have seen 5/15/1857 birthdate
immigrated in 1835
killed by a falling tree he had cut
apparently died abt 6 mo old.
Were Huguenots from Belfast N Ireland(Hugoenots, dating back to the 1500's, were originally French Protestants following John Calvin, and fled France for places like England , America ,etc)
This is likely James or John Hastings.... son of John Hastings and Nancy Spear
Another Hastings family in Goshen Oh area have traced back their family further. The attached note from them gives an interesting view, and a number of similarities between these 2 Hastings families. This HASTINGS may be son of James or John. Also the tie of Spear Davis(a Hastings grandchild) to being a cousin...see letter helps cement families as related.
"James Hastings told his oldest grandchild, Bertha Hastings Snyder, that
his
ancestors held high offices with the English government but had to leave
England after disagreeing with the King. Scotland proved a bad choice
because of religious persecution. After leaving Scotland the Hastings
lived
in County Antrim, Ireland, eight miles southwest of the town,
Bellamamania,
attending the Parish at Clough."
James' father was Patrick and his father was John whose wife was Nancy
Spear. Patrick was born in 1780, and his siblings were (no dates of
birth):
James, married Mary Boyd & had a son & 2 daughters; John, married Betty
Caldwell & had 4 sons, 3 daughters; Jennie, married a Mr. Lich; Peggy, no
further information; Betty, married a Mr. Bard; Mary, married John Jack;
Nancy, married John Wallace. Nancy & Patrick were twins, born in 1780.
Patrick married Lydia Hall "whose father was also a twin, lived on a farm
between Londonderry and Traband."
"Patrick and Lydia had prospered in the rich land of County Antrim, using
their Scotch background to help them but found the religious tensions and
demands from the Catholics, who took their land and possessions except for
what they could carry in carpetbags, reason to leave their County on April
11, 1833 sailing from Belfast, April 13, 1833 in a three-masted ship built
for war."After looking at your database on RootsWeb it would appear that your Thomas could very well
be one of the sons of James or John, brothers of Patrick and probably older as they are
listed in the history as the first two children in the family of John Hastings and Nancy
Spear. I think the most compelling indication of that is a child of your Mary Lydia
Hastings Davis being named Spear, probably after her great grandmother's maiden name. A
cousin of my father, whom I remember well and gave me trombone lessons, was named Spear
Hastings.
If the above connection is true, then Thomas would be Patrick's nephew.
I think we may be cousins. Richard Hartle