Virginia/Indiana Hudson Hughes

   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.