Augustine Austin Hackworth - Augustine Austin Hackworth

Hackworth, Leftwich, Austin, Keith Families

Around 1750 to 1760 George Hackworth, William Wilson Austin II, the widow and children of William Keith, and  Augustine Leftwich settled in the sotheastern part of Bedford County VA.  The Hackworths, Keiths and Leftwichs lived near each other on Goose Creek ( first called David's Creek) near a place called Lynch Station which is now in Campbell County.  This is just a short distance west of present day Altavista.  George Hackworth and Augustine  Leftwich are buried in this area.  The Austins settled a few miles to the south in a part of Bedford that became part of Franklin County in 1786.  The George Hackworth Cemetery is located at 1456 Guernsey Road, so that was where they lived.

There was intermarriage between these families.  Nancy Keith, daughter of William Keith and his wife (I believe her name was Janet Ross Keith), married Uriah Leftwich, son of Augustine Leftwich.   Mary Ruth Keith, Nancy's older sister, married Augustine  Austin Hackworth,  son of George Hackworth.   The wife of George Hackworth is shown in many genealogies to have been Ann Leftwich.  This is obviously wrong because there is no "Ann Leftwich" listed as either a sister or daughter of Augustine Leftwich.   There is just no Ann Leftwich around that time.  I have found no genealogical data that has an Ann as a daughter of Augustine Leftwich Sr.  Moreover, if the supposed Ann were born in 1724, as has been indicated, Augustine Leftwich would have been only 12 years old at her birth.  Also, Augustine Leftwich had no siblings by the name Ann. There is no evidence that George Hackworth's wife and Augustine Austin's mother was an Ann Leftwich.   However, I think it worthy of consideration that George's wife was Ann Austin, who was perhaps the sister of William Wilson Austin II  and daughter of William Wilson Austin, Sr.

William Sr. who was from Wales had a daughter (name unknown) whom he disinherited  because she married against his wishes.  William II gave this disinherited daughter his share of the inheritance  and they moved to Bedford County.  I think it not far fetched that this daughter was Ann Austin and the one she married was George Hackworth. (They were married in Hanover or Caroline County about 1742) This would explain  the middle name of Augustine Austin Hackworth.  William Wilson Austin II named his first daughter Nancy Ann, for what it's worth.  There is no proof but it makes more sense than Ann Leftwich which is not possible.  Some people think Augustine Austin Hackworth was named for Augustine Leftwich.  This may be, but because he was a friend and not because he was the grandfather or uncle!

The Hackworths and Leftwichs had been neighbors in Caroline County and the Austins were in nearby Hanover  County.  Hanover County was formed in 1719 from the part of New Kent County that bordered Caroline County. So, the Austins were also neighbors of the Hackworths and Leftwichs before the move to Bedford County.
The Keith's came from Ireland where the father, William, died in 1755 .

George Hackworth is said to have come from Devonshire, England.   The Leftwichs came from England two generations before.   William Austin, Sr. came from Wales.   The Keiths were originally from Aberdeenshire, Scotland, near Peterhead, but had moved to Ireland about 1752.   They moved to Ireland most likely because the Keith family lost their property, including Boddam Castle, due to their support for Prince Charles in his lost fight for control of Scotland.   The battle of Culloden in 1746 ended the Prince's ambitions.  Of the Keith children,  Mary Ruth Keith and William, Jr. were born in Scotland;   Nancy, Gabriel and Nicodemus Keith were born in Ireland.

 Augustine Austin Hackworth and his wife, Mary Ruth Keith Hackworth moved to the western side of Bedford County between the present  Montvale and Roanoke on Glade Creek. Their neighbor and friend  was Thomas Buford, a large land holder, who was killed by the Shawnee at Point Pleasant in Lord Dunmore's War.   Thomas Buford was Captain of the militia company from Bedford County.    Augustine and his brother William were in the battle also.  Augustine was a witness to Thomas Buford's will in August 1774.   The battle took place on October 10, 1774.

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