Dehaven, Jacob

Jacob Dehaven was the son of Abraham and Rebecca Dehaven. He was born sometime before 1752, was a farmer and landowner, and resided in Loudoun County for much of his life. His father Abraham Dehaven, was a Loudoun County landowner who left behind a respectable estate of approximately £172[ when he died in September 1770. In his will, he provided for all of his nine children, including Jacob who was the third of his four sons. On 2 May 1776, Jacob Dehaven married Mary Sinclair at the Lutheran church in Frederick County, Maryland. Together they had four daughters: Hannah, Nancy, Betsy, and Sally. On 10 September 1787, Dehaven was appointed as “Surveyor of the road from Nolands Ferry to Osborn King’s,” a position he held until 15 December 1795. Surveyors were local  landowners who were selected by the “county courts” to be responsible for overseeing the upkeep, maintenance, and construction of local roads.

Dehaven’s first wife Mary died sometime before 1797 and on 12 June of that year, Jacob remarried Nancy Bell. John and Nancy were married by the Methodist minister John Littlejohn. In 1801, Dehaven expanded his property, purchasing a tract of land near the property of Josias Clapham and John Elliott for £100. However, on 22 March 1802, the Dehavens sold the entirety of their estate, approximately 80 acres, to their neighbor John Elliott for $800. After selling their property, the Dehavens moved to Scott County, Kentucky, where Jacob died sometime before 1830.  

By Bridget Swart