Francis Hughes 
Francis was born in 1759 in Dunmore/Shenandoah County, Virginia.1 Francis' father was John Hughes Sr. and his mother was Sarah. His paternal grandparents were Francis Hughes Sr. and Christine. He had two brothers and four sisters, named John, Aaron, Margaret, Christiana, Clarissa and Eleanor. He was the third oldest of the seven children. He died at the age of 82 on January 25th, 1841 in Bledsoe County, Tennessee.2 General Notes
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.
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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
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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.
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As documented by descendants of John Hewes, privately published by Eben Putnam, New Your, 1913, Call Number Cs71.H892.
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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
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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.
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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
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Ancestor Pedigree Chart
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- b.~ 1665 in Wales d.~ 1711
- b.~ 1697 in Philadelphia, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania d.1777 in Augusta/Rockingham County, Virginia
- b.~ 1675
- b.< 1732 in Pennsylvania d.07 Jul 1791 in Greene County, Tennessee
- b.~ 1706
- b.1759 in Dunmore/Shenandoah County, Virginia d.25 Jan 1841 in Bledsoe County, Tennessee
- d.> 1795 in Greene County, Tennessee
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Details of Francis' family with Elizabeth Long
Details of Francis' family with Rebekah Allen
1 http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burgess_kimes&id=I40728&style=TABLE
2 http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burgess_kimes&id=I40722
2 http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=burgess_kimes&id=I40722
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