FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS RELATING TO THE HIGHTOWER FAMILY

 

If you have questions / answers relating to the Hightower family that you feel should be presented on this page, please send the information via email to [email protected] .

 

1.                  Is this database free??

 

Answer: Yes, actually there is no charge to any user for access to the Hightower database. There are significant costs incurred to create and maintain this database for the benefit of members of the Hightower family. This database will be regularly updated during the lifetime of its author to correct errors, and to add new information. Some of the costs include:

 

a.       Monthly fee for the high speed internet access required to upload the database.

 

b.       The computer hardware and genealogical software are not free. A significant investment has been required to provide this database to everyone.

 

c.       Telephone expense varies month to month.

 

d.       Postage expenses

 

e.       Travel to cemeteries, court houses, libraries, etc. varies in cost from year to year.

 

f.       Paper, printer cartridges, pens and other miscellaneous office type supplies.

 

 

 

2.                  Are all Hightowers from the same family?

 

Answer: No. There are instances where slaves took the surname Hightower upon emancipation.  There have been people who have legally changed their surname to Hightower without having any Hightower ancestors.

 

3.                  Is the wife of Joshua Hightower named Eleanor Charnold?

 

Answer: The maiden name of Eleanor is not known.  Over the years several names have been proposed, including CHARNOLD, CHARNELL, and WEBB. Unfortunately, these names have made it into some of the widely available genealogical databases.  Probably the most widespread is CHARNOLD.  In 1985 Gary Duke of Fremont, California wrote a letter to Leaf N Leaves (Vol II, No 7, 15 Jul 1985) in which he *speculated* that Eleanor's name might be CHARNOLD.  He was looking for an explanation for the many HIGHTOWERs named "Charnel."  His particular choice was undoubtedly influenced by the fact that while there is no record of anyone named CHARNEL in early Virginia, there was a Thomas CHARNOLD.  In October 1653 Thomas CHARNOLD was one of 37 persons transported to Virginia by Peter Knight and Baker Cutt (Cavaliers and Pioneers Vol 1, Patent Book 3).  There is no further record of this Thomas CHARNOLD. Specifically, there is no evidence that he fathered a daughter named Eleanor who later married Joshua HIGHTOWER. (Note: On September 27, 2001, Tony Rockefeller had a telephone conversation with Gary Don Duke.  He confirmed that the information written in this paragraph is accurate.)

 

4.                  What about John Hitower on the “Friendship” in 1653?

 

Answer: A passenger ship search and attestation report compiled by Holmes-Corey Genealogical Research Company of Marco Island, FL in the 1970s and sent to Preston Michael Jones of Murphysboro, IL, report #PS795F, named a passenger aboard the Friendship as John Hitower.  The report indicated that John Hitower came to Virginia on land transactions. 

 

The author of the Hightower database considers this report questionable as to the facts presented.  There has been nothing found to support a connection between John Hitower who supposedly came to Virginia aboard the Friendship to conduct land transactions in 1653 and Joshua Hightower of Virginia.  A subsequent review of passenger records for the Friendship did not reveal a passenger named John Hitower. 

 

5.                  What about Joshua, husband of Eleanor, being the son of Joshua?

 

Answer: This is speculation not supported by any facts.  There were lawsuits against the “estate” of Joshua Hightower in Virginia.  Some people have “interpreted” the word “estate” as meaning that Joshua Hightower was deceased.  Since there was still a Joshua Hightower living, they “presumed” that there is another Joshua who “must” be the father of Joshua, husband of Eleanor.  The fact is that the word estate is commonly used as a legal term to represent the properties, monies and other holdings of an individual.  It does not necessarily mean property, etc. of a deceased person.

 

6.                  Who are the children of Joshua and Eleanor Hightower?

 

Answer:  In the last will and testament of Joshua Hightower, he names two sons: Thomas and Charnall.  This document refers to “my other four children”.  The Hightower database lists six children for Joshua and Eleanor.  The names of the other four children are believed to be the children of Joshua and Eleanor, but no absolute proof exists.   

 

7.                  How many people are named Charnel Hightower?

 

Answer:  I do not have an accurate count.  There are many people named Charnel Hightower through the generations, in fact, over 80.

 

8.                  Where did the Hightower’s come from?

 

Answer:  We do NOT have documentation to answer this question.  It has been suggested that the surname represents a person who lived near a High Tower. 

 

9.                  What is The Hightower Database?

 

Answer:  It is a compilation of the genealogical research, personal knowledge and family records of the author, and many Hightower family members.  When the author began researching his ancestry, he found it difficult to find information about his Hightower ancestors.  Thanks to the generosity and research of Nancy Jones Crawford and Hazel Hightower Smith, the author learned about his direct Hightower lineage, and some allied families.  The Hightower Database was developed to record and preserve genealogical information about the Hightower family.  The design should facilitate the dissemination of Hightower family genealogical information.  It is anticipated that the Hightower Database will provide a helpful resource to present-day and future members of the Hightower family.

 

10.                  What information is acceptable for inclusion in the Hightower database?

 

Answer: Genealogical information about descendants of the Hightower family, the parents of spouses of Hightower family members, any family lineage with a connection to the author, scanned images of official documents, and photographic scans of family members. 

 

At this time, the author makes every effort to omit demographic details about living family members from the online database.  The decision to omit demographic information from the online database has one simple reason: there are people who believe that it violates their privacy to have demographic information posted in the database.  There are many arguments in favor or against the decision of the author to omit the demographic information.  The fact is that there is little information about living people that is not otherwise available to anyone via the internet.  The author choses not to receive excessive mail from people who do not understand this fact, and live with the delusion that privacy really exists in America today.

 

11.                  What is the North Farnham Parish Register?

 

Answer: It is a transcription of the records of the North Farnham Parish Church (The Church of England).

 

12.                  Who is Walter A. Walker?

 

Answer: He was a newspaper publisher who was one of the first people in the United States who tried to put together an organized genealogical record of the Hightower family in America.

 

13.                  Who is Jrad Hightower?

 

Answer: The connection of Jrad Hightower to Joshua and Eleanor is unknown at this time.

 

14.                  Who is Abijah Hightower?

 

Answer: The connection of Abijah Hightower to Joshua and Eleanor is unknown at this time.

 

15.                  What is the full name of John Hightower who married Mary Bryan(t)?

 

Answer: His name is John Hightower – NOT John Thomas Hightower.  We are not absolutely positive about the parentage of Mary Bryan(t).

 

16.                  What is the full name of William Hightower who married Martha Downey?

 

Answer: It is NOT William Robert Hightower.  This name was “suggested” by Hazel Hightower Smith.  Nothing has been found to support the use of the middle name Robert.

 

17.              What are the names of some Hightower family publications?

 

Answer:

a.       Leaf ‘N Leaves by Hazel Hightower Smith

b.      Hightower News by Dr. Paul Hightower

c.       The Family of William Clayton Hightower and Mai Cole by Jack English Hightower

d.      Precious Memories : Hightower families in the United States of America from 1698 to the present, with special attention to descendants of Francis Pharoah Hightower : also included, 20 years of collected Hightower data for genealogical research by Dona M. Eason

e.       Lloyd and related families by Mondeleen M. Baker

f.        From Virginia with Love by Thomas Barton

g.       In memory of Charnell Hightower, who died November 29^th, 1887… by Rebecca Latimer Felton

h.       Some descendants of Robert Crittenden Kirkham and Rebecca Ann Hightower : 59 descendants in 7 generations named herein / compoiled [sic] by Isa Ra

i.         The Hightower Family by Paul Hightower

j.        A biography of Hightowers compiled by Paul Hightower

k.      Hightower Quest by Janet & Ken Ricke (connection to Joshua and Eleanor unknown)

 

18.              Is Thomas Hightower who married Nancy Mason a descendant of Joshua and Eleanor Hightower of Virginia?

 

Answer: We do not know.

 

19.              What is the surname of Kindness who married Thomas Hightower, son of Joshua and Eleanor?

 

Answer:  The surname of Kindness is unknown.  It has been speculated that her surname is Prentiss, but nothing has been found to support that speculation.