The “Aunt & Uncle” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database. The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of Margaret Keppel (1759-after 1840) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:
Margaret Keppel Earnhart: A Life Across Two Centuries
Early Life and Family Origins
Margaret Keppel was born about 1759, in Upper Salford, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, during the final years of British colonial rule in America. She was the daughter of Peter Keppel Sr. (1730-1806) and Anna Elizabeth Grobb (1737-1800), both likely of German or Swiss ancestry based on their surnames—a common heritage among Pennsylvania settlers of that era.
Margaret grew up during one of the most tumultuous periods in American history. As a young woman, she would have witnessed the Revolutionary War unfold around her, with Pennsylvania serving as a crucial battleground and the temporary home of the Continental Congress.
Marriage and Early Motherhood
Before 1803, Margaret married George Earnhart (1759-1850) in Cabarrus County, North Carolina. George was a Revolutionary War veteran who had served six months fighting Cherokee Indians in 1776 at the tender age of 17. Their marriage united two families with deep American roots—Margaret's Pennsylvania German heritage with George's North Carolina military service.
The couple settled in Cabarrus County, where they began raising their family. Their children included:
Mary Magdalene Earnhart (born 1800)
Sara Evelina Earnhart (born 1803)
Benjamin Earnhart (1805-1882)
Nancy Earnhart (born 1807)
Daniel Earnhart (1809-1883)
James Earnhart (born 1812)
Life in North Carolina
By 1790, Margaret and George were established in Rowan County, North Carolina, where census records show them as a married couple. Margaret would have been about 31 years old, managing a growing household in what was still largely frontier territory. The 1790 census indicates they had a sizeable family even then, with multiple males and females of various ages in their household.
In 1807, Margaret found herself involved in family legal affairs when her father Peter Keppel Sr. passed away. As one of his lawful heirs, she participated (through her husband George, as was customary for married women of the time) in the division of her father's estate. The deed, recorded in Cabarrus County, shows how property was divided among Peter's children, with Margaret's portion being handled by George as her legal representative.
The Great Journey West: Moving to Tennessee (1812)
Around 1812, when Margaret was approximately 53 years old, the Earnhart family made the momentous decision to leave North Carolina for Tennessee. This journey would have been quite an undertaking for a family with six children, the youngest being baby James, born that very year.
The trip from Cabarrus County, North Carolina, to Bedford County, Tennessee, would have covered roughly 300-400 miles through mountainous terrain. The family likely traveled by wagon train, carrying all their worldly possessions—furniture, farming tools, seed, livestock, and personal belongings. The journey probably took several weeks, with the family camping along the way, fording rivers, and navigating rough mountain paths. Margaret would have been responsible for managing the children, preparing meals over campfires, and maintaining some semblance of normal family life while living outdoors.
Upon reaching Bedford County near Shelbyville, Tennessee, the Earnharts would have found themselves in a rapidly growing frontier community. Tennessee had only achieved statehood in 1796, making it a relatively new addition to the Union. The area offered fertile farmland and opportunities for families willing to work hard and build new lives on the frontier.
Tennessee Years and Later Life
The Earnhart family established themselves successfully in Bedford County, where they remained for about seven years. Census records from 1820 show George and Margaret, now in their 60s, still maintaining a large household with 12 total family members. By this time, some of their children would have been adults starting families of their own, while others were still at home.
The 1830 census finds the family still in Bedford County, with Margaret around 71 years old. Despite her advanced age for the era, she continued to manage her household duties. The family composition had changed over the decade, reflecting the natural progression of children growing up, marrying, and establishing their own homes.
By 1840, Margaret was approximately 81 years old—an remarkable age for a woman of her generation. The census of that year records her still living with George in Bedford County, making her a witness to enormous changes in American society over more than eight decades of life.
Historical Context and Legacy
Margaret Keppel Earnhart lived through some of the most significant events in American history. Born during the French and Indian War, she witnessed the Revolutionary War, the formation of the new republic, westward expansion, and the early years of Tennessee statehood. Her life spanned from colonial Pennsylvania through the frontier era of the early 19th century.
As a woman of her time, Margaret's contributions were largely domestic but no less vital. She successfully raised six children to adulthood, managed complex household operations across multiple relocations, and helped establish her family in new territories. Her involvement in her father's estate settlement shows she was not merely a passive figure but participated in important family financial decisions.
Margaret died sometime after 1840 in Tennessee, having lived well beyond the average lifespan for women of her era. Her legacy continued through her children and their descendants, who helped populate and develop the growing state of Tennessee. Her life story represents that of countless pioneer women who left comfortable established communities to build new lives on the American frontier, contributing immeasurably to the westward expansion that defined early 19th-century America.
Through her marriage to Revolutionary War veteran George Earnhart and her own remarkable longevity, Margaret serves as a living bridge between colonial America and the antebellum period, embodying the resilience and adaptability that characterized the pioneer spirit of her generation.
Margaret Keppel Earnhart is my 4th Great Grand Aunt.
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1. 1790 U S Census, Rowan County, North Carolina, population schedule, Rowan, North Carolina, Page 318 (penciled), Line 2, Household of George ARENHART [EARNHART]; digital images, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 January 2020); citing National Archives Microfilm M637. 1790 CENSUS: Rowan, North Carolina, Page 318 (penciled), Line 2; Household of George ARENHART [EARNHART], Male over 16, Male over 16, 4 males under 16; 3 females.
2. Land Deed - Division of the Estate of Peter Kapple Sr.; 8 August 1807; Deed Book #6; Page(s) 168; Register of Deeds; Concord, Cabarrus County, North Carolina; 12 December 2020. Page 168
3. 1820 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Bedford, Tennessee, Page 65 (penciled), Line 6;, Household of George EARNHEART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 January 2021); citing National Archives Microfilm M33 _122. 1820 CENSUS: Bedford, Tennessee; Page 65 (penciled), Line 6; Household of George EARNHEART; Male, age 45+; 1 Female [Wife], 45+; 2 Males under 10; 2 Males age 10-15; 1 Male age 16-25; 2 Female ages 10-15 and 3 Female 16-25.
4. 1830 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Bedford, Tennessee, Page 87 (penciled), Line 9, Household of George EARNHART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 January 2021); citing National Archives Microfilm M19_122. 1830 CENSUS: Bedford, Tennessee, Page 87 (penciled), Line 9; Household of George EARNHART, Male, age 60-69; 1 Female [Wife], age 50-59; 2 Males , ages 15-19; 1 Male, age 20-29; 1 Female, age 10-14, 3 females, age 20-29.
5. 1840 U. S. Census, Bedford County, Tennessee, population schedule, Bedford, Tennessee, Page 60B (Stamped), Line 22, Household of George EARNHART; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 January 2021); citing National Archives Microfilm M19_.
6. Ancestry, "Revolutionary War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com : accessed 3 January 2020), entry for Goerge Earnhart, Private; Revolutionary War; America. https://www.fold3.com/image/17562129; Pension application of George Earnhart R3196, fn28NC
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