William Tosh Huff (abt. 1790)

Born about 1790 in Polk, Tennessee [uncertain]

Ancestors

Descendants

Died [date unknown] in Jackson, Tennessee, United States [uncertain]

Problems/Questions Profile manager: J. J. Shipley [send private message]

Biography

William HUFF ( ) was included on the list of children of Samuel and Sarah (HIX) HUFF which was prepared by descendants in Marion Co, IL. There was indeed, one or more William HUFFs of the right age in early records of Smith and Jackson counties. In fact, there were definitely two William HUFF individuals whose families can be partly defined. Some background on the county may help.

Smith Co, TN, was formed in 1799 from Sumner, and its county seat is at Carthage. The early HUFF settlers in this part of TN would be first found in records for Sumner Co, then in Smith, then in the counties formed from Smith. Jackson Co was formed in 1801, White in 1806, Humphries in 1809, Macon in 1842, and Trousdale in 1870. The HUFF families associated with William seemed to have lived in the area where Putnam, Jackson, and Smith counties now join. They are listed in records naming Gainsborough in Jackson Co, Carthage in Smith Co, and Cookville and Bloomington in Putnam Co. Several of the families lived near Granville and are buried in its cemetery. Jackson Co boundaries with Smith were changed five miles westward in late 1805 after the Third Treaty of Tellico, which extinguished the remainder of Indian Claims in Tennessee's Upper Cumberland.

Some of the few but significant HUFF entries follow:

• 1798/99 One Samuel Huff was a member of Old Mulkey Church. (This church was actually in KY, but attracted members from many miles around, as it was one of the few places available to worship.)

• 1800 Smith Co, TN, Samuel Huff, Sr, admin. the estate for John LEE. (It is believed this was Samuel, husband of Sarah (HIX), of VA and TN.)

• 1812 A voters list from the Upper https://www.wikitree.com/skins/common/images/cite-source.pngCumberland made by listed Leonard, two Samuels, Richard, and William HUFF. (This is believed to be Samuel, Sr, and four of his sons, but this is hard to prove.) ("Upper Cumberland Association Newsletter," Cookville, TN)

• 1816 Smith Co, TN. Samuel HUFF witnessed a deed.

• 1817 Smith Co, TN. Samuel HUFF held 200 acres of land on Caney Fork. He was tax delinquent.

• 1820^[1]: Smith Co, TN, p , William Huff 301101-12010. This entry of 5 males and 4 females seems to define a family. One male was 16 to 18, and was recorded twice, if the census taker followed instructions. Otherwise, there could be another young male.

• 1827 Smith Co, TN. On 17 May 1827, Thomas FISHER got land next to HUFF on Caney Fork. (Which HUFF was not noted.)

• 1829 Smith Co, TN. On 23 Feb, 1829, William HUFF, James WILLIAMSON, and others were to relocate a road on WILLIAMSON Branch. This description showed William HUFF land to be on the east side of Williamson Branch. (Smith Co Court Minutes, Roll 43.)

• 1830^[2]: Smith Co, TN, p 105, Elizabeth HUFF 0111 - 1101101. (There was no William HUFF entry, and the family of Elizabeth seems to have numbers fairly consistent with the 1820 entry.) A Leonard HUFF was also listed for 1830, probably not very far away, showing on page 103 with 10001-0001. He is believed to be Leonard E. HUFF, son of Leonard and Nancy HUFF of VA, TN, and KY. However, James WILLIAMSON and Reuben PHARIS were quite close.

• 1830^[3]: Smith, Tennessee. Leonard Huff

• 1890^[4]: Smith, Tennessee. Nathan Huff, Spouse's Name Liza C Huff

If one tries to define a family for this William HUFF, with possible wife Elizabeth, there are other records of possible significance. John R. HUFF and Peter HUFF also held land on Caney Fork between 1820 and 1830. Study of the land forms by Betty Bryant show that William HUFF's land was contiguous to that of John R. HUFF, and close to that of Peter HUFF. There seems to be a definite relationship among these individuals. Neither Peter nor John R. HUFF show up in 1830 as heads of households. Nor did William, though Elizabeth was present.

a. Peter HUFF ( ). Entry No 828, dtd 8 May 1826 for Peter HUFF showed 300 acres ... on the East side of Caney Fork, ..., cornering Mrs. THORNTON (Smith Co Survey Books, Vol 1-7, Microfilm Roll 162), survey 16 May 1827. On 24 Aug 1829, there was a transfer of plat and Certificate of Survey for 100 acres from Peter HUFF to Henry M. CARR, acknowledged in open court by Peter HUFF.

b. John R. HUFF ( ). In 1820 John R. HUFF did jury duty in Jackson Co, TN. In Smith Co on 25 Feb 1828, at Thomas PORTER's estate sale, John HUFF bought a wheat form. (Smith Co Inventories, Roll 80). In Smith Co on 24 Aug 1829, a plat and certificate by RAULSTONE to John R. HUFF was recorded, with witnesses Peter HUFF and William JARED. The same plat and survey was then transferred fro John R. HUFF to Peter HUFF and was acknowledged in open court by John R. HUFF. This grant #9732 was recorded as being in Smith Co. Peter HUFF sold some of this land as a resident of Smith Co.

c. Ann ( ) on 5 Oct 1838 in Smith Co, TN, md John FULLER. It is possible she was a dau.

In some of the records, there was an indication that William was a schoolteacher. There were two other families of Samuel and Nathan which seem to be related, but not as likely as children. Neither could read nor write, and it does not seem logical that a schoolteacher would have had children without those skills. These two bring up the other William HUFF who shows on Jackson County records.

William HUFF owned land on Martin's Creek in Jackson Co prior to 1820. He probably died before 1820. This land was later occupied by Susanna HUFF, and the land was described as "Susan Huff's corner including a fine spring and the improvements whereon Susan Huff formerly lived." This land was involved in later lawsuits and was known as "The Tosh Huff Tract." Research by Betty Bryant indicates the possibility that there was a William HUFF who md Susanna ???, and that he was the original Tosh HUFF. Susanna was known as "Sooky" or "Sukey." In 1820, she was listed in Jackson Co with 110000-20010.

Possible ch of this couple incl:

a. Samuel (1806 Cherokee lands, TN - 20 Jan 1878 Jackson Co, TN) on 12 Nov 1844 at Granville, TN, md Lucinda HARDCASTLE (May 1819 TN - after 1900 TN), and they lived in Jackson Co. Their ch were George W.; Alexander; Sarah Elizabeth; William S.; Dorothula; Polly; Susannah; Leonard Jack; and Rebecca. Samuel and his son George W. both served in Comp A, 1st TN Inf (Mtd) (U. S.) during the Civil WAr.

b. Nathan H. "Tosh" (1822 TN - after 1897) was a farmer in Jackson Co, TN, who lived next to Samuel HUFF in 1850. He may have been his son from an earlier marriage. Nathan md three times. His first wife was Eliza WOLF ( - 1863), dau of Mat WOLF, and her ch were John Cullom and Keanis Absalom. Others may have been George; Mary E.; Marion Lafayette; Sarah; and Eliza. By 1870, the wife was Polly Ann LOFLIS (1822 TN - ) and her ch seem to have been Susannah; Sidney S.; Nathan H.; and Samuel. Nathan md (3) Louisa CASNERN (Dec 1846 KY/TN - ) and she had one HUFF ch, Joseph J. At some point, Louisa HUFF and her son Joseph J. and her CASNERN ch moved to Crawford Co, AR. Nathan was not recorded there.

Huff lineage for William Tosh and Susanna ( ) of VA and TN; prob. Samuel and Sarah (Hix) of VA and TN; poss. Peter and Mary (Toney) of PA and VA;

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1820," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLT-ZLL : accessed 3 December 2021), William Huff, Smith, Tennessee, United States; citing p. 62, NARA microfilm publication M33, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 125; FHL microfilm 193,687.
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP4-G2M : 20 February 2021), Elizabeth Huff, Smith, Tennessee, United States; citing 105, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 181; FHL microfilm 24,539.
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1830," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHP4-GVH : 20 February 2021), Leonard Huff, Smith, Tennessee, United States; citing 103, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 181; FHL microfilm 24,539.
4. ↑ "United States Census of Union Veterans and Widows of the Civil War, 1890," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K8SQ-WRB : 8 March 2021), Nathan Huff, 1890; citing NARA microfilm publication M123 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 338,255.

• Research by Betty Bryant of Austin, TX.

• Max Huff, "WILLIAM TOSH AND POSS. SUSANNA HUFF OF TN, 14 June 1993:

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Karen Gray for creating WikiTree profile Huff-1066 through the import of beachboard Family Tree.ged on Aug 28, 2013. Click to the Changes page for the details of edits by Karen and others.

• familysearch.com

BURIAL
Mount Pleasant Cemetery
Big Reedy, Edmonson County, Kentucky, USA
PLOT Section A, Row 09, Plot 21
MEMORIAL ID 7644519 · Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 06 January 2022), memorial page for Nathan Huff (20 Jan 1816–1 Mar 1878), Find A Grave: Memorial #7644519, citing Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Big Reedy, Edmonson County, Kentucky, USA ; Maintained by J Geoghan (contributor 47007204) .