From: Jo Anne Schultz

Sent: Friday, November 30, 2007 12:11 AM

Subject: Re: Message from a ysearch user

Dear John E. Hoyt,

Thank you very much for your email. I wish that I knew more about my great-great grandfather's origins so that I could answer your question. Benjamin Kip Haight was born ca 1812 in New York (from the 1850 census of Gallatin County, Kentucky). He was listed as a shoe and saddle maker and paid taxes in Gallatin Couinty from 1845 until 1858. He was about 33 when he married 19 year-old Louisa Jane Alexander on May 1, 1845. Between 1847 and 1856, they had five children together. Sometime between 1858 and 1863, he simply disappeared.

This is the family story:

"What is known is that he always made an annual trip to Cincinnati for supplies. As always, he had gotten in the fall crops, the winter's wood supply, etc., before leaving. Then he set off--never to be heard from again! Some have thought he just walked off and left his family; maybe in the excitement generated by the Civil War, etc., or just because he was tired of the grind. He had left five children at home, at any rate. However, that doesn't ring true as far as I see it. It seems out of character for a man of his age who obviously took thought for his family's welfare. What seems more likely to me is that someone who knew him and knew of his buying trips simply decided to wait, knowing he would have money for his purchases, and killed and robbed him, perhaps throwing his body in the river or buying it in the woods. Of course, finding any trace after all this time isn't likely; but the family he came from must have taken notice of his leaving New York, or of whatever made him leave and which resulted in his turning up in Kentucky. My daughter and I even conjectured that he may have had another wife and perhaps a family, although he evidently wasn't trying to hide his identify nor to "cover his tracks" when he came to Kentucky--not in 1850 anyway. Yes, the 19-year old Eliza in the 1850 census was Benjamin's wife. I've heard several different names besides Eliza--Lusianne, Eliza Anne, Eliza Jane and Louisa Jane. In October, 1983 my daughter and I found the churchyard where she is buried. There is a modern stone, placed by some of her family, I'm sure. On it her name is Louisa Jane Hall (Hall being the name of her last husband). My aunts and uncles referred to her as "Grandma Hall" whenever I asked about her. Aunt Lacy said that she was 15 when she married Benjamin (an arranged marriage?) and a fun-loving young girl tied to an old man. I have an idea that Aunt Lacy may have gotten this description from her grandma although I didn't ask. At any rate she stayed with him "for better or worse" and bore those children, and still had enough on the ball to get a few more husbands." Mary Murphy.

Several of Benjamin Kip Haight's descendants have worked hard over the years trying to trace our mysterious ancestor back to his family in New York, but without any luck. I began to wonder if Haight was even his real name. That is why I asked my brother, Cecil Guy Haight Jr., to submit his Y-DNA. The results did confirm that he is a descendant of Simon, but how he descends from him is still unknown.

My married name is Schultz, and we do not have any connection to Spokane. My husband's grandfather immigrated to San Francisco in the 1880s. His name was really Schuetz, but the spelling was changed after he arrived.

Thank you very much for writing to me. I have enjoyed looking at your website before and appreciate all of the work that has gone into it.

Sincerely,

Jo Anne Haight Schultz

Cecil Guy Haight Sr—Father

Samuel Haight—Grandfather

Francis Marion Haight—Great Grandfather

Benjamin Kip Haight—Great Great Grandfather

2nd Email from Jo Anne Schultz

Dear John,
Thank you so much for looking in the HHH book. I bought a copy many years ago and using it and many other sources have built up a great database in my TMG software. When we started out on this journey, we thought it would be easy considering that Benjamin had the middle name of Kip. So, we also explored the Kip family in New York, but have never found a family that could or would claim our ancestor. I do have the certificate of marriage for Benjamin, but there is no information on his origins. I live with the hope that a perfect Y-dna match will turn up! Thank you, also, for including my information on your website. I am very appreciative.
Sincerely,
Jo Anne