Individual Details

The wife of Joseph Haden is said by some to have been a Breathitt although the marriage record gives her name as Ellen Thomas. I always believed she had some connection to the Breatheds of Washington Co., Maryland. Some members of this family used the name Breathed in PA and MD, while the Logan Co KY line used "Breathitt". The Whitsitt book says only William and Isaac Breathitt had children which seems doubtful given the number of their brothers, and she definitely wasn't a daughter of William nor Isaac; however, William and Isaac did have a brother named James. There is still another possibility: a sister in the Breathed/Breathitt family of Pennsylvania & Maryland, was also an Ellen who is said to have been married to a Thomas and Eleanor could have been their daughter and it was her mother who was the Breathitt.

Later information from a Thomas family researcher revealed that the Maryland Breathitt/Brathed brothers did indeed have a sister Ellen, who married first to a Mr. Reynolds and 2nd to a John Thomas. It seems very reasonable for her to have a daughter - named Eleanor "Ellen" for herself and for that daughter to be the wife of Joseph Haden. John Thomas had also had a earlier marriage and his will of 1802 reflects two sets of children, some quite young, including a daughter Eleanor. So Ellen's maiden name was Thomas, but she was a "Breathitt" by way of her mother - the grain of truth in every family story.

Logan County Court Orders. Jan Term 1829, p.416. Assignment of dower to Ellen Haden widow of Jos. Haden dec'd returned, approved by the Court and ordered to be recorded. Commissioners allowed one dollar each to be paid by the Administrator.

WB D
p.171 Allot to Mrs. Ellen Haden, widow of Joseph Haden her dowry in the slaves of his Estate.
Diana & sucking child, a girl $350
Nelson, boy $250
Lewis, boy $175
George Washington, boy $125
Henry, boy $230
Isham, man $400
Total $1600.
Which gives to the widow as her third $533.33 1/3 cents. Allotted Diana & child and Nelson - $600. 1 Jan 1829
p.270 John Breathitt, admr of Joseph Haden Dec'd.
In a/c with said estate.
Various notes & expenses. Hire of Negros. C. Breathitts account. Nelly Haden – 89.25. Commissioners appt to settle with John Breathitt. Find in hands $278.00. 17 ___ 1829. Spencer Curd, M. B. Morton.
7 Dec 1829. Settlement was produced and ordered recorded

Logan Co Tax Rolls: Eleanor Haden paid on 200 acres in Todd County on the West Fork, 6 total slaves, 2 horses for 1829 and the previous years beginning with 1824.

She was living with George W. in Muhlenberg County in 1850 Census. Buried on George W. Haden property in Muhlenberg Co. Grave marker reads "Eleanor".


Further exploration of the Breathitt family.
From the WESTERN MARYLAND NEWSPAPER ABSTARACTS, it is obvious that both a James and an Edward Breathed lived in Washington County. They had letters left unclaimed at the post office, as well as annual advertisements for their stallions standing at stud from 1796-1806. An Isaac Breathed advertised his horse Herod to stand at his farm on Conoloway Creek in April of 1801. On 12 Jun 1807, there is a notice re Francis Breathed, as administrator of Edward Breathed; James was still advertising a stud in April of that year. John Breathed of Bedford Co PA placed an ad on 22 Feb 1792, stating that he would not pay on bonds executed to one William Kelly. In 1803 there was an unclaimed letter for George Breathet at the Hagerstown Post Office. The abstracts end in 1810. Lists of sons of John Breathitt and Jane Kelley include all these names listed in the abstracts: Edward, James, Francis, John, and George.

Birth	27 Jun 1791	Washington County, Maryland
Marriage	13 Jan 1813	Logan County, Kentucky - Joseph Haden
Death	16 Feb 1856	Muhlenberg County, Kentucky

Spouse	Joseph Haden (1778 - 1824)
Child	George W. Haden (1813 - 1904)
Child	Ranney B. Haden (1816 - 1855)

Father	John Thomas ( - 1802)
Mother	Living
Sibling	Kelly Thomas ( - )
Sibling	George Thomas ( - )
Sibling	Ranney Thomas ( - )
Sibling	Living