Ahnentafel #890 - Michael Goodnight

Johannes Michael Goodnight

aka John Goodnight, Hans Goodnight, John Michael Goodnight, Michael Goodnight

Born: ca. 1708 probably in Germany

Died: Sept. 1, 1781 Lincoln County, Kentucky

Buried: Pea Vine Creek, Lincoln Co., KY

Married: 1) (--?--) in Germany

2) Mary Landers / Landis Feb. 19, 1762, Lincoln County, Kentucky. 

Biography: 

John (Hans) Michael Goodnight, farmer, emigrant ancestor, Germany, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky. Born perhaps 1708 in Germany.  Married 1) (--?--) in Germany, 2) Feb. 19, 1762 Mary Landers / Landis.  Died Sept. 1, 1781 Lincoln Co., KY.

Johannes "Hans" Michael Goodnight landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Oct. 4, 1752, with a wife and children. The name of his wife or the number of children that accompanied him is unknown except for one son, Christian, who was five or six years old when the family came to America.

The German spelling of the surname was Gutknecht, the Anglicized spelling became Goodnight. Since Michael signed the register with "his mark," the non-German clerk wrote down what he heard. This does not necessarily mean that Michael was illiterate, although he might have been, it only proves that he could not write English script.

Hans is a nickname for the German Johannes (John). Sometimes Michael was referred to as Hans, sometimes as John, sometimes as Hans Michael, but most often as Michael. Deeds and other records called him Michael Goodnight which is the given name we will use in this narrative. 

The Oath of Allegiance to the King of England administered at Philadelphia to arriving immigrants as soon as they got off the boat has proved to be the greatest single factor in the identification of ship passengers of German origin during the eighteenth century. Lists prepared by Rupp & Strassburger give date of ship arrival, name of ship's master, name of immigrant, ship's port of embarkation, etc.

Within a period of five years, three Goodnight (Gutknecht) men, assumed to have been brothers, entered the Port of Philadelphia from Germany, via Rotterdam, Holland and Cowes, England. The first one, Christian Gutknecht, arrived September 13, 1749 aboard the ship Christain, Capt. Thomas Brady, Master. That year, twenty-four ships brought 7,580 immigrants, 2,654 men and 4,926 women and children. Christian settled in Germantown and spent the rests of his life there.  He retained the German spelling of his name, perhaps because he continued to live in a German community

On October 4, 1752, the ship Neptune, Capt. John Mason, Master was one of twenty-two ships during 1752 that discharged 6,129 Germans, nearly 4,000 of whom were women and children. Our ancestor Hans Michael Goodnight, wife and several children were on board.

Two years later, Gerick Goodnight took the oath on October 23, 1754. He came in the ship Recovery whose master was Amos Jones.  George (German spelling Georg, pronounced Gay-urk) had a wife, Catherine, and may or may not have had children.  he was one of the 5,806 passengers arriving that year, more than two thirds of whom were women and children. . . .

The German people had already formed a colony in Lancaster County, and some had pushed on into Virginia. The route of migration of the Germans, for the most part, was: Philadelphia to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, down [up] the beautiful Shenandoah valley between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountains in Virginia.

How long Michael and his family remained in Pennsylvania is not known, but we do know that he was in Augusta County, Virginia, prior to 1755 when he was listed on the delinquent tax list of Sheriff Robert Breckinridge after which was the notation, "in Bedford."  Bedford, a Virginia county cut off from Albemarle in 1753 was south of Augusta County.

Rockbridge County between Bedford and Augusta, spoken of in other records as being the place of residence of Michael in Virginia and the birth place of several of his children, was a part of Augusta County until its formation in 1778. By that date, Michael had been in North Carolina for ten years or more.

We know that Michael and his first wife had at least one child, a son Christian, born May 16, 1747 in Germany. They have been credited with six other children, Susan, Edward, Enoch, George, Samuel and Christopher, all born in Virginia.  Some reports say a son, Henry, listed as a son of George in one place and a son of Michael and his second wife in another record, was really Michael's son by wife No. one. Samuel and Christopher, revolutionary War soldiers so often spoken of as sons of Michael were, I am sure, sons of Christian Gutknecht who remained in Pennsylvania.  . . . One daughter Katy, was mentioned in one of Asbury Goodknight's letters. "Katy Landes was one of the oldest. I have seen her several times when I was small. She could speak German."  Katy may have been the wife of Henry Landers in Warren County, Kentucky.

Michael's first wife died about 1760 in Virginia, it is said, but no death record could be found for her. The date of Michael's marriage to Mary Landers was February 19, 1762.

The date that Michael and his family first set foot in Mecklenburg County, Province of North Carolina is not known, but we do know that he was there on May 3, 1764 because on that date, he and his father-in-law, Christopher Landys, purchased 190 acres for 65 pounds from James and Ruth McClain. The location was described as being on Three Mile Creek, being a branch of the Rocky River. Mecklenburg County was then two years old, having been cut off from Anson County in 1762. As was often the case, the deed was not recorded until the property was sold. Then, this deed was proved in the October term of Court 1774 by martin Phifer, Esq. a subscribing witness thereto.

For years, we searched and searched trying to identify the parents of Mary Landers / Landis without success until recently when we received records from Robert McAlear of Nice, CA. He wrote:

"Christopher Landess died in 1771 and his estate was inventoried and entered in the October Court Session of 1771. (Meckenburg County Estates 1762-1929, NC State Archives). Among the buyers at the estate sale were:

John Landis / Landish, Henry Landis / Landish, widow Landis / Landish, Christian Goodnight, Michael Goodnight, Eve Landish

. . . The first two children of Michael and Mary, probably Margaret and Elizabeth, may have been born in Virginia, we have no birth dates for them. However, the marriage dates of Margaret in 1782 and Elizabeth in 1783 would indicate that they were probably born about 1763 and 1764. John, the eldest son, was born in North Carolina, May 1, 1765 as was Jacob, Abraham, Rachel, Sarah and Isaac the youngest was born in Kentucky.

Gerick (George) Goodnight, apparently a younger brother of Christian and Michael arrived in Philadelphia on the Ship Recovery, Amos Jones, Master from Rotterdam and Cowes. He took the Oath on October 23, 1754. Whether he brought his wife, Catherine, with him or married her in America is not known. Nor do we know where he spent the next twenty years, but we believe that he followed Michael into Virginia and on to North Carolina. . . .

Michael's 190 acre farm was near the present town of Concord on Three Mile Creek, a branch of Rocky River in the middle of a German settlement located in the extreme limits of the old county with numerous intervening streams and scarcely any roads. The people spoke a different language and nearly all of their trade and travel was in other directions, to Salisbury on the north, Cross-creek (now Fayetteville) on the east, and Cheraw Hills and Camden, South Carolina to the south. . . .

Even though Michael had been in America for twenty years or more, he lived in a German community which probably spoke German and many had not acquired the art of writing English script.  A grandson of Michael's [Thomas Goodnight] wrote in 1884, "My grandfather and grandmother both spoke German, in fact, they could speak very poor English. My father, when a boy, could speak German, but gave it up, and when I knew him, he spoke only English." . . .

Where Michael and his family lived during the period 1774 - 1779 has not been determined. John Phifer had a home and land of his own and may have rented the 190 acres to Michael until he left the state and headed toward Kentucky.

George & Catherine Goodnight owned 100 acres near Michael's land in North Carolina. No record of its purchase could be found, but they sold it to Leonard Barbrick on August 14, 1779. This may have been the year that both the families of Michael and George migrated to Kentucky. If they did travel together they did not stay together. Michael and his family were forted (lived) at Harlan's Station; George and his family went to Ruddell's Station northeast of the present city of Lexington. At the time the county was Fayette; the area is now Bourbon County. . . .

Preemption Warrant #531 was issued to Michael Goodnight for 400 shares of land in Lincoln County, Kentucky, April 28, 1781.  Michael did not have long to enjoy the fruits of his labors. On a return trip from North Carolina, he and his son, John, were no more than a few miles (a half days journey) from their home at Harlan's Station when Michael was killed by hostile Indians. Because so many lives were lost in the early days of the settlement of Kentucky from Indian attacks, the area became known as that "dark and bloody ground."  Both Michael and George were two of the participants who contributed their blood. Michael's youngest child, Isaac, was born at Harlan's Station on the first day of January, 1782, just five months after the death of his father. Mary was left alone with nine children, her eldest son, John was only sixteen years old when his father died. . . .

One item [in Michael's probate] of particular interest was the ￡5 paid to a woman by the administratrix, explanation of which was: "Mercer Court. Patrick Doran made Oath before me a Justice for sd County that Mary Flannagan paid Mary Airs five pounds for curing John Goodnight of wound he received of the Indians 1781." (Note: Michael's land was in Mercer County after Lincoln County was divided in 1785. Deeds for the same parcel of land after 1842, will be found in Danville, county seat of Boyle County.)

From Mary's signature on Court papers, we know that she married a man by the name of Flannigan before March 26, 1788. Life on the frontier was difficult, even more so for a widow with children who had no man to "fend" for her. The given name of her husband was not noted in any of the records, but we suspect that it was Dominick. At Harrodsburg, Mercer County Court, February 1790 the estate of Dominick Flannigan, deceased, was recorded.

On the eleventh day of December 1792, Mary signed the consent form for the marriage of her daughter to Jacob Young.

Mary may have died in the spring of 1794 as, in that year, Michael's land was divided between three of his sons, Jacob, Henry and Abraham. Christian and his wife, Catarina in North Carolina signed deeds giving them clearance of title. Jacob received 167 acres, Henry 147 acres and Abraham 105 acres. (this makes a total of 419 acres instead of 400.  Where did the other 19 acres come from?)  All deeds were recorded in Mercer County, Kentucky. How this division was made remains unclear. No mention of John or Isaac was made in the settlement. Did they receive some other compensation? Jacob sold his 167 acres to Charles Hart a few months later. He had already decided to make his home in Lincoln County. Within a couple of years, Abraham had disposed of his land, part to his brother John, to whom he sold 7 1/2 acres for $20, the rest of it to Isham Pruitt.  He then moved over to Shelby County. Henry also left Mercer County and settled in Tennessee on Duck River. The only son that remained in Mercer County was John. He and his wife Ruth Davis, built their home on a portion of Michael's original estate and spent the rest of their lives there.

[Jones, Veda & Mabel Stevenson. William Moore Goodnight of Johnson County, Missouri 1874 - 1951, Historical Publications, 1983.]

Records:
1774 - May 20 - Mecklenburg Co., NC - Michael sold 190 acres near Three Mile Branch on Rocky River to John Pfifer / Phifer for 105 pounds.

1775 - Mecklenburg Co., NC - Michael Goodnight served as constable

1775 - Mecklenburg Co., NC - Ordered by the Court that George Davis, Michael Goodnight, and Robert Moffat, go from House to House within their several districts and warn every Master & Mistress of Families & Overseers of Every Plantation within the same Districts to appear before Robert Harris, Esqr. and there give in upon oath a List of Taxables of all those in his, her or their Families - for the present Year."

1775 - May 20 - Mecklenburg Co., NC - The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence and twenty resolutions was signed by inhabitants, some claim that Michael Goodnight was a signer because he was a constable.  They declared that North Carolina residents were no longer subjects of the King of England and would henceforth appoint their own men to guide and direct the affairs of their state.

Two of the twenty resolves read, "That all commissions, civil and military, heretofore granted by the crown to be exercised in these colonies, are null and void, and the constitution of each particular colony wholly suspended."  "That the Committee appoint Col. Thomas Polk & Dr. Joseph Kennedy to purchase 300 pounds of powder, 600 pounds of lead, 1000 flints for the use of the militia of this county and deposit the same in such places as the Committee may hereafter direct.

A copy of the declaration and resolves has been located in London. 

1779, Feb. - Kentucky (County of Virginia) - An entry in the Certificate Book of Virginia Land Commission states:

Michael Goodnight this day claimed a preempt of 400 acres of land at the State price in the District of Kentucky on Acc't of making an Actual settlement in Feb'y. 1779 lying at the mouth of Doctors fork of Chaplins fork of Salt River on both sides of the s'd Creek Satisfactory proof being made to the Court they are of Opinion that the said Goodnight has a right to a preempt of 400 acres of Land to include the above Location & that a Certificate be issued accordingly."

1781 - April 28 - Lincoln Co., KY - Preemption Warrant #531 was issued to Michael Goodnight for 400 shares of land in Lincoln Co.

1782 - June - Administration of the estate of Michael Goodnight was granted to Mary Goodnight who entered into bond with (--?--) and Patrick Doran.

1783 - May 21 - Inventory & appraisement of Michael's estate were entered into probate:

14 horses, 22 head of cattle, 9 hoggs & piggs, raw cow hide, household effects, a parcell of books, etc. Appraisers were George Caldwell & George Harlan. Total value ￡165:14

1787 - June - Court order requiring John Irwin, John Rogers, John Cowan & Gabriel Madison or any three of them to settle accounts on the Goodnight deceased.

1788 - March 26 - Sundry articles of the estate of Michael Goodnight, deceased which were not sold, and kept at the appraisement by his widow Mary Goodnight, valued at ￡83 8s, 3d. Signed Mary (her mark) Flannagan. Witnessed by John Cowan & John Rogers

1788 - April 15 - final statement of an account of the administration of Michael Goodnight estate signed by John Rogers & John Cowan showing the estate to have totaled ￡230, 1s, 9p.

Children by first wife:
Christian b. 1747(?), d. 1828, md ca. 1772 Catarina Cook

• Elizabeth b. 1773 md. Peter Condor
• Katherine b. 1774
• Christina b. 1776 md. David Neuschler
• Mary b. 1778
• Michael b. 1780 md. Ann Winecoff
• Margaret b. 1784 md. Michael Winecoff
• George b. 1786 md. Rachel Murph
• John b. 1788 md. Nancy Demarcus
• Jacob b. 1790 md. Betsy Cauble
• Henry M. b. 1793 md. Rose Mary Barnhart
• Rachel b. 1795 md. Michael Scott

Susan b. 1751
Edward b. ca. 1753
Enoch b. ca. 1755
George b. ca. 1757
Henry b. ca. 1758 md. Elizabeth Condor(?)
Samuel b. ca. 1760
Christopher b. ca. 1761, d. 1852

Children by Mary Landis:
Margaret b. ca. 1763 md. 1782 Henry Pope
Elizabeth b. ca. 1764 md. 1783 Patrick Doran
John b. 1765, d. 1841 md. 1786 Ruth Davis

• Edward b. 1786 md. 1807 Sarah Dye, children: John, Avery, Lucinda (md. Michael Young), Harrison, Edward, Nancy, Sarah Bellis, Martha Jane, William, Perlina
• Michael b. 1787 md. 1811 Comfort McCormick
• Mary b. 1792
• John b. 1793 md Lucinda Atkins
• Sarah Elizabeth b. 1795 m. J. Atkins
• Elizabeth b. 1797 md. Shippy Allen Dye
• Rachel b. 1800 md. Richard Nichols
• Davis b. 1802
• Nancy b. 1805 md. 1821 William Duncan
• Jacob b. 1807 md. 1829 Susan Hankla

Jacob b. ca. 1757, d. 1843 md. 1792 Elizabeth Hoover

• Mary / Polly b. 1792 md. James McMurry, children: Elizabeth, Isaac, Jacob, Luke, Franklin, Thomas Hisner, Sarah M.
• John b. 1794 md. 1) Rhoda Brown & 2) Agnes Jones, children: Isaac, Sarah M., Elizabeth A., Mary Jane, Martha E., Amanda F., Thomas H., Frances M.
• Elizabeth b. 1795 md. John Billingsley, son: Thomas H.
• Sarah b. 1797 md. Gilbert Harney
• Henry b. 1800 md. Louisa Billingsley, children: James Paris, Mary, Elizabeth
• Isaac I. b. 1802 md. Lucinda Billingsley, children: John J., Jacob Henry, Mary Helen, Thomas M., Alexander, James L., Issac H., Elizabeth
• Thomas b. 1805, d. 1851 md. Martha / Patsy Dawson [sister of Susan Dawson, our stepgrandmother], children: Sarah, Thomas Hart Benton, Mary Jane, George G., Susan Martha, Margaret Ann, John Henry, Mary Ann
• Margaret P. b. 1808 md. John Henry Porch

Rachel
Abraham b. ca. 1772 md. 1794 Mary Hanna

• James b. 1794 md. 1818 Nancy McMurry, children: James, Thomas
• Jacob b. 1795 md. 1828 Mary Bevins
• Alexander b. ca. 1796
• Michael b. ca. 1798 md. Susan Bevins
• Catherine b. ca. 1800 md. John Davenport
• Abraham b. ca. 1801 md. Nancy Davenport
• Sarah b. 1803 md. Albert Coffey
• William b. ca. 1805
• Elizabeth b. ca. 1807 md. James Davenport
• Herod b. ca. 1809 
• Mary Landis b. ca. 1811

Sarah b. ca. 1773, d. 1841 md. 1795 Peter Boucher

• Elizabeth / Betsy Boucher md. (--?--) Atwood
• Mary / Polly Boucher md. 1816 John Spillman
• Isaac Boucher
• Jacob Boucher
• John Boucher
• Enoch Boucher
• Cary Boucher md. 1826 Catherine Finney, child Cary Ann
• Harrison Boucher
• Lemuel Boucher

Isaac b. 1782, d. 1869, md. 1) 1805 Elizabeth McMurray (ten children) & 2) 1829 Mary Ground (five children) 3) & 1848 Rhoda Gadsbury (six children?) & 4) after 1850 Frances Dickerson

• Catherine b. 1806 md. (--?--) Jameson
• James b. 1807, d. 1839
• Abraham b. 1811, d. 1811
• Mary b. 1813, d. 1862
• Christina b. 1815 md. (--?--) Casey
• Thomas McMurry b. 1817, md. Elizabeth Motley, child Isaac
• Elizabeth b. 1820, d. 1881
• Sarah b. 1822 md. (--?--) Motley
• Nancy b. 1824 md. (--?--) Murdock
• Rachel b. 1825 md. (--?--) Bedford
• Martha b. 1829 md. 1847 Robert Lawrence
• Isaac b. 1830 md. Parmelia Jane Curry
• Jacob b. 1831 md. Margaret Ann Curry 
• Henry b. 1834 md. Pamela Wheatly
• Robert b. 1837, d. 1838