Jefferson Huff (1810 - 1881)

Born 7 Jan 1810 in Tennessee, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Lutilda (Rice) Huff — married 12 Jul 1831 in Putnam Co., Indiana

Husband of Emeline E. (Carey) Hasbrouck — married 28 Feb 1859 (to 25 Mar 1866) in Linn Co., Oregon

Husband of Mary Jane (Richardson) Huff — married 4 Mar 1871 in Macon County, Missouri, USA

Descendants

Died 27 Aug 1881 at age 71 in Tooele, Tooele, Utah

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Jackie Marshall [send private message]

Biography

According to his burial and census records, Jefferson was born in Tennessee. It does not appear to be documented in which county he was born. It was alleged here that he was born in Jefferson County. However, it would seem more likely that he would have been born in that part of what was Overton County in 1810, that in 1823 became Fentress County, which is where his father's brothers and sister settled.(documentation needed)

1796 Feb 1: MARRIAGE License #112, p 12, Phillip Huff & Mima Turman, No return. [Jefferson Co, TN Court Clerk Marriages Dec 1792 - Aug 1840. FHL Film #0968301]

Burial Record of Jefferson Huff; Tooele City Cemetery, Tooele, Utah; The book is large, fragile and difficult to manipulate on the copy machine.
12. Jefferson Huff
To Whom Related: Phillip & Jemima Huff
Birth: 4 Jan 1810 at Ten... [cut off] [This is near the center binding.]
Death: __ [blurred] Aug 1881
Cause Heart Disease
Burial 29 Aug 1881 at Tooele;
Location: Plat A; Block 3; Lot 59 South Half
13. Homer Huff
To Whom Related [parents]: Jefferson & Jane Huff
Born 23 Jan 1872 at B.. [blurred & cut-off]
Death date [blurred];
Cause Pneumonia
Physician: A.M. Davis, M.D.
Burial 4 Oct 1892 at Tooele;
Location: Plat A; Block 3; Lot 59 South Half

1820 US Census, KY, Cumberland Co, p 149, line 13, Roll 19. Jemima Huff head: 120100-11110 Males: 1 age -9; 2 age 10-16 [accounts boy Jefferson's age]; 1 age 18-26. Females: 1 age -9; 1 age 10-16; 1 age 16-26; 1 age 26-45 [accounts for Jemima].

1830 US Census: Putnam Co., Indiana, roll 30, p 189, line 28 Jefferson Huff, 1 male age 20-29

1831 Jul 12: MARRIAGE Huff to Rice; Putnam Co., IN, Marriage Book O, pg 3. "State of Indiana. To any person authorized in Putnam County _ to celebrate matrimony you are hereby commanded to join in matrimony Jefferson Huff and Lutilda Rice and this shall be your warrant for the same. Given under my hand and seal the 12th Day of July 1831, A. McGaughy, clk. Executed July 12th 1831 by William R. Smith (P.G.?) A. McGaughey, Clerk" [LDS FHC film #1315784, Item 3]

1835-1837: Jefferson Huff from Putnam Co, Indiana purchased land in Boone Co., Indiana; 22 Jun 1835; 21 Aug 1835; 9 Nov 1835 & 15 May 1837. [Boone Co, Indiana Tract Book, searched by GenWeb look-up volunteer Sharon Gilbert]

1840 US Census: Boone Co., Indiana, roll 74, p 144, line 29. Jefferson HUFF 110011-1101: Males; 1, age 0-4; 1, 5-9; 1, 20-29; 1, 30-39; Females; 1 age 0-4; 1, 5-9; 1 age 15-19 (sic); Remarks - Total 5 (sic), 2 people employed in agriculture. [This accounts for Philip, Henry, a young man, & Jefferson; then Denelia, Sarah Elizabeth, & Lutilda, wrong box checked for her age.]

1848: "The first physician in the neighborhood [Carlisle] was Dr. Spears... The next was Dr. Huff, who came from Indiana in 1848. Squire Guthrie says he started on his westward way as a blacksmith, but ere the journey of six hundred miles was completed be had blossomed out into a physician. ...." [The History of Polk County, Iowa, 1880, Union Historical Company, Birdsall, Williams & Co. , p 340, from http://afallingstar.com]

1850 Mar 29: DEED INDEX Polk Co., IA: Jefferson Huff from Samuel P. Hamilton 120 acres, Bk D p 27, filed 9 May 1850. 1850 May 23: DEED INDEX Polk Co, IA: Jefferson Huff from John T. Moorman 40 acres, Bk D p 180, filed 28 Sep 1850. 1850 Sep 28: DEED INDEX Polk Co, IA: Jefferson Huff from William Henry Reynolds, "See Record:, Bk D p 28, filed 9 May 1850.

1850 US Census: Fort Des Moines, Polk, Iowa; roll 188; p 35 381/394 Jefferson HUFF age 39 Physician b TN Matilda age 37 b KY; Henry age 17 farming b IN Elizabeth age 15 born IN Phillip age 11 b IN Dinelia age 10 b IN Ellen age 8 b IN Jefferson age 6 b IN Gilbert H. age 4 b IN Reuben age 5/12 b IA

1851 Oct 22: DEED INDEX Polk Co, IA: Jefferson Huff to Wesley I. Banks (long illegible description), Bk E p 463, filed 13 Sep 1852. [I ordered this film Mar 5 1999 (#1013154) from Salt Lake and my order was returned suggesting I reorder in 6-12 months. Credit received.]

1852 Iowa State Census: Richland, Polk Co., p 012, Jefferson Huff. Can be searched by State Historical Society of Iowa. [CD #317] NOTE: Hartford, Richland township, Polk Co., Iowa (now in Warren Co.). This territory was involved in an interesting dispute between the towns of Des Moins & Brookline when they were in competition for the Polk county seat. Des Moins 'borrowed' 144 acres from Warren County in order to place itself nearer the center of the county. It won the seat. Then in 1849 Warren County requested it's territory returned. The Iowa legislature granted it in 1853. (Warren Co. GenWeb page) Jefferson Huff lived in that part now in Warren County.

1852 Nov 11: The Huff family arrived in Oregon Territory after a long difficult journey on the Oregon Trail. Six of their children died of cholera. [Bio Elizabeth Byars] Family story told by Elizabeth Root Junkins to her dau-in-law, Vernice Junkins: Dr. Jefferson Huff was concerned about the health of his family while crossing the hot plains. He would only allow them to drink hot water. When they came to a river, his daughter, Elizabeth, would sneak some cool water. It tasted so very good! She did this every chance she got, but would get in trouble if caught.

'A HISTORY OF THE WOODLAND COMMUNITY 1850-1958', p 182, Jefferson Huff, a native of Indiana, took up a Donation Land Claim on what are now the Fleetwood, Jay, and Andy Smith places in 1853. He was the first representative in the territorial legislature. He established a Post Office and store called Pekin on the Lewis River in 1853 and conducted both until 1855 until he removed the sphere of his labors. He was a man of considerable importance, holding the office of Vice President of the Territorial Agricultural Society. He was a neighbor of Capt. Wm. Bratton from whom he received some grape cuttings. Some time after the Capt. asked him how the vines were doing. The Dr. replied, "I do not think they will grow, I have pulled them up two or three times and there is no sign of roots to them yet!" (CENTENNIAL SALUTE) "...took part in an experiment to grow grapes in Clark County."

1853 Jun 6: OREGON DONATION LAND CLAIM Certificate #57, Notification #229; Jefferson HUFF; Clark Co. Washington Territory, Sections 9 & 16; T5N R1E; sc 6 June 1853; born 1809/1810 in Tennessee; m Lutilda 12 July 1831, IN; Arr. ter. 11 Nov. 1852; ch: Elizabeth, Ellen, Jefferson; Signed Aff: William Irwin, Irijah Byars, D. P. Bowles, & D. R. R. Powers. [This land is now (2000) the Lewis River golf course!)

"PEKIN was located about three miles south of Woodland, on the north bank of the Lewis River. The Pekin post office was established in 1854 by Jefferson Huff. Huff was born in Indiana and served as the county's first Representative to the Washington Territory legislature. The post office was discontinued in 1886." p 156-58, Guy Reed Ramsey, 'POSTMARKED WASHINGTON: Lewis and Cowlitz Counties', Lewis Co. Historical Society, 1978. http://www.halcyon.com/jennyrt/wacowlitz/townsmz.html

1854 Feb 27: Journal of the Council of the Territory of Washington - First session of Legislative Assembly, Olympia [Jefferson Huff, not listed]

1854 & 1855: Jefferson Huff, Council Member of the Second and Third Sessions of the Washington Territorial Legislature. [MEMBERS OF THE TERRITORIAL LEGISLATURE 1854-1887, compiled by Ellen Levesque. Olympia: Washington State Library, 1989. pages 2 & 3]

1855-1856: INDIAN WARS: Jefferson Huff enlisted as a private in Capt. William Bratton's 'Lewis River Rangers' 17 Oct 1855 for the Indian Wars. He was 40 (sic) years old, born Indiana, 6'0" tall, ruddy complexion, brown hair, and blue eyes. He supplied his own horse and weapon. He served until 31 Jan 1856. ['Clark County Pioneers: A Centennial Salute' by The Clark Co. Gen. Soc., Vancouver, WA for the Washington State Centennial '89.]

1856 Mar 27: "... at which date he was compelled to abandon his claim temporarily in consequence of threatened danger from hostile Indians .... cultivated same to Nov 23 1857. But in consequence of it being some distance from help in case of danger he considered it unsafe to return with his family who were apprehensive of danger." (DLC, p 11) 1856: The obit of Irijah Byars said that the family lived in Washington for 3 years. The obit of Elizabeth Huff Byars says that after leaving the land on the North Fork of the Lewis River she and her husband traded their homestead with James John for 100 acres in St. John's, Multnomah Co., OR. The Historical Sketch on Elizabeth Huff Byars by the Pioneer Association says that both families went to St. Johns, Multnomah Co., OR in 1860 or '61.

1857 Oct 3: Lutilda HUFF died of Puerperal fever, wife of Jefferson Huff, aged 45 years, near Portland, OR. (np death notices) Lutilda Huff died 3 Oct 1857 leaving one married child, Elizabeth, & two minor children, Ellen & Jefferson. [DLC]

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH: Elizabeth Huff Byars; by OR Pioneer Asso., Multnomah Park Cemetery, Portland, OR; file of Irijah Byars: "Her Father, Dr. Jefferson Huff, lived in that state (Indiana) until about 1836 when he removed with the family to Hartford, Iowa near Des Moines. In both Indiana and Iowa he engaged in the practice of medicine. While a resident of the latter state he heard glowing accounts of the Far West and concluded to investigate. ... She was a young lady of 17 when her father started westward with his family consisting of his wife and nine children. In those early days, Mr. Huff was considered a wealthy man. He traveled in better style than most immigrants, taking with him three wagons with four yoke of oxen to each wagon and other valuable livestock. He hired to go with him to drive one of the teams a young man of the name of Irijah Byars, then 21 years of age. The trip was a hazardous one and sorrow attended them as a close companion for six of the nine children died on the way. The others were also ill with the exception of Mrs. Byars (Elizabeth Huff) who stood the trip remarkably well. In the company leaving Iowa there were 52 wagons ... but family after family dropped out en route until only three remained when they arrived in Oregon. ... spent the first winter in Portland upon the site of the 1905 exposition of Lewis and Clark. The next spring they went to Washington, Clarke County, on the Lewis River where the father took up a donation claim of 320 acres. They lived upon this claim for two years and were often compelled to leave because the Indians were upon the warpath. There was a mission at the Cascades and upon a 30 minute warning given by the government agent to move, the Huff family did so. The government, however, gave them the patent for the land which they had been obliged to leave because of the eminent danger in that locality. Later the father sold the claim. In the meantime the friendship between Irijah Byars and Elizabeth Huff developed into a strong attachment and they were married on the ninth of August, 1853. They immediately took up a claim near the father's property, though compelled to give it up on account of the Indian Massacre. Both families disposed of all their belongings and went to St. Johns, where Mr. Byars purchased 100 acres of land which was a part of the donation claim of James Johns. This was in 1860 or 1861."

1858 Sep 10-14: He was a member of the Christian Church and served as the delegate from Clackamas County at the annual state meeting of the Christian Churches. From: <Vanchurch@aol.com> BJ Miller: Dr. Jerry Rushford, professor at Pepperdine University in Malibu, has written a book, "Christians on the Oregon Trail." It's a history of the Churches of Christ / Christian Churches / Disciples of Christ / "Campbellites" in Oregon Territory from 1842 - 1882. He had access to church history documents including the delegate lists from the annual state meetings. Jefferson Huff's name appears on the list of delegates from Clackamas County at the 1858 meeting. The men who attended those meetings were selected by their home congregation to represent their church because of their involvement with the church. Thus we would conclude that Jefferson was actively involved in the Christian Church in Clackamas County at that time. He reported that the Clackamas church had 45 members that year and he was the only delegate from there. The minutes of that state meeting were published in the Oregon Argus, a paper published in Oregon City by William Lysander Adams. Because of Adams' connection with the church, he frequently published news of the Christian Church in Oregon. The meeting was held at the Mill Creek church in Marion Co.

1859 Feb 28: MARRIAGE; Linn County (OR) Marriage Book. Jefferson Huff to Emeline E. Johnson "This is to certify that the undersigned, a minister of the gospel, did on the 28th day of February 1859 join in lawful wedlock Jefferson Huff & Emeline E. Johnson with their mutual consent in presence of Richard Benjamin & Alex Kirk. J.M. Anderson (Minister)" [OSA]

1859 Nov 4: Assessment Roll, Linn Co., p 90, Jefferson Huff listed & taxed on Real Estate valued at $2,560. [OSA]

1860 US Census: Brownsville PO, Linn, Oregon; M653_1055; Page: 328 221/387 Jefferson Huff, age 50, Stock Raiser, $6,493/3,000, b Tennessee Emeline Huff, age 47, b Mass. Mary Huff, age 13, b Mo. Jefferson Huff, age 15, b Ind. Cora Cox, age 32, B [Black], Slave, b Virginia Adeline Cox, age 5/12, B, Slave, b Ogn John Cox, age 57, B, Farm laborer, b Tennessee

1863: Jefferson's marriage to Emeline was not a happy one and, according to her, he left her in 1863 after a stormy relationship. 1866 DIVORCE: Emeline E. Huff, Plaintiff; Jefferson Huff, defendant; Linn Co., OR, Albany Court Case #851, Vol 2, pgs 232-264. Filing date 25 Mar 1866. The trial was very one-sided, Jefferson did not appear. The divorce papers include a copy of a newspaper article subpoena clearly suggesting that no one knew of his whereabouts. Emeline accused him of violent behavior and abusive language. There were no children born to this marriage.

?CIVIL WAR: This Jefferson Huff not in Union Civil War Pension Index NARA. There is only one, from MO, widow applied 1893. "Searched 'Compiled Service Records of Volunteer Union Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Oregon' microfilm that includes both cavalry and infantry but found nothing for either Jefferson or Thomas J. Huff. Also searched the Oregon Military Department muster roll cards for 1861-1865 and found nothing. Gary Halvorson, Reference Archivist" [OSA]

1870 US CENSUS, NEVADA, Lander Co., Beowawe, pg 149, Dwelling #10, no family number, National Archives Microfilm Roll 834. J. Huff, age 58, born Tennessee, Blk. Smith, Value Real Estate 150, Value Personal Property 2400, Eligible to vote; T. J. Huff, age 24 born Indiana, Laborer, Eligible to vote; Ah Low age 41 born China, RR Labor. [This town had 14 dwellings and only 3 families. Most were men working for the railroad. It was the Central Pacific RR at that time, later Southern Pacific. Beowawe was a center for the cattle industry.]

1871 Mar 4: MARRIAGE "This is to certify that I Daniel Moody one of the Justices of the Peace within and for the county of Macon and State of Missouri did on the fourth day of [March] solemnize the rights of matrimony between Mr. Jefferson Huff of Nevada and Mrs. Mary J. Merser of Macon County, Missouri. Danl. Moody JP, Filed for Record March 6th, 1871, BF Stone, Recorder". [Macon Co., MO Marriage Volume E, p 140. FHL Film #0986960]

ANCESTRAL FILE: Dr. Jefferson Huff m Mary Jane Richardson (widow of Page Mercer) 5 Mar 1871. Dr. Jefferson Huff born "<1828> <,Paluski, KY>". This is the connection to Warren Mercer of the IGI who has birth date, place, & parents for Jefferson Huff. Warren was the son of John Berry Mercer and a grandson of Mary Jane Richardson Mercer Huff. AF has no death date or place for Jefferson Huff.

1872: HOMER SUMPTER HUFF born 23 Jan 1872, Eureka, Eureka, Nevada to Jefferson Huff & Mary Jane Richardson. (IGI, relative Warren Mercer) The Ancestral File does not list him. [Tooele City Cemetery has Beowewa, NV birthplace.]

+HISTORY OF TOOELE COUNTY by the Tooele County Chapter of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers, pg 265. This reference is contained within a short history of Erda. "Among the families entering the locale through the homesteading period were the families of .... JEFFERSON HUFF FAMILY." Erda is an unincorporated farming area located in Tooele Valley. It is located about halfway between Tooele and the junction of highways 36 and 138 heading towards the Great Salt Lake. In some of the earliest records this area was refered to as Rose Springs. [from Jennifer Banks Tooele County GenWeb look-up volunteer]

1880 US CENSUS, UTAH, Tooele Co., Upper Settlement Canyon, ED 75, p 20, Nos. 5/5, NARA Roll 1338. Jefferson Huff age 67, born Tennessee, farmer, Father born Virginia, Mother born Tennessee; Mary J. Huff 41, wife, keeping house, b Conn., parents b Conn; Mary Mercer, 21, step-daughter, single, at home, b Mo; William P. Mercer 12, stepson, at home, b Mo; Homer Huff 8, son, b Nevada.

1881 Aug 27: DEATH date in PROBATE RECORDS "...Jefferson Huff died on the 27th day of August - AD 1881, Intestate, in the City and County of Tooele, that he was a resident of said City and County at the time of his death and that he has left Estate in the City and County of Tooele..." [Tooele Co., UT Probate Orders 1874-1892, p 125-6] Information in this document also links him to his family in Oregon. "Three notices as aforesaid addressed to ELIZABETH BYERS, ELLEN GROUNDS, and THOS. J. HUFF heirs of said deceased residing in the State of OREGON." His wife Mary Jane Huff applied for and was granted administration. [FHC film #0482522] Also pgs 140, 146-7, 170-1, 328-231 mostly regarding guardianship of Homer Huff.

+CEMETERY SEARCH ON-LINE, Tooele, UT; Jefferson Huff b 1-7-1810 TN; Father, Phillip Huff; Mother, Jemima; Died 8-27-1892 (sic); Burial 8-19-1892 (sic); #3-59-1. [Utah State Historical Society, Burials Database, Utah Cemetery Inventory Project, Tooele City Cemetery Records]

TOOELE CITY CEMETERY LOT RECORD: Block 3, Lot 59, Plat A; Half of this plot was purchased 21 Nov 1881 in name of Jefferson Huff. The other half was purchased in May 1873 by Chauncey R. Nichols, there is only one Nichols burial, grave #4. On 2-17-99 Tooele City reclaimed graves #3, 5, & 6. Remark on the record "Grave numbers other than 2 & 8 not shown in the records."

1. 1) Jefferson Huff; father Phillip Huff; mother Jemima; spouse Mary Jane Richardson; born Tennessee 7 Jan 1810; died 27 Aug 1881; buried 29 Aug 1881.
2. 2) Mary Jane Huff; father Fawbush Richardson; mother Lucinda; spouse Jefferson Huff; born Pulasky, Connecticut (sic) 10 Aug 1832; died 17 Jul 1902; buried 19 Jul 1902.
3. 7) Willard E. Mercer; father Willard P. Mercer; mother Lillian M.; born Tooele, Utah 2 Jan 1897; died Tooele, Utah 6 Feb 1897; buried 9 Feb 1897.
4. 8) Homer Huff; father Jefferson Huff; mother Mary Jane Richardson; born Beowewa, Nevada 23 Jan 1872; died 2 Oct 1892; buried 4 Oct 1892.

A copy of this cemetery record was sent to me by Andrea DuClos of Tooele who volunteered for the RootsWeb CEMETERY PHOTOS site. She also included this description of the cemetery & graves. "12 Mar 2000 ... The Tooele City Cemetery is located on a hillside on the south end of the city of Tooele, Utah near a rounded hill called 'Little Mountain'. Your ancestors are located in what is now the southern section of the City Cemetery along the northwest corner near the boundary fence. The nearest city crossroads are 50 East and 400 South. According to Tooele City Cemetery Lot Records (enclosed), Jefferson Huff purchased four burial plots in 1881. The family plot is bare except for one solitary sandstone marker in what appears to be the northeastern corner of the plot. The sandstone is very weathered on all but the East side. The name of Homer Huff appears clearly on this East side (picture). The North side of the sandstone has faint tracings of Mary Jane Richardson and Jefferson Huff. Mary Jane's name is at the top followed by her birth date and death date. Jefferson's name begins mid-way down followed by his birth and death dates. The South and West sides have been weathered smooth and it is impossible to tell if they were once engraved or not. It appears this marker is the headstone for the three Huff family members. There was no visable marker for Willard Mercer, but the Lot Record shows he is buried next to Homer Huff. Andrea DuClos" She sent 11 pictures of the stone & cemetery. What a beautiful location! Snow covered mountains are in the distance. Only Homer's side of the stone is really readable "HOMER HUFF / Born in / Eureka / Nevada / Jan 23, 1872 / Died at Tooele / Oct. 2, 1892." There is some leaf-like decoration. This is a standing pillar style stone.

From Betty Ellsworth Jul 1999: I talked with my Aunt Mildred Mercer who is nearly 90, and she remembers putting flowers on Mary Jane's and Jefferson Huff's graves. She remembers that they are buried in the n.w. corner of the old part of the Tooele Cemetery up against the fence. ... No one seems to know anything about Jefferson Huff's and Mary Jane Richardson's meeting in Macon Mo. As It seems to me that they could have met as they both were moving large herds of cattle through the states.

+'HOUGH & HUFF FAMILIES OF THE US: SOME HUFF FAMILIES OF TENNESSEE, Vol III, by Granville W. Hough, 3438-B Bhia Blanca West, Lahuna Hills, CA 92653, 1983. page 56 [LDS FHC Film #1035639] "Jefferson Huff of TN, MO, NV, & UT Jefferson Huff (1813TN- ) on __ at __ md Mrs. Mary J. Mercer (Aug 1832KY- ) and lived in several states. He could have been a minor, but more likely was an LDS convert. Ch: HUFF a. step dau Mary Mercer (1859MO b. William P. (1868MO c. Homer (1872NC (sic) d. In 1900 widow Mary J. lived with son Willard Mercer (Aug 1867MO) & his family. Possibly this is the person listed above as William P. Lineage is Jefferson, --- [census years 1820 - 1860 listed with no information] 1870 Lander Co., NV, Bedwawe, p149, T.J. Huff 1800 Tooele Co UT, Tooele Upper Canyon Settlement, 3-75-20-29 Jefferson Huff. 1900 Tooele Co UT, Batesville, 8-143-3-12. Mary J. Huff lived with son Willard Mercer."

FLASH IDEA: Could his son Homer's middle name be a clue to his Civil War whereabouts? Homer 'Sumpter' Huff, Sumpter is recorded in the LDS database, not on gravestone. It is hard to tell from the name even which side Jefferson Huff supported. Sumpter was a Union fort of questionable value captured by the south in one of the earliest engagements of the war.

+QUESTIONS: How did Jefferson meet & marry a widow from Macon Co., Missouri in 1871 when he was a blacksmith in Beowawe, Nevada in 1870? (She was in MO w/ her children in 1870.) Marriage record says "Jefferson Huff of Nevada". Their child, Homer Huff, was born 1872 in Eureka (or Beowawe), Nevada. Consider possibility that Jefferson Huff was in Missouri for the Civil War, perhaps as a doctor? Or perhaps he had relatives there? Or could Mary Jane have been a mail-order bride? There weren't a lot of single men in MO in her age group after the Civil War and there were hardly any women in Beowawe, NV. Where were Jefferson and Thomas Jefferson Huff 1863-1870? What about Mr. Hough's suggestion that he could have been an LDS convert? But probably not, since the Mercer descendants were doing the LDS Temple work for him.

+NOTES: Clark Co, WA had a courthouse fire 25 Feb 1890 & records were lost. County Auditor's office has no deeds before 1890.

Sources

• Tooele City Cemetery Records