As mentioned in yesterday's blog, many online family trees confuse two Hudson Hughes. One lived in North Carolina -- the subject of yesterday's blog. The other lived mainly in Virginia and Indiana. A side-by-side timeline of the two has convinced me that they could not be the same person.
Virginia/Indiana Hudson Hughes: This Hudson Hughes was born about 1774, probably in Virginia. This date is consistent with the 1810 census in Bath Co., Virginia, the 1820 census in Mason Co., Virginia, and the 1840 census in Vermillion Co., Indiana. The 1830 census of Vermillion Co., Indiana, lists a Hudson Hughes, but the ages of the oldest male and oldest female are not consistent with the other censuses.
The 1774 birth date is calculated from evidence in the tax lists. In 1794, Israel Hughes had two titheables in his household. In 1795, he had one and that is the year Hudson Hughes first appears in the tax lists. Both Israel and Hudson were taxed on 11 July 1795 which indicates that they were in the same household or in the same neighborhood. In 1794, Israel had 5 horses. In 1795, he had only 4 and Hudson had 1.
Hudson's first son was named Israel, so it's possible this Israel in the tax list was Hudson's father. Israel will be the next research target.
Hudson Hughes appears in the tax lists of Bath Co., Virginia, from 1795-97, 1801-02, 1810-11. Other counties need to be searched. [I have subscribed to the Virginia Tax List Club on the Binns Genealogy website. It has been very useful to me.]
Hudson Hughes was married in Greenbrier County, just south of Bath County, in 1795-6. The date on the record is uncertain as is the surname of the bride. Her first name was Lucy and her surname has been transcribed as Boloaway. The first letter is almost an ink blob, but if you blow it up and follow the pen strokes, I think you may agree that the first letter is an H -- Holoaway. There was a Charles Holdways in the Greenbrier tax lists in 1795 and 1796, not before or after. Whether Lucy is related to him remains to be discovered.
There is a Lucinda Hughes buried in the Hughes Cemetery in Vermillion County, Indiana. The stone is badly worn but has been deciphered as born 4 January 1776 and died 13 September 1830. The Find A Grave memorial states that she was the wife of Hudson Hughes but no source for that statement is given. When Hudson Hughes remarried in 1832, the first child by his new wife was named Lucinda.
Hudson was in the Bath County census in 1810. There were 8 persons in the household. The oldest male was age 26-44, born 1766-1784, and the oldest female was aged the same.
He was in the 1820 census of Mason County, Virginia. There were 13 persons in the household. The oldest male was age 45+, born before 1775, and the oldest female was age 26-44, born 1776-1794.
He was in the 1840 census of Highland Township, Vermillion County, Indiana. There were 8 persons in the household. The oldest male was age 60-70, born 1771-1780, and the oldest female (Almyra, his second wife) was age 40-49, born 1791-1800.
About 1812 Hudson and Israel moved from Bath County to Mason County, Virginias/West Virginia. Hudson is in the tax lists there continuously from 1813 to 1829. Israel is only there in the 1814 list.
There are several Hughes families in the Bath and Mason County tax lists. More research is needed to work out their relationships and ancestry.
It's possible that Hudson Hughes was missed in the 1830 census. He may have left Mason County before it was taken and arrived in Vermillion County, Indiana, after it was taken.
As has been stated, there is a Hudson Hughes in the 1830 census of Vermillion County, Indiana, but the oldest male is aged 30-39, as is the oldest female. Also, this family includes 6 children born between 1820 and 1830. Lucinda Hughes died 13 September 1830 aged 54. It is very unlikely she had 6 children born between the ages of 44 and 54.
In 1832, Hudson Hughes remarried to the widow Almyra Bishop. They had two children -- Lucinda and Leander
Hudson purchased 80 acres of land in Section 20, Township 18 north, Range 10 west, from the government, receiving letters of patent dated 18 March 1837.
When Hudson Hughes died, Richard M. Waterman was authorized in November 1841 to administer the estate. He found insufficient personal property to pay debts and asked permission to sell his land. The heirs are identified in court records as:
⚫ Almyra Hughs, his widow
⚫ Israel Hughs and Orra Hughs his wife
⚫ Morris Hughs and Roda, his wife
⚫ Moses Hughs and Elizabeth, his wife
⚫ James Bradburn and Jane, his wife, formerly Jane Hughs
⚫ Hugh Cameron and Margaret, his wife, formerly Margaret Hughs
⚫ Mary Hughs
⚫ John Hughs and Sophinislea Hughs, his wife
⚫ Edward Hughs and Minerva Hughs, his wife
⚫ Frances Dunnivan, formerly Frances Hughs
⚫ minor heirs Leander and Lucinda.
Saturday, October 14, 2017
Friday, October 13, 2017
Two Hudson Hughes
Numerous online family trees have included a Hudson Hughes. Most say he was born in North Carolina, abandoned his wife and moved to Virginia and then, ultimately, moved to Indiana where he died.
This interpretation is nice for assumed descendants because his North Carolina wife was Margaret Balfour, daughter of the Revolutionary War patriot Col. Andrew Balfour.
Unfortunately this interpretation is not correct. It would be nice to have Col. Balfour as my ancestor, but he isn't.
There were, in fact, two men named Hudson Hughes. Here is a link to a timeline that lists events for the two Hudsons -- the North Carolina Hudson and the Virginia/Indiana Hudson. I don't see how they could have been the same man.
North Carolina Hudson: The 1800 census of Rowan County, North Carolina, lists a Hudson Hughes twice (pages 277 and 287). They appear to be duplicates. In both, the oldest male is age 26 to 44 (born 1756-1774).
A Hudson Hughes was witness to a deed in Rowan County in 1786. If the law required a witness to be 21, then Hudson was born in 1765 or before. If the law required age 18, then 1768 or before.
Joseph Hughes, father of Hudson, died intestate in 1793 and Mary Hughes, his mother, died intestate in 1794. (see Rowan County wills and estate papers for details and names of other children).
Hudson Hughes married Margaret Balfour in 1796 in Rowan County. They had two children: (1) Mary Ann born 1798, married 1817 Samuel Reeves and died 1852; (2) Eliz, born after 1800 and died young.
The North Carolina Hudson is not listed in the 1810 census. Margaret and her two children may be part of the family of Eliz Balfour in Salisbury.
The last record that has been found pertaining to Hudson Hughes is dated 25 October 1812 when he sold two lots in Salisbury to George Fisher. H. Hughs acknowledged the sale at the November court term.
What happened to the North Carolina Hudson Hughes?
He would have been about 45 years old when he sold the lots in Salisbury.
Rev. Eli W. Caruthers in his book Revolutionary Incidents and Sketches of Characters, Chiefly in the Old North State (1854) had a lengthy section on Col. Balfour in which he said, "This daughter also, now the widow Margaret, having lost her husband by a mysterious Providence, . . . "
What would qualify as a "mysterious Providence?"
Robert G. Hughes wrote an excellent research paper (undated, perhaps 1970s or 1980s) Hugh/Hughs/Hughes in which he traced his ancestry through Hudson to Owen Hugh of Pennsylvania. In it he states, "The only interpertation (sic) of Caruthers' statement that . . . I can think of, is that Hudson Hughes abandoned her, since he later is living in Virginia." Unfortunately, we have the common pitfall of "the name's the same and the age is about right." The Hudson Hughes living in Virginia is not the Hudson Hughes from North Carolina.
Adding to the puzzle of the fate of the North Carolina Hudson Hughes is the will of Margaret Balfour Hughes. The will is recorded in Randolph County Will Book 4, page 541, under the name of Margaret Balfour, not Margaret Hughes.
Why? The only reason I can think of is divorce.
Another puzzling thing about the will is that Margaret leaves everything to the children of her half sister. Her daughter, Mary Ann (Hughes) Reeves, is not mentioned.
Tomorrow -- my ancestor -- the Virginia/Indiana Hudson Hughes.
This interpretation is nice for assumed descendants because his North Carolina wife was Margaret Balfour, daughter of the Revolutionary War patriot Col. Andrew Balfour.
Unfortunately this interpretation is not correct. It would be nice to have Col. Balfour as my ancestor, but he isn't.
There were, in fact, two men named Hudson Hughes. Here is a link to a timeline that lists events for the two Hudsons -- the North Carolina Hudson and the Virginia/Indiana Hudson. I don't see how they could have been the same man.
A Hudson Hughes was witness to a deed in Rowan County in 1786. If the law required a witness to be 21, then Hudson was born in 1765 or before. If the law required age 18, then 1768 or before.
Joseph Hughes, father of Hudson, died intestate in 1793 and Mary Hughes, his mother, died intestate in 1794. (see Rowan County wills and estate papers for details and names of other children).
Hudson Hughes married Margaret Balfour in 1796 in Rowan County. They had two children: (1) Mary Ann born 1798, married 1817 Samuel Reeves and died 1852; (2) Eliz, born after 1800 and died young.
The North Carolina Hudson is not listed in the 1810 census. Margaret and her two children may be part of the family of Eliz Balfour in Salisbury.
The last record that has been found pertaining to Hudson Hughes is dated 25 October 1812 when he sold two lots in Salisbury to George Fisher. H. Hughs acknowledged the sale at the November court term.
What happened to the North Carolina Hudson Hughes?
He would have been about 45 years old when he sold the lots in Salisbury.
Rev. Eli W. Caruthers in his book Revolutionary Incidents and Sketches of Characters, Chiefly in the Old North State (1854) had a lengthy section on Col. Balfour in which he said, "This daughter also, now the widow Margaret, having lost her husband by a mysterious Providence, . . . "
What would qualify as a "mysterious Providence?"
Robert G. Hughes wrote an excellent research paper (undated, perhaps 1970s or 1980s) Hugh/Hughs/Hughes in which he traced his ancestry through Hudson to Owen Hugh of Pennsylvania. In it he states, "The only interpertation (sic) of Caruthers' statement that . . . I can think of, is that Hudson Hughes abandoned her, since he later is living in Virginia." Unfortunately, we have the common pitfall of "the name's the same and the age is about right." The Hudson Hughes living in Virginia is not the Hudson Hughes from North Carolina.
Adding to the puzzle of the fate of the North Carolina Hudson Hughes is the will of Margaret Balfour Hughes. The will is recorded in Randolph County Will Book 4, page 541, under the name of Margaret Balfour, not Margaret Hughes.
Why? The only reason I can think of is divorce.
Another puzzling thing about the will is that Margaret leaves everything to the children of her half sister. Her daughter, Mary Ann (Hughes) Reeves, is not mentioned.
Tomorrow -- my ancestor -- the Virginia/Indiana Hudson Hughes.
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