Daniel Huff

Daniel Huff

• Born about 1766 in Virginia
• Died 27 Dec 1853 in Clinton, Kentucky, United States
• Son of Philip Huff and Rachel (unknown) [uncertain]
• Husband of Elizabeth Turman - married about 1784 in Virginia, United Statesmap [uncertain]
• Father of Philip Huff, Daniel Huff, Hawkins Quarles Huff, Rachel (Huff) Best, Lewis Huff and Dinelah (Huff) Fowler

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aged 86; with Lewis V. Huff and wife Diamette*

Ferguson, Jack. "Early Times in Clinton Co KY," Vol I, p 124, reads: "The Huff brothers--Daniel, Philip and William--were early settlers in this territory. According to the 1799 list Daniel had 200 acres and William 100 acres, both on ?Spring Creek."

Notes

From Nancy Ruth Arevalo May 2021:

Daniel Huff was born ca 1766, per his sworn testimony of being seventy-seven years old in 1853,

He was definitely not born in Rocky Mount, Franklin County, Virginia, since Franklin County was founded in 1785 and this Huff family's property (once they settled to that vicinity ca 1780) was not in that location in any case.

I think I know the origins of that information--not sourced nor terribly accurate in Daniel's or other family member's information.

The 1850 census indicated that Daniel was born in Virginia, and that is the best that can be done on that score. The location was more likely in eastern VA. There is a birth record for a younger sister (about 10 years younger) and she was born in Loudoun County. The family appears to have migrated to southwest VA more like around 1780.

My analysis (with sources) can be viewed and further considered at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Huff-125

Biography

Note: The previous version of the Biography dated from nearly 25 years ago when it was prepared for the Huff/Hough/Hoff Newsletter. The previous version of the bio has been retained and follows this version where updates have been aded. Comments and additional info welcomed!

Daniel HUFF (c 1766 Virginia - 27 Dec 1853 Clinton County, Kentucky) has often been noted in family trees with 1764 as his year of birth. That year estimate was likely derived from the 1850 US Census information. However, Daniel's age at the time of his death in 1853 was listed in an index to deaths as 92 years old, which would have made his birth year much earlier. If the death register entry was accurate, his birth year would have been about 1761, and that, too, is likely not accurate.[1]

What follows is excerpted from a transcription of a document relating to the military service of Daniel's brother-in-law, Pearson MILLER, which serves to pinpoint Daniel's approximate year of birth more authoritatively than the census estimate or the death index information. In this (below), Daniel himself provides his testimony, given under oath. It leads to an 1766 estimate for his year of birth.

State of Kentucky, Clinton County

On this the fourth day of November A.D. one thousand eight hundred and fifty, personally appear(ed) before me Aaron BECK, a Justice of the Peace, duly authorized to administer oaths within and for the County and State aforesaid Mr. PEARSON MILLER, aged seventy-seven years, residence Fentress County, Tennessee, who being duly sworn according to law says that he is the identical PEARSON MILLER, who was a private in the company commanded by Captain William JOB in the Regiment of Tennessee Militia commanded by Colonel McNABB in the Cherokee war between the United States and the Cherokee Indians in the years 1793 and 1794, that he was drafted on Big Pigeon River in Jefferson [later Cocke] County, Tennessee... that he went out for three months; that the circumstances of one of the company Daniel HUFF killing an Indian on the 27th of October and that they we

Regarding Daniel marrying and forming a family, it has earlier been conjectured that he married three or four times. This may have been so and would not have been remarkably unusual for those times. Unfortunately, many sources of documentation for the relevant locations and time periods did not survive or may never have existed. And of those records that do exist involving a Daniel HUFF, they may not pertain to this Daniel and it may be difficult to ascertain which of many Daniels were involved. For example, one source which at first glance might appear relevant, actually seems dubious to have been this Daniel.

Children included:

1. Philip (c 1785 VA - c 1823 bef Sep 1826 probate, Monroe Co, IN) in 1803 in Overton Co, TN, md Margaret SNUFFER (15 Mar 1789 VA - 12 Dec 1854 Monroe Co, IN), dau of George SNUFFER, and lived in TN, KY, and IN. Ch may incl John; James A.; Calvin H.; Lucy; Dinealy; Alfred; Lucinda; Minerva; Pearson Miller; and Angelina.
2. Hawkins Qualls (1791 VA - made his will in Livingston Co, MO, 25 Sep 1846, and it was probated 12 Oct 1846) (Livingston Co, MO, Will Book A:94-97). Qualls mentioned his sisters Rachel BEST and Dindia FOWLER, but mentioned no wife.
3. Elizabeth (1795 KY - ) md Moses WILLIAMS (1790 NC - 1829), and one ch was Zelpha. They moved to Monroe Co, IN, where Moses WILLIAMS bought part of the land interests of John HUFF of Overton Co, TN. After Moses died, Widow Elizabeth md (2) Jonathan HUNTINGTON (1779 - ).
4. Rachel (1797 - ) md Lewis M. BEST. Daniel HUFF sold land to Lewis BEST at the same time he sold land to Lewis HUFF.
5. Dinelia "Dindia" (1799 - ) md Levi FOWLER, and they lived in Carter Co, TN.
6. Thirza Jane (20 May 1802 KY - 19 Oct 1841) md Elisha C. FRANCIS and lived in Livingston Co, MO.
7. poss. Daniel ( ). There was a Daniel (1804 KY-1870 TN) who md Rachel WRIGHT and lived in KY and TN, but the family tradition is that this was a son of William HUFF, and nephew to Daniel. Ch of this Daniel incl William; Abigail; Nancy C.; James A.; and Nathaniel.
8. Lewis (c 1804 KY - alive 1870) may have md Dianna A. DUVAL or Diadama HUFF, dau of John HUFF of Overton Co, TN, or both. He lived in Clinton Co, KY, and ch incl Andrew J.; William H.; and Brazelia Q. Daniel HUFF was with this family in 1850.
9. possibly Harrison (1807 KY - ) appeared with various relatives, but is not known to have had a family.
10. poss. Joshua ( ) no info.

Origins

As for Daniel's parentage, his father was Philip HUFF (c 1747 - 1822/23 Montgomery County, now Floyd County, Virginia) and mother was most likely Rachel (Unknown) HUFF (c 1747 unknown - unknown, but after her spouse's 25 Jul 1822 will). The maiden name of Daniel's mother, Rachel, is generally claimed to have been JACKSON, likely in error and having been confused with Rachel's son named Philip, who married a Rachel Jackson. However, a handwritten index to Clinton County, Kentucky death records shows the initials "P" and "H" as identification of Daniel's parents. [3] "P" would be appropriate to stand for Philip, but "H" is rather a mystery. It seems likely to have been a transcription or other error, in the same vein that Daniel's age at death was most likely inaccurately transcribed in this index list. It is my understanding that the original pertinent record was destroyed, perhaps in one of several Clinton County Courthouse fires.

• Updated from RootsWeb's WorldConnect via mother Racheal Harmon by SmartCopy: Jul 3 2015, 18:19:55 UTC
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Huff-125

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• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Apr 26 2023, 6:41:47 UTC