Who was Henry?

Good question!

Here's what I know about Henry through my own research, and the research of others whose work I trust. There is a fair bit of misinformation out there, and I'll try to focus on what is verifiable. I'll also speculate, but I'll explain my reasoning too.

Most of the facts that I will cite are available on the Internet.

Henry was born in 1727 or 1728. No one knows where. It is certain that he was not born in what is now Orange County, which was unsettled in 1727/28. I believe he was born in Pennsylvania, because the area of Orange County where Henry lived was settled predominantly by Scots-Irish from the area near Philadelphia. (See "The Great Wagon Road" by Parke Rouse for a detailed study of the migration paths of the early southern settlers.) In addition, Henry in 1755 signed a petition that the inhabitants of Orange County presented to Lord Granville, complaining of their lack of protection from incursions by the French and Indians. The petition states that most of the residents were from Pennsylvania and (I believe) Massachusetts.

Henry's early life is unknown until 1752, when he applied for, and in 1754 received, a land grant from Lord Granville in Orange County. (The process by which Lord Granville's land was distributed is a story unto itself.) In March 1755 Henry was appointed constable of the Orange County Inferior Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions "in the office of Thomas Cate," and the following month the road commissioners appointed him to work on a crew under the supervision of John Gray.

During the same time frame, a John Hastings received a similar appointment to work on a road crew. Presumably this person is Henry's brother, but John Hastings does not have any verifiable descendants.

Henry worked as a sworn chain carrier around this time and was "of record" on a deed around 1760 -- but I don't have my notes handy right now.

No marriage record exists for Henry. Presumably the Elizabeth Hastings buried next to him in the old New Hope Presbyterian Church cemetery is his first wife. (She died July 1, 1800, age 60.) Some researchers say her maiden name is McDaniel, but I have never seen any proof. I hope that DNA testing will one day end the mystery.

Based on the ages of their children, it appears that Henry and Elizabeth married around 1755. They had ten known children. In rough order of birth they are Margaret, Joseph, Henry C., James, John T., Isabell, William, Elizabeth, Esther (a/k/a Hester, Easter and Hettie) and Mary.

After Henry's wife Elizabeth died in 1800, it appears that Henry remarried; there is a marker next to his with the inscription "E.H. 73 years." Henry passed away on May 17, 1812. His grave marker says he was "age 85 years." The original marker survives, but a much newer marker with the same inscription has been placed at the site by an unknown donor.

The old cemetery is across the street from the present New Hope Presbyterian Church facility, just to the left of the volunteer fire station. It is still maintained but is surrounded by woods.

Henry's will, executed one week before his death, is preserved in the North Carolina State Archives in Raleigh.

Henry's primary occupation is unknown. He was probably a farmer, like most of the settlers of that area. He also worked, at least briefly, as a sworn chain carrier, which is basically a surveyor's helper. Some have speculated that he was a carpenter, because of the items bequeathed in his will, but I don't see anything particularly carpenter-like in his bequests: a sorrel horse known by the name Jrimus [sic], large pot, weaving loom and instruments, walnut table, chest, two iron pots [and] rack, Dutch scythe, plough share, coulter, long chain and riding saddle. Henry's will does not mention a spouse, so it appears that he outlived his second wife as well.

I do not know if Henry or his family were members of New Hope Presbyterian Church. He is buried there, but the Hastings are not mentioned in an 1891 history of New Hope written by Rev. D. I. Craig.