Individual Details

Comstock-Haggard Book states that William Comstock moved with his father to Kentucky about 1790. "A Comstock Genealogy" says he came west to Ohio with his father and brother Seth, but father and brother returned to Providence RI; William stayed in Kentucky. His father later joined the son Lyndon in Lexington KY, probably about 1807-08. I found the source of this information from letters sent by Caroline Porter [daughter of William's half-sister] to Noah D. Comstock in 1879.

Although William is in the Comstock books as the second son, when Caroline Porter wrote her first letter to Noah D. Comstock she said that Daniel had brought sons William and Seth to Kentucky. William stayed but Daniel and his younger son [Seth] had returned to Providence. In her second letter she lists the children of Daniel & Patience and puts Seth first, giving no birth dates - ever after Seth appears as the eldest child.

His date and place of birth are basically unknown. His father did live in Smithfield, RI, but also had property in Connecticut. I have estimated a birth year based on the marriage of his parents.

William and Winnie's was one of the first marriages in Hardin Co KY
Josiah Dodge was the minister. Marriage Register A, p.1 of Hardin Co KY. (16th marriage recorded)

1800 Census - "Second Census of Kentucky" - William Comstock, Breckinridge County, Paid Tax, 19 Aug 1800
William Comstock was a member of the first town board of Hardinsburg, Kentucky; he was also a member of the first Court of Quarter Sessions for Breckinridge County as shown by the first entry in the Order Book, dated Monday, 21 Apr 1800. He continued to serve on that Court possibly until 1816 when the Court became Circuit Court. There is an entry of Gov. Isaac Shelby's appointment to Henry P. Brodnax as Circuit Judge at the first session in 1816.
17 Feb 1801, William Comstock was presiding at Court when his father-in-law, Capt William Hardin was tried for Breach of the Peace. Capt. Hardin was fined 5 shillings. On May 17, 1802, Capt Hardin was fined 5 shillings for Profanity. At later trials of Capt Hardin, William Comstock was recorded at "not present", apparently choosing to recus himself.

Deed Book A, p.114-116 2 Jun 1802. Two deeds from William Hardin Sr to William Comstock. Lot #22 in Hardinsburg, 1/2 acre for $100. Lot #34 4 acres for $2.
Deed Book B, p.132. 29 Nov 1804. William Hardin Senior to William Comstock and wife for $100, 400 acres on fork of Clover Creek, patented in the name of Daniel Hardin and deeded to William Hardin on 25 May 1801.

1810 Breckinridge Co KY Census; p.169 William Comstock; 1 m age 26-45 [Wm about age 32], 1 f age 26-45 [WinnyAnn], 1 m age 10-16 [Ephraim], 1 m under 10 [Elijah about 2]

18 Apr 1816 Circuit Court Case. William Comstock, Plaintiff. William Davidson, Defendant. Comstock was awarded to recover debt of Davidson in the amount of $55 plus interest since 30 Jul 1810. [Davidson was married to Celia Hardin - Comstock's brother-in-law.]

From "Breckinridge County KY Records" by Cook:
19 Aug 1816, William Comstock is overseer of road from Hardinsburg to Clover Creek (Court Minute Book 2, p.184) In Nov of 1817, he resigned as overseer of this road (p.251)
18 Nov 1816. Trustees appointed for Stephensport. William Comstock to be one of the trustees at written request of Richard Stephens, proprietor.
15 Sep 1817. Commissioners to alter part of the road from Hardinsburg to mouth of Clover Creek included William Comstock.
There is a Deed listed in Deed Book D, p.187, 21 Oct 1817 from William Comstock and WiniAnn his wife to Nathan D. Anderson for Lot #34 in Hardinsburg. [Lot bought from William Hardin in 1802-Deed Book A, p.114-116] Relinquishment of dower for this lot is on p.359, 7 Nov 1818.

Various Comstock books give a date of death for William that is incorrect [1875 - which is actually the date of death of his son Elijah].
The McAdam's book shows that wife WinnyAnn died in 1818 leaving a will. "Married women of that day could not make a will, so William was deceased by that time. Their youngest child Lavinia was born in August of 1810. C. B. Comstock obviously made an error when he said William Comstock died Dec 5, 1875", which was in turn copied by John A. Comstock in his book. This date is actually the date of death of William's son Elijah.
Court Minute Book 2, p.251 William Comstock resigned as overseer of the road from Hardinsburg to Clover Creek - recorded 17 Nov 1817.
Court Minute Book 3, p.2. 21 Sep 1818. Winney Ann and Ephraim Comstock granted administration on estate of William Comstock. Commissioners appointed to appraise estate and slaves, if any. Security with William Hardin and Amos Williams. On p.16, 17 Nov 1818, Amos Williams asked to be released from security for Ephraim Comstock. On p.21, 21 Dec 1818, Ephraim posted bond with William Hardin Jr. and William Davidson. Amos Williams exonerated.
[William died between Nov 1817 and Sep 1818.]

Court Order Book 7, Saturday, Jul 26, 1828. Case of William Spikernagle against Ephraim Comstock & John E. Hardin. ....Thomas Kincheloe has in his possession the Original Inventory & appraisement and sale of the estate of William Comstock and of the estate of Winny Ann Comstock. In Book 8, 25 Jul 1829, Kincheloe filed the said papers and case was continued.

In the manuscript papers of Samuel W. Comstock, he did indeed have on one page that William had died 1817 - however in another place he recorded the date of 5 Dec 1875 which was Elijah's death date. This error was then perpetuated in the various Comstock books. SWC also stated that William was born in Breckinridge Co near Hardinsburg - but that was where he married and lived. William was born either in Smithfield, RI, or in Connecticut.

Birth	Ca 1770	Smithfield, Providence County, Rhode Island
Marriage	1 May 1794	Hardin County, Kentucky - WINNY ANN HARDIN
Death	1818	Breckinridge County, Kentucky

Spouse	WINNY ANN HARDIN (1775 - 1818)
Child	EPHRAIM FLOR HUBER COMSTOCK (1795 - 1847)
Child	Elijah Comstock (1808 - 1875)
Child	Levinia Comstock (1810 - 1837)

Father	DANIEL COMSTOCK (1745 - 1814)
Mother	PATIENCE JENCKES (1750 - )
Sibling	Seth Comstock (1773 - 1848)
Sibling	Jenckes Comstock ( - )
Sibling	Chloe Comstock (1777 - 1804)
Sibling	Cynthia Comstock ( - 1834)
Sibling	Abigail Comstock ( - )