John J. Hacker
John established a claim on Hackers Creek
in present day Lewis county, WV in 1768, raised a crop there in 1769 and moved
his family there in the winter of 1760.
John served ninety one days in captain James Booths' Company of VA Militia in 1777. In 1778, he enlisted in George rogers Clards "Illinois Regiment" and was part of Clarks expedition against the Indians at Vincennes, IN.
In 1787, John and Margaret's daughter, Mary Ann (Hacker) West was killed by a band of Indians led by the Indian renegade Leonard Schoolcraft.
John signed the petition for the establishment of Harrison county, Va in 1789 and served as sheriff of the county in 1799.
John Hacker's Will:
"In the name of God Amen. I, John Hacker
of the county of Lewis is and the state of Virginia being of a great age and
weak in body, but of sound mind and disposing memory (for which I thank God) and
calling to mind the uncertainty of human life and being desirous to dispose of
all such worldly estate as it hath pleased God to bless me with, I give and
bequeath the same in manner following that is to say in the first place I desire
all the perishable paart of my estate be immediately sold after my death and
that out of the monies arising therefrom, all my Just debts and funeral expenses
be paid."
"Secondly after the payment of my debts
and funeral expenses, I give to my wife Margaret hacker one third paart of my
estate both real and personla, for and during her natural life, and after her
decease, I give the personal part thereof to whatever child of mine shall take
care of their mother during her life, and the real part thereof is to be
included in the bequeath to two of my sons viz Thomas S. Hacker and Absolom
Hacker."
"Thirdly, I give two thirds of the monies
arising from the sale of the perishable paart of my estate to be equally divided
between my two loving daughters Sarah Smith and Mary Ann Helmick and the heirs
of my two daughters that are now deceased to wit the children of Margaret
Hardman and Elizabeth Hardman."
"Fourthly I give to my son Absolom Hacker
all that part of my Landed property contained within the following bounds that
is to say beginning at a poplar near the great road corner to land I formerly
conveyed to my son william Hacker thence with the course of the said William's
line to the middle of the road and with the road crossing the run that runs
through my farm to the upper end of the fence whence with a dreen to the
original line and with the lines of my survey crossing said run again to the
place of beginning. At the same time it is to be understood that the said
Absolom Hacker is to pay to my son Alexander Hacker twenty dollars which twenty
dollars together with twenty dollars that my son Thomas S. Hacker is likewise to
pay to my said son Alexander Hacker is designed to make him an equal part with
them and my other sons that formerly portioned off.
"Fifthly I give to my son Thomas S. Hacker
all that part of my landed property contained within the following bounds viz:
Beginning in the middle of the road where Absolom's part first come to the road
and running the road as Absolom's run crossing the aforesaid run to the upper
corner of the fence, thence up the aforesaid dreen to the original line then
with the said original lines crossing Hackers Creek to Jonathan Hackers corner
an dwith said Jonathan lines and William Hackers lines to the place of
Beginning."
"Sixthly I give to my three sons towit,
William, John and Jonathan one dollar each to be paid out of my daughters
legacy."
"And lastly I do hereby constitute and
appoint my son William Hacker and my son in law David Smith Executors of this my
last will and Testaments, hereby revoking all other wills or Testaments by me
heretofore made."
"In witness whereof I have herewith set my
hand and affixed my Seal this eighteenth day of March in the Year of our Lord
one thousand eight hundred and twenty two."
John Hacker (Seal)
"Signed, Sealed published and declared as
and for the last will and Testament of the above named John Hacker in the
presence of us."
Edmund Hacker
John W. Hacker
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