Sarah Halley was born Apr 26, 1739 in Prince William County, Virginia. She died Nov. 13, 1809 in Madison or Clark, County, Kentucky.  She was quite a lady.  She grew up in the upper class household of James Halley.    About 1754 she married William Wilkerson.  There is little known about William except that he must have had some prominence because he married Sarah Hawley>Halley daughter of James Halley and great granddaughter of Henry Hawley who was one of the original settlers on the property that was to become Mt. Vernon. The Hawley>Halley family was very prominent in Virginia and James Halley was very wealthy. After William died in 1765 Sarah married William Haynie who came from another old Virginia family. Their great grandfathers were two of the early settlers of Virginia in Isle of Wight County in the mid 1600’s.. This further strengthens my belief that the Wilkerson family was also a prominent family in the Northern Neck of Virginia in the 1600-1700’s. These families did not marry outside their social strata.

She was named in her Grandmother’s will.

Before William died about 1765 at the age of 34 he and Sarah had 6 sons:

John Madison who was born on March 12, 1757. He married Margaret Moon July 39, 1789 and Catherine Fletcher February 12, 1804. John died in Clay County, Missouri on June 15, 1834.

James H. Wilkerson (my 3rd great grandfather) who was born on November 29, 1758 in Fairfax, Louden County, Virginia. James H. married Sarah Moore April 30 1782 and died in Warren County, Ohio on December 4, 1834.

William Wilkerson who was born on March 3, 1761. He married Betsy Striplin December 21, 1797 in Clark County, Kentucky. He died June 27, 1846 in Monroe County, Missouri.

Moses Wilkerson who was born on April 12, 1763. He married Aletha Anderson (her family was also at Fort Boonesborough). Moses died Jun 1806 in Montgomery County, Kentucky.

Presley Wilkerson who was born on May 26, 1767. He married Lydia Calk September 1, 1789 and died March 1819 in Pendleton County, Kentucky.

The first two sons were named for Wilkerson family. James for Sarah’s Father and Moses was for her step brother. I believe Presley was named for an old family friend. Either William died shortly before or after Presley was born. In August 1767 just two months after Presley was born Sarah married William Haynie. I suspect he was an old family friend and she was a 28 year old widow with 5 boys under 10 including a brand new baby. She and William followed her sons to Kentucky where she had nine more children:   Henry, Richard, Sarah, Nancy, Richard (again, the first Richard must have died), Eliazabeth, Sybil, and Anna.

In Matthew Thomson’s Day book found on Family Tree Maker CD 174 Virginia Vital Records #1 1600 – 1800 there is a listing of memorable dates from the William Haynie Family and the Haynie Family Bible.

“In a section titled (scatter notes) (Don’t know what connection) is the following Washington and Priestly Wilkerson live in Alabama, Haynie in Lexington and Moses in Falmouth (Pendelton County), John Wilkerson, born March 12, 1757, died June 15, 1834, James Wilkerson, born November 29, 1757, died June 15, 1834, Wm. Wilkerson born March 3, 1761, Moses Wilkerson born April 12, 1763, Priestly Wilkerson born May 26, 1767”

Washington is probably Presley’s son George Washington Wilkerson.  Haynie is problely William Haynie and Sarah.  They moved to Kentucky and probably lived in Pendelton County.

From Dr. Daniel C. Wilkerson of Annapolis on Oct. 12, 1983: “I got it! The page of the Halley family bible copy itself showing Sarah Halley 1st marrying Wm. Wilkerson then Wm. Haynie … … I’ll xerox that material & send you.” …also wrote that Bible had John Wilkerson b. March 12, 1757; died June 15, 1834. The letter just stopped and was not signed. I have written and written and written, but no reply and letters not returned. So many people in the past few years have shared their information and I with them. It’s difficult to understand his change of mind. Source Betsy C. Wagner.