Nimrod Charles Canterbury (1778-1844)

Nimrod Charles Canterbury was born on 10 Apr 1778 in Wilkes, North Carolina, as the third child of Gideon (or Jedithen) Canterbury and Nancy Ann Franklin. He had three siblings, namely: John, Reuben C., and Benjamin Franklin.

His actual birth date has not been found by this researcher on any official records. His Find A Grave memorial gives this exact date, but does not cite a source for that date. Based on census records, we know that he was born between 1771 and 1780.

His middle name is suspect too. This researcher has not personally found any official documents that list his middle name.

– Denise

When he was 22, Nimrod married Mary “Molly” Franklin, on 27 May 1800 in Lincoln, Kentucky. As was common, prior to the marriage he had to post a bond of fifty pounds current money to ensure that he would go through with it.

Nimrod Charles Canterbury and Mary Franklin had the following children:

1. Reuben Canterbury was born in 1801 in Greenup, Kentucky. He married Elvira Mosely on 22 Feb 1826. He died in Aug 1840 in Coles, Illinois.
2. Gooding L. Canterbury was born in 1803 in Greenup, Kentucky. He died on 20 Aug 1836 in Hannibal, Marion, Missouri. He died intestate and his father, Nimrod, administered the estate.
3. Cynthia Canterbury was born in 1805 in Greenup, Kentucky. She married James Sperry on 30 Sep 1822 in Lawrence, Kentucky.
4. Nancy Canterbury was born on 04 Aug 1808 in Greenup, Kentucky. She married her cousin Franklin Payne Canterbury on 25 Oct 1828 in Lawrence, Kentucky. She died on 15 Jul 1861 in Audrain, Missouri.
5. Franklin Canterbury was born about 1810 in Greenup, Kentucky. He married his cousin Amy Canterbury on 10 Dec 1834 in Lawrence, Kentucky. He died in 1844 in Audrain, Missouri. Back in 1824, Nimrod Canterbury served as Amy’s guardian when her father, John Canterbury, brother to Nimrod and uncle of Franklin, died.
6. Lucinda Canterbury was born in 1811 in Greenup, Kentucky. She married James Davis on 03 Sep 1829 in Lawrence, Kentucky.
7. Sidney Canterbury was born on 17 Oct 1812 in Greenup, Kentucky. She married Jonah Bergert Hatton on 26 Feb 1834 in Louisa, Lawrence, Kentucky. She died on 05 Aug 1880 in New Florence, Montgomery, Missouri.
8. George Canterbury was born on 02 Mar 1815 in Greenup, Kentucky. He married Nancy McPherson on 15 Aug 1837 in Marion City, Marion, Missouri. He died on 06 Jul 1848 in Marion, Marion, Missouri.
9. Martha Canterbury was born in 1816 in Greenup, Kentucky. She married Thomas C. O’Donnell about 1830 in Lawrence, Kentucky. She died about 1846 in Missouri.
10. Harvey Canterbury was born in 1817 in Greenup, Kentucky.

The Canterbury family lived in Greenup County, Kentucky until sometime after 1820. While there, he served terms as Sheriff and Justice. Nimrod was recorded there in the 1820 Federal Census.

By 1822, Nimrod was living and serving in Lawrence County, Kentucky. He bought land there and is found throughout the court records of that county. He was one of the Justices who presided over the court as well as serving as paymaster, being involved in building the first courthouse, and serving as election judge. He even was able to solemnize marriages there.

This indenture made and entered into this 11th day of November one thousand eight hundred and twenty three by and between Walter McWarter and John West of the county of Harrison and State of Virginia on the one part and Nimrod Canterbury of the county of Lawrence and State of Kentucky on the other part Witnesseth That the said Walter McWarter and John West do set up claim and title to a certain tract of land lying and ___ing in the county of Lawrence and State of Kentucky on Big Sandy river and the same wherein the said Nimrod Canterbury now lives which tract contains four hundred acres of land by survey which land the said Walter McWarter and John West desired title to by and through William Hurst who ___ title by purchase from George Hurst who was the original patentee together with John Savage and others. Now the Said Walter McWarter and John West do hereby and by these presents do covenant and agree, lend and oblige themselves at or before the first day of September 1827 to convey as cause to be conveyed to the said Nimrod Canterbury his heirs and assigns so much of the aforesaid tract of land as is included in the survey of the said Nimrod Canterbury supposed to contain two hundred acres which tract of land was decreed to William Hurst’s heirs which tract of land the said Walter McWarter and John West ____ and forever defend from themselves and their heirs and the heirs of William Hurst and Geo. Hurst and all and every person claiming under as through them for and in consideration of which the said Nimrod Canterbury doth hereby lend and oblige himself to pay as cause to be paid unto the said Walter McWarter and John West the sum of one hundred and eighty dollars on the aforesaid first day of September 1827 when the said Walter McWarter and John West so make as cause the title of the said land as so much thereof as the claim of the said Canterbury does interfere with to him the said Canterbury. Then the said Canterbury shall pay to the said Walter McWarter and John West one hundred and eighty dollars as aforesaid. To the true performance of the foregoing contract we and each of us __ bind our selves our heirs and assigns forever…

Lawrence County Kentucky land records.

When Mary Franklin Canterbury died on 05 Aug 1831 in Lawrence, Kentucky, Nimrod became a widower.

Nimrod Canterbury left Kentucky. First, he went to Marion County, Missouri. On 20 Apr 1835, he spent $325 to buy the west half of the southeast quarter of section #33 in township No. 57 Range No. 5 West, containing 80 acres. A few years later, on 8 February 1838, he sold this same land for $703.30. His son Goodling L. Canterbury died in Marion County in 1836 and Nimrod administered the estate.

On 10 Aug 1837, Nimrod married to Mary Tuckfield, a widow. Mary’s husband died in 1835 in Marion County. Mary probably died soon after she married Nimrod.

Nimrod resettled in Monroe County, Missouri.

When he was 59, he married Mildred White on 18 Mar 1838 in Monroe, Missouri. She was the 38-year old widow of William Yancy and was two decades younger than Nimrod. She had children with her first husband, including two sons, Marshall and William, and a daughter, Jane.

Nimrod Charles Canterbury and Mildred White had the following children:

1. Mary Mildred Canterbury was born in 1839 in Santa Fe, Monroe, Missouri. She married Napoleon Bonoparte Crigler on 17 May 1857 in Audrain, Missouri.
2. Nimrod Charles Canterbury Jr. was born on 15 May 1841 in Santa Fe, Monroe, Missouri. He married Arvilla Faulkner on 30 Oct 1872 in Hannibal, Marion, Missouri. He married Florence L. Jones on 17 Sep 1890 in Audrain, Missouri. He died on 07 Aug 1934 in Hannibal, Marion, Missouri.

Nimrod and Mildred purchased a lot in Paris, Monroe County, Missouri for $46 on 8 Nov 1838. The description was, “Lot No. Four in Block No. Twenty One fronting Caldwell Street.” When the purchase was made, Nimrod was listed as the “assignee of Mildred Yancy.“

The family was living in Washington Township, Monroe County, Missouri at the time of the 1840 Federal Census.

Nimrod continued to be active into his later years, inventorying the estate of Wm. H. P. Tuckfield in 1835, administering the sale of property of his deceased son, Gooding, in 1836, serving as guardian of the Yancy children, Marshall, Jane and William in 1838, selling property, and such.

Nimrod Charles Canterbury died in 1844 in Santa Fe, Monroe, Missouri, at the age of 65. He was buried in 1844 in Mount Olivet Cemetery, Taylor, Marion, Missouri.

Where is he in the tree?

Selected Sources

Canterbury-Franklin marriage, Lincoln County, Kentucky, Marriage records, Loose papers, files 1-6 1781-1809, image 674 of 1003 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CS42-P961-2?i=673 : accessed 7 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (familysearch.org).

Nimrod Canterbury grantee, Lawrence County Kentucky land records, Deeds, 1822-1863, 1865-1902; indexes, 1822-1970, Vols. A-C 1822-1847 (v.C has no index), image 37 of 732 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-V739-2?i=36&cat=112003 : accessed 6 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nimrod Canterbury, paymaster, Lawrence, Kentucky, Court orders, 1822-1904, Orders, v. 1, 304 1822-1863, image 43 of 683 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-KSVW-4?i=42&cat=129652 : accessed 6 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Nimrod Canterbury, taxable property, Lawrence, Kentucky, Court orders, 1822-1904, Orders, v. 1, 304 1822-1863, image 51 of 683 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSKX-KSVQ-Q?i=50&cat=129652 : accessed 6 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ancestry.com, 1840 United States Federal Census (Online publication – Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.Original data – Sixth Census of the United States, 1840. (NARA microfilm publication M704, 580 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record G), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com, Year: 1840; Census Place: Washington, Monroe, Missouri; Page: 144; Family History Library Film: 0014856.

Marion County, Missouri, Deeds, 1827-1902; index, 1827-1898, Deeds v. C-D 1833-1837, Film #008485842, image 173 of 591 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39T-PSBV-W?i=172&cat=221350 : accessed 8 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Marion County, Missouri, Deeds, 1827-1902; index, 1827-1898, Deeds v. E-F 1836-1839, Film #008485843, images 290-1 of 666 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39T-PQY7-C?i=289&cat=221350 : accessed 8 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Monroe County, Missouri, Deeds, 1831-1899; index, 1831-1889, Deeds v. C-D 1837-1840, Film #008343294, image 447 of 666 ( https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSTY-MS8D-S?i=446&cat=215468 : accessed 8 Apr 2019), Family Search – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Ancestry.com. History of Greenup County, Kentucky [database on-line]. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004.
Original data: Biggs, Nina Mitchell,. History of Greenup County, Kentucky. Evansville, Ind.: Unigraphic, 1975.

Ancestry.com, Missouri Marriage Records, 1805-2002 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007), www.ancestry.com, Missouri State Archives; Jefferson City, MO, USA; Missouri Marriage Records [Microfilm]. Record for Nimrod Canterbury.

Ancestry.com, Missouri, Wills and Probate Records, 1766-1988 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2015), ancestry.com, Author: Missouri. Probate Court (Marion County.