Eleanor (sometimes written Elinor) Sympson was the daughter of Elias Barbee who served in the Revolutionary War and later became a state senator in Kentucky. Elias Barbee came early to what is now Taylor County. Lived eight miles N.W. of Campbellsville. He was appointed Major in 1792, Colonel in 1797, and Brig. General, in 1799, in Ky. Militia, 16th Regt., Green Co., Ky. and upon the marriage of his daugher, gave a substantial amount of land to Henry and Eleanor.

Eleanor married Henry Sympson at Good Hope Baptist Church in Green County (now Taylor County KY) on August 29, 1822.

Henry Sympson filed for divorce, which was granted in 1855, giving approximately 2/3 of the property given by Elias Barbee to Henry Sympson. The following is a copy of the divorce decree:

Taylor County, Kentucky Circuit Court Order Book 2, Pages 115-116
Monday, 3 September 1855
Henry Sympson, Plaintiff against} In Equity
Eleanor Sympson, Defendant

This day this cause came on to be heard on the pleadings, exhibited and evidence filed in the case, and the court being sufficiently advised it is ordered and adjudged by the court that the bonds of matrimony between the said Henry Sympson and Eleanor Sympson be and the same is hereby dissolved and held for naught so far as the said Henry is concerned and the said Henry Sympson is hereby divorced from the said Elearnor (sic) Sympson and restored to all the rights and privileges of an unmarried person and the following division of property between the parties is made by the court, to wit: There is hereby adjudged to the said Eleanor Sympson to be assigned by commissioners as herein the directed a part equal to one third in value of the 340 acres of land & of the 82 1/2 acres of land mentioned in the petition and a part equal to one third in value of the slaves owned by the said Henry Sympson to be enjoyed by her during her natural life and at her death the slaves and the portion of the said 82 1/2 acres of land assigned to her under this judgment shall revert to the said Henry, his heirs or assigns and the other two thirds in value of the said 340 acres of land is adjudged to the said Henry Sympson to be enjoyed by him during his natural life and At HIS DEATH TO REVERT TO SAID ELEANOR or her heirs and there is further adjudged to the said Eleanor a part equal to one third in value of the personal property owned by said Henry exclusive of slaves after first deducting from the value of his said personal property the amount of his just debts and legal liabilities and the said Elenor Sympson is required to support and maintain the two children whom she now has with her to wit: Eliza F. & Nancy M. Sympson, during their minority and this judgement shall be a bar to the claim that the said Eleanor or any other person may set up against the said Henry for the support maintenance or education of the said two children contributed to the same ordered by the court. Geo. W. Montague, Garland C. Hubbard and John P. Campbell are hereby appointed Commissioners to carry into effect this judgement so far as the division of the property is concerned and said Commissioners are directed in assigning to said Elenor said portion in the lands to lay off the same by metes and bounds and the said Commissioners before assigning to said Elenor her portion of the personal property are directed first to deduct from the value of such property include money & debts owed by said Henry Sympson the amount of all his just debts and legal liabilities and then assign to said Elenor a portion equal to one third in value of the remainder and said Commissioners are authorized to examine the said Henry Sympson on oath touching the amount of debts due to him and the amounts of debts and legal liabilities owing by him to others and they are required to report their proceedings herein at the next term of this court, until which time this cause is continued.

Although the divorce was not granted until 1855, it is interesting to note that Eleanor is not listed in the 1850 census. Those listed in the household were:
Henry - age 49
J.Arthur - age 16
Lucy - age 14
Amon - age 13
Edwin - age 11
Henry - age 9
Ellen - age 7
Eliza - age 4
Mary - age 2 (died age 7, 1/23/1854)

In 1850, the census shows Eleanor Sympson living in Saloma, Taylor Co., Ky with Benjamin and Elizabeth Owens, along with daughter Sarah Sympson (age 21) and Eliza F (age 5, also shown living with Henry Sympson in the same year)

Henry Sympson was living in the couple's house in 1857 at the time of his murder. See the Find-a-Grave memorial page for Henry Sympson to read the local newspaper account of the murder. The article states that the couple had not been living together and that she was living with her daughter and son-in-law, Rebecca and William Howell, in Larue County at the time of the murder.