Daniel Doolen Sr.
Mary Bridges
Daniel Doolen Sr. was born in Ireland about 1765.
Mary Bridges was born about 1769 or 1771, possibly in North Carolina.
Daniel Doolen came to America with three brothers, John, Hardin, and William, about 1790. Daniel Doolen married Mary Bridges, about 1793, possibly in North Carolina or Georgia. Mary Bridges was from Georgia, so it seems probable that Daniel and his brothers lived in Georgia for some time. It appears that Daniel Doolen was in Kentucky by 1799. One account states Daniel and Mary moved from Georgia to Ballard County, Ky around 1796. The same account states they were living in Gallatin County, IL in 1818, then in the same year moved back to Kentucky to Ballard County, near Barlow City. This is the only record I have found indicating Daniel Sr. was ever in Illinois. He is listed as having bought and sold land several times in Kentucky between 1800 to 1812.. He fought in the War of 1812 with Governor Shelby of Kentucky, in Captain Henry James Company. The Doolen Family book by Charles Doolen says he served with his eldest son William. The Roll of Second Regiment, Kentucky Militia, listed James, Thomas, John, and Daniel Dooling. It seems they lived near the Ballard area much of this time. A couple of accounts of family history state that Daniel was a slaveholder, and "took kindly to that belief." However, tax records do not indicate that he owned slaves.
Mary Bridges Doolen was of small stature, dark complexion, dark brilliant eyes, and aquiline nose. During her childhood she, with her mother and younger brothers and sisters were driven from their home and the house burned by the Tories.
Daniel and Mary had nine children:
(Name lost) b. about 1794 no other info known
William b. about 1795
Jesse b. 9 Dec 1796 d. 25 July 1865 Illinois
m. Rachel Bone
Martha "Mattie" b. about 1803 in Kentucky
m. James N Brown
Rachel b. about 1804 in Kentucky
m. Belew
Alfred Murry b. 1806 in Kentucky d. 15 Nov 1851 Fayette,IL
m. Mary Ann Ginger 25 July 1829, Fayette Co
Elizabeth (Nancy) b. about 1811
m. Anderson Helms 30 July 1829 Fayette Co
Daniel Jr. b. 13 May 1812 d. 7 February 1877
m. Elizabeth Mahon 1836
Mary b. about 1817 in Illinois
m. Johnson
According to the Doolen Family by Charles Doolen, Daniel Sr. died in 1829 or 1830, and Mary "and sons Jesse, Daniel Jr. and some others of the Doolen family came to Illinois about 1830 and settled in Marion and Fayette Counties, near old Fosterburg." The 1830 census of Fayette County showed the following Doolin families:
1. Mary Doolin (one adult female(Mary) one adult male (Daniel Jr) and one female child (one of the daughters)
2. Murray Doolin (son of Mary and Daniel Sr.), wife (Mary Ann Ginger) and one daughter.
3. Jesse Doolin (son of Mary and Daniel Sr.), wife, and five children.
4. Sarah Doolin household. Sarah is unknown, had two children. Later married Johathan Green, two years later moved to Marion County with the Jesse and Daniel Doolin families.
Mary Doolen died at the home of her son Daniel Doolen Jr. about 1851, and is buried at the Sandy Branch Cemetery in Foster Township. The grave was long considered lost, but about 1994 the family put up a new stone, which probably is near the actual grave site.
According to Benjamin Doolen, the last years of Mary Doolen's life were spent under great handicap, being diseased of mind and body, and that due to her mental condition she was held in great fear by many.
**A couple notes on the above. Since writing this, I have found that Daniel Doolen probably never lived in Illinois- the counties just frequently changed back then. Also, one Doolen researcher recently told me he had found Daniel, William, and John in the Reconstructed Census Records of Franklin County, Georgia, for 1790. They all had been granted land for Revolutionary War Service. This is the first I have heard of them being in that war, or that they would have had to be in America well before 1790. Another correspondent said that the four Doolen brothers worked their way across the Atlantic as indentured servants. This seems plausible. As far as I know, no one has ever identified what ship they traveled on or where they landed. One other interesting story - one writer said his family tradition says the first immigrant was a Daniel O'Doolen, that he stopped in England to marry before coming to America, that he dropped the "O" in O'Doolen after arriving, and that Mary Bridges Doolen was a teacher.