HUGHES: Of Spencer and Harper.

Thomas Hughes, the emigrant ancestor of this family was of Welch descent, as the name indicates, and, with his parents, came from Scotland to America sometime prior to the Revolution, and settled at Rahway, New Jersey. He had a son, Thomas, born in New Jersey, in 1768, who married Ann Moore, about the year 1794, and soon thereafter settled in a section of the Monongahela Valley in a part now included in Marion County, West Virginia. They brought up seven children whose names were William. Nellie (Eleanor), John, Josiah, Thomas, James and Mary.

Henry Thomas Hughes, son of William Hughes, and John Wilson Hughes and Elizabeth (Swiger) Hughes, his wife, were the first of the family to settle in Roane County. They arrived in Cassville (now City of Spencer) about the year 1851.

John Wilson Hughes purchased a home in the village and lived here for several years. Henry Thomas was a lawyer and a surveyor, the latter being his principal occupation. His first work observed is a plat of "New California," formerly Cassville, of record bearing date 1852. Of his career see under his name next following this of his cousin, John W. Hughes.

John W. Hughes, the pioneer here, son of Josiah Hughes, Sr., married Margaret P. Jamison, a daughter of William Thompson Jamison, of Butler County, Pennsylvania, a short time before he came to Cassville. Soon after, about 1852, the father, Josiah, with his wife, Elizabeth, and their daughters, Eleanor and Levinia, removed from Marion County to Cassville and Pocatalico, and a little later purchased a tract of several hundred acres of forest lands, having some small improvements on it, lying between the waters of Lower Flat Fork and Big Creek, extending from one to the other, thus covering the head of Trace Fork of Pocatalico. Among the improvements mentioned was that made by John Bishop, grandfather of the author of this book. Josiah Hughes, Sr., chose this latter improvement for his permanent home, and it is there that he and his wife, Elizabeth, lie buried. The daughter, Nellie Eleanor married Dr. Edgar A. Barnes. See Barnes. And Lavinia married Silas Counts. See Counts.

Sometime after the year 1855, John W. Hughes and family went onto these lands and near the center on the head of Trace Fork, fixed his house site and there erected commodious farm buildings. His cleared fields soon extended westward to the crossroads long known as Countsville, a postoffice of that name was later establish there. After the death of Josiah, John W. and family removed to the place on which Josiah, Sr., had resided and there spent the remainder of their industrious and highly appreciated lives. He was prominent in county affairs for twenty-five years. The names of their sons and daughters, brought up and given to citizenship, are: Mary E., Thomas W., Robert A., Henry B., Eliza J., Josiah, Leonidas S., Sophronia E., Luvernia A., Cordelia M., Viola V. and Monroe J.

Of this family we have to say further:

Thomas W. and Robert, twins, were born in New California, in the year 1855. Robert was a soldier boy and was killed in service in the last year of the Civil War.

Thomas William Hughes, son of above named John W. and wife Margaret P., married, 1880, Alice Kelley, daughter of William D. Kelley, of Flat Fork of Poca. They made their home on part of the ancestral lands on Pocatalico, and there reared their children, whose names in order of their respective births are as follows: Ethel, Maggie, Charles D., Lurie, Wilmer Bruce and John C. These made their marriages as follows:

Ethel to James W. Conley, of Poca, October 29, 1899, his age 28, her age 18.

Maggie to Dennis Rhodes, of Spencer, March 1, 1903, his age 24, her age 19.

Charles D. early became a business man in Charleston.

Lurie married Columbus C. Counts, of Flat Fork, March 6, 1904, her age 18, his age 22.

Wilmer Bruce married Elizabeth G. Westfall, January 30, 1910, his age 21, her age 21.

John C. is now--1927--in business at Dayton, Ohio.

Henry B. Hughes, son of John and Margaret (Jamison) Hughes, became a prominent young school teacher; married Roxie Vandal, daughter of A. L. Vandal, of Spencer country; served as Deputy Sheriff for his father-in-law. Next was elected by the people and served one term as Sheriff of the county. Purchased tracts of land and built up a large stock farm adjoining the town of Spencer on the east, introducing the Black Pole Angus cattle in the county. Henry B. and Roxie, his wifes only child, was the son, Romeo, who died in his young manhood.

Alonzo S. "Lonnie S.," son of John W. and Margaret (Jamison) Hughes, his wife, married Miss Maud Taylor, November 15, 1885, his age 28, her age 21. We do not have their careers.

Monroe J. Hughes, son of John W. and Margaret P. (Jamison) Hughes, married Miss Fannie Bates, of Reedy, March 1, 1899, his age 25, her age 22.

Safonia, daughter of John W. and Margaret (Jamison), his wife, married Samuel R. Fields, January 19, 1888, her age 28, his age 24.

Luvernia A. married Henry Clay Taylor, August 20, 1890, her age 22, his age 27.

Cordelia M., we find a Corda Hughes united in marriage with Bailey C. Ferrell, September 9, 1891, her age 22, his age 23. Whether or not this is Cordelia M. we do not say.

We have no record of Viola V.

Josiah Hughes, son of John and Margaret (Jamison) Hughes, born on the Harper District farm in Roane County about the year 1860. As soon as grown up was known as an enthusiast on subjects of education; a militant young school teacher in the country schools he taught and at the annual county institutes. Was elected by the people and served as County Superintendent of Schools one term, commencing in 1896. He taught many of the "summer terms" of subscription schools, popular for a long time, commencing with the decade of 1880; is author of some educational books; removed to Charleston, W. Va., where he was some years principal of Eastbank schools. At some time within the foregoing period of time Josiah married Minnie Hamilton, daughter of a Scotch family of that name that came to Virginia, where the marriage took place, by way of Canada, in which part of the "United Kingdom" the Hamiltons lived for a while. This wife is reported as being an enthusiastic school teacher also.


Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 558-560
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999