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Daniel Huff (1816 - 1899)

Daniel Huff
Born in Surry, North Carolina, United Statesmap
Ancestors ancestors
[sibling(s) unknown]
Husband of — married 24 Jul 1844 in Wayne Co., North Carolinamap
Died at age 82 in Fountain City, Wayne, Indiana, United Statesmap
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Profile last modified | Created 28 Feb 2016
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Biography

Daniel was a Friend (Quaker)

His family history back five generations, profiled in Wayne County Indiana History publications. Paternal lineage as a son of John Huff, son of Daniel, son of Daniel, son of Daniel Huff.[1]

Biographical Sketch (1899) Daniel Huff

The history of pioneer days in Wayne county is a familiar story to this venerable and honored man, who from an early period in the development of this section of the state has resided in the vicinity of Fountain City, where he now makes his home. All the hardships and difficulties of life on the frontier are familiar to him, the arduous task of developing new land, of clearing away the timber, of living in log cabins, and depending upon the fruits of the farm for the necessaries of life.
Daniel Huff was born in Surry county, North Carolina, November 29, 1816, and is the son of John and Mary (Burnside) Huff. His great-great-grandfather, his great-grandfather and his grandfather each bore the name of Daniel. The last mentioned was probably born in England, as were the earlier generations, but at an early period removed from New Jersey to North Carolina. His first wife was a Miss Worley, and their children were Daniel, Keziah, Jemima and Mary. His second wife was Abigail Pike, and their children were Jesse, John, Sarah and Rebecca. The eldest son became a resident of Ohio, and there the grandfather's death probably occurred. Jesse became a resident of New Garden township, Wayne county, Indiana, where he died when more than eighty years of age. Daniel, Jesse and John all married sisters, — Sarah, Elizabeth and Mary Burnside, respectively. Anna Huff, a sister in this family, became the wife of Edward Bond, and both she and her husband died in Webster township, Wayne county. Martha married Israel Hough and resided in New Garden township, Wayne county. He died in early life, but she survived until her eightieth year. Her last days were spent in the home of her husband's nephew, William Hough, whose wife was Keziah Huff, daughter of Jesse Huff.
John Huff, father of our subject, married Miss Mary Burnside, after a courtship of thirteen years. In 1819 they came to Wayne county, locating a mile east of the New Garden Friends' meeting-house and a mile and a half southeast of the village of Fountain City. A part of this place is now owned by our subject. There John Huff carried on farming until his death, which occurred in 1852, when he had reached the age of eighty-one years. His wife, who was a native of Maryland, but removed with her parents to North Carolina during her girlhood, died in1846, in her sixty-seventh year. She was a very social and talented woman, and for more than a quarter of a century served as clerk of the New Garden quarterly meeting. She also had a wide reputation as a physician, and her many admirable womanly qualities won her the love of all who knew her. In their family were nine children: James, who died at the age of thirty-seven, was a millwright by trade and made his home on the old family farmstead. He married Susan Butler, a half sister of his brother Daniel's wife, and their son, Robert B. Huff, now resides in Richmond. Christie was treasurer of Wayne county for eight years. He was killed in an explosion on a Mississippi river steamboat, while ‘’en route’’ for St. Louis. He was then well advanced in years. Matilda became the wife of David Maxwell, had two children and died in early womanhood. Amelia, who also died in early womanhood, was the wife of Jonathan Elliott, of Dublin, Wayne county. Daniel is the next of the family. Tamar married Moses Spray, and spent her last years near New London, Indiana, where she died at the age of fifty years. Nathan, Asa and John all died in early childhood.
Daniel Huff spent his early life upon his father's farm, and shared with the family in all the hardships and privations which fall to the lot of the pioneer. He saw the deer and heard the howling of the timber wolves in the dense forests. The home was a log cabin, with puncheon floor and clay and stick chimney, but all day long he was away from its sheltering roof, working in the clearing or in the cornfields from early morning until dewy eve. His educational privileges were exceedingly limited. Only twice was he enabled to attend the subscription schools, — it was before the day of public schools, — and those were held in vacated log cabins, one end of which was almost entirely occupied by the huge fireplace, from which the smoke ascended through a chimney large enough for a bear to descend. A little circle of puncheon benches surrounded the open fire and accommodated the entire school. Some of the boys were clad in buckskin trousers and spotted-fawn vests. The teaching was very primitive, and the birch rod formed an important part of the method of instruction. One teacher announced his plans after this fashion-: "If you rassle, it is a whoopen; if you clime saplins, it is a whoopen; if you go out of bounds, it is a whoopen; if you are off at callin' of books, it is a whoopen." Thus through a long list of rules, the pupils were informed that they would receive a "whoopen" for any infringement. Mr. Huff performed his share of the farm work with a wooden pitchfork, single-shovel plow and other rude implements, mowing and cradling by hand, hoeing corn and trampling out wheat. At the age of twenty-one he left the parental roof and engaged to work for a wagon-maker, in Fountain City, for three months, for eight dollars per month and his board. He displayed especial aptitude in his work, his wages were raised and he decided to continue at the business. He then rented his little farm, and after two years formed a partnership with William R. Williams, with whom he was associated for five years.
On the 24th of July, 1844, Mr. Huff was married, and then rented the old tavern and kept boarders in addition to the conduct of his wagon shop. Later he left the tavern for a time, but subsequently returned to it and kept a public house and omnibus office, and cared for the boarders and stage horses for a long period. The place was conducted as a public house for a half century, Mr. Huff being in charge for thirty years. For a similar period he was connected with Linden Osborn in carrying on the wagon shop, his connection with that business continuing from1837 until 1891, — more than fifty years. His building then burned, entailing considerable loss of timber, tools and cash stored in the shop. He did not rebuild, but retired to private life to enjoy a rest which he has truly earned and richly deserves.
All through the long years he found in Mrs. Huff a most faithful companion and helpmeet. She bore the maiden name of Emily Jane Nixon, and was a daughter of Samuel and Rhoda (Hubbard) Nixon, of Fountain City. Her father was an old Virginia farmer, and, in North Carolina, married Rhoda (Hubbard) Butler, who was then a widow and had three children. Mr. and Mrs. Nixon had four children, the eldest being Emily, who was married in the old home, where they since have lived. Martha Ann, the second daughter, married Stephen Coffin, a merchant of Williamsburg. Later he was a pork-packer of Cincinnati and Indianapolis, and subsequently went to Alabama. He finally returned north and died in Fountain City. The sons of the family are Dr. Oliver W. Nixon, treasurer and literary editor, and William Penn Nixon, editor-in-chief of the Chicago Inter Ocean. Samuel Nixon, the father of Mrs. Huff, came to Wayne county in 1829, and soon afterward erected the house in which our subject now resides. He died at the advanced age of eighty-four years.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. Huff were born four children: Rhoda Alice, wife of Sol Woody, of Fountain City; Charles Sumner, a merchant of Martinsville, Indiana; Oliver N., a practicing physician; and Atwood, a traveling salesman. The mother died on the fifth of December, 1889, shortly after her return from the convention of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union, in Chicago, where, as a guest of honor, she had occupied a seat upon the platform. She was a woman of strong intellectuality and was very active in the women's crusade movement against the saloons. She was one of the three women who entering a wholesale liquor house in Richmond to protest against the business, were locked in by the proprietor, while he went to consult the authorities as to their arrest. He was obliged, however, to return and open the door without accomplishing his purpose. Mrs. Huff was a most lovable character, and her kindly nature, upright Christian life and many admirable womanly qualities won her the high regard of many friends.
In 1840 Mr. Huff gave his political support to William Henry Harrison and the Whig party. In 1841, when a Liberty ticket was placed in the field, he recorded a protest against the evils of slavery by voting that ticket and continued an active advocate of the abolition movement until the civil war had accomplished the downfall of slavery. He voted for Fremont in 1856, for Lincoln in 1860, and continued to act with the Republican party until the temperance question was made a dominant issue, when he identified himself with the party that stands for the prohibition of the liquor traffic. He still has in his possession an old one-horse wagon which was frequently used in conveying fugitive slaves on their way to freedom. Fountain City was then one of the terminals of the famous underground railway, of which Levi Coffin was president. His old brick house, which sheltered a great number of slaves, still stands a silent reminder of those dark days. Many of the negroes were also entertained under Mr. Huff's roof and as a " conductor " on the " rail- road " he has conveyed many of them to the next "station" on their way to freedom. Mr. Huff is a member of the Society of Friends and holds to that faith in its ancient purity. At the age of twenty-two he was brought to realize his sinful condition, and after days of agitation, in which his spirit was torn by the conflict between wright and wrong, there came to his soul peace and happiness beyond expression. His life has since been that of an honorable Christian gentleman, and now in his declining years he is accorded that veneration and respect which should ever be the fitting crown of a long career of honor and usefulness.
[Since this biography was written Daniel Huff, on July 6, 1899, ripe in years and honors, died at the Old Mansion house where he had so long resided; and his body was laid to rest by the side of that of his wife in the cemetery of Fountain City.][2]

Sources

  1. The Biographical and Genealogical History of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin Counties, Indiana (1899)
  2. ’’Biographical and genealogical history of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin counties, Indiana ....’’ Chicago, Lewis, 1899. pp. 805-809. https://hdl.handle.net/2027/chi.101531283
  • Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 19 January 2020), memorial page for Daniel Huff (1816–1899), Find A Grave Memorial no. 100057109, citing Willow Grove Cemetery, Fountain City, Wayne County, Indiana, USA ; Maintained by DSON1492 (contributor 46855689).




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