Wilborn Family of Early Livingston County

The Wilborn/Wilbourne family first appears in Livingston County, Kentucky on the 1833 tax list. Listed that year were Willis and John Wilbourne, both of who owned land on Crooked Creek. Samuel Wilbourne is listed with 130 acres on Claylick Creek. Only James Wilbourne is shown with no land.

The 1834 Livingston County tax list is missing, but listed on the 1835 tax list are the following:
Saml. Wilbourne Sr - 130 acres on Claylick, 1 white male over 21, 3 horses
Saml. Wilbourne Jr. - no land, 1 white male over 21, 1 horse
John Wilbourne - no land, 1 male over 21, 1 horse
James Wilbourne - no land, 1 white male over 21, 3 horses
Willis Wilbourne - 20 acres on Crooked Creek, 1 white male over 21, 1 horse
William Wilbourne - no land, 1 white male over 21, no horses

Because they owned very little or no land, the natural assumption is that Saml. Jr., John, James, Willis and William Wilbourne were the sons of Saml. Wilbourne Sr. Were they?

Samuel Wilbourne died in 1835 at the age of 56, according to his tombstone in Union Church Cemetery in Crittenden County, formerly Livingston County. Buried beside him is his wife, Nancy, who survived Samuel by about a week. And they had only been Livingston County residents about two years.

To the
Memory of
Samuel Wilborn
Was Born May
the 12 1779 and
Died November
the 24, 1835
Aged 56 years


To the
Memory of Nancy
Wilborn Wife of
Samuel Wilborn
She was Born
May the 24, 1778
and Died December
the 1 1835
Aged 57 years

Samuel did not leave a will, but there is information on his estate. In early January 1836, letters of administration were granted to John Wilborn [sic]. When Samuel's estate was sold, among the buyers were the following: S.A. Wilborn, Catharine Wilborn, Jno. Wilborn, Permelia Wilborn and Willis Wilborn. Very likely they were all family members.

A report of the estate settlement was produced in county court in 1837, "whereupon Willis Wilborn & James Wilborn, heirs of Saml. Wilborn, objected to an account." Ah, ha! At least we have proof of two of the heirs. The estate was finally settled in 1840.

Published 9 August 2012, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog,  http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/