The exact location of Keziah Hampton's birth is not now known, but information from census records indicate she was born in North Carolina. It is most likely that she was born somewhere in western North Carolina, possibly Buncombe County. Several of this Hampton family were living there in 1800, namely Micajah Hampton and Ahab Hampton. Her birth date, however, has been passed down through family records, as well as her marriage date to William Rich--23 Oct, 1823, somewhere in North Carolina.
All that is known about her has been derived from census and other records.
The Keziah and William Rich and family were living in Monroe County, Tennessee in 1830. Keziah was in the age category of 26-45. She would have been about 28 years old at that time.
In 1840 the family was on census in Blount County, Tennessee; her age would have been about 38.
After William Rich died (probably in Blount County, TN) in 1846, his family migrated to St. Francois County, Missouri. Keziah and her family were living there in 1850 in the household of John P. Haden, age 33 who was born in Pennsylvania; his wife Frances, age 26 was born in Connecticut. They had 2 girls, aged 7 and 4. It is assumed these people had hired Keziah and children to help out on the farm.
Keziah gave here age as 47 in 1850. Her children listed were Emily C., age 18; Robert A., age 16; Melinda, age 14; William M., age 11; John C., age 9; Harvey D., age 5. All of Keziah's children were born in Tennessee. Her four older children were either married or gone from home.
Keziah's brother, Joseph Hampton was also living in St. Francois County, MO in 1850 as well as her daughter Sarah Matilda (Rich] Cautrell (sometimes spelled Cottrell) and husband William and family. They were on the same census page as Keziah.
Keziah has not been found on an 1860 census. In the 1870 census, pg. 565, she was living in Linn Township in Dent County, MO in the household of her eldest son, Bartley Rich. She gave her age as 67; also present in the household was her father, Lent Hampton.
Notes for BARTLEY HAMPTON RICH:
1870 Federal Census Dent County, Missouri , Linn Twp.
10 20 20 Rich Bartley 40 M W Farmer 1,200 600 TN
11 20 20 Rich Matilda 42 F M Keeping House TN
12 20 20 Rich William 21 M W Farming TN
13 20 20 Rich Hester 19 F W At home MO
14 20 20 Rich Anna 17 F W At home MO
15 20 20 Rich Josephine 14 F W At home MO
16 20 20 Rich Phinetta 12 F W At home MO
17 20 20 Rich Bartley 8 M W MO
18 20 20 Rich Sarah 4 F W MO