" at: www.joanhorsley.org
A revised version of that report will be available once DNA testing is finalized.
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OVERVIEW of the FAMILY of WILLIAM HORSLEY and HANNAH RYAN

Father: WILLIAM HORSLEY [aka “William Horsley of Burke”]

Born: probably Maryland - date uncertain

Married: Abt. 1801, perhaps in Burke Co, NC, to HANNAH RYAN

Residence: 1808 Burke Co, NC Tax List as "Wm. Hoslee" - 1 poll, no land, no slaves

He may be the "William Hasley" in Frederick Co, MD in the 1800 census with 1 male age 26-44, 14 slaves, which could indicate he was an overseer. No Frederick County deed record of land ownership was found [Frederick Deed Book Index 1778-1803, MSA CE 455-2]; tax lists have not yet been checked. If William of Burke Co, NC was also an overseer, this could account for his owning no land or slaves on the 1808 Burke Co. tax list.

DNA test results show that the line of William Horsley of Burke Co, NC was related in some way to the line of James Horsley Jr. (b. 1731, Queen Anne's Co, MD), but the results also show that contrary to long-held assumptions, William of Burke was not James Jr.'s son William, nor was he William N. Horsley of York Co, SC, a great-grandson of James Jr. The most recent common ancestor shared by the two lines could have been in the 1600's in Maryland, but pending DNA results may help to clarify that. For more Horsley family research, see reports at: www.joanhorsley.org

Died: Abt. 1809, Burke Co, NC
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Mother: HANNAH RYAN

Born: 3 Apr 1780 in South Carolina (Charleston?)

Hannah’s father was James Ryan who immigrated to the U.S. in 1780, then "was killed on a ship out of Bristol at Charleston that same year." Hannah's mother was also named Hannah. [Ryan information from Maggie Laurenz's 2005 post to RootsWeb Allison Mail List, citing a Ryan family Bible.] Not yet known if/where/when Hannah's mother re-married.

Married:
1) c1801, perhaps in Burke Co, NC - WILLIAM HORSLEY

2) 2 Jan 1811, Burke Co, NC - BURCH ALLISON - b. 24 Feb 1764, Frederick Co, MD in the part that became Montgomery Co. in 1776; married 2nd or 3rd "Hannah Hostley" (sic, Horsley) by bond in Burke Co, NC; d. 1848, McDowell Co, NC, formed from Burke 1842. Revolutionary War soldier, Pension File S6493, served from Maryland. Burch Allison and Hannah had at least one child, Anna Allison who married Moses Parton's brother John Parton, in addition to Burch being stepfather of William and Hannah Horsley’s children.

Died: After 1850
Hannah, as Hannah Allison, last appears in censuses in 1850 in McDowell Co, NC, formed primarily from western Burke Co. in 1842.
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CHILDREN of WILLIAM HORSLEY and HANNAH RYAN

All children were born in North Carolina according to censuses, presumably in Burke County, the only NC county found so far with an early Horsley family.

1. THEOPHILUS T. HORSLEY
Born: c1803, of Burke Co, NC
Married: c1824 - Jane (b. c1805, NC; d. aft. 1850, Benton/Calhoun Co, AL, last known residence)
Resided: GA by 1825; Habersham Co, GA by 1832; Benton/Calhoun Co, AL by 1838
Died: Aft. 1850, Benton/Calhoun Co, AL (last known residence)

2. JOHN B. HORSLEY
Born: 25 Jul 1806, of Burke Co, NC
Marr: 22 Sep 1825, York Co, SC - Pamela "Permelia" Macaw HUFF, daughter of Jonathan & Agatha Huff
(Pamela b. 27 Mar 1804, York Co, SC; d. 3 Apr 1888, Carroll Co, GA)
Resided: York Co, SC 1825-1839; Benton/Calhoun Co, AL by 1840; Carroll Co, GA by 1850
Died: Aft. 1860, Greene Co, AR (last known residence)

3. MARY S. HORSLEY
Born: c1808, Burke Co, NC
Marr: 19 Feb 1828, Burke Co, NC - Moses PARTON, son of John Parton (b. 1806, NC; d. aft. 1880, Sevier Co, TN)
Resided: Burke Co, NC thru 1830; York Co, SC by 1840 in the same neighborhood where her brother John B. Horsley lived 1825-1839; Greene Co, TN by 1850; Sevier Co, TN by 1860 (only the 1870 census gives a middle initial: "S")
Died: Aft. 1880, Sevier Co, TN
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Does anyone have more information about Hannah Ryan's family before her marriages? For example, did her mother re-marry after her father James Ryan died in 1780, and if so where and to whom?

I would appreciate any corrections or additions to the above information and will be glad to try to answer questions you might have. You can contact me directly at: JHGenResearch-Horsley@yahoo.com

Thank you,
Joan