Mary Jane Cash Begins Her Family in Hickman County, Kentucky

A farmer plows his field and plants his crop with the best of hopes. When the rains come and the plants grow study and green, he beams in satisfaction and says a prayer of thanks.

James and Elizabeth Cash surely took even greater pleasure in seeing their seven children mature and ripen into adults.

Mary Jane Cash, born in Bardstown, Kentucky in 1825, married John Burgess on February 21, 1842. After all the years of relentless work and all the worries that come with the years, James Thomas Burgess (1843-1913) became their first grandchild in 1843, it must have been a moment of perfect joy for James and Ely Cash.

John Burgess (1820-1858) was the son of Peter Burgess, Sr. (1797-1837) and Mary Hermann. Peter Burgess moved his family from Warren County, Tennessee to the Beulah area in Hickman County, Kentucky. The Burgess family was not Catholic, but two of Peter's children married Catholic neighbors and had children that were baptized at St. Jerome Catholic Church in Fancy Farm, Kentucky. John Burgess, himself, was baptized a Catholic at St. Jerome on June 20, 1842, four months after his marriage.

The other six known Burgess children were: Mary Elizabeth (b. 1846), Louisa Booker (1849-1925), Sarah Adeline (b. 1851), Joseph Peter (b. 11/1/1853), Elizabeth Jane (1857-1932), and Emmaline.

According to the 1850 census of Hickman County, John was a farmer living in his own household, but owning no land. However, he is listed immediately after the household of his mother, Mary Burgess, so he was likely taking care of her farm.

Also according to the 1850 census, Mary Jane and John Burgess were unable to read or write.

John Burgess died in 1858. Mary Jane then married Horatio V. Hobbs (1811-1892). The marriage occurred on 10/15/1859, and at least three children resulted, George W. Hobbs (b. 1861), Frances Annie (b. 1863), and Matilda (b. 1866).

Horatio Hobbs was the son of Joseph (b. 1782) and Ellen Hobbs. In the 1830 census, they were living in Washington County, Kentucky with seven sons and one daughter in the household. By the 1840 census, they were living in Hickman County with two sons in the household. In the 1850 census, Joseph Hobbs is listed as 68 years old , a school teacher born in Maryland.

According to Brother Leo Willett's book, "History of St. Jerome Fancy Farm, Kentucky", Joseph Hobbs was likely first cousin to Jesse Hobbs whose seven children (including Elizabeth the wife of Sam Willett, the first Catholic settler) moved to Fancy Farm in the early 1830s.

According to the 1880 census, the 68 year old Horatio Hobbs was born in Maryland. His father was born in Pennsylvania (rather than Maryland) and his mother in Maryland. Horatio is listed as a farmer.

In 1976, Anna Courtney Hunt who was considered to be "Historian of Fancy Farm", wrote a paper on the Cash family. It was circulated through the community, but was not published. She wrote, " They had six children: Thomas, Joseph Peter, Elizabeth Jane, Louisa, Adaline, and Emaline. The writer has no record of Adaline and Emaline Burgess, other than they both married Haydens. Adaline married Taylor Hayden and Emaline married Sil Hayden. Thomas Burgess and wife Cassie Hayden Burgess had six children. They were Ida Bridget who married Peter Toon. The others were Edward, who married Mary Elizabeth Burgess, Boss, who married Zula Hayden; Perry and Denis Burgess. Another son of Tom Burgess was Augustine (Gus) Burgess, who married Ester Toon. They were the parents of Arthur, William and "Ulrich" Burgess and Alma Shanks and Marie Burgess."

Anna Hunt's paper continues with personal knowledge of her cousins. "Joseph Peter Burgess married Mary Ellen McClendon. Their children were Maggie Bagsby, John William Burgess, Anna Vela Goatley, Bernard and Lambert Burgess and a sister, Generose. Bettie Jane Burgess was the wife of Elisha Toon. Their children were: Fredrick, Harrison, Ezra, and Leonard Toon. The girls were: Annie Elder, Ella Sanders, Lillie Ellegood and Maude Ballard. Louisa Burgess, wife of Joseph Hayden had nineteen children. Some that can be recalled are: Stephen, Ira, James, John and Romuald Hayden. The girls are: Mrs. Genia Goatley, mother of Olie and Albin Goatley and Mrs. Mabel Thompson; Mrs. Cenia Willett and mother of Euin Willett; Mrs. Rose Carrico, mother of Mrs. Tossie Cash; Mrs. Dona VanNess; Mrs. Emma Willett, mother of Elisha Willett and Mrs. Ulanee Ross; also Bucker Buckman and Mrs. Dee Willett."

Discussing Mary Jane Cash's second marriage, Anna Hunt writes. "Mary Jane Cash Burgess married a second time after the death of Mr. Burgess, this time to a Hobbs. Their children were George Hobbs, (not the George Hobbs of New Madrid, Missouri), a daughter, Annie, married William (Will) Toon. They reared a large family and lived (when I knew them as a little girl) on a site now the Ewing Hobbs place. Mrs. Etta Thomas, wife of George Thomas was their eldest child. Others were Ode, Orville, Opal, who entered the Community of the Sister of Loretta, Loretta, Kentucky; Sylvia, Lela and Leon. As to George Hobbs, we have no record or information. He was a first cousin of the father of the writer who fondly spoke of him quite often."

Anna Hunt did not know of Matilda Hobbs who is listed in the census.

Horatio Hobbs died on January 12, 1892 and is buried at St. Jerome Cemetery in Fancy Farm. According to his tomb marker he was born in 1811 in Maryland and died in Beulah, Hickman County. "Horatio was the son of Joseph Hobbs and Mary Ellen (unknown). He married Elizabeth T. Burdette in Washington Co., KY on April 23. 1831. They had 9 children. " Mary Jane is not mentioned on his tomb.

The 1900 census lists Mary Jane Hobbs as a 74 year old widow living alone on her farm in Hickman County. She apparently died before 1910. She is buried at St. Denis Cemetery in Hickman County. St. Denis is a small country church that provides for the Catholics of the Fancy Farm area that live in Hickman County.

Sources:

An unpublished paper by Anna Courtney Hunt written in 1976.

"The History of St. Jerome Fancy Farm, Kentucky", a book by Brother Leo Willett