The marriage bond date is from Bath County court records. The date and place of birth for Joseph is from email correspondence with Angie Sorrell Turner of Miamisburg, Ohio, a gr-gr-granddaughter of his youngest son, Isaac Sorrell.

The annual report of the county clerk to the state auditor for 1853 lists Joseph Sorrell, age 65, farmer, born in Bath Co, died Aug 1853, parents unknown, cause of death consumption. The month must be wrong, though, because his will was dated in September.

Joseph's will, dated 3 Sep 1853 and recorded the 12th of some month (last line was missing on my photocopy) in Bath Co., Kentucky, reads "I Joseph Sorrell being in my right mind do this day will to my children as follows. To John H. Sorrell one dollar, Elizabeth Otis one dollar, Rachel Johnson one dollar, Milly Davis one dollar, Mahala Barber one dollar, Harrison Sorrell one dollar, Mary Padget one dollar, which is the amt I allow the above named to have of my Estate after my death. I also will to my son Calvin and my Daughter Lucresia and my son Isaac and my beloved wife Sena Sorrell the remainder of my Estate after my debts are all paid. This 3rd day of Sept 1853." It is written by the county clerk and Joseph Sorrell made an X for his mark.

It is likely that the older children were willed only one dollar because they had already been given their shares of the estate, probably upon their marriages. The three children who received shares of the estate in the will, Calvin, Isaac, and Lucretia, were the only three who had not yet married by 1853. Calvin and Lucretia both married in 1854. I don't have a marriage date for Isaac, but he was only 13 in 1853.

Hal Phillips has Sena Hall born "ca 1804." But that would put her as being married at 12 years old, not impossible, but rather unlikely. I don't know his source for her age. Perhaps a census? Not the 1820 or 1830, though, which would imply a birthdate in the range 1795-1800. The 1840 census implies 1800-1810. I think she was probably born in 1800 or very close, so that she shuffled from one bracket to another in the censuses.

1820 Census of Bath Co., KY, records two young families which might be this Joseph Sorrell, both near Owingsville:
p. 29, line 30: Joseph Sorrels - 1 male 19-25, 1 female 16-25, 1 male under 10.
p. 32, line 11: Joseph Sorrell - 1 male 19-25, 1 female 10-15, 1 male under 10.

Judging by the 1830 census, ours fits the age range better of the one on p. 29 whose wife was 16-25, but the preceding line for the one on p. 32 is for Elisha Sorrell, while the preceding line for the one on p. 29 is James Sorrell.

Note, though, that both of the males are in the same age range, and neither of them matches the male age 40-49 in the 1830 census, who should be 30-39 in 1820.

1830 census of Bath Co., KY, records on p. 213, line 8, the family:
Joseph Sorrel Sr.: 1 male 40-49, 1 female 30-39, 1 male 10-14, 3 females 5-9, 1 male under 5, 1 female under 5.

This fits perfectly with the Joseph Sorrel/Sena Hall family ages. The "Sr" appears not to distinguish Joseph from a son, but from another Joseph Sorrel a few years younger.

On the preceding page, line 23, is recorded the family:
Joseph Sorrel: 1 male 30-39, 1 female 20-29, 1 male 5-9, 1 male under 5, 2 females under 5.

This fits the ages for the family of Joseph L. Sorrell and Phoebe McCarty.

1840 census of Bath Co., Ky, records two “Jos” Sorril families on p. 235, east of Slate Creek.
On line 2:
Jos. Sorril, 1 male 40-49, 2 males 10-14, 2 males < 5; 1 female 30-39, 1 female 10-14, 3 females 5-9.
On line 31 (the last line):
Jos. Sorril, 1 male 50-59, 1 male 20-29, 2 males 5-9; 1 female 30-39, 3 females 16-19, 1 female 10-14, 2 females under 5.

The older one would be ours, and the younger one Joseph L. Sorrell.

I cannot find this family in the 1850 census, despite exhaustive searches. Since Joseph did not die until 1853, and Sena outlived him, there should be a family consisting of Joseph, Sena, Harrison, Mary, Lucretia and Isaac. (Calvin was boarding with an employer, and the five oldest children were already married.)