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Rt.YNOLDS HISTORICAL
GENEALOGY COLLECTION
ALLEN COUNTY PU mS'nilMPlH Jul
3 1833 01306 1277
HUGHES FAMILY
OF
KENTUCKY AND VIRGINIA
BY
LYDIA ANNIE HUGHES
MT.CAKMEL, ILL.
AND
RICHARD HUGHES SULLIVAN
COLUMBIA. S. C.
COLUMBIA. SOUTH CAROLINA
NOVEMBER
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LYDIA ANNIE HUGHLS
(At age of titty years)
RICHARD HUt'.HES SULLIVAN
(At lifie of fifly yeuis/
RESEARCH AND AUTHORITY
Lydia Annie Hughes, H5.
Martha Hughes, H5.
Fanny Wormald Sadler, H6.
Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, H6, H6(4-3).
Lucinda Blackmore (Sullivan) Davis, H7 H7(4-4).
Richard Hughes Sullivan, H7, H7(4-4).
Elizabeth (Hughes-Elliott-Cunliffe) Hudson, H7(4-4), Cf5 Ibid.
Meriwether Genealogical Tables and Family Record, 1889.
In the 1902 edition of the Hughes Family of Kentucky and Virginia,
the bulk ot the data was obtained from the family records of my mother,
Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan; my sister, Lucinda Blackmore (Sulli-
van) Davis; my gi-eat aunt, Martha Hughes, and the family Bible of my
great grandmother ,Esther (Cox) Hughes, H4NNH, C5H. All four of tliese
kinswomen are deceased.
Since that time, however, and, in fact, within the past few years,
new information has been developed through the indefatigable efforts
of Lydia Annie Hughes, granddaughter of Major John Hughes, Jr., H3,
through his sixth son, James Neville Hughes, in which considerable new
data have appeared in connection with the earlier records of the Cox,
Crawford, Tarleton and Wood families. Furthermore, were it not for
her proverbial interest in the genealogy of the Hughes Family and many
of its collateral connections, the Aston Line, which hitherto has not been
recorded as antecedent to the Cocke-Cox Line as generally understood
by practically all our relatives, could not have been incorporated in the
1920 edition. Indeed, her new data have been the real incentive toward
the issue of this work, in which will be found a republished sketch of
her grandfather and my great great grandfather.
Fanny Wormald Sadler, daughter of my grandfather's sister, Judith
Anne (Hughes) Sadler, has materially assisted in assembling parts of
unknown records, and portions of her letters, written from time to time
during the last 15 years, have been used to Indicate connection with our
numerous relatives in Kentucky.
The plan pursued has been to connect the pedigrees of eight fami-
lies, including the Neville Line, to indicate direct descent to my children
and grandchildren, and also to have two pedigrees in two collateral lines
—one, to show direct descent in the Hughes Line through my grand-
mother, Sarah Jane (Hughes) Hughes; the other, the Cunliffe Line, to
show the relationship of her sister, Eliza Ann (Hughes), whose husband
was William Cunliffe, for the information of the numerous descendants
In that line. The records furnished by Elizabeth (Hughes-Elliott-Cun-
liffe) Hudson H7(4-4), Cf5 Ibid, and the records of Martha Hughes in
her mother's Bible have been used in the Cunliffe family history. The
names of all children of the various lines in each generation have been
included where data were available, and no relative having connection
with any of the names appearing in the eight families in the large table
or in the two collateral pedigrees should have trouble in ascertaining
relationship.
Data for the Meriwether pedigree were taken from the Meriwether
Genealogy, 1889, by George Wood Meriwether and published by his
RESEARCH AND AUTHORITY
daughter, Emerine (Price-Meriwether) Snead, M7. In cases of disagree-
ment in data, as between the Meriwether record and the record of
Martha Hughes, the annotations of tlie latter were accepted for the
Hughes record. Unfortunately, it has been found necessary to omit
much valuable data of historical importance pertaining to the Meri-
wether collateral lines.
The table at the end of this record was constructed to show blood
relationship between nine families and will bear close study.
Repetitions have been included wherever deemed necessary, in
order that even remote relatives might establish genealogical connection
without burdensome study.
Therefore, for the reasons above stated, and as a labor of love as
a memorial to my beloved mother and my cherished sister, Luciuda
Blackmore (Sullivan) Davis, as well as a mark of honor to my most
worthy relative and co-worker, it has been decided to print all avail-
able necessary information for the benefit of those coming after us.
RICHARD HUGHES SULLIVAN, H7, H7(4-4).
■! ■ I
HUGHES FAMILY
OF
KENTUCKY AND VIRGINIA
BIOGRAPHICAL
JOHN HUGHES. JR.
John Hughes, H3 (Stephen, HI, John, H2), founder of the Kentucky
branch of the family, was a man of strongly marked character, as the
career I shall sketch clearly shows.
It has been too much the habit of my contemporaries, who knew him
personally, to laugh at the eccentricities into which he was sometimes
betrayed by the very qualities that made him a helpful neighbor, a suc-
cessful planter, a good and useful citizen, a brave soldier, a beloved
officer, a judicious master and a loyal husband and father that exercised
firmly, though kindly, his authority over his household — qualities that
entitle him to the reverential and affectionate regard of his descendants.
Born at the family seat in Powhatan County, Virginia, about 40 miles
above Richmond on James iRiver, August 11, 1763, John Hughes, H3, was
but 13 years of age when the Declaration of Independence was signed
at Philadelphia. During the early years of the Revolutionary struggle
he was entered by his mother (then the wife of Captain Robert Mitchell,
of Richmond) as a student in Washington-Henry Academy, in Hanover
County. Here, in 1779, he enlisted as a private soldier without consult-
ing either parent or guardian and served for two years, as his record in
the Pension Office declares. His company officers were Captains Bar-
rett, Littlebury, Williamson, Pollock and Woodson; some of the regi-
mental officers were Major Battle, Colonels Dandrl'dge, Randolph and
Skepwith and Brigade Commanders Scott and Lawson. He participated
in the engagement at Hood's Old Fort, at Guilford Court House, North
Carolina, and at the Siege of Yorktown. He received a slight wound at
Guilford Court House, after which battle the youth was api)ointed ensign,
was promoted to a Lieutenancy in 1781, and, in the language of the offi-
cial record at Washington, "Capt. Samuel Woodson being sick, Lieut.
John Hughes commanded his company during the Siege of Yorktown."
He married, in 1783, Anne, daughter of Col. William Meriwether, of
Albemarle County, Virginia, and resided for several years on the plan-
tation in Powhatan County, which he had inherited from his father. Here
were born October 18, 1784, his oldest son, John, H4, and, on May 15,
1786, Jane, the first daughter, whose death was recorded In the family
Bible in 1800.
About the time of the birth of little Jane, he must have sold his plan-
tation to his step-father, Robert Mitchell, from whom it descended to Mr.
Mitchell's daughter, Sally (who married a son of Gen. William Scott),
and later to her daughter, Judith Ann Scott, and was subsequently sold
to Mr. William Carrington.
The sale of the James River homestead was preiparatory to his
removal to Kentucky, and, I learn from a letter preserved among the
papers of his father-in-law, William Meriwether, that this emigration took
BIOGRAPHICAL AND GENEALOGICAL
place in 1786. It would be interesting to know the route by which the
little family traversed the wilderness west of the Appalachians and some
of the stirring incidents of their expdus, but neither traditionary lore
nor documentary evidence throws any light upon this episode in the life
of John Hughes, H3.
Iteaching the Falls of the Ohio, he purchased an estate known as
Spring Garden, now within the limits of the city of Louisville, but he
afterwards removed to a property 7 miles below the city at the head of
Hughes' Bar — named for him — and here he resided until his death at a
riie old age. I have a copy of the deed conveying this thousand-acre
tract of land in West Jefferson County by Benjamin Temple to John
Hughes. I also have a letter, regarding some military surveys in a case
of disputed boundtiry lines, from John Hughes to Judge Benjamin
Sebastian dated August 8, 1801. I think it was written before my grand-
father took up his residence at the river farm below Louisville, as I am
under the impression that my father's birth, in 1804, occurred at the
Spring Gai-den home.
In the early days of 1874, I met an old citizen of Louisville named
Chambers, who told me that, when Aaron Burr was expected to pass
down the Ohio iRiver on his way to New Orleans, to engage in the con-
spiracy of which he was suspected, the duty of arresting his 'progress at
Louisville was intrusted to the subject of this sketch. The narrator, a
mere child at the date of the occurrence — 1806— --accompanied his father
to the scene of activity at the river front and distinctly remembered the
incident. Finding in me a delighted auditor, he described with evident
enjoyment the vigor and sprightliness of my grandfather's movements,
the thoroughness of his preparations and the resourcefulness he exhibited
^all conspiring to invest him, in the eyes of a boy, with the glamour of
heroism.
On the breaking out of hostilities between the United States and Great
Britain in 1812, my grandfather's must have been among the earliest
enlistments in Kentucky, since I have a letter written by him to my
Uncle Jack on December 12, 1812, in which he speaks of having been in
the active service for some time. He mentions being "with the army on
the march from Tippecanoe to Fort Harrison," and the letter continues,
"immediately on our arrival at Fort Harrison, the General directed me
to take in charge the publick boats, and prepare for the reception of the
sick men, baggage, etc., with as many of those who were well as could be
conveniently placed on board. The next day at 10 o'clock, having all
things ready, with 500 men on board, I set out for Fort Knox, situate two
miles above this place (Vincennes) and 140 miles below Fort Harrison,
ajid arrived at the same at 6 o'clock next morning." Then follows a
recital of the care bestowed upon the sick, their removal to better houses
than those previously occupied, the renewal of their beds and covering,
the "strict attention paid to cleanliness in the hospitals" and the gratifi-
cation he felt in reporting very happy results. I think it must have been
at this (place and in this connection that my grandfather had an alterca-
tion with a quartermaster who was dilatory about furnishing . supplies
needed in camp. When the subordinate became insolent under Major
Hughes' rebuke, I remember hearing that my grandfather thrust his
umbrella into the offendei''s cheek, and having a childish idea that sol-
diers went about at all times in battle array, I wondered, on hearing the
story, why he did not strike the man with his sword.
Another paragraph in the letter, from which I have quoted, is as
follows: "I am informed by Jno. Gatewood (who has been home on fur-
lough) that several letters have reached my neighborhood, written with
a view to disparage my conduct as an officer. I know the persons who
have written those letters. They are too contemptible for me to name
or take notice of. With respect to my conduct as an officer, suffice it to
say that no enterprise has been undertaken by the commander in which
BIOGRAPHICAL ANDGENEALOOICAL
I have not had a distinguished command assigned me. Nor have I ever
had a command which was not wholly composed of volunteers from the
Regiment. In fact, wherever I go, the whole Regiment are ready to move
at my heels." Surely a man may vindicate himself in such terms as
these without incurring a charge of egotism, especially when the vindi-
cation Is addressed to his own household. It is very pleasing to note, in
that hB directs my uncle to supply out of his garner anything that the
family of one of his troopers, named by him, "may stand in need of."
Major Hughes dispensed at his home in Jefferson County a generous
hospitality. There were always guests— a constant house party, in fact.
He was a successful 'armer, giving personal supervision to the
progress and improvement of his plantation, although he employed an
overseer. I have heard that his shipment of apples to New Orleans
amounted, in one season, sometimes to a thousand dollars. He introduced
into Kentucky a white-blossom peach that was famous in his generation
and which, I think, bore his name. A few years since, one of his grand-
sons, Dr. A. H. Mitchell, while purchasing supplies for a sanitarium in
which he was interested, found a certain crah-apple cider in New York
that headed the list of its kind for excellence. Upon Investigation, it'
proved to be an article prepared by a formula that originated with Major
Hughes. The following incident throws a strong light upon the character
of the founder of the Kentucky Hugheses, in no wise diminishing his title
to the veneration of his descendents, already in the fifth generation. As
wine-drinking was universal in his day. Major Hughes not only imbibed
habitually, but sometimes to excess.
Riding home from Louisville one evening, after somewhat over in-
dulgence, he observed a wayfarer by the roadside, and, accosting him,
insisted that the man should take his horse and ride on to his (the
Major's) house, giving him minute directions as to the road leading
thereto. On reaching home an hour later, he expressed surprise at not
finding his guest installed and his fine roadster in the stable. Then
followed an explanation to his wife, who, after the mauuer of her sex,
replied: "It served you right. Major Hughes! You ought to have known
you'd never see that horse again!" This completely sobered him, and,
calling upon Aunt Rose, the negro housekeeper, for the Bible, and, laying
his hand upon the sacred volume, he swore that he would never again
swallow an intoxicating draught. He faithfully kept his vow, effecting a
reformation in one act by a supreme effort of his mind.
In Collins' "History of Kentucky," Vol. II, P. 357, the name of John
Hughes appears among members of the Senate of that State, though I
do not know the exact date of his service in that body; but it was prob-
ably between 1826 and 1831. It has always been a source of satisfaction
to all of his descendents that he was elected without soliciting any man's
vote. He was an ardent follower of Thomas Jefferson in politics.
The Rev. B. H. McCown, late principal of Forest Home Academy for
Boys, contributed to the Louisville Courier-Journal of July 21, 1876, the
following incident concerning the experiences of John Hughes:
"In 1829, while traveling the Jefferson circuit, then containing twenty-
eight ap-pointments for the month, I found a most pleasant home, monthly,
with Major John Hughes, living on the Ohio River, about seven miles
below the city. The Major, in the latter part of his life, was as eminent
tor his piety as he had before been for reckless and daring bravery.
"He frequently amused himself, and most profitably so to his family
and guests, in catching large quantities of fine fish, especially the white
perch, with long hand-lines. As I had been a famous fisherman on the
Beech Fork, I frequently joined the Major in the practice of my old craft.
Amid the relaxation of one of these occasions, the Major told me of an
adventure witlr a catfish on the falls, while gigging fish by torchlight.
BIOGRAPHICAL A I^ D GENEALOGICAL
Fully versed in that part of the fisherman's craft, I listened with intense
interest as he proceeded to tell me how a huge catlish foundered him on
the falls and brought him to grief.
"He was sporting magnificently and victoriously with small fry, when
a huge belligerent catfish, from the deep and rapid water, thrust himself
before his gig. The Major remarked that, being afraid of his antagonist,
he simply laid the gig on his ponderosity and gave him a significant shove.
He darted into the deep water, but soon returned. The same action with
like result followed. By this time the Major's dander was up, and, re-
gardless of consequences, he plunged his gig into the monster as he
provokingly waggled his ponderous body before him as if to challenge
a stronger hint. The Major had overlooked one necessary precaution:
To prevent losing his gig in the swift water, he had bound it to his wrist
by a strong icord. Forgetting to loosen it before striking, he was sud-
denly tripped up by the plunge of the wounded fish into the deep and
rapid water, and was borne helplessly along, and would have been drag-
ged, within a few minutes more, a strangled victim, to become food for
his captor, but for a projecting rock on which he lodged. With his knife
he severed the cord and gave up the gig as a trophy to his wounded
antagonist, which was entitled to the glory of keeping the battlefield."
Is it not fitting that a man of so many noble traits should sooner or
later yield his allegience to God, his creator and preserver, and conform
his life to the Divine teachings? Although reared an Episcopalian and,
in his youth a communicant in that church, my grandfather became a
devoted Methodist after his conversion and set apart a portion of his
estate as a Camp Ground, where religious services were held annually
for years.
By reference to the genealogy of the family it will be seen that Major
John Hughes was married four times and that he was the father of twenty-
six children, all of whom were the offspring of his first wife, Anne Meri-
wether. He died December 11, 1842, of pneumonia, and was buried in the
family graveyard on his own plantation. He was the largest slave owner
in Kentucky at the time of his death, and I have been informed, both by
members of the family and by persons who visited the old plantation,
that his servants were kindly cared for and very cheerful and happy.
LYDIA ANNIE HUGHES, H5.
Mt. Carmel, 111., May 1, 1902.
GENEALOGICAL
ASTON. COCKE, TARLETON. AND OTHER PEDIGREES
My Dear Cousin Richard:
Scarcely two weelis ago I forwarded to a niece in Chicago a letter
of yours, which Fanny Sadler had kindly inclosed to me, wishing this
niece (Mrs. Paul Chipniau) to know and to tell our other relatives in
that metropolis of their high-spiriied and patriotic kinsman in South
Carolina. And I took special pains to write in lull your middle name
that she might understand how you and she are connected.
Thus, you see, one of the Hugheses has a well developed and care-
fully cherished tribal feeling, though, as you say, we are a peculiarly
reserved family — the outward and visible mark of sensitiveness that I
believe has been a serious handicap to some of us. Alas, but few of the
name (older generations) remain, Uncle Henry's daughter, Mary, and I
being the sole survivors of our generation. Fanny is one and you are
two degrees, genealogically, farther removed from Stephen, tlie Welsh
immigrant to Virginia.
Yes, thank God, we are all of British stock, or, more accurately, we
are of all British stock, the fact that the Cockes accompanied the Con-
queror (the name was Le Coque then), and probably also the Nevilles, not
counting after seven and one-half centuries. On my mother's side I have
French ancestors, who came to live at Norwich, England, as late as the
reign of Henry VI; and since the Marne and Verdun, 1 hail this descent
with peculiar pride.
The Cocke, Aston and Tarleton pedigrees I sent you have been sub-
mitted to more than one professional genealogist and escaped without
adverse criticism, and I liave reason to believe that all the sixteen I have
prepared for my brotlier's children are accurate.
Please to observe that the son of Richard Cocke, 1, and Mary Aston,
3, spvlled his name C-o-x. Such eccentricities were common in liis day,
and his son, William, 3, reverted to tlie original orthography. Now note
carefully in the Cocke-Cox line: John Cox, 1, who married Mary Davis,
was the father of Henry Cox, 3, married , who was the father
of Richard Cox, 4, who married Nancy (Neville) Hughes, who was the
father of Esther €ox, 5, who married John Hughes, 4, who was the mother
of Richard Franklin Hughes, 5, who married Sarah Jane Hughes, 5, who
was the father of Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, 6, who was the honored
mother of Richard Hughes Sullivan, 7. So you are twice a Cocke; i. e.,
twice descended from Richard Cocke, 1.
It was a distinguished and very highly connected family; but, what
is more interesting to us, the editor of tlie Virginia Magazine of History
and Biography, one of the hnest genealogist's in America, says that Mary
Davis, who married John Cox, 2, was doubtless the daughter of Thomas
Davis, a member of the convention summoned in 1619 by Governor Yeard-
ley to "take a hand in the governing of tliemselves," the hrst representa-
tivef assembly of the new world. You should see the hne scorn w;th
which I look down upon people who boast of their Pilgrim stock. Two
of my mother's ancestors, besides this Thomas Davis, were established
householders in Virginia before the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth
harbor.
The Astons were a fine old family of Staffordshire. The Tarlefons
likewise, though seated at Caernavoushire, Wales (Ibid., whence came
10 BIOGRAPHICAL AND CiENEALOGIGAL
Stephen Hughes, 1, and possibly Nichohis Meriwether, 1. — R. H. S.).
Some of our kinsmen of this name, Tarleton, have distinguished them-
selves in the present war.
I have for years intended to write you concerning this double descent
from Richard Cocke, 1; but am so overworked, was afraid I'd die before
I ever found time to do so. (She was librarian at Mt. Carmel, 111., and
about 75 years of age when this letter was written — R. H. S.). You per-
ceive the origin of your baptismal name. It was handed down from our
English forbears.
My genealogical work, except some manuscripts, is now done, so
that you need not type me the copies of which you speak, though I cer-
tainly appreciate your offer to do so. There was a time when such help
would have been invaluable.
Thanking you for your letter and with kindest regards to your wife
and my younger cousins,
Affectionately, your cousin,
LYDIA ANNIE HUGHES, H5.
Mt. Carmel, 111., February 24, 1918.
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES.
The writer of the preceding is a granddaughter of Major John Hughes,
H3 through his fourteenth child, Dr. James Neville Hughes, H4, who
married Louisa Adaline, daughter of John and Hannah (Storrs) Russell,
of Virginia, on March 13, 1823. She is one of his few surviving descend-
ents now sufficiently conversant with the traditionary and documentary
evidence to cover all the known facts, and a woman of unusual mental
cultivation. Her father was graduated from Transylvania Medical Col-
lege Lexington, Ky.; served as a memher of the Kentucky Senate in 1842;
was' resident physician of the U. S. Marine Hospital, at Louisville, under
appointments of Presidents Pierce and Buchanan, and was surgeon in
charge of Foard Hospital (C. S. A.), Newman, Georgia, during the War
Between the States. In her introduction of "The Hughes and Their Col-
laterals," Lydia Annie Hughes states: "Above all, how often have I re-
minded myself that James Neville Hughes never cherished an unworthy
thought." This statement was emphasized by Martha Hughes, H4, who
preserved the following touching poem written by Dr. James Neville
Hughes while watching by the corpse of her little sister, Mary Elizabeth,
who died November 26, 1825, the original cop-y of which is in my posses-
sion, in the family Bible of my great grandmother, Esther (Cox) Hughes,
C5H, H4NNH:
"Sweet child, thy suffering days have gone,
Which, whilst on earth, thou did'st endure;
Thy spirit, by bright seraphs borne.
Is robed in glorious bliss secure.
"Tho' doomed in life to taste of grief.
Thy infant days did soon expire;
And, far from pain and woe beneath,
Thou dost in realms of bliss aspire.
"Far from corruption and decline,
In distant worlds of light on high,
Thou dost, with beings, all divine.
Forget to weep, and mourn, and sigh!
"Thy body, tho' to dust returned,
Shall yet to life immortal rise,
And, when tliis world in death shall mourn,
Shall join thy spirit in the skies.
"Thou parents! Cease to weep and pine.
Or to condole her transient stay!
And, in the paths of grace divine.
Let future life ha passed away.
"So, when from earth ye shall remove,
Eternal life ye shall receive—
Shall see your babes in Christ beloved.
At rest, from all tlieir woes relieved."
Lydia Anne Hughes, H5, the youngest of the seven daughters of
James Neville Hughes, was born April 24, 1844, in Henry County, Ken-
tucky She was a student at the Louisville Female College, one of the
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES
first established in tlie United States, and later was a teacher in the
public schools of Louisville, afterward becoming a member of the faculty
of Soule Female College, Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Upon retirement from
that institution she established and conducted a private school at' Mt.
Carmel, Illinois, for 25 years. In her own language: "I can not remember
ever going before a class but once when I did not feel thoroughly quali-
fied to instruct my pupils, (but) I am far from satisfied with the results
of my work in the school room." 'She is a graduate of the Chatauqua
Literary and Scientific Course, class of 1891, having two extra courses
in addition to the required studies, and was a charter member and first
vice president of the Mt. Carmel Scientific Society, an associate founder
of the Reviewers' Matinee and founder of the Woman's Club of Mt. Car-
mel, finally concluding her active work as librarian of the Mt. Carmel
Free Public Library from 1910 to 1919. She is now in her 77th year in
age, and her remarkable activity of mind is still evident in her letter
regarding the various pedigrees, which is published in another part of
this record.
The records thus far authenticated indicate to the satisfaction of
most of our relatives that the various families herein were represented
in the political and social affairs of the British Isles many centuries
before the reigns of Charles I and II and the oligarchy of Oliver Crom-
well, whose general p-oHcies, for numerous reasons patent to all men,
seem to have prompted widespread emigration, especially to the North
American colonies. Thus we find the Astons, and probably the Cockes,
considering the question of pioneering in the New World. The provincial
customs of those old days were naturally imported as our ancestors made
their way to the wilderness of Virginia, and we find this sturdy stock
congregating along both sides of tlie James River in Charles City, Isle
of Wight, New Kent, Henrico, Powhatan, Goochland, Louisa, Spotsylvania
and Albemarle Counties.
Another branch of the Cockes came from England in those early days,
to settle in the lower part of New England, about Long Island Sound,
and these were very probably the kinsmen of the branch that settled in
Virginia. Both the northern and southern branches have left their im-
print on the affairs of the nation, as will be shown in any standard work
on biography.
Likewise, the Hugheses, the Meriwethers, the Nevilles, the Craw-
fords, the Woods and the Tarletons have contributed materially toward
The establishment of the greatest repniblic the world has ever seen, and
their work under the gravest dift'iculties can be little comprehended at
this late day. Even in my day have I witnessed the transition of five
overgrown villages to great and prosperous cities. I recall when West-
port, now Kansas City, Missouri, where I was married, was the last fitting-
out point for the Great American Desert, the Missouri River country and
the buffalo hunting grounds and also when the settlements in the Rocky
Mountains were the replicas of the present-day mining towns of Alaska.
Even so, but little can we comprehend at this day the physical hin-
drances and mental misgivings of our forbears in virgin and unknown
lands. Further, and coming down to the Revolutionary period, say 150
years later, we are unable properly to asvsociate our minds with the
things then regarded as the acme of comfort and respectability, without
considering the drawbacks that still beset an undeveloped country, still
largely peopled with its savage denizens.
Knowing, then, as we do, something of the character and stamina of
the men and women who bestowed upon us their names and pride of
race, it ill befits us, even in our lack of comprehension of the conditions
of their day, not to hold in reverence the memorials of those who were
the origin of our birth.
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES 13
And this brings forth the question of ancestory.
Some of the older civilizations of the East' are said to worship their
ancestors. In a way, yes; but rather they recall with reverence the
philosophy, the ethics and the achievements of their fathers, as examples.
And we, too, of the later western civilization are justified in a p-ride of
descent from fathers and mothers who made a wilderness blossom as
the rose — a pride in a knowledge of whence we came, and by whom, being
cognizant of the fact that each descendent must survive or perish accord-
ing to his or her endeavors in life, whether in civil government, agricul-
ture, manufacturing, finance or the pTofessions. So we can be justly
proud of our forbears for their general sturdiness of character, their
constructiveness, their sacrifices and their virtues.
Hon. George R. Gilmer, M6, in his sketch of the early Meriwethers,
has stated that "They were too proud t'o be vain, looking to their own
thoughts and conduct rather to what others might think of them," a
statement which might' well be applicable to every family represented in
this record. They were all relatively the same people, from practically
the same region, of the same habits and train of thought; and when the
migration to Kentucky took place, fhey still followed the same provin-
cial spirit of grouping together — and thence to southern Indiana and
elsewhere, the same spirit. So that, scattered to the four corners of tl;e
earfh as they now are, the same racial characteristics may be recognized
in all of them.
In the genealogical succession, it is believed that no ofher relative to
my generation has had such a multiplicity of direct antecedents among
kindred as my mother. Lydia Annie Hughes' record has established two
lines of descent from William and Henry Cocke-Cox, A5, C3, which unite
in my grandfather, Richard Franklin Hughes, H5. The Neville line shows
double descent to my grandfafher, and the Hughes line shows double
descent to my grandfather. The marriage of my grandfather with the
daughter of his father's brother set up a new double descent to my
mother and her brother and sister. Hence, if the blood succession in
direct lines be carried out literally, my grandfather was twice a Hughes,
twice a Neville and twice a Cocke-Cox, my grandmother was twice a
Cocke-'Cox and my mother was twice a Hughes and twice a Cocke-Cox.
To state the descent a little more clearly, the Aston and Cocke-Cox blood
merged with the Hughes blood through the Neville and Henry Cocke-Cox
lines, and the Aston and Cocke-Cox lines united with the Hughes lines
llirough the Meriwether, Wood and William Cocke-Cox lines. Meanwhile,
the blood relationship of the Tarleton-Hughes and the Crawford-Meri-
wether lines had been consummated. The various connections having
been so intricate and Interminable, especially in the collateral lines sub-
sequent to the third generation in tlie Hughes line, it seems all im-
portant that the whole matter be viewed and stated in several ways so
that the numerous relatives of later generations may have a fair under-
standing as to where to find the connecting head; consequently, the sev-
eral repetitions in this record.
As may be inferred from the preceding, the Intermarriages of rela-
tives were the result of a series of families becoming a sort of exclusive
or clannish community, with community of interests, racially, ethically
and economically, a condition difficult to understand in these days of in-
tense improvement and progress. As this custom was more or less in
vogue in other early communities, as well as our own, I was prompted
to construct the accompanying table to show, graphically, the numerous
connections centering near my grandfather's generation and also another
table at the end of this record to show genealogical succession and blood
relationship in eight pedigrees, as well as the infusion of new blood
strains.
14
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES
Family Connections.
LINES
ta
w"
•- c
i«o
X
— o
hK
m
bo
3
m cu
^t
S
w
CO C
3
2c
4) 0)
<^ s
m
a; O
ow
c
ffi7
4-* _^
<D 4)
c
03 p
few
^^
fe-B
c -
^^^
-^f
Oj 1
t. s
■«•
tf
w
s
Oh
6t hn
'J'
Aston
Aston (Henry Cocke-Cox)
Aston (William Cocke-Cox)
Cocke-Cox
Cocke-Cox, Henry
Cocke-Cox, William
Crawford
Hughes
Nancy (Neville) Hughes
Meriwether
Neville
Nancy Neville (Hughes)
Tarleton
Wood
Wood, John and Mary (Thomas).
William Meriwether Hughes
A
AH
10
8
AW
C
10
8
CII
CW
ti
8
Cr
ti
8
5
HNNH
M
5
7
N
NNNH
5
5
T
W
0
0
Wd
H4(4 I)
0
0
10
11
Both
0
9
Father
10
11
Both
8
9
Both
0
7
Katlici
8
0
Both
8
9
Both
5
6
Both
0
6
Father
7
8
Both
5
0
Both
0
6
Father
6
7
Both
6
7
Both
3
4
Mother
(i2)
H6(4-3)
Mother
12
10
\i
10
8
10
10
7
7
9
7
7
8
8
5
H7 (4-4)
Cumulative connections in direct descent may be readily ascertained
by reference to the designating letters in the preceding table and by fol-
lowing the family order arranged in the table at the end of this record.
While the name of ray mother shows 37 different direct blood strains,
and a number of our relatives after the generation of John Hughes, Jr.,
H3, have nearly as many, it must be borne in mind that considerable
numbers of foreign strains have been introduced from collateral lines,
all of which have contributed toward keeping the general family blood
strong, wholesome and good in all respects.
By consulting the record, it will be observed that large families were
rather common in the direct lines, notably: Judith (Neville), wife of John
Hughes, H2; Richard Cox, C4H1; John Hughes, Jr., H3, and his wife,
Anne (Meriwether), M5, whose 26 childrens' names appear in this record,
and George Wood Meriwether, M6, has stated that "Anne Meriwether
was the most prolific of all the family connection;" Dr. James Neville
Hughes, H4; my grandmother's sister, Eliza (Hughes) Cunliffe, H5(4-2),
and my mother.
It was the expressed wish of my mother that some mention be made
of Dr. William Meriwether Hughes, H4(4-l), her mother's father, by
whom a collateral line was introduced into the original Hughes line in
the tables. Therefore, I have digressed from the general plan followed
in the pedigrees, as far as this collateral line is concerned, in order that
my mother's immediate descendents might know something relative to my
grandmother's parentage.
Like his brother. Dr. James Neville Hughes, H4, William Meriwether
Hughes, H4(4-l), was a Doctor of Medicine, and, like all his kinsmen
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES 15
in their chosen fields, was a man of great perspicuity. He received his
medical education in Philadelphia, and was graduated from the Depart-
ment' of Medicine, Univeisity of Pennsylvania, at that place, in 1811. The
subject of his graduation thesis was "Conception." He was also a man
of sterling worth and achieved success in the development! of a very
extensive practice in his chosen profession. Indeed, it was overwork
in a large area in and around Louisville to which his untimely death
from bilious fever was attributed. His funeral was said to have been
attended by the largest concourse of people known up to that time in
Louisville. It was when he was in attendance upon his mother, of whom
he was said to have been the favorite son, that he was stricken down.
He called his elder brother, John, to his bedside, charging him, in dying
words, with the care of his wife and children, when his father inter-
rupted and promised: "I will take care of them," leaving his family a
moderate competence. (See will of John Hughes, H4, herein). He was
buried on his father's plantation, below Louisville. But little record of
his wife, Mary (Wood), is available. The date of her birth is recorded
in the William Cunliffe family Bible, but the date of her death is un-
known. Her parents resided in Oldham County, Kentucky, at the time
of her marriage. Their children were all deceased with the demise of
my great uncle, William Meriwether Hughes, in 1885.
Be it now said by me, the son of Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan,
H6, H6(4-3), that there Is not now and never has been any evidence
showing a more luminant character in tlie Hughes family for gentleness,
grace, refinement, intellectual force and executive power than she who
gave me birth. Of her large family, she brought six children to maturity,
and educated them, in addition to having the care of eleven children of
kindred. She was an ardent advocate of woman's rights from the stand-
point of common, ordinary justice, the ballot being only a means to an
end. Our Revolutionary ancestors fought against taxation without rep-
resentation, and if this record is good for only one thing, it proves that
strong, self-reliant men and women come only from good stock and blood.
I have always heartily agreed with her views for the reason that her
boys had superior rights under the constitution over her girls, whose
material privileges were inferior fo that of negro men after the Eman-
:^ipation Act of 1863. She put into practical execution the Biblical in-
junction to care for the friendless, and her doors were never closed to the
unfortunate. We have shared in her joys and her sorrows, and what-
ever I am, whatever I hope to be while traveling the journey, I shall say,
while many members of the Hughes family have attained prominence
as public citizens, there is one who stands apart in my love and filial de-
votion— my mother. Her mother, my grandmother, called "Ma" affec-
tionately by all my mother's children, I never recall without thinking
of something holy; timid but brave, frail in physique but strong in reso-
lution, I never knew her to be capable of an unworthy thing; her long
widowhood served to warm her heart toward the little ones around our
hearthstone, and that saintly woman is among the angels where she
belongs. Litera schpta vuinet.
It is somewhat remarkable tliat my mother is the third successive
widowhood, with young children to protect, in this record, these being
my great-grandmother, Mary (Wood) Hughes, H4(4-l), my grandmother,
Sarah Jane (Hughes) Hughes, H5(4-2), and my mother, Mary Esther
(Hughes) Sullivan, H6, H6(4-3), the latter of whom died at the age of 64
years, while having the care of the three orphaned children of my de-
ceased sister, Lucinda Blackmore (Sullivan) Davis, H7, H7(4-4).
In order to reestablish the proofs before the fast disappearing genera-
tions preceding mine shall have passed into the Unknown, I have felt it
my duty for the sake of my children and those succeeding me that all
the foregoing evidence should be verified as far as possible. Consequently,
I have in my possession tlie family Bible that was presented to my great-
16 FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES
grandmother by her brother, Tarleton Cox, C5H, on December 30, 1817,
and which came to me from Martha Hughes, H5, through my mother;
the original letter from the Commissioner of Pensions, Washington,
D. C, stating in detail the Revolutionary service of my great-great-grand-
father. Major John Hughes, H3, and other valuable data concerning the
various generations of the Hughes family, and were it not for the honored
cooperation of Lydia Annie Hughes, H5, and Fanny Wormald Sadler, H6,
it would not have been possible to make the record as complete as it is.
I have also carefully written out', in chronological order, under the per-
sonal direction of my mother, three separate records of the family in
three Bibles having space especially provided for a lengthy record, and
presented by her to the three branches of her family having issue. These
records are complete as follows:
Pertaining to my deceased sister, Lucinda Blackmore (Sullivan)
Davis, H7, H7(4-4), from Stephen Hughes, HI, in direct line to and in-
cluding her youngest son, Vincent Rawlings Davis, H8, (H8(4-5), and also
her death.
Pertaining to my elder brother, Warwick Miller Sullivan, H7, H7(4-4),
from Stephen Hughes, HI, in direct line to the birth and deatli of his
youngest son, my namesake, Richard Hunter Sullivan, H8, H8(4-5).
Pertaining to myself, from Stephen Hughes, HI, in direct line to my
daughter's second child, Ralph Potts, Jr., H9, H9(4-6).
The untimely death in 1899 of my sister, Lucinda Blackmore (Sul-
livan) Davis, who had planned an extended history of the family, fol-
lowed five years later by the death of our beloved mother, has been an-
other incentive in the preparation of this family history, and the work has
now been completed as a memorial to both.
Waiving my opinions and judgment in favor of advice from all con-
cerned in the preparation of these pages, it has been decided to include
a statement regarding the younger of the joint authors of this family
record.
I was born nearly 57 years ago in Madison, Indiana, in the same
house where most of my mother's children first saw the light of day. My
last photograph at the age of 50 years appears herein. I was educated
largely by my mother and in the liigh school at' Madison, from which two
of my 'brothers and my two sisters were graduated, and later I took
special courses under private tutors in college science, Latin, English and
history.
After leaving school, I became connected with the Madison Courier,
established in 1837, where I acquired a thorough knowledge of all kinds
of printing and printing machinery, passing through all the successive
stages from shoveling coal under a four-horsepower boiler to foreman.
I first left home in 1885 to become foreman and assistant editor of the
Vevay (Ind.) Reveille. Returning home that summer in bad health, I
suffered a very severe attack of typhoid fever. In January, 1886, I went
to Louisville and became connected with the Courier-Journal as a com-
positor with occasional side work as reporter. Like most young men of
that period, I had always cherished a desii-e to see the country, and in my
travels I performed similar service on the New Orleans Picayune, Cin-
cinnati Times-Star, Pittsburgh Post and Commercial-Gazette, Washington
Republican, Star and Capitol, Congressional Record in the Government
Printing Office at Washington, New York Herald, Boston Globe, Newton
(Mass.) Observer, Waltham Times, Richmond (Va.) Whig and Post-
Dispatch, Norfolk Landmark and Jacksonville (Fla.) Times-Union. While
in Boston, Newton and Waltham, I attended lectures in science, English
and history under private tutors from Harvard.
FAM I LY H I k! T O RY AN D SKETCHES 17
The free and easy life of the newspaper fraternity in those days,
before the introduction of typesetting machinery, palled on me as wholly
at variance with my training at home, and I continued to prepare myself
for some more congenial life work. Returning to Louisville, I passed
the mental examination required for entry into the Signal Corps, U. S. A,,
while again working as a compositor on the Courier-Journal; and,
after passing the physical examination at the U. S. Arsenal at Indian-
apolis, Indiana, I enlisted for five years as a private soldier, for detail in
the meteorological branch, on September 24, 1887, and was assigned to duty
at that point. Two years later I was assigned to Kansas City, Missouri,
where 1 married Clara Alda Amberg, of Indianapolis. My young wife
accompanied me on my new detail to Denver, Colorado, a few days after
our marriage in June, 1890. Meanwhile, Congress passed an act, creating
the Weather Bureau of the Department of Agriculture and transferring
all the meteorological work of the U. S. Signal Corps to that bureau, and
also provided for honorable discharges to all enlisted men of the Signal
Corps who elected to make the transfer. I decided to change and was
accordingly discharged from the army after military service of tliree
years and eight months and became an observer in the Weather Bureau.
Our first child, Esther Louise, was born while my wife was visiting
her mother in Indianapolis. Our second child, Warwick Amberg, was
born at our home in Denver.
On the death of two men in close succession, about 1893, one in
charge of the Denver station and the other in charge of the Colorado
State Weather Service, the two offices were combined, and I became the
first assistant or chief clerk. In the spring of 1896, I was reassigned to
Indianapolis as first assistant, having charge of tlie general printing of the
station publications and the climatological reports of the State of Indiana,
with a short special detail that summer to Nashville, Tennessee.
While in Indianapolis, our younger son, Richard Franklin, was born.
In the latter part of 1902, I was assigned to charge of the station at
Grand Junction, Colorado, and we made a second pilgrimage to that
State. It may be said here that this assignment offered my first real
opportunity for Independent action on a general educational plane in the
interest of the public. Frost fighting by smudges and oil heaters in the
orchards of the Grand Valley, among the largest and finest' in that State,
was introduced on a large scale, and thi-s work later reached the pro-
portions of such activities in the extensive fruit districts of California.
We purchased a home in Grand Junction and were prepared to make a
long stay there; but in the summer of 1905, I was transferred to charge
of the station at Wichita, Kansas, considered in the service as a much
more important assignment, with the title of Local Forecaster.
Orchard heating operations and experiments were continued, with
enlargement in educational fields. Our large acquaintance in Wichita
after a residence there of about eight years, and the fact that our two
older children were educated in Fairmount College there, have made all
of us look upon the place as home, and our hearts ever turn with fond-
ness to the many friends left behind when we removed to this State in
the spring of 1913.
I was assigned to Columbia, S. C, as Meteorologist and Section Direc-
tor in charge of all tlie climatological work of the Weather Bureau in
South Carolina, as well as in charge of the river and flood work of the
Santee River District, comprising five flashy streams, which form the
principal river system of the State. In former times the Santee and its
two immediate tributaries were used for steamboat navigation from Cam-
den and Columbia to Georgetown, on the sea. In 1914, my wife, my
younger son and myself made a trip from Columbia to Georgetown and
return in a steamboat that was formerly in the Ohio River trade above
Cincinnati and was brought to Columbia via the Mississippi River, tlie
Gulf of Mexico, and the South Atlantic Ocean. This and other profes-
18 FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES
sional trips over the State have been significant to me in two ways —
one as an element of pleasure, and the other, a general conception of the
virgin state of the wilderness of the original thirteen colonies as late as
Revolutionary times, for much of the swamp regions of this State is still
as wild as in the time when Jean Ribaut and his Huguenots on Port
Royal Island were driven out or killed by Don Menendez de Aviles, nearly
a century before our ancestors settled in Virginia.
The disintegration of our family circle began when our older son
married a South Carolina lady in the early part of 1915, followed that
summer by the marriage of our daughter to a college classmate, a gen-
tleman of fine family, formerly of Illinois. Our youngest son is still at
home here with us.
I am or have been connected with the following bodies, according
to circumstances of residence, etc.:
Member of the Woodmen of the World, Pacific Jurisdiction, Harmony
Camp No. 45, Denver, Colorado; member of the Grand Junction Literary
Society; member of Board of Directors of Grand Junction Chamber of
Commerce; member of Wichita Club and Chamber of Commerce; Prompter
of the Sedgwick County {Kan.) Horticultural Society; lay reader and
teacher of the Bible class in St. John's Episcopal Church, Wichita, for
three years; honorary member of Wichita Dental Society; organizer and
first president of the Kansas State Audubon Society, which had large in-
fluence toward having the Legislature enact a law protecting about 300
species of useful non-game birds and regulating the bag of 46 species of
game birds; one of charter members and second president of LeConte
Scientific Society at University of South Carolina, Columbia; vestryman
of Church of the Good Shepherd, Episcopal, Columbia; member of Amer-
ican Meteorological Society; member of American Association for the
Advancement of Science; member of Indiana Society, Sons of the Revo-
lution; Senior Warden, Richland Lodge No. 39, F. and A. M., the strongest
Masonic lodge in South Carolina.
The scope of the work accomplished during the last twenty years,
both in the public service and outside tliat immediate field, may be indi-
cated in the following list of addresses, lectures and papers:
Addresses.
General Work of the Weather Bureau, with stereopticon illustrations;
Court House, Grand Junction, Colorado, 1904.
So-called Change of Climate in the Semi-arid West; Kansas State
Bankers' Association, Anthony, Kansas, 1907, published in whole by
Wichita Eagle and Beacon. This address, rearranged by request of the
Chief U. S. Weather Bureau, was published in the Year Book of the De-
partment of Agriculture, 1908.
Relation of the Weather Bureau to the Agriculturalist; Farmers'
Institute, Hackney, near Winfield, Kansas, 1909, published in Arkansas
"Valley Farmer.
Conservation of Moisture for the Proper Growth of Vegetation;
Sedgwick County (Kans.) Horticultural Society, 1909, published in
Wichita Eagle.
Precipitation, Forests and Stream Flow; Library Club, Falrmount
College, Wichita, 1910.
Folk Lore, in three subjects: Horizon of Early Superstition; Witch-
craft and Kindred Considerations, and Astrology, Divination and Plane-
taiy Meteorology; Sedgwick County (Kans.) Horticultural Society, 1912;
Unitarian Church, Wichita, 1913; LeConte Scientific Society, Columbia,
1915; Columbia College for Women, 1918, by request of faculty.
Origin of Things as Viewed by the Scientific Christian; by request
of Plymouth, Fellowship and United Brethren Churches; Library Club,
Fairmount College; Colored Y. M. C. A., Wichita, 1908, 1909 and 1910.
FAMILY HISTORY AND SKETCHES 19
Religious and Sociological, three lectures: Treachery of Absalom,
Woman in History, and Militant Church; All Saints', St. Augustine's and
St. Stephen's Episcopal Churches, Wichita, 1909 and 1910.
Protection of Shade Trees; Columbia, S. C, City Council, 1914.
Lectures.
Popular Meteorology, three subject's: Atmosphere, Storms Common
to the United States, and the Work of the Weather Bureau, with stere-
opticon illustrations; High School, Grand Junction, Colorado, 1904;
Friends University student body, Wichita, 1913; Columbia College for
Women, 1918, the students being graded in first two. Similar work has
been done before the Columbia high and private schools, at intervals,
1914 to 1920.
Annual lectures at University of South Carolina, second semester:
First, Explanation of Methods in Weather Bureau Office; second, techni-
cal lecture on Forecasting and on the Four Types of Storms Common to
the United States, 50 minutes, in lecture room of Professor of Geology,
before Physiography class.
War Preparation: Twenty-four set lectures of one hour each to four
engineers, detailed at the Columbia Weather Bureau Office, from Camp
Gordon, Georgia, December, 1917, and January, 1918. The course covered
general and secondary atmospheric circulation in connection with avia-
tion and artillery practice, moisture, cloud movement, winds, technical
forecasting, etc. The men were graduates of Bucknell, Drexell, Uni-
versity of Syracuse and University of Minnesota (and of Tomsk, Siberia).
They all went to France with the engineers, and all returned safely.
Lectures in Ornithology, second semester, Fairmount College, Wichita,
Kansas: Feathered Kingdom, 1909; Food Habits of the Commoner Birds,
1910; Migration of Birds, 1911; Incubation of Eggs and Thermal Rela-
tions Thereto, Functions of Nests, and Protective Coloration of Animals,
1912. The students were graded in this work.
Papers.
History and Theories of Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions, 1901;
published in Indianapolis Press and News and widely copied.
Smudge Fires for Prevention of Frost; Grand Junction, Colorado,
1904; Monthly Weather Review, 1904, page 229.
Notes on Mammals of Western Colorado; issued in connection with
publication of Colorado College. Colorado Springs, Colorado, 1904.
The Weather Bureau and Its Work; Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, 1905.
Eclipses and Periodic Return of Mars to the Field for Good Observa-
tion; Wichita (Kan.) Beacon, 1905.
Protecting Orchards from Spring Frosts; Sedgwick County (Kan.)
Horticultural Society. 1908.
Is There Any Reason Why an Early Easter is Followed by an Early
Spring and a Late Easter by a Late Spring?; Sedgwick County (Kan.)
Horticultural Society, 1910.
Smudge Pots for Prevention of Frost, Wichita, Kansas; Monthly
Weather Review, 1910, page 412.
The Mole; Sedgwick County (Kan.) Horticultural Society, 1910;
published in Wichita Star and Agricultural Southwest.
The Order Diptera— the Horse Fly and His Kin; Sedgwick County
(Kan.) Horticultural Society, 1912; published in Wichita Star.
Relation of the Weather Bureau to the Horticulturalist; Kansas State
Horticultural Society, Topeka, Kansas, 1910, and published in the proceed-
ings of the Society. This paper deals with orchard heating and artificial
frost prevention in all its technical details, obtained from laborious tests
and experiments.
20 FAMILY HISTORY AND HKETCHES
Artificial Rainmaking; newspaper controversy with two so-called rain-
makers; Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, 1911.
Bird Publications: Birds of Mesa County, Colorado, in Rockwell list,
Condor, Pasadena, California, 1908, 93 species; Economic Importance of
Non-Game Birds, Wichita Star, 1908; Birds Our Benefactors, Breeders'
Special, Kansas City, Missouri, 1910; Economic Value of Bird Life, Kan-
sas State Agricultural College, Manhattan, 1910, College Extension Pam-
phlet for Farmers; Relation of Bird Life to the Horticulturalist', 1910,
proceedings of Kansas State Horticultural Society.
Climatology of Wichita and Sedgwick County, Kansas, and So-called
Change of Climate, 1910; History of Sedgwick County, 2 volumes.
Climatology of Wichita, Kansas, 1912; published for office distribu-
tion.
Changes in the Water Flow of Arkansas River; Wichita (Kan.)
Beacon, 1911.
Unusual Hailstorm (with tremendous hailstones) at Wichita, Kan-
sas, 1912; Monthly weather Review, page 739, recopied in Quarterly Jour-
nal of Royal Meteorological Society, London, 1912, page 302.
Air Drainage in Locust Hill Orchards, Meriwether, S. C; South Car-
olina Monthly Climatological Report, March, 1914.
Desitructive Hailstorm in Northern South Carolina; South Car-
olina Monthly Climatological Report, July, 1914.
The Great Floods in the Santee River System in North and South
Carolina, with over $10,000,000 damage; South Carolina Monthly Climato-
logical Report, July, 1916.
The Great South Carolina Meteor; South Carolina Monthly Climato-
logical Report, April, 1918, and Monthly Weather Review, page 357.
To those who will come after us, it may be observed from the above
that' a Weather Bureau official must be versatile in order to meet ques-
tions from all angles, requirements demanded of probably no other at-
taches of the public service. In a recent publication regarding the per-
sonnel of this servi \ it was stated that, of all the observers transferred
from tlie Signal Corps in 1891, 155 have withstood the hand of time, or
38 per cent of the entire force with which the Weather Bureau began.
So, now, after over 33 years of professional life myself, and after
over 30 years of companionship in our wanderings, we have grown gray
in service, Alda and I. She has entered info the spirit of my whole life,
both as regards the many griefs that befell my mother's family in past
years and also as regards the many changes of residence and of leaving
friends to go among strangers In strange lands. Our aim in life has
been to fit the children to make better citizens than we have t>een, re-
membering with commendable pride, the sturdy stock from whence they
came. She, the companion of the years and tlie jewel of my heart, is
still by my side, and is content. The God of our fathers has been good
to us. Laborwm dulce lenivien.
RICHARD HUGHES SULLIVAN, H7, H7(4-4).
PEDIGREES
ASTON (A)
WALTER ASTON.
Born
Married,
Died,
He was of Langdon, Staffordshire, England.
WALTER ASTON (Aston, ), 2.
Born, 1607.
Married — 1 : Warbrow or Norbrow; 2: Hannah
Died, April 6, 1656.
Emigrated to Virginia about 1628 and settled in Charles City County.
His tombstone may still be seen (1905) in old Westover Churchyard; was
Justice of the Peace and Lieutenant (Colonel of the county; was Burgess
for Shirley Hundred Island, 1629-30; for Shirley Hundred, the Farrars and
Chaplains, February, 1631-32; Shirley Hundred and Cawsey's Care, Sep-
tember, 1632-33, and for Charles City County, 1642-43.
This service in the Virginia Assembly makes his female descendants
eligible to the Colonial Dames.
MARY ASTON (Aston, ; Aston, ), 3.
Born
Married , Richard Cocke, CI.
Died,
JOHN COCKE (Aston ; Aston, ; Aston, Cocke), or COX,
as he spelled his name, 4, C2.
Born, 1647.
Married, Mary Davis.
Died,
His will was probated February 1, 1696, in Henrico County, Virginia.
WILLIAM COCKE-COX (Aston, ; Aston ; Aston,
Cocke; Cocke-Cox, Davis), 5, C3W.
Born,
Married, 1695, Sarah Perrin.
Died, 1711.
He returned to the original orthography, but the new form, COX, is
used for subsequent lineage in both the Aston and Cocke (COX) lines.
See Henry Cocke-Cox, his brother, C3H.
MARTHA COX (Aston, ; Aston, ; Aston, Cocke;
Cocke, Davis; Cox, Perrin), 6, C4W.
Born,
Married, October 13, 1723, Henry Wood, W2.
Died,
MARTHA WOOD (Aston, ; Aston ; Aston, Cocke;
Cocke, Davis; Cox, Perrin; CoX, Wood), 7, C5W.
Born, 1735, in Goochland County, Virginia.
Married, July 17, 1751, Col. William Meriwether, M4, son of David
Meriwether and Ann (Holmes), his wife.
Died, October 17, 1801, at the homestead of her son-in-law. Major
John Hughes, Jr., H3, in Jefferson County, Kentucky, and
was interred in the old Hughes plantation, 7 miles below
Louisville.
22 PEDIGREES
ANNE MERIWETHER (Aston, ; Aston ; Aston,
Cocke; Cocke, Davis; Cox, Perrin; Cox, Wood; Wood, Meri-
wether), 8, C6W.
Born, October 12, 1767.
Married, in 1783, John Hughes, Jr., H3, son of John Hughes, H2,
and Judith (Neville), N2, his wife. By this marriage, the
eight original lines were united.
Died, May 3, 1820.
For Anus, see Page 15, Crozier's General Armory.
For subsequent lineage, see Anne Meriwether, M5, and John Hughes,
Jr., H3.
COCKE (COX) (C)
RICHARD COCKE.
Born, about 1600.
Married— 1: , ; 2: Mary Aston, A3.
■ Died, 1665, at his homestead, Bremo or Bremore, Henrico County.
Virginia.
He came from the vicinity of Malvern Hills, England, and is believed
to be nearly connected with the Cockes, of Gloucester, whose magnificent
seat, Eastnor Castle, is about midway between the cities of Gloucester
and 'Worcester, England. The date of Richard Cocke's immigration to
Virginia is not exactly known, but he patented 100 acres of land in Eliza-
beth City in 1628; 3,000 acres in Henrico County in 1636; 2,000 acres in
Henrico County in 1639 and 2,842 acres in Henrico County In 1652; and,
together with John Beauchamp, patented 2,974 acies in 1664.
Richard Cocke was Lieutenant Colonel of Henrico County, Member
of the House of Burgesses for Weyanoke in 1632 and for Henrico County
In 1644 and 1654; was appointed Sheriff of Henrico County in 1655, when
he resigned his seat in the Assemblv. His will, dated October 4, 1665, Is
on record in the clerk's office of Henrico County, witnessed by Henry
Randolph and Henry Isham. It is sealed in wax, implying arms.
His descendents are eligible to the Colonial Dames.
JOHN COCKE (Aston ; Aston ; Cocke-Aston), or
COX, as he spelled his name, 2, A4.
Born, 1647.
Married Mary Davis.
Died
His will was probated February 1, 1696, In Henrico County, Virginia.
HENRY COCKE-COX (Aston ; Aston ; Aston,
Cocke; Cocke-Cox, Davis), 3, ASH.
Born,
Married,
Died,
His brother William, A5W, returned to the original orthography, but
the new form, COX, is used for subsequent lineage in both the Cocke
(Cox) and Aston lines.
RICHARD COX (Aston ; Aston ; Aston, Cocke;
Cocke-Cox, Davis ; Cox ) , 4, A6H.
Born, November 8, 1761.
Married , Nancy ^(Nei(Ule) Hughes, N3, daughter of John
Hughes, H2, and Nancy' (Neville), N2, his wife.
Died, January 12, 1830.
The children of JUchard Cox and Nancy (Neville-Hughes), H3, N3,
were:
TARLETON, 5, born ; married Lucinda Amos; died February 28,
1862.
PEDIGREES 23
RICHARD HUGHES, 5, born ; married Martha Jane Waide, his
cousin; died, March 7, 1859, having issue.
ESTHER, 5, born October 25, 1787; married John Hughes, H4, May 25,
1809; d;ed January 14, 1850, liaving issue.
ELIZABETH, 5, born ; married Thomas Prather; died
having issue. See M3, slietch.
VINCENT, 5, born ; died unmarried August 15, 1831.
ABNER, 5, born ; died unmarried, August, 1833.
Richard Cox, 4, and liis wife emigrated to Jefferson County, Kentucky,
about 1801. The Cox family Bible, presented by Tarleton, 5, to his sister,
Esther, 5, is in possession of Richard Hughes Sullivan, H7, 117(4-4).
Fanny Wormald Sadler, 116, has written under date of September 28,
1920: "Aunt Elizabeth Prather, an older sister (of Esther Cox, 5), was
Betty Prather Robbins' grandmother. Betty's father was Thomas, named
for his father, who, with an older brother, Richard, settled in Hickman
or Fulton County, where members of the family still live. Uncle Richard
Cox. 5, my grandmother Esther's brother, was Cousia- Emma's father and
your Uncle Charlie's wife's father." I visited Betty (Prather) in Louis-
ville in 1916, when she was living on the Bardstown Road. She died
several years ago, and Mr. Robbins, whom I knew well, died some 25 or 30
years before, leaving a large family.
Under date of October 14, 1881, Martha Hughes, H4, made the fol-
lowing notation regarding Richard C)ox: "* * * The writing inclosed in
this envelope is taken from the copy book he used when sixteen years
of age (about 1777). This is the only souvenir I have of him." The writ-
ings, now in my possession, comprise problems in arithmetic, together
with his signature.
ESTHER COX (Aston ; Aston, ; Aston, Cocke;
Cocke-Cox, Davis; Cox, ; Cox, Hughes), 5, A7H.
Born, October 25, 1787.
Married, May 25, 1809, John Hughes, H4, son of John Hughes, Jr.,
H3, and Anne (Meriwether), M5, his wife; they were first
cousins.
Died, January 14, 1850.
For subsequent lineage, see John Hughes, H4.
NEVILLE (N)
JAMES NEVILLE.
Born, prior to 1700, probably in England.
Married — 1: , ; 2. Lucy Thomas
Died, 1752.
In a letter from Lydia Annie Hughes, H5, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois,
under date of September 19, 1920, is the following: "Visited the New-
berry Library at Chicago in search of our Neville English ancestry last
November, * * * and was greatly disappointed at finding no mention
of Capt. James Neville, St. Anne Parish, Albemarle County, Virginia,
born ante 1760, with some such entry as 'immigrated to Va.' This would
have enabled me to trace that most distinguished line back to its York-
shire or other English derivation." In another letter, under date of
November 7, 1920, she writes: "Capt. James Neville, of St. Anne Parish,
Albemarle County, Virginia, was probably the son of John Neville, of
Isle of Wight County, Virginia. * * * He married—flrst:
with issue of one son and three daughters; second, Lucy Thomas,
, with issue of one son and five daughters. Will dated March
7, 1752, and proved November 9, 1752, in which year he died. Owned land
on the south side of James River in 1724. Captain of Goochland County,
1740, (Goochland and Albemarle Counties were at one time united). Lucy,
widow of James Neville, married, second, Abraham Childress. I have
24 PEDIGREES
known several of the Virginia Nevilles, the Michaux, Archers, etc. * * *
I have never been satisfied that Admiral John Neville was of our stock.
None of the Virginia relatives claim him. I think it very probable, how-
ever, that he was related to Capt. James Neville." She quotes William
and Mary Quarterly, Vol. XIX, Page 61. Although the connection has
never been authenticated, many of our Kentucky relatives were of the
opinion last stated, and therefore, as a matter of record, I feel justified
in including in these notes a short sketch obtained by Martha Hughes,
115, in 1856, as follows: "Admiral Neville's remains lie in a tomb of
black marble in the old graveyard of St. John's Parish, near Hampton,
Elizabeth County, Virginia. Tradition had located an old church in this
old burying grcmnd, which is on the Pembroke Farm, now owned by John
Jones, Esq. The niaible slab from which the inscription was copied is
two feet beneath the surface of the earth." — Richard Hughes Sullivan,
H7, H7(4-4).
(Copy of Inscription.)
M Here lyes the body of
John NeviU Esqr. Vice Admiral
of His Majestyes Fleet and Commander
in chief of ye squadron cruising
in the West Indies,
Who dyed on board ye Caimbridge
* the 17th day of August, 1697,
in ye ninth yeare of the reigne of
King William the third
Aged 53 years
JUDITH NEVILLE (Neville, Thomas), 2.
Born, April 3, 1745.
Married — 1: , John Hughes, H2; 2 — :
iRobert Mitchell, of Ireland.
Died,
Some time after the death of John Hughes, 2, Judith (Neville) mar-
ried Robert Mitchell, of Ireland. They left two children, i. e., William,
who nuirried Ann Arniistead, daughter of John, Jr., M5, and Mary
(Thomas) Arniistead, and a daughter, Sally, who married a son of Gen.
William Scott, of Virginia. The date of Judith (Neville-Hughes)
Mitchell's death is not known. — Martha Hughes, H5.
JOHN HUGHES, Jr., (Neville, Thomas; Neville, Hughes), 3.
Born, August 11, 1763.
Married , 1783, Anne Meriwether, M5, A8.
Died, December 11, 1842.
NANCY NEVILLE HUGHES (Neville, Thomas; Neville, Hughes), 3NNH.
Born, November 13, 1765.
Married Richurd Cox, C41I, A6H, of Powhatan County,
Virginia.
Died, January 27, 1843.
She was a sister of the next preceding. For other sisters not in this
roster and for their connection with the Cunlil'fe and other lines, see
John Hughes, H2, and William Cunliffe. Cf2.
For subsequent lineage, see: 1 — John Hughes, Jr., H3, M5. 2 Nancy
(Neville-Hughes) Cox, C4H; H4 and H5.
PEDIGREES 25
WOOD (W)
VALENTINE WOOD.
Born, in England.
Murried, Rachel
Died,
HENRY WOOD (Wood ), 2.
Born, July 8, 1696, in London, England.
Married, Marlha Cocke (Cox), A6W, October 13, 1723, at Bremo
or Breuiore, Henrico County, Virginia.
Died, May 2, 1757.
His tomb is preserved at "Woodville," iiis old homestead, about 12
miles north of Goochland C. IL, Virginia. For 40 years he was attorney-
at-law and county clerk of Goochland and owned one of the few libraries
in the colonies at this early period. His son, Valentine, succeeded him
as Clerk of Goochland County. A statement of account between him and
his brother-in-law. Will Meriwether, from 1750 to 1771, is in possession
of Lydia Annie Hughes, H5. This Valentine Wood, W3, A7W, married a
sister of Patrick Henry, the great orator of the Revolution. Their
daughter, Mary Wood, was the mother of Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, C S.
A. See reprint herein of letter of Patrick Henry, copied from the Meri-
wether Genealogical Record, 1889, in regard to this family.
MARTHA WOOD (Wood, ; Cocke-Cox), 3.
Born, 1735, in Goochland County, Virginia.
Married, July 17, 1751, Col. William Meriwether, M4, Cr5, son of
David Meriwether and Ann (Holmes), his wife.
Died, O'ctober 17, 18U1, in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
ANNE MERIWETHER (Wood, ; Wood, Cocke-Cox; Wood,
Meriwether), 4, M5, H3.
Born, October 12, 1767.
Married, in 1783, John Hughes, Jr., H3, son of John Hughes, H2,
and Judith (Neville), N2, his wife. By this marriage, the
eight original lines were united.
Died, May 3, 1820.
For subsequent lineage, see John Hughes, Jr., H3.
TARLETON(T)
STEPHEN TARLETON.
Born , in Wales; emigrated to Virginia in
Married
Died,
ELIZABETH TARLETON (Tarleton ), 2.
Born, 1691, in Wales.
Married, Stephen Hughes, HI.
Died, April 28, 1775, in, Richmond, Virginia, in the 84th year of
her age.
The Tarletons came from a fine old family seat near Wrexham, in
the northern part of the Welsh principality. Col. Banister Tarleton, the
noted Revolutionary soldier, was a relative of Stephen Tarleton and his
Virginia descendents. In 1914 and 1916, while on professional business,
one of the compilers of this general family hi.story, and a kinsman of
the 8th and 7th generations in this and the Hughes Hues respectively,
visited the old Francis Marion plantation and the region around Eutaw
Springs, S. C, where the Battle of Eutaw Springs was, fought.
JOHN HUGHES (Tarleton, ; Tarleton, Hughes), 3.
Born, January 24, 1739.
Married, Judith Neville, N2, daughter of James Neville
and Lucy (Thomas), his wife.
Died, April 19, 1774; he was an only son.
For subsequent lineage, see John Hughes, H2.
26 PEDIGREES
CRAWFORD (Cr)
JOHN CRAWFORD.
Born in Scotland, anc/ said to be lineally descended from
Sir Ronald Crawiord, the uncle and protector of Sir William
Wallace.
Married,
Died
He came to Virginia about 1630, bringing with him an only child,
David, 2, and settled in New I-ient County. His plantation was called
"Assasquin."
DAVID CRAWFORD (Crawford ), 2.
Born in Scotland.
Married,
Died,
ELIZABETH CRAWFORD (Crawford, , Crawford, ), 3.
Born, 1650, iu Virginia.
Married , Nicholas Meriwether, M2.
Died,
DAVID MERIWETHER (Crawford ; Crawford, ;
Crawford, Meriwether), 4.
Born
Married Ann Holmes, daughter of Ceorge Holmes, of
King and Queen County, Virginia.
Died, December 25, 1741.
For Arms, see Page 45, Crozier's General Armory.
For subsequent lineage, see David Meriwether, M3.
MERIWETHER (M)
NICHOLAS MERIWETHER.
Born, , in Wales.
Married Anne Elizabeth Price.
Died, December 19, 1678.
The emigration of Nicholas, Ml, to Virginia, has never been authen-
ticated. However, his three sons, Nicholas, William and David, came
from Wales and settled in the Old Dominion. Hon. George R. Gilmer,
late Governor of Georgia, sixth in this line through Mildred (Meriwether)
Gilmer, M5, grandxlaughler of David Meriwether, MS, and Ann (Holmes),
his wife, in a sketch of this f;uinly, remarks:
"The family brought more wealth to Virginia than was usual for
emigrants in the 17th century. The first Meriwethers were peculiar In
person, manners and habits. They were rather low in stature, their
heads were very round, their complexions dark and their eyes bright
hazel. They were industrious and exceedingly economical, yet ever ready
to serve the sick and those who needed their assistance; they were sim-
ple in their dress and manner, frank in temper and social in their inter-
course; they were too proud to be vain, looking to their own thoughts
and conduct rather than to what others might think of them ♦ * *
They were slow in forming opinions and obstinate in adhering to them;
they were inquisitive and knowing, but their investigations were minute
and accurate, rather than speculative and profound. Mr. Jefferson, late
President of the United States, said of Col. Nicholas Meriwether, (M4,
son of Thomas, MS, and grandson of Nicholas, M2), that he was the most
sensible man he ever knew. Hon. William H. Crawford, of the State of
Georgia, made the same remark of this brother, Frank Meriwether, M4."
Nicholas Meriwether died at an advanced age.
NICHOLAS MERIWETHER (Meriwether. Price), 2.
Born, October 26, 1647.
" Married, Elizabeth Crawford, CrS, daughter of David Crawford,
gentleman, of Assasquin, New Kent County, Virginia.
Died, Autumn of 1744.
PEDIGREE S 27
He was interred on the east bank of Rivanna* River, in the vicinity
of Charlottesville (Jefferson's Notes on Virginia, 1787). He acquired
great wealth in land and negroes, including a 17,952-acre grant by George
n of England in 1730.
Jane, his eldest daughter, married Robert Lewis, of "Belvoir/' in
Albenuu'le County, Virginia. A son of this marriage. Fielding Lewis,
married Betty Washington, only sister of our tirst President. Their home
is still standing in Fredericksburg, Va., and here Mary Washington,
mother of the President, died. (Century Magazine, Vol. 43, Page 834). —
Lydia Annie Hughes, H5.
"The Lewis family, of eastern Virginia, is of Welsh origin. Their
ancestor. Gen. Robert Lewis, whose name is favorably mentioned in Eng-
lish history, came from Wales to Gloucester County, Virginia, in the lat-
ter i>art of the seventeenth century, and there lived and died. His son,
Robert, who also lived and died in Ciloucester, had three sons — Fielding,
John and Charles. (Of the two last, I have received no account. Mr.
Fielding Lewis, of Weyanoke, Charles City County, was doubtless a
descendant of one of them). Col. Fielding Lewis, sou of the second
Robert, removed to Fredericksburg early in life; was a merchant of high
standing and wealth, a vestryman, magistrate and burgess and, during the
Revolution, being a genuine patriot, sui>eriutended the manufacture of
arms in the neighborhood. He was twice married. His first wife was
- the cousin and his second wife the sister of General Washington. The
children of his second marriage were six" tl-Melding, George, Elizabeth,
Lawrence, Robert and Howell."— Meade's Old Churches, Mini.sters and
Families of Virginia, Page 232, copied by Lydia Annie Hughes, 115.
DAVID MERIWETHER (Meriwether, Price; Meriwether, Crawford), 3.
Born,
Married, , Ann Holmes, daughter of George Holmes, of
King and Queen County, Virginia.
Died, December 25, 1744. Ann (Holmes) died March 11, 1735.
The interment of David Meriwether was near his father, on the
Rivanna River, near Chailottesville, Virginia. His will was recorded
January 22, 1745, in Louisa County, Virginia. The eldest son, Thomas,
M4, born about 1714 or 1715 -died about 1756 or 1757, married Elizabeth
Thornton, of Frederick.sburg, Virginia, Lo whom were born three sons
and eight daughters. The eighth child, Lucy, M5, married Col. William
Lewis, son of elder Robert Lewis, who was executor and son-in-law of
Nicholas Meriwether, M2; she was married twice; of the first union were
born Meriwether Lewis; Reuben Lewis, who married Mildred Dabney,
and Jane Lewis, who married Edmond Anderson; of the second union,
with John Marks, were born John Marks, M. D., and Mary Marks, who
married William Moore, adoi-ted son of his aunt, Mrs. Davenport, and
removed to Alabama. Col. William Lewis and Capt. John Marks were
both officers in the Revolutionary Army. Lucy (Meriwether-Lewis)
Marks was born February 4, 1752, and died September 8, 1837.
Three grandsons of David Meriwether, M3, i. e., David, James and
William, sons of James Mei-iwether, M4, and Judith H;a-denia (Burnley),
his wife, were officers in the Revolutionary Army. David and James
finally became generals. James and William were attached to the
Illinois Regiment under Col. George Rogers Chuk iis lieutenant and
ensign, respectively, in 1778. The detachment, con.sisting of less than
2UU men, captured Kaskasia July 4 ami Cahokia July G, in that year, and
on February 24, 1779, Col. Hamilton surrendered VIncennes, or O Post,
as it was then called, "thus adding three entire states and part of a
fourth, to the old (Commonwealth of Virginia" (Lydia Annie Hughes).
Meriwether Lewis, MG, rose from a volunteer in the trocjps called out
to quell the whiskey rebellion in western Pennsylvania in 1794 to a cap-
taincy in the regular service between 1795 and 18(J0, and was private
secretary to President Jefferson between 1801 and 1803. He was recom-
28 FED10REE8
mended by the President to Congress as commander of an expedition
across tlie continent to the Pacific Ocean, including the upper portion
of the Territory of Louisiana, acquired from France, in 18t04. His lieu-
tenant was Capt. William Clark, of St. Louis, and the personnel was 30
men. The enterprise is now known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition;
he was afterward Governor of Missouri Territory. George Wood Men-
wether, M6, states that he was assassinated by a French servant in the
Chickasaw Nation while en route from St. Louis to Washington, Octuber
17, 1809, but American Cyclopedia, Vol. X, P. 386, states that he died
October 11, 1809, near Nashville, Tennessee; he was born August 18,
1774. Francis Meriwether, M4, second son of David, M3, and brother of
Thomas, M4, was born about 1717 and married a sister of John Lewis,
Esq., an eminent lawyer of Virginia; he lived in S,P'Otsylvania County,
Virginia, and afterward removed to South Carolina, where he died, leav-
ing a large family; among his children were Zachery, Nicholas and Mary,
and it is more than probable that it was from this branch of the family
the town of Meriwether, McCormick County (old Edgefield County),
derived its name; some of his descendents are still living in that vicinity
(1920).
George Meriwether, M5, son of Nicholas, M4, son of David, MS, married
Mary Pryor; their daughter Frances, M6, married Capt. Basil Prather;
the youngest daughter, Martha, M7, married Dr. Warwick Miller, of Jef-
ferson County, Kentucky, after whom my eldest brother, Warwick
Miller Sullivan, was named. I recall one or two of the Miller children as
living on or near the old Cane Run Road. As a matter of common inter-
est in this connection, I have extracted the following from a letter writ-
ten in Louisville by Fanny Wormald Sadler, H6, under date of September
30, 1920:
"Aunt Betsy Prather's husband, Thomas, was only brother of
Mrs. Martha (Patsy) Prather Miller, the mother of Dr. John and his
twin sister, Annie, my neighbors in the country (on the Cane Run
Road). Aunt Betsy's children included Cousins George, Lindsay,
Nannie and Betty. Their homestead was out on the Newberry Road,
not far from Prescott Road, and very near Camp Zachery Taylor.
You must have heard your mother speak of Uncle Tarleton's family,
Cousins Virginia, Richard, Vincent, Laura and Ellen, and Willie, who
died more than two years ago. We, Bettie (Prather) Robbins and I,
were near the same age, children together.
"Uncle Prather's mother was Frances Meriwether, a niece of my
great grandmother, Anne Meriwether, Mrs. Warwick Miller thus
being my mother's second cousin. My neighbors considered me their
kinswoman and ever showed an affectionate interest in me.
"Cousin Annie's children are all dead, except Grace, who lives
in Portland, Oregon, having married a second time, and has children
grown. Dr. Miller's two sons live here in Louisville. Francis is
Vice President of the Louisville Railway Company. Robert, the
younger, a lawyer, served in the revenue department, Washington,
D. C, during the war."
WILLIAiM MERIWETHER (Meriwether, Price; Meriwether, Crawford;
Meriwether, Holmes), 4.
Born, December 25, 1730.
Married, July 17, 1751, Martha Wood, W3, C5W, A7W, daughter
of Henry and Martha (Cocke-Cox) Wood.
Died, December 24, 1790.
He apparently lived the quiet life of a country gentleman of wealth,
having a family of three sons and five daughters. All the kindred who
died during the first 30 years after emigration to Kentucky were interred
in his plantation. When the Meriwether subdivision of the City of
Louisville was originated, a street was cut through this cemetery, and
on April 8, 1889, all the bodies were reinterred in Cave Hill Cemetery.
PEDIGREES 29
While William Meriwether left numerous descendents, this pedigree will
end with Anne Meriwether, M5, the youngest child, who married Major
John Hughes, Jr., 113.
George Wood Meriwether, M6, who prepared the data for the Meri-
wether Genealogical Tables, was descended from William Meriwether,
M4, and Martha (Wood), his wife, as follows: William Meriwether, M5,
who married Sarah Oldham; this William, M5, was a brother of Anne
Meriwether, M5, who married John Hughes, Jr., H3. On July 1, 1845,
George Wood Meriwether married Anne Elizabeth (Price) Weir, whose
first husband was George Weir, of Woodford County, Kentucky, born in
Ireland; of this union, Emerine (Price) Meriwether, M7, third child, was
born. Emerine (Price) Meriwether married, Eebiuary 9, 1876, Udolpho
Snead, son of Charles Scott and Martha Raphael Snead, great great
grandson of Gen. Charles Scott, one of General Washington's staff officers,
and the fifth Governor of Kentucky. These are the authorities of the
Meriwether records, lS8i).
ANNE MERIWETHER (Meriwether, Price; Meriwether, Crawford; Mer-
iwether, Holmes; Meriwether, Wood), 5.
Born, October 12, 1767.
Married, John Hughes, Jr. (later Major), H3, in the original
Hughes line, in Louisa County, Virginia, in 1783. By this
marriage, the eight original lines were united.
Died, May 3, 1820.
She was the mothci- of 26 children, and her descendents are scat-
tered throughout the length and breadth of the land. Her remains were
interred in the old Hughes plantation, seven miles below Louisville, on
the Ohio River.
For subsequent lineage, see John Hughes, Jr., H3,
HUGHES (H)
STEPHEN HUGHES.
Born February 12, 1687, in Caernavonshire, Wales.
Married Elizabeth Tarleton.
Died
Many handsome monuments, erected to the different members of the
Hughes family, are in the cemetery at Wrexham, Wales, not far distant
from Caernavonshire. Of Stephen's arrival in America, or of his death,
little is known. His wile, Eliz;;beth, also of Wales, was a relative of the
British military officer of her name, who was a very prominent antag-
onist In the American Revolution.
JOHN HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton), 2.
Born, January 24, 1739.
Married , Judith Neville, N2, daughter of James Neville
and IjUCy (Thomas), his wife.
Died, April 19, 1774; he was an only son.
He died at his plantaticm on the James River, Powhatan County, about
40 miles above Richmond, Virginia, and his burial was probably near the
family seat. See sketch.
Following are the names of the children of John Hughes and Judith
(Neville), his wife:
ELIZABETH, born September 25, 1759; married John Prior, of Virginia;
died
SALLY, born May 24, 1761; married Joseph Woodson, of Goochland
County, Virginia; died Her daughter married a Mr. Outlaw
and removed to Tennessee. None of her other children left any heirs.
JOHN, Jr., born August 11, 1763; married Anne Meriwether, M5, A8W,
Cr6, C6W, W4, in 1783; died December 11, 1842. See sketches and
tables. Ho.
NANCY NEVILLE, born November 13, 1765; married Richard Cox,
. ,, C4H, A6H, of Powhatan County, Virginia; died January 27, 1843.
•A •: .)
^ . : Jii- c I ;.
30 PEDIGREES
JUDITH, 1, born February 15, 1768; married Cornelius Buck, of England.
Martha Hughes, H5, has recorded that "her descendents are the
descendents of her two daughters, Mrs. Murchie and Mrs. Cunliffe."
I visited Mrs. Murchie, then quite feeble with age, in 1886, and later
had some corresjtondence with her daugnter. Cousin Minnie. The
other daughter, Mrs. Cunliffe, was the first wife of William Cunliffe,
whose second wife was Eliza Ann (Hughes), my grandmother's sister.
See H5(4-2) Ibid, and Cf2 Ibid, for a history of the family.
MARY, born July 16, 1770; died January 12, 1773.
ESTHER, born November 10, 1772; married John Cunliffe, of England;
died, about 1819, leaving numerous descendents. These were the
parents of William Cunliffe, whose first wife was Sarah (Neville-
Hughes) Buck, daughter of Cornelius Buck and Judith, sister of
Esther. On the death of his wife, who was his first cousin, William
Cunliffe married Eliza Ann (Hughes), his mother's great niece and
his own second cousin. See Eliza Ann (Hughes), H5(H4-2) Ibid.
JOHN HUGHES, Jr. (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville), 3.
Born, August 11, 1763.
Married 1783, Anne Meriwether, M5, A8W, Cr6, C6W,
daughter of William Meriwether, M4, and Martha (Wood),
W3, A7W, his wife. He emigrated with his family to Ken-
tucky in 1786. By this marriage the eight original lines were
united.
Died, December 11, 1842.
See sketches and tables for all preceding family connections.
When a student in Washington-Henry Academy, John Hughes, H3,
enlisted in the Continental Army at the age of 15 years; served under
Gen. Nathaniel Creene; was wounded at the Battle of Guilford Court
House, N. C, and was present as a Lieutenant, commanding a company,
at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown. A few years after his
marriage with Anne Meriwether, M5, he emigrated to Kentucky and
settled near Louisville (on the Ohio River below). In the War of 1812,
and in the Indian wars preceding it, he served under General Hopkins
with the rank of Major. He had many friends, was given to hospitality
and 7/as noted for his many eccentricities, but more especially for his
great energy and indomitable courage. His complexion Avas dark, and
his fine hazel eyes fairly blazed when he was aroused to anger. He was
married four times, but his first wife, Anne (Meriwether), M5, was the
mother of all his children (mentioned in list), eleven of whom reached
maturity and five of whom survived him. His other wives in succession
were Miss Russell, Miss McGee and Miss Neal, the latter surviving him a
few months. His remains lie in the burial plot on bis own plantation on
the Ohio River, 7 miles below Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky. —
Notes of Martha Hughes, H5, and Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, H6,
H6(4-3).
All his descendents are eligible to membership in the societies. Sons
of the Revolution and Daughters of the Revolution.
Following are the names of the children of John Hughes, Jr., (after
ward Major) and Anne (Meriwether), taken from the record of Martha
Hughes, H5, in her mother's Bible and also from the Meriwether Genealog-
ical Tables,-1889, of George Wood Meriwether, M6:
JOHN, born October 18. 1784; married Esther (Cox), C5H, May 25, 1809;
died, November 4, 1847. See sketch and will.
JANE, born May 15, 1786; died September 17, 1800.
MARTHA, born February 16, 1788; died September 30, 1797.
WILLIAM MERIWETHER, M. D., born October 15. 1789; married Mary
(Wood) in 1809; died September 1, 1819. See sketch.
JUDITH, born December 23, 1790; died November 6, 1806.
TARLETON, born September 27, 1792; died October 19, 1794.
t, I
PEDIGREES 31
SALLY, born November 26, 1793; died April 22, 1817.
LUCY, born August 22, 1796; married William D. Mitchell, of Virginia;
died in 1842.
NANCY NEVILLE, as recorded in Meriwether Genealogy, but Anne, as
recorded by Martha Hughes, H5, in her mother's Bible, born April
22, 1795; married Duvid Wuide, of Virginia; died March 6, 1835.
STEPHEN TARLETON, born February 11, 1798; married Abigail (Stokes)
Cooper, of Philadelphia; died June 10, 1852. Their son, Benjamin
Franklin, born September 8, 1822- died January 19, 1892. had a
remarkable career. Lyilia Annie Hughes, writes the following: "I
do not know the exact place of his birth, but, when a mere lad living
with his parents at Hickman, Kentucky, feeling that some punish-
ment inflicted upon him was unjust, he left the parental roof and
made his way alone to I'hiladeli)hia, and embarked in a menial capac-
ity on an English merchantman; was transferred to the U. S. mer-
chant marine after one cruise and ultimately entered the U. S. Navy,
meanwhile having participated in tlie War for Texas Independence.
That his seamanship was of a high order is shown by the fact
that he was placed in command of or made instructor on a school
ship, where he was training Annapolis students for naval service,
and, I believe, had just returned from a Mediterranean cruise when
the War Between the States came on. Promi)tly offering his services
to the Confederacy, he was'' assigneil to duty as second in command
of the ram, Manassas, and was taken prisoner when the ram came
to grief at New Orleans. He was then paroled and, until his exchange,
was for several months a guest of his cousin, John Woodson Hughes,
your grandfather's brother. I knew liim intimately. I recall his tell
ing me that he had declined a commission in the U. S. Navy because
he felt that a lack of education would be embarrassing to him in the
society of his brother officers who had enjoyed Annapolis opportu-
nities." According to an account in the Dallas, Texas, News, announc-
ing his death, he was taken prisoner with Fannin at Goliad on March
20, 1836, and was condemned to be shot with about 400 others, Geor-
gians, Kentuckians, Tennesseeans and men from other States, but
the lad was saved by the interposition of Madame Alvarez with the
commander of the Mexican forces and was then marched off, bare-
footed and starving, a prisoner' to Matamoras. After release he
enlisted in a Texas war vessel and served until the naval fight off
Galveston. Leaving the service, he then visited all the princiital
ports of the world, afterwards engaging in active naval service as
noted above. He married a IMiiladelphia lady and died at the home
of his only child, Mrs. C. M. M. Ferry, of Dallas, Texas.
ELIZABETH, born November 13, 1799; married John Davies, of Virginia;
died
MARTHA JANE, born March 25, 1801; died September 17, 1810.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, born January 27, 1803; died O'ctober 10. 1815.
JAMES NEVir.LE, M. D, born December 20, 1804; married— 1: March 13,
1823. Louisa Adaline (Russell); 2: Mrs. Isabella Turner,
1860; died May 8, 1874.
Issue of first marriage with Louisa Adaline (Russell) :
John Wesley Hughes, born July 2, 1824; married— 1 : May 8,
1855, Cornelia Lewis; 2: about 1874, Claudia Carvill; died March 1,
1881. Issue of fir^st marriage with Cornelia Lewis, four children, of
whom three died in infancy. His son, James Neville, H6, survived
him 11 years; practiced law at Denver, Colorado, for many years, was
considered the ablest mining attorney of his day in Colorado and was
generally recognized as a most accominlished man. I knew him well
when I resided in Denver.
James Bourbon Hughes, born July 29, 1826; died, unmarried,
December 20, 1846.
32 .PEDIGREES
Nancy Meriwether Hughes, born July 11, 1828; died September
16, 1829.
Lucy Honora Hug-hes, born August 12, 1830; married September
20, 1819, John Woodson Hughes, her cousin, brother of my grand-
father, Richard Franklin Hughes, and of Martha Hughes, H5, one of
the registrars of these records; died December 29, 1910; one son only
survives. (See John Woodson Hughes, H5).
Mary Barbour Hughes, born September 4, 1833; married, June 2,
1857, Thomas Jenkins Shannon, of Mt. Carmel, Illinois; died May 12,
1869. Issue, son and daughter; the daughter, Mrs. C. S. Biddie,
resides in Chicago, and her son is Robert- S. Biddie.
Louisa Malvina Hughes, born September 29, 1837; died August
9, 1852.
Susan Elizabeth Hughes, born December 23, 1839; died May 14,
1844.
Sarah Esther Hughes, born February 20, 1842; died, unmarried,
November 9, 1905.
Lydia Annie Hughes, born April 24, 1844, at Pendleton Station,
Kentucky; now lives at Mt. Carmel, Illinois; she is one of the joint
authors and one of the principal authorities of this record.
William Henry Hughes, born February 8, 1846; married— 1:
December 29, 1870, Mary F. Shannon; 2: September .., 1908, Mar-
garet (Parkinson) Malion. Issue of first marriage with Mary F.
Shannon: a— Annie Hughes, born, November 2, 1871; married, June
17, 1900, Dr. Daniel Rector Smith, in London, England; died March
24, 1906; issue, one son, John Hughes Smith, now a student at
Indiana University, b— Eleanor Hughes, born, March 9, 1874; mar-
ried, January 17, 1900, Othello Linwood Wilcox; now living at Mt.
Carmel, Illinois; issue, three daughters and one son. c— Laura Beall
Hughes, born December 6, 1876; married, December 27, 1905, Paul
Chipman; now resides in Detroit, Michigan; issue, two daughters,
one deceased, and one, Laura Beall Chii)man, living at home, d and
e_Y/illiam Shannon Meriwether Hughes and Alice Hughes, twins,
born July 9, 1879; William S. M. Hughes, married, June 1, 1907, Bes-
sie Erwm, having issue of two sons, one living; Alice Hughes married,
December 27, 1905, Dr. Richard S. Manley, and now lives at Epes,
Ahibama, having issue of four children, one, Pauline Frances Manley,
surviving, f and g— James Neville Hughes and Esther Louise Hughes,
twins, born October 9, 1883; Esther Louise died in infancy; James
Neville Hughes married, November 14, 1906, Alice Darling, and now
lives at Minneapolis, Minnesota, having issue of one daughter, Jose-
phine Darling Hughes. h-Mary Wilson Hughes, born April 5, 1887;
married. October 8, 1908, Paul Sears Manley, brother of Dr. Richard
S Manley, above, and now lives at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, having
issue of one daughter who died at birth. Issue of William Henry
Hughes in his marriage with Margaret (Parkinson) Mahon, his
second wife, one daughter, Eleanor, born September ... 1910. ( See
sketch of Dr. James Neville Hughes, H4).
HENRY WOOD, born December 19, 1805; married Eliza W. Dabney, of
Middletown, Kentucky; died September 11, 1858.
Triplets— WASHINGTON ;
JEFFERSON;
MADISON, born. January 19, 1807; died when three weeks old.
ESTHER, born March 6, I81O8; married Leonard George, of Louisville;
died in 1837. leaving one son, James C. George.
Twins— EDWARD, born May 30, 1810; died September 3, 1810.
UNNAMED, born and died May 30, 1910.
Twins — INFANTS, unnamed.
Twins— INFANTS, unnamed.
PEDIGREES 33
BABE, unnamed.
JOHN HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville; Hughes, Meri-
wether), 4.
Born, Octoher 18, 1784, in Powhatan County, Virginia.
Married, May 25, 1809, Esther, C'5H, H4, N4NNH, daughter of
Richard Cox, C4H, A6H, and Nancy (Neville-Hughes), H3,
N3NNH, his wife.
Died, November 4, 1847.
See sketch and will, herein.
For all preceding family connections, see sketch and tables.
John Hughes was a man of sterling integrity and a good husband,
father and friend. He had blue eyes and dark brown hair and was of
medium height. His remains were buried in his father's plantation near
his home on the Ohio Kiver, below Louisville, in Jefferson County, Ken-
tucky.
The children of John Hughes and Esther (Cox), his wife, were:
JUDITH ANNE, 5, born May 1, 1810; married Robert Sadler, of London,
England, October 18, 1842; died September 16, 1885. Three children
were born of this union, of whom but one, Fanny Wormald Sadler, 6,
survives. Mr. Sadler died some 20 years ago and lies buried with his
wife in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville. It was a well recognized fact
among all the relatives that Robeil Sadler was from fine old English
stock and that he was a man of unusual attainments. By reference
to the Hughes lineage, it will be observed that one of my younger
brothers was named for him. In a letter under date of September 28,
1920, Fanny Wormald Sadler, 6, has written : "I was named for my
father's aunt, Mrs. Wormald, of England, a sister of my grandfather
Sadler. If you will read English history of the reign of Queen Eliza-
beth, you will find Sir Ralph Sadler to have been an historian and
statesman; also the trusted guardian of the unfortunate Mary, Queen
of Scots. Having family arms of my father's people justifies the
belief that we are the descendents in some way of the same family.
The Sadlers in England ♦ * have been appointees as governors,
consuls, churchmen, etc., there."
RICHARD FRANKLIN, 5, born December 8, 1815; married. December 24,
1835, Sarah Jane, H5(4-2), daughter of Dr. William Meriwether
Hughes, his father's brother, and Mary (Thomas) Wood, his wife;
died July 3, 1842..
Issue of Richard Franklin Hughes and Sarah Jane (Hughes), his
wife:
Charles Sidney Hughes, 6, H6(4-3), born January 14, 1837; mar-
ried Esther, daughter of Richard Hughes Cox and Martha Jane
(Waide), his wife, June 5, 1866, some time after his return from
military service of the C. S. A. in Virginia; died at Sherman, Texas,
about 30 years ago, leaving a widow and adopted daughter. It was
this Aunt Esther who surreptitiously had a daguerreotype made of me
when a child about three years old, together with a little pup I was
wont to lug around, now some 54 years ago, and the old picture main-
tains its full lustre to this day. Aunt Esther's father was the son of
Richard Cox and Nancy (Neville-Hughes), his wife.
Mary Esther Hughes, 6, H6(4-3), who married William Black-
more Sullivan. These were my parents. (See sketch and 6th in the
Hughes Line).
Sarah Jane Franklin (Goody) Hughes, 6, H6(4-3), born February 5,
1842; married John Callibun Davidson, of Jefferson County, Indiana,
October 18, 1859, in a double wedding with my mother and father;
she died September 26, 1870, and her remains, together with those of
an infant daughter, Sarah, who died September 13, 1863, when five
months old, lie buried in Lot 87, west of the Sullivan burial plot,
Fairmont Cemetery, near Madison, Indiana. Their only son, Urban
34 PEDIGREES
Parker, was last heard from in Maine about 40 years ago. Mr. David-
son removed to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, about 1878, where he
contracted a second marriage; he died there many years ago. (See
Ibid., William Meriwether Hughes, H(4-l), Sarah Jane (Hughes),
H5(4-2), and sketch).
MARTHA HUGHES, 5, born February 9, 1818; died unmarried in Febru-
ary, 1905. The last time I saw her was in February, 1904, after the
burial of my mother, Mary E.sther (Hughes) Sullivan, in Fairmount,
near Madison, Indiana, who died at my home while I was living in
Grand Junction, Colorado. Her brother, John Woodson, was then
in his la.st illness in the same house, where I last saw Russell Meri-
wether Hughes, his son, then at the bedside of his father, and since
deceased. Martha Hughes was a woman of remarkable intelligence
and better known perhaps than any other representative of the fam-
ily. It was she, on account of whose proverbial knowledge of things
historical and genealogical, who very materially aided the Meri-
wether family in adjusting the genealogical evidence as collected by
George W. Meriwether, M6, and published later by Emerine (Price-
Meriwether) Snead, M7. Most unfortunately, she was stricken with
paralysis in 1889, her whole right side, as well as her Sipeech, being
so affected that, at the advanced age of practically 72 years, her
remarkable will and perseverence assisted her in learning to write
with her left hand, in order that her wants might be made known
and that she might maintain communication with the many friends
of happier days. This woman possessed that peculiar trait and dis-
position which naturally drew children to her, and her home was a
"Paradise on Earth" to the numerous nei)hews, nieces, cousins and
other kindred of my own generation and that next preceding. Her
tenderness of heart won to her the love and admiration of the slaves
of the Hughes household, and she was never unmindful of faithful
service rendered by the servants of the family. When the aged
negro ex-slave, Patrick Meriwether, died on February 28, 1882, she
recorded in her mother's Bible the following tribute to his memory:
"His family had served ours for more than a century before the
Emancipation Act of 1863. He was faithful in all things. 'Well done,
good and faithful servant.'" I have many evidences of her love for
my mother and her family and for other kindred, as well as valuable
data concerning the Hughes and Meriwether families, among which
is her mother's family Bible, which came to me from her through my
mother. A touching poem, written by Dr. James Neville Hughes,
H4, her uncle, and father of Lydia Annie Hughes, H5, one of the
authors of the accompanying records, while watching by the corjise
of her little sister, Mary Elizabeth, H5, on November 26, 1825, which
she pasted in this Bible and which appeared in the 1902 edition, will
be found in another sketch. Practically all the records in the Hughes
table, and a considerable portion of the later Cox data, are from the
hand of this remarkable woman. She died after a long and useful
life and lies buried in the plot of her brother, John Woodson, in
Eastern Cemetery, adjoining Cave Hill, Louisville.
MARY ELIZABETH, 5, born April 2, 1820; died, November 26, 1825.
JOHN WOODSON, 5, born June 23, 1822; married Lucy Honora (Hughes),
5, his cousin, daughter of James Neville Huphoa, 4. and Louisa Ada-
line (Russell), his wife, September , 1849; died February .....
1904. He lies buried in the family plot in Eastern Cemetery, adjom-
ing Cave Hill, Louisville. »His wife, Lucy Honora (Hughes), died
December 29, 1910, and lies buried in Cave Hill Cemetery, Louisville,
Kentucky. Their children were: Walter, 6, who married Maud Cyr,
and had issue; Esther Louisa, 6, who died September 14, 1877; Rus-
sell Meriwether, 6, (deceased), who married Lillian Allan and had
issue; Harry, who died unmarried 30 or 35 years ago.
PEDIGREES 35
EMILY NEVILLE, 5, born December 13, 1824; married John Russell
Smith, a nephew of Adaline (Russell), wife of James Neville Hughes,
4, September 1, 1847; died Si'ptember 4, 1872. Her husband died Feb-
ruary 13, 1862. Their burial .ilace is unknown, but probably in the
Hughes plantation. Tlieir children were: Robert Lawrence, 6, who
married Nannie Crabtree, in Arkansas, January 27, 1886, his wife
dying September 12, 1887; Thomas, who died unmarried in Louisville
about 25 years ago; John Russell, who married Carrie Feilbach in
Alton, 111., September 1, 1884, and died December 21, 1886, having
issue.
IBIDEM
S01356S
WILLIAM MERIWETHER HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes,
Neville; Hughes, Meriwether), 11(4-1).
Born, October 15, 178y. .
Married 1809, Mary, daughter of John and Mary (Thomas)
Wood.
Died, September 1, 1819.
See sketch and tables for all preceding family connections.
He was the second son of John Hughes, Jr., 3, and Anne (Meri-
wether), M5, his wife. His wife, Mary (Wood), was borm June 30, 1787,
but the date of her death is unknown; her parents were John and Eliza-
beth Wood, of Oldham County, Kentucky. (See sketch).
ELIZA ANN HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville; Hughes,
Meriwether; Hughes, Wood), 5(4-2).
Born, March 3, 1810.
Married, about 1833, William Cunliffe, of Chesterfield County,
Virginia, son of John Cunliffe, of Lancashire, England, and
Esther (Neville-Hughes), N3, H3, his wife.
Died, July 24, 1882.
See sketches, tables and Cunliffe (Ibid.) pedigree for preceding fam-
ily connections and the Cunliffe (Ibid.) pedigree for children of the fam-
ily.
In order that the blood relationship may be easily established, the
following will show direct descent of Aunt Eliza Ann (Hughes) and her
husband, William (Hughes) Cunliffe, Cf2, in both the Neville and Hughes
lines:
Neville Line. — 1. Eliza Ann Neville (Hughes) was in direct line from
James Neville through Judith, N2, John Hughes, Jr., N3, H3, and William
Meriwether Hughes, N4 H4(4-l), to her.self, N5. 2: William Neville
(('unliffe) was in direct line from James Neville through Judith, N2, and
Esther (Neville-Hughes) Cunliffe, N3, H3, to himself, N4.
Hughes Line. — 1: Eliza Ann Hughes was in direct line from Stephen
Hughes through John, 112, John, Jr., H3, and William Meriwether Hughes,
H4(4-l), to herself, H5(4-2). 2: William (Hughes) Cunliffe was in direct
Hue from Stephen Hughes through John, H2, and Esther (Hughes) Cun-
liffe, H3, Cfl, to himself, H4.
Quadruple descent in the tAvo above lines was united in this marriage.
SARAH JANE HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville; Hughes,
Meriwether; Hughes, Wood), 5(4-2).
Born, November 6, 1815.
Married, December 24, 1835, Richard Franklin Hughes, son of
John Hughes, 4, and Esther (Neville-Hughes-Cox), H3, N3.
his wife.
^ > I'-
36 P tJ DIG R E E 8
Died, February 28, 1882.
See sketch and tables for all .preceding family connections.
By her marriage with her cou.sin, two lines of Hugheses were united.
She lies buried in Fairniount Cemetery, near Madison, Indiana, in the
Sullivan plot, north avenue, near the center. (See sketch.)
WILLIAM MERIWETHER HUCillES, Jr., (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes,
Neville; Hughes, Meriwether; Hughes, Wood), 5(4-2).
Born, September 1, 1819.
Died, unmarried, November 27, 1885.
See sketch and tables for all preceding family connections.
He lies buried by the side of his sister, Sarah Jane (Hughes)
Hughes, in Fairmount Cemetery, near Madison, Indiana, in the Sullivan
plot, north avenue, near the center.
RICHARD FRANKLIN HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville;
Hughes, Meriwether; Hughes, Cocke-Cox), 5.
Born, December 8, 1815.
Married, Sarah Jane, daughter of William Meriwether Hughes, 4,
and Mary (Thomas) Wood, his wife, December 24, 1835.
Died, July 3, 1842.
See sketch and tables for all preceding family connections.
By this marriage with his first cousin, the Hughes line was in double
descent through their children. WilliamMeriwether Hughes, 4, and John
Hughes, 4, were sons of Major John Hughes, 3, but the blood relationship
in the children was materially altered through Mary (Thomas) Wood,
mother of Sarah Jane (Hughes) Hughes, 5. See lines preceding and also
sketch.
MARY ESTHER HUGHES (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville; Hughes,
Meriwether; Hughes, Cocke-Cox; Hughes, Wood; Hughes,
Hughes), 6.
Born, January 5, 1840.
Married, October 18, 1859, William Blackmore Sullivan, son of
Aaron Sullivan and Lucinda (Blackmore), his wife, of Madi-
son, Indiana.
Died, February 4, 1904.
See sketch and tables for all preceding family connections.
My father died at Madison, Indiana, on October 2, 1881, and lies
buried in our family plot in Fairmount Cemetery, near Madison, Indiana,
north avenue, near center. He was born at Madison, Indiana, on
October 6, 1826. Little is known of the antecec^nts of my paternal
grandfather, except that they came from the north of Ireland about five
generations before and came into the Ohio Valley by way of Maryland. I
have a letter written to my father by my grandfather during the War
Between the States, breathing staunch Union principles. After the death
of my grandmother Blackmore, my grandfather removed to Missouri
and contracted a second marriage, dying at the home of my father's
half brother, Arthur Sullivan, at Jefferson City, Missouri, some time after
the war; another half brother was named Clarence; a half sister mar-
ried a Mr. Dolbear and resided at Keokuk, Iowa, for many years. My
father had a full brother, Alfred, who died when a lad about 12 years
of age. My grandmother Blackmore's remains He buried in the old Madi-
son Cemetery, on Third Street; the location of her grave was lost many
years ago, about the time the remains of many of the old families of
Madison were removed to P'airmount. My father was reared by ray
uncle, Dawson Blackmore, who treated him as a son after his sister,
Lucinda's, death, which occurred while my father was very young. Daw-
son Blackmore, his wife, Ellen, and his son, Charles, lie buried In Fair-
mount in their family plot, near ours; I knew him well. I visited him
during his last illness and attended his funeral in Indianapolis where he
PEDIGREED 37
died in 1889. The Blackmore family came originally from England and
reached southern Indiana by way of Maryland. My father engaged for
many years in general steamboating on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers
when that commercial line was in the heydey of success, but his fortunes
declined with the decline of river traffic during the decade, 1870 to 188U,
incident to railway competition, and his last venture was the Steamer
Eureka, which ran between the Kentucky River points and Louisville,
in which William Howard and Captain Robert King were associates.
Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, my mother, while caring for the
three young children of my deceased sister, Lucinda Blackmore (Sul-
livan) Davis, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, suffered an attack, in August,
1903, which resulted in her death at our home in Grand Junction, Colorado.
I have recorded in the family Bible which she presented to me and my
wife, Alda, the following:
"Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, relict of William Blackmore
Sullivan, and daughter of Richard Franklin Hughes and Sarah Jane
(Hughes), his wife, died in Grand Junction, Colorado, at the home of
her son, Richard Hughes Sullivan, Thursday afternoon, February 4,
1904, at 2 o'clock, aged 64 years and 30 days. Her remains were taken
to Madison, Indiana, and interred in Fairmount Cemetery, on the
hill north of that city, at 1 p, m., Wednesday, February 10, 1904. Her
two surviving children, Richard Hughes and Warwick Millgr Sulli-
van, witnessed this laying away of her beloved remains in their
last resting place in the city of her departed. On the family monu-
ment, underneath her name, are inscribed the following words, which
emphasize the Christian's reward for unswerving devotion to God
and His children and also the heritage of comfort to her two boys
and her loving grandchildren:
"There sweeps no desolating wind
"Across that calm, serene abode —
"A land upon whose blissful shore
"There rests no shadow, falls no stain;
"There those who meet shall part no more,
"And those long parted meet again."
(Gurdon Robins.)
She gave the best she had to God, Christ's church and the world —
no woman could tender more. Amen."
The children of William Blackmore Sullivan and Mary Esther
(Hughes), his wife, were:
LUCINDA BLACKMORE, born August 20, 1860; married, August 20,
1889, Albert Melville Davis, of Jefferson County, Indiana; died De-
cember 9, 1899. Their children were: Charles Albert, Dawson Wil-
liam, Sullivan Hughes and Vincent Rawlings, and their names are
recorded in the Davis family Bible, presented by my mother. Her
second son, Dawson William, died March 3, 1899, and was buried in
our family plot in Fairmount Cemetery, near Madison, and her re-
mains were placed by the side of her son in the same burial plot. She
was a woman of unusual intellectual attainments, and her untimely
death in the prime of life was more than a misfortune to my mother,
her remaining sister and brothers and particularly her children. Her
husband contracted a second marriage some years after her death
and lives in Howard Park, near Jeffersonville, Indiana.
WARWKTK MILLER, born May 8, 1862; married, November 4, 1886,
Charlotte Davis, sister of Albert Melville Davis, husband of ray sister,
liUcinda, and now resides in Louisville. Their children, as recorded
in his family Bible, presented by my mother, are: Charlotte Black-
more, now married; Warwick Howard; Irene, now married; Theo-
dore; Evelyn, now married; a daughter, Olive, and a son, Richard
38 PEDIGREES
Hunter, my namesake, died in infancy. Some of the older children
were born In Jeffersonville, Indiana, where my brother resided for
many years. Some 15 years ago, he met with a very serious acci-
dent while practicing his profession of mechanical engineer, losing
his right arm. Of our once large family, he and myself are the only
members now living.
RICHARD HUGHES, born December 11,1863; married Clara Alda Amberg,
June 10, 1890. See following record as to ourselves and our children.
WILLIAM DAWSON, born August 6, 1865; died, unmarried, February 28,
1892, and lies buried in our family plot at Fairmount, near Madison,
Indiana. He had probably the keenest intellect of all the children,
but his frame was too frail to .preclude an untimely death.
ALFRED LYON, born December 22, 1866; died April 26, 1867. Asleep in
Fairmount.
SARAH THOMAS, born March 16, 1868; died, unmarried, April 29, 1899.
Sally was the tomboy of the family. She taught in the public schools
of Madison, Indiana, for many years and was a close companion and
friend of my mother as the children fell away in death. Her remains
lie with the rest of her kindred in Fairmount.
CHARLES SIDNEY, born February 11, 1870; died October 27, 1870.
Asleep in Fairmount.
JOHN STEPHEN, born April 3, 1871; died April 30, 1871. Asleep in Fair-
mount.
THEODORE AARON, born April 6, 1873; died May 19, 1893. "Dodo," as
he was called by members of the family, was probably the best bal-
anced of the children. He graduated with honors from the Madison
High School and took up journalism, making unusual headway for
one so young. The editor of the Daily Herald wept over his untimely
death as a i)ersonal loss. His remains lie buried among his own in
Fairmount.
ROBERT SADLER, born February 10, 1875; died September 22, 1875.
Asleep in Fairmount.
GUY, born March 7, 1877; died July 5, 1877. Asleep in Fairmount.
AH the above children were born at Madison, Indiana except my
elder brother, now living in Louisville, who was born on the old Hughes
plantation, below that city, and my younger brothers, John Stephen and
Theodore Aaron, who were born on our farm, on the Papermill Pike, about
5 miles north of Madison. In addition to the members of my mother's
immediate family, including my sister, Lucinda, and her son, Dawson Wil-
liam the Sullivan family plot at Fairmount, near Madison, contains the
remains of my grandmother, Sarah Jane (Hughes) Hughes, H5(4-2), aJid
her brother, my grand uncle, William Meriwether Hughes, H5(4-2).
RICHARD HUGHES SULLIVAN (Hughes, Tarleton; Hughes, Neville;
Hughes, Meriwether; Hughes, Cocke-Cox; Hughes, Wood;
Hughes, Hughes; Hughes, Sullivan), 7.
Born, December 11, 1863.
Married, June 10, 1890, Clara Alda, daughter of Charles Frederick
Amberg and Susan (Hummer), his wife, of Indianapolis,
' Indiana, at Kansas City, Missouri.
See sketch and tables for all preceding family connectlonB.
Alda's paternal grandfather was a native of north Germany. His
name was von Omburgh, but his sons Americanized it to Amberg, and as
such it was transmitted to succeeding generations. But little is known
of her maternal antecedents, except that they came originally from Hol-
land and settled in the vicinity of Wilkesbarre, Pennsylvania, where her
mother was born April 13, 1837. Her ,parents finally settled In Indianap-
olis Indiana, where she was born, May 11, 1867. Her father died in 1898,
at Indianapolis. Her mother died December 11, 1919, in Canton, Ohio, at
PEDIGREES 39
the home of a sister, Susie Louise (Amberg), wife of Edward P. Smith,
and lies buried iu the Smith family plot there. This remarlvable woman
came of a large family, each of which lived to a great age; her womanli-
ness and generosity of soul were as wide as the long and useful life she
lived as the last of her family, and the succeeding generations suffered
material loss with the passing of such a character. Alda's twin brother,
Charles Albert Amberg, now resides in Trescott, Arizona, and has two
sons and a daughter, and her sister in Canton has three grown sons.
See sketch as regards myself.
Our children, whose names are all recorded in the family Bible, pre-
sented by my mother, are:
ESTHER LOUISE, born April 10, 1891, at the home of her grandmother,
Susan (Hummer) Amberg, Indianapolis, Indiana; married, June 3,
1915, Ralph Brown Potts, son of William Holloway Potts, and Sarah
Sheridan (Brown), his wife, at Wichita, Kansas, Rev. Percy T. Fenn,
D. D., officiating. Her husband and herself are graduates of Fair-
mount College, Wichita, Kansas, Class of 1915, and they were mar-
ried the next day after their diplomas were received. Her husband
was born February 16, 1892, at Lexington, McClain County, Illinois.
Their children, whose names are recorded in our family Bible, iire-
sented by my mother, are:
Louise Sullivan, born October 14, 1916, at Dallas, Texas.
Riilph Brown, Jr., born January 23, 1920, at Wichita, Kansas.
WARWICK AMBERG, born September 28, 1892, at Denver, Colorado;
married, Januai'y 27, 1915, Ethel Lillian, daughter of John Curtiss
Weir and Laura Henrietta (Castles), his wife, at Columbia, South
Carolina, Rev. Charles E. Burts, D. D., officiating. He was educated
in Fairmount Academy and College, Wichita, Kansas, coming to
Columbia, S. C, when my work called me to this point. On account
of poor health, he relinquished a position as Assistant Cashier of the
Southern Railroad here in 1919 and now resides in Arizona.
RICHARD FRANKLIN, born August 8, 1901, at Indianapolis, Indiana,
when my family resided there. He was educated in the schools of
Wichita, Kansas, the high school at Columbia, S. C, and at Porter
Military Academy, Charleston, S. C. He is now a clerk in the South-
ern Railway freight office and resides at home.
40 PEDIGREES
(Ibidem)
CUNLIFFE(Cf.)
GEORGE CUNLIFFE.
Born,
Married, Ann Singleton.
Died
He resided at the Vicarage in a small village called Wlially, in the
County of Lancashire, England.
JOHN CUNLIFFE (Cunliffe, Singleton), 2.
Born, March, 1758.
Married, Esther Hughes, daughter of John Hughes, H2,
and Judith (Neville), N2, his wife.
Died
The original of the Cunliffe family in America was born at the Vicar-
age, Whally, County of Lancashire, England, and emigrated to Virginia
in 1784, leaving Liverpool in the ship Thompson. At that time he was in
the employ of Alexander Parry & Company, of that city, and was sent
by them as factor or confidential agent to dispose of dry goods in the new
republic and to buy tobacco. "I have now his letter of instructions, exce,pt
a small piece, which was torn off and lost, copied from a letter from Sister
Ellen Pleasants." — Ella Thomas (Hughes-Cunliffe) Baker, Cf4, H6(4-3).
He was buried probably near the family seat in Chesterfield County, Vir-
ginia. Bettie (Hughes-Cunliffe-Elliott) Hudson, Cf5, H7(4-4), has writ-
ten under date of October 10, 1920:
"We have understood that the Cunliffe Mills, Manchester, England,
were owned by kinsmen of ours; and, during the war, in the Daily Mail,
I saw that the British war claims were prepared by a committee under
Kobert Hughes, the Australian premier, and Baron Cunliffe, former Gov-
ernor of the Bank of England. We are also related in some way through
grandpa to the Lewises, one of whom was chief of the famous Lewis and
Clark Expedition to the Northwest." (Note, — The only connection with
Meriwether Lewis in the accompanying records is through Lucy Meri-
wether, M5, daughter of Thoma.s, M4, who was the brother of William
Meriwether^ M4, father of Anne, M5, who married John Hughes, H3,
brother of William Cunliffe's mother, Esther (Hughes), H3, and also of
Judith (Hughes), 113, his mother's sister, which latter (Judith) was the
mother of William Cunliffe's first wife).
WILLIAM CUNLIFFE (Cunliffe, Singleton; Cunliffe, (Neville)-Hughes), 3.
Born, April 18, 1801.
Married-1: Sarah (Neville-Hughes) Buck, daughter of Cornelius
Buck, of England, and Judith (Neville-Hughes), his wife, who
was a sister of Esther, his mother; 2: Eliza Ann (Hughes),
daughter of William Meriwether Hughes, 114(4-1), and Mary
(Wood), his wife, October 2, 1833.
Died, February 3, 1871.
He was born in Chesterfield County, Virginia, and lies buried with his
second wife, Eliza Ann (Hughes), in Wirt Cemetery, about 7 miles north
of Madison, Jefferson County, Indiana.
William Cunliffe's first wife was his mother's niece and his first
cousin, and was also second cousin to his second wife, who was a second
cousin' of her husband, thus selling up a most complicated relationship
in descent.
Five children were born of the first union, of whom but two reached
maturity, namely:
ELIZA ANN, who married Orelius Wood; they had four children, Otis,
Sarah, Murchie and Minnie, all of whom had issue.
SARAH ELLEN, who married Thomas Pleasants, son of Governor James
Pleasants, of Virginia, about 1869; issue, four children, one son
PEDIGREES 41
reaching manhood. "I knew Cousin Ellen (Cunliffe) Pleasants inti-
mately and loved her tenderly. My mother being of Pleasants deriva-
tion (French orthography, Plaisannce), I am very familiar with their
history authentically from 1579; if early wills had been more carefully
written, Mr. J. H. Pleasants, who studied the record in England, thinks
the family might trace back to the William Plaisance, mentioned in
Rye's Calendar of Freemen of Norwich 33 (year of) Henry VI, A. D.
1454." — Lydia Annie Hughes, H5. I knew Cousin Ellen well, when
Bettie (Cunliffe) Hudson and her brother John, as children, were
under the care of this aunt, and I have ever heard our relatives speak
of her with affection and esteem. She was one of God's noble women,
put here on earth to beautify it and make it better.
The children of the second marriage, with Eliza Ann (Hughes), were:
WILLIAM, born August 18, 1834; died September 12, 1835, in Manchester,
Virginia.
JOHN HUGHES, born August 28, 1836, in Jefferson County, Indiana; mar-
ried Kate Green, of the same county; died August 18, 1872, leaving a
large family of girls. Among the daughters, Eliza married Eden
Sandford and removed to Indianapolis; Kittie married Edward Hall,
brother of her Uncle Charles' second wife, and lives at Clearwater,
Kansas; Alice married Cooper Baker, brother of her Aunt Ella's
husband; Agnes was married and living at Lancaster, Indiana, in
1905. My father, William Blackmore Sullivan, once said that John
Hughes Cunliffe was one of the most level headed men he had ever
known. The remaining daughters were Fannie, Jessie and Annie. I
went to school with nearly all these girls, the first school I ever
attended, at Pleasant Point, Indiana, about 3 miles north of North
Madison, on the old Papermill Pike. Ella Thomas (Cunliffe) Baker,
Cf4, H6(4-3), writer under date of November 8, 1920, from Stroud,
Oklahoma: (To Bettie (Cunliffe) Hudson) "Your Aunt Kate (Green)
Cunliffe died two months ago; she was 81 years old."
MARY HOLDEN, bora February 1, 1838; married Orgillas Doan Thomp-
son in 1867; died January 31, 1875, leaving two girls and a boy. The
elder daughter, Annie, married a son o! Governor Pleasants and
brother of her half aunt, Sarah Ellen, and was left a widow in Rich-
mond, Virginia, many years ago, having a large family of children.
The two younger children were taken in charge by her sister, Esther.
See Esther, hereunder.
ROBERT DONALD MURCHIE, born March 11, 1840; died August 8, 1841.
WILLIAM (II), born December 18, 1841; married Minerva Cox, of Jen-
nings County, Indiana, probably of the northern Cox branch; died.
May 2, 1902.
RICHARD MAXWELL, born January 7, 1844; died unmarried June 9,
1909, and lies buried at Scottsville, Virginia.
CHARLES, born January 28, 1846; married— 1: Jennie Elliott, of Jeffer-
son County, Indiana, September 2, 1869, who died February 6, 1875,
leaving two children, i. e., John, who married Alice Norton, at
Tamaroa, Illinois, and has two children, now living at Wichita, Kan-
sas, and Elizabeth (Bettie), who married (~!harles Hudson at Gaines-
ville, Texas, June 6, 1888, and now resides In Ottawa, Kansas; 2:
Etta Hall, of Jefferson County, Indiana, by whom he had five chil-
dren, namely, Lillie Anne, Esther Ryker, Charles Edson, Henry Hall
and Gertrude. He was killed in a boiler explosion at Wichita, Kan-
sas, December 10, 1894, and lies buried there. His second wife con-
tracted a second marriage with a Mr. French and resided in Denver,
Colorado, until her death on February 22, 1919. She lies buried in
Wichita, Kansas. Bettie, one of the authorities of this record, and
Charles Hudson, her husband, were the parents of one son and two
42 PEDIGREES
daughters; the boy died when grown while the family was living in
California; the two girls have graduated from Ottawa University and
are now (1920) teaching school in Kansas. I have known Bettie many
years, both in Indiana and in Kansas, and it is a well established
fact that her doors are never closed to any one; she is an honor to
the blood whence she came. Her mother was a sister of Alexander
V. Elliott, husband of her Aunt Esther.
ESTHER, born July 4, 1848; married Alexfinder V. Elliott, of Jefferson
County, Indiana, brother-in-law of her brother, Charles; died Septem-
ber 14, 1887, within a short time of her husband. They left four
children, i. e., William, now living in Norwalk, Iowa; Nellie, who mar-
ried Robert Moffett, of Madison, Indiana, and resides there; James
Robert, now living in Michigan, and John Prole, now living in Iowa.
Cousins Esther and Alex lost a son, Anthony, while the family was
living in Florida many years ago. I visited them just before they
died, at Monroe, JefL^erson County, Indiana, while my mother was at
their bedside. They had the care of two children of their sister, Mol-
lie Holden (Cunliffe) Thompson; one of these, Mary Elizabeth, was
reared and educated by my mother, and the other, William Thomp-
son, was cared for by his uncle, Richard Maxwell Cunliffe, until the
youth was killed by lightning in Arkansas years ago. Cousin Alex,
as we always called him, had a brother, David, who died June 15,
1919, whom I always regarded as one of the finest men in all respects
that I have ever known a man who never, for an instant, lost sight
of the interests of his kindred, no matter what their condition in life
may have been. Crippled to j)ractical deformity from infancy, his
large perspective and his wondrous heart overcame his physical dif-
ficulties and drew all men, of all walks in life, to him. For a genera-
tion he was connected with the Indianaipolis postoffice, and for years
he was the memory of many Hoosiers of note, being proverbially rec-
ognized as one of the best informed men in that State. The world
lost a real man when David Elliott went to his reward. He lies
buried in Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis.
ELLA THOMAS, the youngest child, was born September 15, 1850, and is
now the only survivor of her immediate generation. She married
George Wesley Baker, one of our neighbors in Jefferson County,
Indiana, and a recognized authority on and a breeder of blooded cat-
tle, November 2, 1870. The issue of this marriage was: Fred, born
August 19, 1871; now living with his wife and two children at Free-
water, Oregon. A son, Donnavon, was in the United States Army dur-
ing the World War. Bessie, born October 6, 1879. Ruth, born Febru-
ary 18, 1888. DeWitt, born August 31, 1891, and married. On Novem-
ber 2, 1920, Cousin Ella and Mr. Baker celebrated their golden wed-
ding.
All the above children of William Cunliffe and Ann Eliza (Hughes),
his wife, are Cf4 in the above line.
EXPLANATORY NOTES
(In connection witli the large table, the small table in the text and the
pedigrees.)
Figures indicate blood relationship in direct descent through the sev-
eral groups. Letters have been substituted lor figures to indicate connec-
tion in double lines of direct descent.
Explanation of Letters: a. — Astun and Cocke-Cox lines, from William
Cocke-€ox, .brother of Henry, b. — Aston and Cocke-Cox lines, from Henry
Cocke-Cox, brother of William. c. — Neville line, from Nancy Neville
(Hughes), d. — Neville line, from John Neville (Hughes, Jr.) . e. — Hughes
line, from Nancy (Neville) Hughes, f. —Hughes line, from John (Neville)
Hughes, Jr. g. — William Meriwether Hughes line, H4(41) Ibid., brother
of John Hughes, H4. h. — Sarah Jane (Hughes) Hughes and Eliza Ann
(Hughes; Cunliffe descent in the H4(4-l) Ibid. line.
1. — Double descent, a and b. — William Cocke-Cox, A5W, C3W, and
Henry Cocke-Cox, C3H, A5H, ibrotliers, sons of John Cocke, A4, C2, to
Include Richard Franklin Hughes, H5, his sisters and his brother.
2. — Quadruple descent, c, d, e and f. — John Hughes, Jr., N3, H3 and
Nancy (Neville) Hughes, N3NNH, H3NNH, brother and sister, from their
parents, John Hughes, H2, and Judith (Neville), N2, his wife, through
both the Neville and Hughes lines, to include Richard Franklin Hughes,
H5, N5, H5NNH, N5NNH, his sisters and his brother.
3. — Double descent, f and g-h. From John Hughes, H4, and William
Meriwether Hughes, H4(4-l) Ibid., brothers, through Richard Franklin
Hughes, H5, and Sarah Jane (Hughes), 115(4-2 Ibid., liis wife. t(; include
Mary Esther (Hughes) Sullivan, HG, H6(4-3) Ibid.
ibid.
4. — Quadruple descent in the Neville, Hughes and Cunliffe (Ibid.)
lines. See Eliza Ann Hughes, 115(4-2), for lines of direct descent, to
include all the children of herself and William Cunliffe.
The data appearing in this genealogy have been assembled and
revised by the joint authors, and the printing has been done under my
personal supervision. 'I'he 1920 edition is limited to lUO copies.
H7, H7(4 4).
WILLS AND LETTERS
WILLS
Copy or intent of last will and testament of William Meriwether
(spelled Merriwether at that time), M4.
In the name of God. Amen.
I, William Meriwether, Senior, of the County of Jefferson, being of
sound mind and memory, do make and appoint this my last will (and)
testament and do dispose of my estate in the following manner, to-wit:
Imprimis. I lend unto my wife, Patty Meriwether, during her natural
life, the plantation, houses and land whereon I now live, supposed to be
about two hundred and eighty acres, part of the land' I purchased of
A. S. Dandridge, and after her decease to give and bequeath the said land
and plantation to my son, William Meriwether, to him and his heirs for-
ever.
Item. I give and devise to my son, Valentine Meriwether, two hun-
dred and three acres of land, the balance of the tract of land whereon I
now live and adjoining the above described land, and bounded by the
(lines) Yancy made for him, to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and devise to James Meriwether, my son-in-law, one
hundred acres of land, to include the plantation where he now lives, being
part of a tract of land I purchased of Nicholas Meriwether, on the south
fork of Bear Grass Creek, and agreeable to the lines that are established
between him, the said James Meriwether, my son-in-law, and my son, Wil-
liam Meriwether, to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and devise to my son, William Meriwether, the balance
of the last mentioned tract of land, of which James Meriwether hath one
hundred acres bequeathed, every part or parcel thereof, to him, the said
William Meriwether, my son, to him and his heirs forever.
Item. It is my will and desire that my executors do sell so much of
my other lands not contained in the before mentioned clauses as will set-
tle my just debts; and after the said debts are paid, I give and devise the
balance of my land unto my three sons, David Wood Meriwether, William
Meriwether and Valentine Meriwether, to be among them equally and
impartially divided, to them and their heirs forever.
Item. I give and devise to James Meriwether, my son-in-law, a negro
boy, called Simon, son of Agnes, to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I give and devise unto John Hughes, my son-in-law, a negro
girl, called Rachel (a child of Aggeys), to him and his heirs forever.
Item. I lend unto my wife, Patty Meriwether, during her natural
life, all the rest of my negroes, stock, furniture and property of every kind,
except debts due me, by her, disposed of at her death or at any time
before, as she may choose, among my children or grandchildren, which
gift shall be as good and valid as tho' I had made it myself.
I do constitute and appoint D. W. Meriwether, William Meriwether,
Valentine Meriwether, John Hughes and James Meriwether executors of
my last will and testament. In witness, 1 have hereunto set my hand and
seal 26th day of October, 1790.
WILLIAM MERIWETHER (Seal).
Signed, sealed and acknowledged in the presence:
John Clark,
G. R. Clark,
A. Churchill,
Henry Churchill.
WILLS AND LETTERS 45
At a Court held for Jefferson County (Kentucky) the first of Febru-
ary, 1791, this last will and testament of William Meriwether, deceased,
was produced in Court, and, being proved by Jno. Clark, George R. Clark
and Henry Churchill, witnesses thereto (it was) ordered to be recorded.
(Copy) (Attest): Will Johnston, C. J. C.
Geo. H. Webb, Clerk.
By Chas. D. Greppen, D. C.
Copy or intent of last will and testament of John Hughes, H4:
In the name of God. Amen.
I, John Hughes, of Jefferson County and State of Kentucky, being of
sound mind and disposing memory, do make this my last will and testa-
ment in the words following (viz.):
I bequeath to my eldest daughter, Judith Ann Hughes (now the wife
of Robert Sadler) one tract of land whereon she now resides, containing
eighty-five acres, as per deeds from A. M. Reder and Wm. Wade; also
twenty-five acres adjoining the same, on tlie lower line out of the land
deeded to me by E. F. Wade; the above lands can easily be recognized by
referring to the (surveys?) of my lands and a red line being drawn round
same; also, five negroes (viz.): Sharpen; his wife, Melisa, and two chil-
dren, Lucy and Burton; and a negro man (Martin); those negroes and the
first-named tract (were) advanced to her on the 10th of March, 1843, to
her and the heirs of her body forever.
I bequeath to Charles S. Hughes, Mary E. Hughes and Sarah F.
Hughes, children of Richard F. Hughes, deceased, when they become of
age or marry, one tract of land beginning at a stone in my lower line in
a road leading to Louisville, near an old school house, running up said
road to a stone (in) my upper corner, then with my upper and lower lines
back 109J poles, making 110 acres, more or less.
I also bequeath to Charles S. Hughes, when of age, one negro boy
between 15 and 20 years old; also to Mary E. Hughes and Sarah F.
Hughes, (each) when of age, a negro girl 12 or 15 years old. This prop-
erty, in the event of the death of any one or more of said children, the
survivors to inherit.
It is my will that those children be kept in my family and supported
and educated without charge, unless their mother should determine other-
wise; in that case, my estate is not to be chargeable with their support,
etc. Sarah J. Hughes, widow of Richard F. Hughes, deceased, if agree-
able to her, will make my house her home and to be furnished with all
necessary clothing, etc., whilst there during her widowhood, without
charge.
I bequeath to my second daughter, Martha Hughes, two lots in Louis-
ville, bounded by Main, Clay and Washington streets, as per deeds, (with
the exception of 8 inches on the one on Main street, that much being sold
to John A. Weyinan) ; likewise, a negro boy, woman and girl to be worth
one thousand two hundred dollars valuation, to correspond with the price
of this kind of property in 1843; also, one-half of the land deeded to me by
James M. Maury, to her and the heirs of her body forever.
I bequeath to my third daughter, Emily N. Hughes, now the wife of
John R. Smith, 110 acres of land, more or le.'^s, lying back of the land set
apart for Richard F. Hughes' children, together with the half of the land
bought of J. M. Maury; also, four negroes, Maria and her two children,
Harriet and Peter, and a negro boy, Jacob, to her and the heirs of her
body forever.
I bequeath to my son John W. Hughes, at the death of my wife, the
tract of land whereon I now reside, extending from the Ohio River back
to the lot set apart for my three grandchildren, containing 200 acres, more
46 WILLS AND LETTERS
or less, together with a negro boy, woman and two girls of the value of
the preceding negroes. Should the death of my wife occur before my
grandchildren become of age, my son, John W. Hughes, is to support and
educate them without charges.
It is my will and desire that my beloved wife, Esther Hughes, take
charge of my estate, and, with the assistance of my son, John W. Hughes,
carry into effect this will without giving any security whatsoever; and, in
finally settling up the business of the estate, each heir must be account-
able for all personal property advanced to them, and whic'h has not been
mentioned heretofore, so that each one must equally participate, an
account of which will be found with this will; should there be any prop-
erty remaining after settling these accounts, etc., the same to be equally
divided among my children after my debts are paid.
JOHN HU&HES,
Sept. 5th, 1847.
Acknowledged to be the last will and testament of John Hughes in
our presence, the 29th October, 1847.
Wm. D. Mitchell.
Wm. M. Hughes.
State of Kentucky.
lAt a County Court, held for Jefferson County, at the Court House in
the City of Louisville on the sixth day of December, 1847. the foregoing
instrument of writing, purporting to be the last will and te.stament of
John Hughes, deceased, late of this county, was produced in Court and
proved by the oaths of Wm. D. Mitchell and Wm. M. Hughes, the sub-
scribing witnesses thereto; whereupon the same was established by the
Court to be the last will and testament of John Hughes, deceased, and
ordered to be recorded, and is recorded in my office as clerk of said Court.
Copy by (Attest): Curran Pope.
Curran Pope.
LETTERS
Reprint of letter written by Patrick Henry to Capt. William Meri-
wether, M4, from Page 62, Meriwether Genealogical Record, 1889.
July 2d, 1781.
To Capt. Wm. Meriwether, family, Mrs. Wood, Louisa:
Dear Sir— As the Lrs. in Col. Wood's will are not likely to act, & as
there is a necessity for my sister to administer upon the estate, she will
want security. As her friends & relations generally live at a distance
from her, & as I can't be present in court, I take the liberty in her behalf
to request the favor of you to contrive to get some of the neighbors, or,
by yourself, as you think best, to enter as her security for her adminis-
tration, and I do hereby oblige myself, my heirs, &c., to save you harm-
less upon that account from all damage whatsoever^ I am the more
anxious to have it done, as there is really a necessity for sHime person to
provide for the family. The enemy has robbed ^ l^'"!^^'^'^;'^,^ ';""'^.^?
done much mischief, & the estate is too much exposed, and »"« I suffer
unless somebody is empowered to act as administrator^ ^^'IIIIII-Jmv
must want neces.saries if not looked after in time. For niany weighty
reasons, therefore, I have advised my sister to adminis er. She, as well
as myself, will be greatly obliged by your friendly assistance.
D'r sir, y'r ob't servant,
P. HENRY
(Printed reproduction of autograph.)
WILLS AND LETTERS 47
Capt. Wm. Meriwether.
P. S. I will execute a bond to have you harmless at any time.
NOTE.- Valentine Wood, brother of Martha Wood, who married Wm.
Meriwether (4), married a sister of Patrick Henry. Their daughter, Mary
Wood, was the mother of General Joseph E. Johnston, C. S. A. This let-
ter to William Meriwether is in reference to this family.)
At Home (Jefferson County, Kentucky),
Feby. 22d, 1843.
D. Sir:
By your request, I must now say something in answer letters
received during the time Jno. was here, and until last night we were
looking and waiting for Henry. Now he is here, and the business of my
father's estate, I think, is as unsettled as before. Jno. doubtless has
informed you of the nature of the will that was admitted to record. To
prevent the sacrifice of tlie land (which certainly would be the case, was
that will carried into effect), James has thought proper to contest it.
Wm. Mitchell administered on the estate on the first Monday in Jany.,
and left here a few days after, and has not been down since. Therefore,
I can not say anything respecting the business of Wm. Hughes' estate.
Should the will be set aside, it is very likely there will be a new adminis-
trator. Who he will be, or when this business will be got through with,
I can not tell.
If John is not engaged, he had better come down, fully authorized to
act for Wm. and Eliza, as I suppose they will be summoned here at the
next Court (March).
The health of my family and connexions is much the same as when
Jno. left us. Esther desires to the remembered to you all. I also.
Your Friend and Relative,
JNO. HUGHES.
(The above letter was addressed to William Cunliffe, Madison, In-
diana, husband of Eliza Ann (Hughes) Cunliffe, H4(4-2), both of whom
appear in this record. The William and Eliza referred to were Aunt
Eliza and Uncle William Meriwether Hughes, sister and brother of my
grandmother, whose affairs were being supervised by the above John
Hughes, H4, as may be observed in h^i will herein.
The John and Henry referred to were
(not known).
Oldham County, Kentucky,
June 29, 1848.
Dear Martha:
Thinking you would be anxious to hear from home, I have concluded
to write. We are all well, and I hear of no case of sickness In the neigh-
borhood. Charles and Stei)hen got home Sunday evening in very good
time, and I was glad to hear you got up so well. I was afraid, when you
left, little Sarah might be sick; she seemed to be so puny in the morn-
ing.
I am sorry to hear of Emily's weak state of health, and I am afraid
she gives up too much to her feelings. Tell her she must be cheerful, use
moderate exercise and trust in the Lord, and I hope all will be well after
a while.
48 WILLS AND LETTERS
I have heard of nothing worth relating since you left. Give my love
to Sally and the children, John and Emily, and accept the same from
Your Affectionate Mother,
ESTHER HUGHES.
(The above letter was written by Esther (Cox) Hughes, C5H, my
great grandmother, widow of John Hughes, H4, while living in Oldham
County, Kentucky, and was addressed to her daughter, Martha Hughes,
H5, while at LaOrange, Kentucky).