Mr. John Carrol Hughes has graciously given us permission to place an excerpt from the book here:

"This is the story of my life. I was born October 15, 1867, in Hall County, Georgia, where Flowery Branch now stands. As you will note from the date 1867 this is the second year after the Civil War. And, the war or conditions existing from the war affected my life greatly.

Father leased land and cleared the trees on enough of it to build a house. He kept busy clearing land during the winter months and cultivating it in the spring. Under the terms of the lease after four years the cleared land went back to the owner, he then would have to clear more land for his use. He decided to look for something better since he only was able to make a bare living.
He found a friend, Mr. Gunter, with a small family who was in the same mood. The two families planned to move to Alabama. Father bought a big yoke of oxen and a heavy wagon in which to move both families’ house furnishings and farm equipment. Mr. Gunter would furnish a one horse wagon for the wives and children to ride in.

Although I was only four years old I remember the oxen were afraid to cross bridges; instead of facing forward they would push each other sideways and at times almost go overboard. When we came to a bridge father would walk on one side and Mr. Gunter on the other, each had a big ox whip, they would crack the whips in front of the oxen, in this way keep the oxen more to the center of the bridge.

The distance was two hundred miles. We made it in nine days. We soon found homes to rent. The Gunter family stopped in Blount County, Alabama. Father and mother went on to Jefferson County about 18 miles north of Birmingham where father’s great-uncle Jesse Hughes lived. Father’s uncle Washington Hughes lived in his same neighborhood. "

- reprinted from "In Memory" by Alice Emily Hughes Barnwell Deavenport (daughter of John Taylor Hughes, whose father was Matthew Martin Hughes)

Note: This excerpt is confirmation that Matthew Martin Hughes and George Washington Hughes were brothers. Also confirms that Jesse Hughes (1811 - 1882) was an uncle to Matthew & George.

The above information tells us that Jesse was most likely a son, not of William H. and Jane Hughes as we have thought for sometime but rather a son of George and Rhoda and a brother to William. For Jesse to have been born in 1811, this is the only conclusion that can be drawn. Apparently he just was not listed in the family Bible.

The gravestone read:
Sidney L. Martin
Nov. 18, 1894
July 1, 1969

Next to Sidney was his wife:

Viola B. Martin
Jan. 14, 1903
Feb. 16 1989

I also found the grave of:

Martin Francis
Oct. 10, 1867
July 23, 1994

and

James Burleson

Feb. 4, 1850

Mt. Tabor has many Francis family members, Burleson family members, Hughes family members, Martin family members and Speegle family members, just to name a few.

Cumberland County Meador family

Laurens County, South Carolina: Register of
Mesne Conveyance: Vol. D: 1791-1793:


Reference: Records of the Clerk of Court as
Register of Mesne Conveyance: Roll 4: 1791-1800
South Carolina State Archives:

568
Hughes, Caleb
indenture

570
Hughes, Caleb
indenture

572
Hughes, Caleb
indenture

356
Hughes, John
indenture

18
Hughes, Robert H
lease & release

Mary Meador married Caleb Hughes - Laurens, SC

Caleb Hughes if later is found on the 1800 Laurens census with 3 males between ages 16-26, one male 45 and up, 2 females 10-16, two females 16-26, and one female 45 and up. Probably the same Caleb.

Ancestry of Blackmore Hughes

Blackmore Hughes, VA

Information below is from Forrest Mullins, a descendant of George Hughes and Rhoda Garrett through their son Moses who married Sarah Isbell:

I have been doing quite a bit of research lately on the New Kent/Hanover Co. VA Hughes. I think the father of George and grandfather of Ennis comes from one of those families--Anthony Hughes, b. c1685, a son of Rees Hughes, Jr., b. c1655. Rees Jr. was a son of Rees Hughes, Sr., b. c1625 who came to Virginia about 1650.

Edward Garrett, in his journal (Day Book) mentioned that his son-in-law, George Hughes, b. c1760 who had married Edward's daughter, Rhoda was a descendant of William Hughes, b. c1660 who had built the Brick Church of St. Peter's Parish, New Kent Co. in 1703 (the church is still standing and in use. Supposedly, George Washington married Martha in that Church). Edward could have gotten that information only from George himself. Like a lot of family legends, George was in the right neighborhood, just missed the right house.

My research has showed that George did not descend from William, the Church Builder, but rather from William's brother, Rees Hughes, Jr. I am basing that on the fact that Anthony Hughes, son of Rees Jr. was living along Twittys Creek in Lunenburg Co. VA in 1760 when he died. That area became Charlotte Co. in 1765. Anthony was living amidst other families that had sons that went to SC and intermarried with the Edward Garrett family.

Edward Garrett's wife was Ann Owsley. They both were born and raised in the northern counties of Virginia, fairly close to Washington, DC and left that area about 1767, moving down to South Carolina, where they settled in Laurens Co. The Owsleys descend from a long line of important English nobles and kings, going back to William the Conqueror, who took control of England in 1066. The last king in their line was King Edward I, otherwise known as Longshanks. If you saw the movie, "Braveheart" with Mel Gibson, Longshanks was the English King against whom William Wallace fought.

Now, it turns out that Anthony Hughes (who I think is George and Ennis' ancestor, but not through Anthony's male line--which is why we don't have the same Y-DNA as other New Kent/Hanover Co. Hughes)--Anthony had a brother named William, b. c1692. Anyone who has done very much Hughes research has probably run across a Blackmore Hughes, b. c1718. William Hughes was Blackmore's father.

William obviously had a second, maybe third, younger wife in his old age and had a daughter named Elizabeth. William had moved to Cumberland Co., VA by the time Elizabeth was born, c1753. William died in 1763, and Elizabeth chose her older half-brother, Simon Hughes, as her guardian. Later, Elizabeth married Samuel Taylor, b. c1747. Samuel and Elizabeth (Hughes) Taylor had a daughter named Sophia Childress Taylor, b. 1792. (I don't know why she was named Childress, but that was one of the families that lived close to these Hughes earlier).

Sophia married Moses Owsley Bledsoe, b. 1788, d. 1851 in Springfield, IL. When I saw that name "Owsley" attached to Moses Bledsoe, bells, lights, and whistles started going off.

I found, on genforum.com/bledsoe, message #536 by James Ellis Alvis, the ancestry of Moses Owsley Bledsoe and found that his mother was Patience Owsley, a daughter of Thomas Owsley III, b. 1731. Thomas III was the brother of Ann (Owsley) Garrett, mother-in-law of George Hughes b. c1760 who married Rhoda Garrett.

Of interest is the fellow who wrote message #536 on the Bledsoe forum, James Ellis Alvis. He is a descendant of George Alves, d. 1734. George Alves had about 4,000 acres of land in Hanover Co. part of which was adjacent to Rees Hughes' land. Their land was separated by Beaverdam Creek (Alves north; Rees Hughes south of Beaverdam Cr). Rees Hughes, Jr.'s land was about 4 miles northeast of the interchange of I-295 and US 360, on the north side of US 360. Rees Hughes Jr. had well over 1,000 acres himself, but seems to have sold/willed away (Anthony got a big chunk--seems like he was the oldest son of Rees Jr.) most of it by the time he died, sometime after 1719.

Another bit of information from Forrest is the match of our DNA with the Lambert/Lamberth/Lambeth family. We have a match with 24 out of 25 Y-DNA markers which means a definite kinship. This probably explains why our Hughes Haplogroup does not match any of the other Hughes in VA. Our George's grandfather was most likely a Lambert. I have had a difficult time coming to terms with this, but it seems as if this is the case. How it came about we will probably never know, but there are three possibilities:

1. George's grandfather could have been a Lambert who was adopted and given the Hughes name.

2. George's grandfather could have been born without the advantage of wedlock and was born to a Hughes maiden with the father being a Lambert.

3. George's grandfather could have been born to a woman whose husband was a Hughes, but the actual biological father was a Lambert.

Comments welcomed!

The above pictures came from Robin McWilliams with information below:
The earliest pic I have is of Jane McFadden Hughes, then one of James Eagleson Hughes and his wife Pamelia Twiford Hughes.

I have many more of the next generations of Hughes which are James Eagleson’s children and grandchildren. They LOVED taking pictures.

Here is a ancestral line I snatched from Becky Franks with the folks bolded whom I have pix..

1. James4 Hughes (Alexander3, Christopher2, James1) was born 15

September 1776 in Bedminister Twp., Bucks County, PA, and died 22 July

1809. He married Jane McFadden 15 April 1797 in Abington Presb,

Abington, PA, daughter of John McFadden.

Children of James Hughes and Jane McFadden are:

2i.Maria5 Hughes, born 05 January 1798 in Bucks County, PA. She

married Hulon Galbraith.

+3ii.Eliza Hughes, born 15 May 1800 in Bucks County, PA.

4iii.Alexander Hughes, born 30 May 1802 in Bedminister Twp., Bucks

County, PA; died in Arkansas.

+5iv.John Hines Hughes, born 05 September 1805 in Bucks County, PA;

died 24 February 1863 in Richland County, OH.

+6v.James Eagleson Hughes, born 30 December 1809 in Doylestown, Bucks

County, PA; died 25 July 1874 in Milton, VanBuren County, IA.

Generation No. 2

3. Eliza5 Hughes (James4, Alexander3, Christopher2, James1) was born 15

May 1800 in Bucks County, PA. She married Andrew Haslett 1825, son of

Andrew Haslett and Ruth Adams.

Children of Eliza Hughes and Andrew Haslett are:

+7i.James6 Haslett, born 01 November 1825 in Iron Works, Washinton

County, Pennsylvania.

+8ii.William Haslett, born 1827.

9iii.John Haslett, born 1829; died 1879.

10iv.Maria Haslett, born 18 February 1831; died 1873. She married (1)

Hulon Galbraith. She married (2) William Baker.

+11v.Jane Ann Haslett, born 08 August 1833.

12vi.Andrew Haslett, born 1834; died 1834.

+13vii.Rebecca Haslett, born 18 August 1836 in Richland County, OH;

died 28 September 1909 in Chickasaw, Co., IA.

5. John Hines5 Hughes (James4, Alexander3, Christopher2, James1) was

born 05 September 1805 in Bucks County, PA, and died 24 February 1863 in

Richland County, OH. He married Rachel Hill 17 November 1837.

Children of John Hughes and Rachel Hill are:

14i.Amanda6 Hughes, born 16 October 1840 in Richland County, OH.

15ii.James Eagleson Hughes, born 30 June 1843 in Richland County, OH.

16iii.William Hill Hughes, born 12 July 1846 in Richland County, OH.

17iv.Alexander Hughes, born 08 April 1850.

18v.Erwin Hughes, born 08 February 1853 in Richland County, OH.

19vi.Mary Elizabeth Hughes, born 06 March 1854 in Richland County, OH.

6. James Eagleson5 Hughes (James4, Alexander3, Christopher2, James1)

was born 30 December 1809 in Doylestown, Bucks County, PA, and died 25

July 1874 in Milton, VanBuren County, IA. He married Pamelia Newton

Twiford 21 November 1836 in Marysville, Union County, OH.

Children of James Hughes and Pamelia Twiford are:

20i.Pulaski Hare6 Hughes, born 23 November 1839.

21ii.Elizabeth Jane Hughes, born 25 March 1841. She married Sheldon.

22iii.Twiford Eagleson Hughes, born 20 November 1842. (my gg was raised by him and his wife after her mother died when she was 7 years old)

23iv.Samuel Medary Hughes, born 21 December 1844. (My direct lineage)

24v.Thomas Alexander Hughes, born 10 September 1846.

25vi.Willis Wilson Hughes, born 01 December 1848.

+26vii.William Shanton Hughes, born 30 September 1850 in Franklinton,

West Columbus, OH; died February 1931 in Minneapolis, MN.

+27viii.Mary Eliza Hughes, born 09 January 1853 in Columbus, OH; died

1917 in Minneapolis, MN.

28ix.Nancy Ella Hughes, born 27 May 1855. (I have pix of her daughter Florence)

29x.Walter Jas. Hughes, born 16 April 1858.

Generation No. 3

7. James6 Haslett (Eliza5 Hughes, James4, Alexander3, Christopher2,

James1) was born 01 November 1825 in Iron Works, Washinton County,

Pennsylvania. He married (1) Lovicy A. Partridge 23 January 1848 in St.

Clair Co., MI. He married (2) Sarah Adelaide Shaw 02 March 1880 in

Detraoit, Michigan.

Children of James Haslett and Lovicy Partridge are:

30i.Albert7 Haslett.

31ii.Charles Haslett.

32iii.Frank James Haslett, born 1854 in Port Huron, Michigan.

33iv.Belle Haslett, born September 1857; died 07 August 1876 in Port

Huron, Michigan.

34v.? Haslett, born 07 August 1876.

8. William6 Haslett (Eliza5 Hughes, James4, Alexander3, Christopher2,

James1) was born 1827. He married Mary Ellen Best in Buchanan, Berrien

Co., MI.

Child of William Haslett and Mary Best is:

35i.William Best7 Haslett, born 28 August 1855 in Buchanan, Berrien

Co., MI. He married Sarah Margaret Ashbrook.

11. Jane Ann6 Haslett (Eliza5 Hughes, James4, Alexander3, Christopher2,

James1) was born 08 August 1833. She married Benjamin F. Long 20 May

1852 in Mansfield, Rutland Co., OH.

Children of Jane Haslett and Benjamin Long are:

36i.?7 Long, born 20 March 1855 in Rochester, Ohio; died 20 March

1855.

37ii.Eva Mae Long, born 11 July 1857 in Charlotte, Michigan; died 1865

in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

38iii.Lizzie Orpha Long, born 07 July 1859 in North Eagle, Michigan.

39iv.Cora Maud Long, born 04 March 1866 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

13. Rebecca6 Haslett (Eliza5 Hughes, James4, Alexander3, Christopher2,

James1) was born 18 August 1836 in Richland County, OH, and died 28

September 1909 in Chickasaw, Co., IA. She married George H. Potter 09

October 1859 in Port Huron, St. Clair, Co., MI, son of Sylvester Potter

and Polly/Mary Stratton.

Children of Rebecca Haslett and George Potter are:

40i.Ida7 Potter, born 26 January 1860 in Port Huron, MI; died 05 April

1924 in Nashua, IA. She married Henry Nelson Crooks 25 July 1881.

41ii.Elmer Maurice Potter, born 19 January 1862 in Port Huron, MI;

died 21 March 1929 in Nashua, IA. He married (1) Eliza Day 01 March 1886

in Ionia, IA. He married (2) Clara Hastings 22 February 1894.

42iii.Genevieve Potter, born 17 December 1864 in Port Huron, MI; died

21 January 1920. She married John Albertus Bigelow 04 April 1889.

43iv.Herbert James Potter, born 21 April 1866 in Port Huron, MI; died

25 November 1943 in St. Cloud, MN. He married Josephine Gertrude Hance

08 September 1892 in Ionia, IA.

44v.Edward Grant Potter, born 1868 in Chickasaw Co., IA; died in MT.

45vi.Minnie Alura Potter, born 16 September 1870 in Chickasaw Co., IA;

died 17 March 1902.

46vii.Orlo Hughes Potter, born 07 October 1872 in Chickasaw Co., IA;

died 28 March 1965 in Nashua, IA. He married Mamie Amelia Watts 22

August 1895 in Bassett, IA.

26. William Shanton6 Hughes (James Eagleson5, James4, Alexander3,

Christopher2, James1) was born 30 September 1850 in Franklinton, West

Columbus, OH, and died February 1931 in Minneapolis, MN. He married (1)

Dora Palmer 23 August 1877 in Macon City, MO. He married (2) Anna Bowen

25 April 1894 in Minneapolis, MN.

Children of William Hughes and Dora Palmer are:

47i.Edith7 Hughes, born 02 July 1860.

48ii.Edward Sidney Hughes, born 26 October 1876 in Owatonna, MN. He

married Mabel Smith.

49iii.William Palmer Hughes, born 25 April 1891.

Children of William Hughes and Anna Bowen are:

50i.Rollin Bowen7 Hughes, born 24 July 1901.

51ii.Margaret Pamelia Hughes, born 20 August 1906.

27. Mary Eliza6 Hughes (James Eagleson5, James4, Alexander3,

Christopher2, James1) was born 09 January 1853 in Columbus, OH, and died

1917 in Minneapolis, MN. She married Thomas R. Newton 24 September 1879

in Minneapolis, MN.

Children of Mary Hughes and Thomas Newton are:

52i.Walter H.7 Newton, born in Minneapolis, MN.

53ii.Hubert T. Newton, born in Minneapolis, MN.

54iii.Willis T. Newton, born in Minneapolis, MN.

55iv.Florence Newton, born in Minneapolis, MN.

Ivy Hughes and Ruby Hughes are my dad's sisters.

George Henry Hughes was the third son of James Martin Hughes and Demaris (Mae) Shirley Hughes.

My Uncle George was one of the kindest men I have ever known. He worked for Meadow Gold Dairy and retired with them. He was always soft spoken and lived by the Golden Rule. He was married to Mary Widner Hughes. George and Mary are the parents of Sue Hughes Floyd.