On This Date in 1828 ...

William Badgett [age 33] departs Pleasant Hill.

William Badgett arrived at Pleasant Hill with his parents and siblings at age 16. He signed the church covenant at nineteen and again four years later. But William eventually left the Shakers in 1828 and less than two months later he married Janie Hover in Mercer County, Kentucky.

Janie Hover was a fellow Shaker and their bondsman at the wedding in Mercer County was Isaac Lineback, another fellow Shaker.

William Badgett is on the tax list of Mercer County in 1834 and after that the family moved to the Mackville area of Washington County, Kentucky. I believe William died when his children were young, but do not know the cause of death, nor do I know when Jane died or where they are buried.

William and Jane had four children born in Washington County:

John Wesley Badgett, who died in April 1863 (Civil War casualty?)

Hardin Badgett, who served the Union in the Civil War, married, had children and left Kentucky for Logan County, Illinois

Lucinda (Lucy) Ann Badgett, married, had children and remained in Washington County, Kentucky the remainder of her life

Calvin Badgett, who died February 1864 of cholera and dysentery at a POW camp Richmond, Virginia.

On This Date in 1829 ...

Lawson Runyon [age 21], son of Emley and Lydia departed Pleasant Hill.

Lawson's hymn "Contentment" appears on page 231 of Paulina Bryant's hymn book begun 1854, recording earlier hymns.

Lawson went to Hot Springs, Arkansas following his departure from Pleasant Hill. There, at age 37, he married a seventeen year old native American woman, Emily Ross, on May 25, 1845.

Lawson left Pleasant Hill four months after his younger brother Robert Comstock Runyon left. Robert married Betsy Thompson, a Cherokee, and they named their son Lawson.

On This Date in 1861 ...

Matilda Runyon appointed nurse and EH, with Rachel Downing.
(East Family Journal)

Matilda was the daughter of Joseph and Jane Runyon and would have been 57 years old at this time. Both of her parents were deceased and the Civil War was underway. Kentucky had declared its neutrality three months prior to Matilda's appointment as nurse but it was destined to become the 13th Confederate state in just four months' time.

On This Date in 1895 ...

At age 4, James was brought to Pleasant Hill by his mother Polly Runyon Sutton.

Polly, daughter of Joseph and Jane, departed the Shaker village at age 17 and married Isaac Sutton. They had two children, Jane and James. We don't know her reasoning but apparently Polly thought life among the Shakers would be the best place for her children. She did not return.

James left Pleasant Hill briefly in his nineteenth year but returned less than a year later, living the remainder of his life as a Shaker and passing away at the age of 65.

The Shaker journals record his death simply as, "At 8:10 Mr. James Sutton departed this life suddenly after a brief illness."

On This Date in 1883 ...

Jane Sutton fell crossing fence toward tanyard, slipped fell on side on top rail, serious, not dangerous injury.
 
Jane would have been 51 years old when she fell.

On This Date in 1827 ...

Charity Coates, wife of Phineas Runyon, lived to be 82 years old and spent the last thirteen years of her life living as a Shaker after signing the church covenant in 1814. Prior to their arrival, she and Phineas had been married for 53 years and moved from New Jersey to North Carolina, then to Kentucky. She gave birth to fourteen children during her marriage. Of her children who lived into adulthood, four - with their own families - also chose a life among the Shakers.

Her passing was recorded in the Shaker journals with no elaboration: Charity Runyon died at Pleasant Hill

On This Date in 1831 ...

Sally Runyon [age 17] departed Pleasant Hill.
This is the daughter of Patience and Martin, who married a Mr. Philips after her departure from Pleasant Hill.

This Month in 1847 ...

Visitor Tuntstill West from Monticello, Ky came to see his relations viz Runyons, Suttons, & Ryons.

- from Zachariah Burnett's Journal (Zachariah Burnett came with his parents and siblings, including Micajah Burnett, to Pleasant Hill in 1808)