The Skaggs-Files

Henry bears the name of his grandfather, the famed Kentucky Longhunter.

Henry moved from Green County Kentucky to Missouri around 1816 or 1817. He is listed on the 1817 Franklin Co. MO, Gasconade Township Tax List. This area became part of Gasconade County MO in 1820, part of Crawford Co. MO in 1829, part of Osage Co. MO in 1841, and finally, part of Maries Co. in 1855 which was the year that Henry also died.

He is listed in the Green County, Kentucky Deed Book, page 480, dated July 5, 1822 with the following information: "Henry (Little) Skaggs of Gasconade Co. MO makes Isaac Roberts the power-of-attorney to convey tract sold to Drury Thompson and Jesse Roberts in Green Co. KY on Pitman Creek. Also, papers and Bill of Sale from David Skaggs to me for a Negro man named Bob."

He is listed on the 1830 Crawford Co. MO Census records, where he is living 7 housholds down from Andrew Clement. Andrew's wife Sarah "Sally" Skaggs, daughter of Richard Skaggs, was a first cousin of Henry's father, David. Henry's daughter, Elizabeth married Andrew Clement's son, William Wesley Clement, in Crawford Co. MO in 1829, justa few months before the 1830 Census.

Henry is living in Gasconade Co. MO in 1840 even though he is not listed in on the 1840 Gasconade Co. MO Census Records.

He is listed on the 1850 Osage Co. MO Census records.

Henry received Land Patents in MO from three different Presidents - Martin Van Buren, John Tyler, and James Buchanan - the last of which was not completed until after his death and the land was then assigned to his heirs because the Certificate of the Register of the Land had been deposited at the Land Office and full payment for the land had been made.

The first patent, Certificate No. 7055, was for 40 acres and was dated October 1, 1840; the second patent, Certificate No.11068, was also for 40 acres and was dated April 10, 1843. At the time that both of these parcels of land were granted to Henry, he was a resident of Gasconade Co. MO and the new land was located in Osage Co. MO (this part of Osage Co. later became part of Maries Co. MO. The third patent, Certificate No. 26911. was for 160 acres of land in Maries Co. MO and was dated May 2, 1859. It reads in part, "Whereas Henry Skaggs of Maries Co. MO had deposited in the General Land Office of the United States, a Certificate of the Register of the Land Office at St. Louis, whereby it appears that full payment had been made by the said Henry Skaggs...do give and grant unto the said Henry Skaggs and to his heirs the said tracts of land...". Since this date is after his death, we can only assume that the government patent was included in the estate of Henry Skaggs.

Henry's name appears in the Osage Co. Probate Court Records, dated December, 1852, where the court had appointed guardians for minor children of deceased persons. The record reads as follows: Henry Scaggs, guardian of Benjamin F. and Henry C. Noblett, minor heirs of Thomas Noblett, deceased. Thomas Noblett was the nephew of Henry's first wife, Elizabeth Noblett.

"Henry's will is recorded in the Maries Co. MO Court Records, Will Book, p. 12, dated 31 Mar 1855. It reads as follows:

"In the name of God I Henry Skaggs of the County of Osage and State of Missouri being of sound mind and in my usual health desirous of disposing of the estate with which God has blessed me according to my last will I do hereby declaim and publish this my last will and testament.

In the first place I resign my body to dust and my soul to God and my wish is that after my death that my body be buried in a decent Christian like manner.

I dispose of my worldly goods as such. My just debts are to be paid out of my personal property.

Next I give and bequeath Elizabeth to have all my real and personal estate for and during her natural life and widowhood for the purpose of securing a comfortable maintenance for herself and those committed to her care except as herein after provided at and after her death or second marriage.

It is my will that my son Hiram Skaggs shall have after the decease of myself and wife Elizabeth the E. 1/2 of S.E. Qr. of S. 21 T. 40, R. 7W. and that my son Asa P. Skaggs shall have and hold seventy six acres it being the land bought of Thomas Noblett and known as the North part of the West 1/2 of S.E. Ar. of S. 21 T. 40, and I also will to the heirs of my daughter Elisabeth Clemens five dollars to be given when called for.

I also will to my grandson Henry Galloway five dollars. I also will that Linda Findly shall have of my estate a horse worth fifty dollars and a good saddle and bridle and one good bed and stead and choice of bed cloths and plenty of them provided she stays with us during our natural lives and the remainder of my personal property to be equally divided between my three children that are now living, towit: my son Hiram H. Skaggs, Asa P. Skaggs, and Charlotte Giesler.

In case that I enter any more land joining that I will to Asa P.Skaggs, I wish him to have it also.

I wish our graves to be walled in with stone in good and decent order three feet high.

Made and given under my hand this 31st day of March in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty five in the presents of the undersigned witness. (Signed) Henry (X) Skaggs. Wit: John C. Wallace and Andrew Isball. Recorded Feb 1857"