HUGHES, Henrietta 1a 2

Birth Name HUGHES, Henrietta
Gender female
Age at Death about 77 years, 10 months, 14 days

Narrative

Hannah Retta Hughes was born about 1780 in Tennessee. Her parents may be Francis Hughes and Rebecca Allen although this is not proved. She married Richard Shipley, Sr. about 1804 in Tennessee. They had four known sons: Benjamin Franklin, Nathan, William Park, and Richard, Jr. as well as at least one possible daughter, Elizabeth. Richard, Sr. was murdered about 1819. Hannah then married William McAllister. There is conflicting information about this marriage. In some documents it is listed as May 5 or 8, 1825 and in other documents it is given as May 8, 1828. Her death date, as documented in the Revolutionary War pension papers of William McAllister, is Nov. 15, 1858 in Tennessee.

(Is Hannah Retta Hughes a child of Francis Hughes born about 1759??? It is pure conjecture she is. There is no proof or any documentation for this hypothesis other than the close proximity of Hardeman (Hardy) Hughs to Benjamin Shipley, son of Hannah Retta, in the 1830 Hamilton County, Tennessee census. Hardeman Hughs may be a son of Francis Hughes; that is not proved either. In 1860 Nathan Shipley, son of Hannah Retta, was living next door to John Hughes born about 1779 and the son of Francis Hughes. Ephraim Hughes, son of John Hughes, son of Francis Hughes lived in the same town.)
-------------------------------------------------
Hughes family may have been Welsh according to R. Cecil Shipley.

1830 United States Federal Census
Name: Shipley, Benjamin (son of Richard Shipley, Sr. and Hannah Retta
Hughes)
Township: Not Stated
County: Hamilton
State: Tennessee
Year: 1830
Roll: 180
Page: 81
1000100000000
0011100000000
1 male under age 5, Nathan Pascal Shipley
1 male age 20-29, Benjamin Franklin Shipley
1 female age 10-14, unknown but not a child of this family (This could be Elizabeth, who married Gilbert Dearing and is thought to be a sibling of Benjamin Franklin Shipley.)
1 female age 15-19, unknown but not a child of this family (Is this also a daughter of Richard & Hannah Shipley?)
1 female age 20-29, Sarah Burkett Shipley

On same page: , Hamilton, Tennessee, Page: 81; NARA Roll: M19-180; Family History Film: 0024538.
Name: Hardy Hughs
Home in 1830: , Hamilton, Tennessee
View Map
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 50 thru 59: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 10 thru 14: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 15 thru 19: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 40 thru 49: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 4
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 6
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 6
next residence:
Name: George Hughs
Home in 1830: , Hamilton, Tennessee
View Map
Free White Persons - Males - Under 5: 3
Free White Persons - Males - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 3
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
Total Free White Persons: 5
Total - All Persons (Free White, Slaves, Free Colored): 5 oh
on previous page:
Nathan Shipley

1840 United States Census: , Bradley, Tennessee; Roll: 61; Page: 517; Image: 127; Family History Library Film: 0024542.
William McAllister Sr. 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1
Name: William Mcalister
Birth Year: abt 1760
Age: 80
County: Bradley
State: Tennessee
Free White Persons - Males - 10 thru 14: 1
Free White Persons - Males - 80 thru 89: 1 William about 80
Free White Persons - Females - 20 thru 29: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 1 Hannah Retta/Henrietta about 60
Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): 4
Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Under 20: 1
Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 1
Total Free White Persons: 4
Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 4
on same page:

Research of Doug Moomey
Application
This document is the basis of Henrietta's pension claim and states, in part:

"On this 4 day of October, A.D., one thousand eight hundred and fifty five, personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace within and for said county and State aforesaid Henrietta McAllister, aged 67 years, a resident of Hamilton county, in the State of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of William McAllister deceased, who was a private in the Company of Captain [the Captain's name appears to have never been filled in] in the Revolution in the [space], commanded by [space], in the war with Great Britain in 1776.

".............."

"She further states that she was married to the said William McAllister in Hamilton County, Tenn., on the 8th day of May, A. D. 1828 by one Robert Patterson, a Justice of the Peace and that her name before her marriage was Henrietta Shipley; that her said husband died at Bradley County, Tennessee on the 3rd day of October, A. D. 1842, and that she is now a widow.

"She further declares that she has never before made application for bounty land under any other act of Congress nor has not ever received any Bounty Land.

"She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the "act approved March 3, 1855". She further says she has no public or private Record of marriage [Note: given the context in which this document is written and the flavor of the other documents in file, I interpret this to mean she has no public or private record of marriage to William and that it is not intended to indicate whether she may or may not have record of marriage to any other man.] and says she applies for a pension under the act of Congress passed the 3rd of March 1853 and a pension was allowed her her pension [not sure of the penmanship here];certificate was dated the 30th day of September 1853 for Eighty Dollars per annum; and proof of marriage made by G. W. and Joseph Campbell which she declares is now in the pension office."

This declaration is then signed by Henrietta McAllister by her "X".

At the bottom of the document, written in longhand, are the comments "....On this 4th day of October .... personally appeared before me ...... Joseph Campbell and Robert Bean who both reside in this County and are entitled to full credit and who say ....... they were personally acquainted with William McAllister who was a pensioner of the U.S. and say that the said William McAllister and Henrietta McAllister who has sworn the above Declaration associated and lived to gether as husband and wife ..... and say they have not the Least doubt but they were Lawfully and Legally married at the time stated in the old Lady's Declaration ....."

William's Pension Declarations
In the next document, a Declaration dated September 7, 1832, William describes his Revolutionary War experiences. No mention is made of a wife in this document. It was written as part of William's application to the government for his pension.

The next document was prepared by the Clerk of the McMinn County Court certifying the proceedings of a court action in that court in which it was certified that William was, in fact, a Revolutionary War soldier and was eligible for a pension. In it William states his Revolutionary War history. Two clergy then attest that this was William and that he was a Revolutionary War soldier. Finally, the court also stated they felt William was a Revolutionary War soldier and was eligible for a pension. Again, no mention was made about a wife.

Henrietta's Declarations
The next document is titled "Declaration" and is dated May 2, 1853. In it Henrietta McAllister swears before D. J. Jones, Justice of the Peace, that "...she is the widow of William McAllister who was a Revolutionary Pensioner and drew a pension at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and was paid at Knoxville East Tennessee.

"She further Declares that she was married to the said William McAllister on the 5th day of May in the year of 1825 that her husband the aforesaid William McAllister died on the 3rd day of October in the year of 1842 in Bradley Cty., Tennessee that she was married to him at the time above stated she further swears that she was a widow at the passage of the act and is still a widow and that she has never before made application for a pension having no private record of marriage." Henrietta signs the Declaration with her "X".

The next declaration was also taken before D. L. Jones and is also dated May 2, 1853. In it G. W. Campbell and Joseph Campbell swear ".....that they were personally acquainted with William McAllister who was a Revolutionary Pensioner .... and drew a pension at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and was paid at the pension Agency at Knoxville, Tennessee. They further say that they are personally acquainted with Mrs. Henrietta McAllister who has sworn to the above Declaration and that the said William McAllister and the said Henrietta was Lawfully and Legally married in Hamilton County in the State of Tennessee on the 8th day of May in the year of 1825 by one Robert Patterson a justice of the peace for said county. They say that they were present at the marriage. That the said McAllister died on the 3rd day of October 1842. That the said William McAllister and the said Henrietta did Live to gether as man and wife until the day that the said McAllister died and they further say that the said Henrietta was the widow of the said McAllister on the 3rd day of February last and has been ever since the death of the said McAllister and is now his widow ......"

The next document, dated May 2, 1853, was written by James Clift, Clerk of the County. After stating that he personally knows D. S. James Esq. [it is not clear in the documents whether the middle initial is a "S" or a "L"], G. W, Campbell, and Joseph Campbell, whose signatures are on the pension Declarations, and that they are all "men of truth", he goes on to state that "....I also certify that I have searched my office for the original License of Marriage but cannot find this owing to a great many of the Marriage Licenses which have been filed in my office being lost or mislade so that they cannot now be found." Given the subject of this file, it is presumed that he is referring to the original of William and Henrietta's marriage license.

Pension Summation
The last document, dated October 13, 1937, was written by A.D. Hiller, Executive Assistant, to Thomas J. Barnes of the Magness Memorial Library, McMinnville, Tennessee. It is unclear to me why this letter was written. It summarizes this pension file. In it Hiller states "....William McAllister married Henrietta Shipley, May 8, 1828, in Hamilton County, Tennessee. The date and place of her birth and names of parents were not given.

"Soldier's widow, Henrietta, was allowed pension on her application executed May 2, 1853, while residing in Hamilton County, Tennessee, at which time she gave her age as seventy-five years; in 1855, she stated that she was aged sixty-seven years, with no explanation of the discrepancy in age, and was still living in Hamilton County, Tennessee, with post office at Chattanooga. She died November 15, 1859.

"No reference was made in the claim to children......."

As I stated at the beginning, this file, unfortunately, did not answer the question of whether Henrietta Shipley was Hannah Retta Shipley. The year of their marriage is also stated as both 1825 and 1828. Hopefully, the next file will be more helpful!
------------------------------------------
R. Cecil Shipley:
"In the 1850 Hamilton County census I found George Campbell, age 62, and Joseph Campbell, age 36.

Remember that Charlotte Campbell, born about 1811 and age 39 in 1850, married our Nathan Shipley about 1828 in Hamilton County. It is possible that the G. W. Campbell of the document is Charlotte's father and Joseph Campbell of the document is her brother. And that both are the same persons as the census Campbell. So they would be witnessing for the mother-in-law of their daughter/sister.

I find it ironic that a Patterson married Henrietta and then a few years later a Patterson acquired all of the property of her son Nathan Shipley when he was bankrupt.

Another irony is that the neighbor of George Campbell in the 1850 census is Archibald McCallie, age 49, most likely the person shot by Blind Ben in 1838."
-----------------------------------------
Research of Doug Moomey:
Sixth Document
The sixth document appears to be written on the back of another document that has been folded over in thirds. It appears that the other document was Henrietta's Declaration shown as the Seventh Document below. The wording is short. The wording on the backside has bled through but since it goes in a different direction than the document, the document is fairly easy to read.

277.235
Bounty Land Claim for Henrietta McAllister
widow of William McAllister
Revolutionary War

Send Warrant to
John Hambright
Calhoun Tennessee

 

Seventh Document
The seventh document contains both fixed and variable text. Unfortunately, writing on the backside has bled through fairly badly but most of it can still be read.

State of Tennessee, Tennessee Hamilton County Hamilton

On this 4 day of October, A.D., one thousand eight hundred and fifty five, personally appeared before me, a Justice of the Peace within and for said county and State aforesaid Henrietta McAllister, aged 67 years, a resident of Hamilton county, in the State of Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law, declares that she is the widow of William McAllister deceased, who was a private in the Company of Captain (the captain's name was not filled in) in the Revolution in the (space- not filled in) commanded by (space - not filled in) in the war with Great Britain in 1776.

(space - not filled in) , that her husband entered the service in the State of Maryland, on or about the (space - not filled in) day of (space - not filled in)A.D. 18 (space - not filled in), for a term of Two years and continued in actual service in the said war for Two year, and was honorably discharged at (space - not filled in), on the (space - not filled in) day of (space - not filled in), A. D. 1780, as she understand and believes

She further states that she was married to the said William McAllister in Hamilton County, Tenn., on the 8th day of May, A. D. 1828 by one Robert Patterson, a Justice of the Peace and that her name before her marriage was Henrietta Shipley; that her said husband died at Bradley County, Tennessee on the 3rd day of October, A. D. 1842, and that she is now a widow.

She further declares that she never before made application for bounty land under any other act of Congress nor has not ever received any Bounty Land.

She makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which she may be entitled under the "act approved March 3, 1853". She further says she has no public or private Record of marriage and says she applies for a pension under the act of Congress passed the 30th day of (month not stated) 1853 and a pension was allowed her her pension; certificate was dated the 30th day of September 1853 for Eighty Dollars per annum; and proof of marriage made by G..W. and Joseph Campbell which she declares is now in the pension office.
her
Henrietta X McAllister
mark

We, Joseph Campbell and Robert Bean, residents of Hamilton county, in the State of Tennessee, upon our oaths, declare that the foregoing declaration was signed and acknowledged by Henrietta McAllister, in our presence, and that we believe, from the appearance and statements of the applicant, that she is the identical person she represents herself to be.
Joseph Campbell x
his
Robert X Bean x
mark

The foregoing declaration and affidavit were sworn to and subscribed before me on the day and year above written; and I certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons; that the claimant is the person she represents herself to be, and that I have no interest in the claim. Maise Blackburn
Justice of the Peace

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

On this 4th day of October in the year of one Thousand Eight Hundred fifty five personally appeared before me the undersigned one of the acting Justices of the Peace for the county and State aforesaid, Joseph Campbell and Robert Bean who both reside in the County and are entitled to full credit and who say they are disinterested who after being duly sworn according to Law Say they were personally acquainted with William McAllister who was a pensioner of the U.S. and say that the said William McAllister and Henrietta McAllister who has sworn the above Declaration associated and lived to gether as husband and wife and were Reputed and believed to be such and say they have not the Least doubt but they were Lawfully and Legally married at the time stated in the old Lady's Declaration applicants was then living in the neighborhood where they were married They further say that William McAllister died on or about the 3rd day of Oct., 1842 and they said Henrietta McAllister is yet a widow.
Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written before me Joseph Campbell x
his
Robert X Bean x
Maise Blackburn mark
J.P.

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

I, James Clift clerk of the county court of Said county of Hamilton do certify that Maise Blackburn Esq. ( note: the following words were crossed out "is and was at the time") whos name appears officially to the foregoing certificate is and was at the time of signing the same Justice of the peace for the county duly commissioned and qualified, that the foregoing signature purporting to be his are genuine, that full faith and credit are due all his official acts.
In testimony whereof I have here unto set my hand and seal of the office at office in Harrison the 5th day of October 1855.
James Clift Clerk
By J. B. Peters (Illegible)
for Hamilton County

Tenth Document
The tenth document is Henrietta's Declaration concerning her marriage to William. It is all handwritten.

Declaration
In order to obtain the Benefit of the act of Congress of 3rd of February 1853

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

On this 2nd day of May in the year of 1853 personally appeared before me the undersigned one of the acting Justices of the peace in and for the county and state aforesaid, Henrietta McAllister aged 75 years a resident of Hamilton County in the State of Tennessee who being duly sworn according to Law doth on her oath make the following Declaration in order to obtain the benefit of the provisions made by the act of Congress passed the 3rd day of February 1853. That she is the widow of William McAllister who was a Revolutionary Pensioner and drew a pension at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and was paid at Knoxville East Tennessee.

She further Declares that she was married to the said William McAllister on the 5th day of May in the year of 1825 that her husband the aforesaid William McAllister died on the 3rd day of October in the year of 1842 in Bradley Cty, Tennessee. That she was married to him at the time above stated. She further swears that she was a widow at the passage of the act and is still a widow and that she has never before made application for a pension having no private record of marriage.

her
Henrietta X McAllister
mark

 

Sworn and subscribed the day and year above written
before me.
D. S. Jones, J.P.

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

I, D. S. Jones one of the acting Justices of the peace for the county and state aforesaid do certify that Henrietta McAllister who has sworn to the above Declaration is personally Known to me and I am fully satisfied the above Declaration is true and I am fully satisfied the above applicant is unable to appear in Court in order to make a declaration from bodily Infirmity caused by Rheumatic fever.

On testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the day and date above written

D. S. Jones
Justice of the peace

Eleventh Document
The eleventh document is a declaration by G. W. Campbell and Joseph Campbell concerning the McCallisters. The name, however, is spelled McAllister and Mcallister in this document.

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

On this 2nd day of May in the year 1853 Personally appeared before me the undersigned one of the Justices of the peace for the county and state aforesaid George W. Campbell & Joseph Campbell who after being duly sworn according to the Law Deposeth and sayeth that they were personally acquainted with William McAllister who was a Revolutionary Pensioner of the United States and drew a pension at the rate of Eighty Dollars per annum and was paid at the pension Agency at Knoxville Tennessee. They further say that they are personally acquainted with Mrs. Henrietta McAllister who has sworn to the above declaration and that the said William McAllister and the said Henrietta was Lawfully and Legally married in Hamilton County in the State of Tennessee on the 8th day of May in the year of 1825 by one Robert Patterson a justice of the peace for said county. They say that they were present at the marriage. That the said McAllister died on the 3rd day of October 1842. That the said William McAllister & the said Henrietta did live to gether as man and wife until the day that the said McAllister died and they further say that the said Henrietta was the widow of the said McAllister on the 3rd day of February last and has been ever since the death of the said McAllister and is now his widow and say they are entirely disinterested . G. W. Campbell
Joseph Campbell

Sworn and Subscribed the day and year last above written before me and I certify that I am personally acquainted with George W. Campbell & Joseph Campbell who have sworn to and subscribed the above affidavit. They are both Respectable Citizens of this county and are credible witnesses. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 2nd day of May 1853.
D. S. Jones
Justice of the peace
for H.C.

 

Twelfth Document
The twelfth document is a document discussing the character and authority of D. S. Jones, and of the character of the two Campbells.

State of Tennessee
Hamilton County

I, James Clift, Clerk of the County Court of said county in the state aforesaid, do hereby certify that D. S. Jones Esqr. whose name appears officially to the forgoing attestations and certificates was at the time a Justice of the Peace in and for said County duly commissioned and qualified, that the foregoing signature purporting to be his is genuine, and that full faith and credit are due all his official acts. And I further certify that G. W. Campbell and Joseph Campbell who makes the foregoing affidavit are men well known to me and I know them to be men of truth and firmness and in all respects creditable witnesses, and I also certify that I have searched my office for the original Licenses of Marriage but cannot find them owing to a great many of the Marriage Licenses which have been filed in my office being loss or mislade so that they cannot now be found.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office at office in Harrison on this the 2nd day of May A.D. 1853
James Clift, Clerk
of the County Court
---------------------------------------
According to the research of Wanda Shelton ,w-shelton at sbcglobal dot net.

Title The "lost" pensions: settled accounts of the Act of 6 April 1838
Author Craig Roberts Scott
Publisher Willow Bend Books, 1996
Original from the University of Wisconsin - Madison
Digitized Sep 24, 2010
ISBN 1888265035, 9781888265033
Length 374 pages

Henrietta McAllister is in this book.
Gilbert W. Dearing was her administrator

Events

Event Date Place Description Sources
Birth about 1780 , , Tennessee, USA   2
Death 1857-11-15 , , Tennessee, USA   3

Age: 77y

Parents

Relation to main person Name Birth date Death date Relation within this family (if not by birth)
Father Hughes, Francis17591841-01-25
Mother Allen, Rebekahabout 1750before 1840
    Sister     Hughes, Ingobo about 1770 1859-06-06
         HUGHES, Henrietta about 1780 1857-11-15
    Brother     Hughes, John about 1781 1871-03-15
    Sister     Hughes, Rebecca about 1782 after 1850
    Brother     Hughes, Hardeman between 1770 and 1780 about 1837
    Sister     Hughes, Margaret between 1780 and 1790

Families

Family of SHIPLEY, Richard and HUGHES, Henrietta

Married Husband SHIPLEY, Richard ( * about 1775 + 1820-02-01 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage about 1804   Religious Marriage  
  Children
Name Birth Date Death Date
SHIPLEY, Benjamin Franklin1805-01-011881-08-26
Shipley, Nathanabout 1807after 1880
SHIPLEY, [--?--]about 1810
Shipley, Richard1814-11-151908-01-13
Shipley, William Parkabout 18151843-03-25
Shipley?, Elizabethabout 1817between 1854 and 1858

Family of McAllister, William and HUGHES, Henrietta

Married Husband McAllister, William ( * 1762-03-23 + 1842-10-03 )
   
Event Date Place Description Sources
Marriage 1825-05-08 , Hamilton County, Tennessee, USA Religious Marriage 4

Source References

  1. Susan: http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burgess_kimes&id=I40722 Burgess-Fisher-Ebert-Anderson-Kames-Peterson-Hofacker-Smith
      • Source text:

        ID: I40722
        Name: Francis Hughes
        Sex: M
        Birth: 1759 in , (later Dunmore County and renamed Shenandoah County), Virginia 1
        Death: 25 JAN 1841 in , Bledsoe County, Tennessee, USA 1
        Residence: 24 OCT 1782 , Washington County now Greene County, Tennessee, USA
        Residence: JUN 1776 , Rowan County now Western Burke County, North Carolina
        Residence: BET 1776 AND 1782 Watauga area, North Carolina (now Eastern Tennessee) Lesley
        Residence: BET 1793 AND 1841 , Greene County, Tennessee, USA
        Note:
        Is Hannah Retta Hughes a child of Francis Hughes born about 1759??? It is pure conjecture she is. There is no proof or any documentation for this hypothesis other than the close proximity of Hardeman (Hardy) Hughs to Benjamin Shipley, son of Hannah Retta, in the 1830 Hamilton County, Tennessee census. Hardeman Hughs may be a son of Francis Hughes; that is not proved either. In 1860 Nathan Shipley, son of Hannah Retta, was living next door to John Hughes born about 1779 and the son of Francis Hughes. Ephraim Hughes, son of John Hughes, son of Francis Hughes lived in the same town.
        ---------------------------------------------------
        http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=herbdunn&id=I523

        He died while residing with his daughter Margaret in Bledsoe Co., TN. His heirs were as follows: John and Margaret Hughes, Ingabo and Rebecca Hixson

         

        MILITARY: FRANCIS HUGHES FOUGHT WITH JOHN SEVIER IN 1777 AT WATAUGA AND IN 1780 WAS AT KING'S MOUNTAIN. HE LIVED IN THE SHENENDOAH RIVER VALLEY AND IN WASHINGTON CO, NC(TN). HE WAS IN BURKE CO,NC. HE WAS LIVING IN GREEN CO,TN WHEN HE FILED FOR HIS PENSION IN 1833
        --------
        JUN 1776 Rev. War, he entered military service in Burke Co., NC. He served as a ranger on the western Catawba Frontier, scouting against hostile Cherokee and Creek Indians. August 1776 he joined Rutherford's troops and fought in the Cherokee Expedition.
        Military pension 21 JUL 1833 As a resident of Greene Co., TN, age 74 years, he applied for a Federal pension. He was awarded an annual pension of $51.66. In his pension declaration, he mentions an engagement in which eighteen Indians were killed.
        -----------------------------------
        As documented by descendants of John Hewes, privately published by Eben Putnam, New Your, 1913, Call Number Cs71.H892.
        -------
        FEBRUARY 18, 1780. (185) Called Court on Francis Hughes, for larceny--Sent to Richmond for trial. Witnesses: Hugh Brown, and Rebecca, his wife.
        Friend of John Sevier
        Ranger in State of Franklin1785-To Bledsoe Co 1832 with unmarried Margaret, daughter.
        3rd NC Regiment on Rev. War
        Correspondent Donna Blackburn robndonna@prodigy.net- Could he have had a Cherokee Wife?
        Battle of Kings Mt.Samuel Williams Co.-With John Sevier 1782 Cherokee Expidition
        Hamilton County Pioneers by John Wilson
        ------------------------------------------------------
        http://mommy2mycutie-ivil.tripod.com/id49.html
        ceci_hansen@msn.com

        Francis Hughes Sr

        Date and place of birth: c1697 PA near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
        Date and place of death: 1777 VA probably Augusta County (present day Rockingham County), Virginia
        Names of children: John Hughes Sr b bef 1732 PA d 1791 Greene Co, TN sp Sarah ; Aaron Hughes b c1734 PA d 1799 Jefferson TN sp Mary Moore ; Francis Hughes Jr b c1740 ; Ingebo Hughes b. 1730 PA
        Names of parents: Charles Hughes b c1665 Wales d c1711 & Rebecca ???
        Siblings: John Hughes; Anne Hughes; Rebecca Hughes
        Name of spouse: Christine, probably in Pennsylvania, bet. 1720 - 1734, probably near Philadelphia, PA, possibly the daughter of Swan Rambo or Andrew Bird

        Francis Hughes

        Date and place of birth: c1759 VA
        Date and place of death: 1841 Bledsoe Co, TN
        Names of children: John Hughes b 1779 d 1871 sp Jane Skiles b c1780 ; Margaret Hughes d aft 1841 ; Clarissa Hughes b 1760/1770 sp-John Lovelady s/o John Lovelady and Sarah Morgan ; Ingebo Hughes sp-William Hixson md 6 Sep 1795 Greene Co, TN ; Rebecca Hughes sp-Timothy S Hixson ; John Hughes ; Margaret Hughes ; Hardeman (Hardy) Hughes b 1770/1780 NC d 1830/1840 Hamilton Co, TN sp-Sinthia Cook md 27 Feb Grainger Co, TN
        Names of parents: John Hughes Sr b bef 1732 d 1791 Greene Co, TN sp Sarah
        Name of spouse: 1. Rebecca Allen b. abt. 1760 d. bef. Jan 25, 1841
        2. Elizabeth Long, July 28, 1802, Greene Co. TN marriage licenses of Francis Hughs to Elizabeth Long with Timothy Hixon as witness;
        possibly separated in 1803, per David M. Hughes referencing Beavert notes, or divorced per record of a Francis Hughes filing for divorce from Elizabeth Hughes February 27, 1816.

        * Mary Ann "Polly" Hughes

        Memories and Stories

        Francis Hughes was born in Shenandoah County, VA in the year 1759. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, he was living in Western Burke (then Rowan) County, NC. He later was "unsettled", but apparently was residing in the Watauga area of east Tennessee, then North Carolina.

        Francis Hughes first entered military service in Burke County, NC in June 1776. He served as a ranger on the western Catawba Frontier, scouting against the hostile Cherokee and Creek Indians. He served in Capt. Penland's Company. In August 1776, Hughes joined up with Rutherford's troops and took part in the Cherokee Expedition of August-October 1776, In his pension declaration, he mentions an engagement in which eighteen Indians were killed.

        In January 1777, he enlisted in Col. John Seviers Regiment. Their purpose was to clear the Watauga Settlements from Indian incursions. He helped to erect and and garrison a fort on the Nolachukey River (at Gallaker's orGallagher's).

        In September 1780, Hughes volunteered under Col. Sevier (Capt. Samuel William's Company) and took part in the great King's Mountain Expedition of September and October 1780. The march culminated in the American Victory at King's Mountain, SC on October 7, 1780.

        His final tour of duty was for a period of one month under Col. Sevier. This consisted of a short march to Cherokee country and back.

        About the second marriage: A woman named Mary Ann "Dolly" Miller, the wife of Thornton Miller, claimed that she was a half-sister to John Hughes, the son of Francis Hughes and Rebecca Allen. As Kay White has noted,

        "Francis, in his will, listed ALL of his living legal heirs - IF Mary Ann was living at the time of the Will (1841), she was not his daughter, although she could have possibly been a step-daughter - IF she was deceased at that time, the possibility of either does exist - this bears further study." (12)

        Francis without a will:

        "Francis Hughes did not leave a will. The document referred to as a will was actually a court declartion made by Francis' children. They went to court to swear that they were the only living, legal heirs in order to collect their father's pension. It is known that they did not include a half sister, Mary Ann (Polly) Hughes who married Thornton Miller."
        --Jeanne Bowman Overbay, Feb. 26, 2000

        Francis Hughes is documented in Revolutionary War Soldiers of Western North Carolina.

        Francis Hughes apparently moved from Burke County, NC to Watauga some time during the war... He was in Greene Co TN, by 1782.... He continued to reside in East Tennessee for the remainder of his life.

        "Francis Hughs" appears in Greene Co TN's 1797 tax list in Captain Jas. Penney's Company as owning 1210 acres, 1 white poll, and 3 black polls.

        On July 21, 1833, as a resident of Greene County, TN, age 74 years, he applied for a Federal pension. He was awarded an annual pension of $51.66. In his pension application children are mentioned, but not by name. (See below).(6)

        Francis Hughes died January 25, 1841... while residing with his daughter Margaret in Bledsoe County, TN. His wife predeceased him. His heirs were as follows: John Hughes, Margaret Hughes, Ingabow Hixon and Rebecca Hixon.

        Francis Hughes pension record, as documented by Descendants of John Hewes, privately published by Eben Putanm, New York, 1913, Call Number Cs71.H892:

        "Francis Hughes was of Green County, Tenn., 21 July, 1833, then aged 74 years, when he applied for pension, alleging that he resided in Burke County, N. C., in June, 1776, when he enlisted as a ranger in North Carolina, under Capt. Penland, in the command of Gen. McDowell, and served two months and a half against the Cherokee and Creek Indians.

        "On his return from this tour of service, he met the troops under Gen. Rutherford on their march to the Cherokee Nation, and volunteered under Rutherford. The expedition proceeded to the "Nation." In the overhill towns the Indians embodied, and an engagement ensued in which the Indians were defeated with a loss of 18 killed. This tour of service lasted from August, 1776, to December, 1776, four months.

        "In Jan., 1777, he volunteered under Col. John Sevier to retake the western settlements on the Watoga. Seviers' force was employed in building a fort for defense at "Gallaker's" on "Nola Sheeky" river, in the present State of Tennessee. Hughes was stationed there for twelve months.

        "Under the Act of North Carolina calling for new levies, he volunteered in Sept., 1780, for an expedition, under Col. Sevier, against Ferguson. He was in Capt. Samuel Williams' company and marched with Campbell's Virginia troops across the "Yellow Mountains" into North Carolina, and there met the militia under General McDowell, and in October was present at the battle of King's Mountain.

        "After the battle he helped guard the prisoners on the march to the "Barrix" for exchange, serving three months. In the winter of 1780 he again volunteered and was led by Col. Sevier against the Cherokee Indians and marched to the borders of their country, but the Indians had retired. He was one month in this service. His total service was 21 months and 14 days.

        "He was born in Shenandoah Co Va., in 1759, and had lived in Washington County, afterward in Greene County. He was living in 1839. "

        Francis Hughes may have used his Revolutionary War service to qualify for work as a ranger, as noted in the following passages from Goodspeed's History of Greene County, 1887:

        > "In 1783, the General Assembly of North Carolina passed an act dividing Washington County for the second time, and establishing the county of Greene. On the third Monday of August, the court of pleas and quarter sessions met at the house of Robert Carr, which stood near to what is known as the Big Spring in Greeneville.

        "The magistrates present were Joseph Hardin, John Newman, George Doherty, James Houston, Amos Bird and Asahel Rawlings. Daniel Kennedy was elected clerk; James Wilson, sheriff; William Cocke, attorney for the State; Joseph Hardin, Jr., entry taker; Isaac Taylor, surveyor, Richard Woods, register, and Francis Hughes, ranger."

        > "In May, 1785, the county was reorganized under the State of Franklin, and all the officers who were reappointed were required to take a new oath of office. The magistrates who appeared and qualified were Joseph Hardin, George Doherty, Benjamin and John Gist, Newman, Asabel Rawlings, John Maughon, James Patterson, John Weir and David Craig.

        "The old county officers were removed except Daniel Kennedy, clerk and Francis Hughes, ranger. The county, as a whole, was the most loyal to the Franklin government of any of the counties composing the State, and jealously guarded against anything tending to weaken its influence or authority."

        Land Grant Records for Francis Hughes are as follows: (5)

        1. Washington Co., TN NC Grant #262 - 99 acres - Oct 24, 1782. Watauga Bk. 252
        2. Washington Co., TN NC Grant #362 - 99 acres - 24 Oct, 1782. Bk 1 p. 567 - probably same grant as #1.
        3. Greene Co., TN NC Grant #1115 - 640 acres - 12 July 1793. Bk 6 p. 463

        The third record above is known to be for land on the Mill Fork of the Big Limestone Creek, Greene Co TN.
        -------------------------------------
        1840 United States Census: , Bledsoe, Tennessee; Roll: 161; Page: 517; Image: 329; Family History Library Film: 0024542.
        Name: Margaret Hugh
        [Margaret Hughs]
        Birth Year: abt 1760
        Age: 50 to 60
        County: Bledsoe
        State: Tennessee
        Free White Persons - Males - 80 thru 89: 1 Francis age 80
        Free White Persons - Females - 50 thru 59: 2 Margaret Hughes and ?
        Slaves - Males - Under 10: 3
        Slaves - Males - 10 thru 23: 2
        Slaves - Males - 24 thru 35: 1
        Slaves - Females - Under 10: 1
        Slaves - Females - 10 thru 23: 1
        Slaves - Females - 24 thru 35: 1
        Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): 12
        Persons Employed in Agriculture: 4
        No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: 2
        Total Free White Persons: 3
        Total Slaves: 9
        Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 12
        5 residences away:

        Name: Ephriam Hughs, son of John Hughes, son of Francis Hughes
        County: Bledsoe
        State: Tennessee
        Free White Persons - Males - 5 thru 9: 1
        Free White Persons - Males - 30 thru 39: 1
        Free White Persons - Females - 30 thru 39: 1
        Total - All Persons (Free White, Free Colored, Slaves): 3
        Persons Employed in Agriculture: 1
        No. White Persons over 20 Who Cannot Read and Write: 1
        Free White Persons - Under 20: 1
        Free White Persons - 20 thru 49: 2
        Total Free White Persons: 3
        Total All Persons - Free White, Free Colored, Slaves: 3
        next residence:
        Hardy Lassiter
        four residences away:
        Ephriam Hughes

         

         

         

        Father: John Hughes , Sr. b: BEF 1732 in , , Pennsylvania
        Mother: Sarah [--?--]

        Marriage 1 Rebecca Allen b: ABT 1750
        Children
        Has Children Ingebo Hughes b: ABT 1770 in , , Tennessee, USA
        Has Children Hardeman Hughes b: BET 1770 AND 1780 in , , North Carolina
        Has Children John Hughes b: 1779 in , (later Dunmore County and renamed Shenandoah County), Virginia
        Has Children Hannah Retta HUGHES b: ABT 1780 in , , Tennessee, USA
        Has No Children Margaret Hughes b: BET 1780 AND 1790
        Has Children Rebecca Hughes b: ABT 1782 in , , Tennessee, USA

        Marriage 2 Elizabeth Long
        Married: 28 JUL 1802 in , Greene County, Tennessee, USA
        Note:
        http://mommy2mycutie-ivil.tripod.com/id47.html

        possibly separated in 1803, per David M. Hughes referencing Beavert notes, or divorced per record of a Francis Hughes filing for divorce from Elizabeth Hughes February 27, 1816
        Children
        Has No Children Mary Ann Hughes

        Sources:
        Title: Revolutionary War Pension Papers for Francis Hughes
        Repository:
        Media: Electronic

      • Citation:

        e-mail: suekbee@comcast.net

  2. R. Cecil Shipley Gedcom, 1999
  3. Leonard J. McAllister
  4. Revolutionary war pension papers of William McAllister