John Randolph Huggans

 

1st GENERATION 

 

 

  WEST VIRGINIA PLACES: 

MOUNDSVILLE is in Marshall County          NEW MARTINSVILLE and PROCTOR are in Wetzel County       

 

  A NOTE ABOUT SPELLING:

Until about 100 years ago, it was not uncommon for people to spell their names in different ways.  Back then, many people - especially in rural areas - were either illiterate or functionally illiterate.  I've seen more than a few of our ancestors' documents signed with only an "X".

 

The surname HUGGINS and HUGGANS seem interchangeable when it comes to the descendants of John Randolph Huggans.  A good example are his children.  Seven of his eleven children grew to adulthood.  Of the survivors, the eldest three went by the surname HUGGANS and the other four went by HUGGINS.  (Although various documents showed both surnames for most of them).  This continued down the line all the way to his great-grandson (my grandfather), who signed his name HUGGANS even though his legal name was HUGGINS.  When asked why, he replied, "Because I feel like it."  So if you cannot find a HUGGINS ancestor, try HUGGANS.  (Or Hogens... Heggins...)  

 

  A NOTE ABOUT NUMBERS:

A number to the far left of a child's name means there is more detail available in the next generation.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  01.  JOHN RANDOLPH HUGGANS 1,2 was born on 20 June 1813 in Greene County, Pennsylvania3,4,5 and died on 20 January 1903 in West Virginia.2,3 He was buried at Antioch Cemetery in Proctor District. (Click here to view gravestone).

 

The Charles Huggins book, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (Published in 1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), lists John Randolph "Huggins" and his descendants in Chapter 14.  The author was unable to find the name of John's parents or siblings.  His place of birth was shown as Virginia.  Various censuses also showed he was born in either Virginia or West Virginia and that his parents were born in Pennsylvania.  (Note:  West Virginia didn't become a State until 50 years after John's birth).

 

The Death Certificates of John's sons, Josephus Huggins and Sanford Huggans, listed their father as being born in "Greene, PA" and "Pennsylvania", respectively.  Death Certificates of other sons show John as being born in West Virginia.  Perhaps the Death Certificate informants weren't sure - after all, John was born in 1813 and his sons died as late as 1949.

 

     1820 Pennsylvania census: 8

        There were a total of three entries for "Huggins" in Greene County.  Two of them (Asa Huggins and William Huggins) did not have male children in the age range of then seven year-old John Randolph Huggans.  The third Huggins household was in Dunkard, Greene County as follows:

                JOHN HUGGINS:  2 males ages 0-9; 1 male age 26-44 and 1 female age 26-44.

     1830 Pennsylvania census: 9

                There were two Huggins families in Dunkard, Greene County.  One was headed by John Huggins and the other by William Huggins.*  John Randolph Huggans was about 17 years of age in 1830 and would fit in either household but evidence points to the household of John Huggins as being the correct choice as John Randolph was about 7 years of age in 1820 and the William Huggins household then did not have a male 0-9 years of age.  That leaves the John Huggins household as follows:

            JOHN HUGGINS: 1 male between ages 10-15, 1 male 15-20, 1 male 40-50, 1 female 10-15 & 1 female 20-30.
 

Of course, we can't be sure John Randolph and George "Goen" belonged to the John Huggins family of the 1820 & 1830 censuses above until other evidence surfaces -   such as the Will of the senior John Huggins or possibly property deeds. 

 

     1840 census:     

John Randolph Huggans has not yet been found.

 

   Per the book, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia:15

John Randolph Huggins was a riverboat pilot on the Ohio River.  It was said John came down the Ohio River about 1840 & settled on a 136-acre farm 8 miles east of Proctor, Tyler (now Wetzel) County, (W) VA.  Actually, he first purchased lot #94 in Sistersville, Tyler County (West) Virginia from Sarah McCoy {in 1839}.

 

In 1840, he sold lot #94 in Sistersville, Tyler, (West) Virginia to Alexander C. Williamson.

 

In 1841, he bought Lot #36 in Martinsville, Tyler (now Wetzel) County, (West) Virginia from James H. Snodgrass.

 

In 1843, he bought 80 acres from John Bennett on Proctor's Run, Tyler (now Wetzel) County, (West) Virginia.

 

In 1844, he sold Lot #56 (previously known as Lot #36) in Martinsville, Tyler (now Wetzel) County, (West) Virginia to Anthony Rhodes.

 

In 1848, he sold 30 acres of his land on Proctor's Run to John B. Lacy. 

 

    

     1850 census:

           John Randolph Huggans has not been found in this census - although he was in Monongalia County the following year. (See below).

 

     On 22 December 1851, John married ANNA BARBARA EDDY2 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia.1 The daughter of GAWEN EDDY and ANNA BARBARA HAUGHT, she was born on 09 January 1830 in Monongalia County1,2 and died on 30 September 1893 in Wetzel County.3   (Click here and here to view gravestone). 

Anna could not read or write per the 1860 census and could not write per the 1880 census.  In addition, the 1850 Census (in which she was living with her parents) shows her as being  "deaf and dumb, blind, insane or idiotic" but this could have been an error as future censuses do not mention any disabilities.

 

     1860 census (taken on 17 July):11

"JOHN B. HOGENS" (age 48), lived on a farm in Wetzel County with wife "Arma" (age 31) and children Prudence (age 8), Oliver T. (5), "Urinda" (age 3), "Sandford" (age 2) and Rudolph  (3 months).  Their Real Property was valued at $1,700 and Personal Property at $800.  (These values would be about $42,500 and $20,000, respectively, in 2006 U.S. dollars).

 

Neighbors:

Included families of Samuel Vandine (age 22), Fred Adams (45), John Neely (41), David Garlow (41), William Rodgers (45), Eli Workman (57), Henry Garner (48)*, John Yoho (33), John Hafer (36), Conrad Fair (32), Joe Delaney (24), John Allen (29) and Eli Anderson (65). 

        * Henry Garner's daughter, Mary Ellen, married John Randolph Huggans' son, Oliver T. Huggins on 6 May 1878.

 

 

     1870 census (taken on 16 July):10

John "HEGGINS" (age 57) lived on a farm in Proctor with wife Anna (41) and children Oliver (age 16), Arminta (14), Sanford (12), Josephus (8), "Goine" (6) and Francis (1).  All children (except for Gawen and Francis) attended school; Arminta could not write. Real Property was valued at $2,000; Personal Property at $600. 
 

Neighbors:

Included families of James T. Huggins (age 19 - unknown if related to the John Randolph Huggans' family), William Powell (age 30), Mishach Yoho (age 27)*, Robert Butler (age 36), Elias Trader (age 40), "Archible" Paw (age 44), John Hafer (age 46), Henry Parsons (age 24)** and wife Mary Ellen, George Coffield (age 65), Francis Evans (age 22).

        *Meshac Yoho was the 1st cousin of Mary Ellen Garner Huggans (future wife of Oliver T. Huggans).
        **Henry Parsons was the current husband of Mary Ellen Garner; he died in 1877.

 

     In 1873, John Randolph Huggans was an elder  and involved in the formation of Palestine Christian Church on Proctor Creek, Wetzel County. 

 History of Palestine Church

 

     In 1877, John Randolph Huggans and C. W. McKimmie were witnesses to the Will of Henry Seth Parsons, dated 27 June 1877.7  Henry Seth Parsons was the 1st husband of Mary Ellen Garner, who later married John Randolph's son, Oliver T. Huggans.

 

     In about 1878  John Randolph Huggans became blind. 22

 

     1880 census (taken 6 June): 12

Age 65, John lived on a  farm in District 104, Proctor with his wife Anna (age 50) and children "Amina" (age 24), Sanford (age 22), Josephus (age 17), Gawen (age 16), Francis (age 11) and Cyrus (age 8).  Josephus, Gawen, Francis & Cyrus all attended school; Francis could not write.  All of the sons (except for Cyrus) were employed as farm labor.

 

Neighbors:

Included the families of Joseph Nice* (27), James Henry (37), Stephen Montgomery** (62), Harrison "Huggans"***(37), John Hall (71), Oliver T. Huggans****(26), James F. Wade (23) and William Butler (40).

        * Joseph Nice's granddaughter, Mildred Virginia Myers married John Randolph Huggans's great-grandson, Orville Ray Huggins in 1932.
        ** Stephen Montgomery was the 2nd husband of Barbara Yoho who was the 1st wife of John Randolph Huggans's brother, George "Goen" Huggins.
       *** Harrison Huggins was the son of George "Goen" Huggins.
       **** Oliver T. Huggans was the son of John Randolph Huggans.

 

 

     On 08 February 1889, John Randolph  purchased 5 acres of land (for $178.12) in Proctor's Run from Ira C. Yoho and wife Sarah Caroline.   Click here to view the Deed.

     1890 census:

Most of the U.S. 1890 census at the Commerce Department in Washington, DC has been lost due to a fire (and its aftermath) on 10 January 1921. Out of 62,979,766 records, only 6,160 survived the fire - none for West Virginia except some Civil War Pension Censuses.21 

 

     On 30 August 1892, John Randolph purchased 1 ¼ acres of land  "on the waters of the left hand fork of Proctor Creek" for $25.00 from Margaret Butler. (Click  here to view the Deed).

 

     John's wife, Anna Barbara Eddy Huggans, died on 30 September 1893 in Proctor and was buried at Antioch Cemetery, Wetzel County.2, 3

     In 1898, a man named Mike Benedum came to Proctor on the way to Cameron.  He stopped by the Huggins farm and asked if he could spend the night.  While talking with John Randolph, Benedum said he was trying to find oil.  John said, "Why don't you lease my farm?  I know there is oil under it.  Put your finger on my pulse and I will take you out in the yard and show you a place.  If you will drill there, oil will go as high as the rig. I can see it through my sightless eyes!" Benedum leased the land and the drilling proved to be successful. 22

According to page 4 of the book Historical Album of Upper Proctor Creek Area 2nd edition (by Victor Aman), Benedum and Joe Trees were oil scouts who rented rooms in the Absalom T. Fair home "while they planned the exploration of what later turned out to be the Garner oil field... Mike Benedum sensing that his first test hole was about to hit oil left instructions with his driller, Neal Garmley, to halt drilling for the time being, but Garmley got drunk one night and resumed drilling.  The result was a gusher of oil that shot over the top of the derrick and flowed down Garner run and on into Proctor Creek several inches deep." 

 

     1900 census (taken 11 June):6

John "Huggins" (age 86) lived in son Cyrus' (age 28) rented home in Proctor District 103 with another son "Frances" (age 31), nephew Calvin Lewis (age 17) and grandson, Wiley Webster (age 17).  Francis' wife, "Annie J." (age 26), and their four children Austie (6 years), Okey (3), Neva (2) & Roy (3 months) also lived there.  John's occupation was shown as "retired farmer".  Francis was a house carpenter who had been unemployed for one month during the census period.  Calvin was a farm laborer  who had been unemployed for 6 months and attended school for 2 months.   Wiley attended school for 4 months.  Francis and Annie had been married for 6 years and she had given birth to 4 children, all still living.

 

Neighbors:

Included the families of Beau Hafer (39), Sarah Kirkpatrick (64), James L. Parsons(33)* (with 44 year old boarder Josephus Huggins**), Samuel Ryan (35), Wilford M. Barnet (43),Leroy Kirkpatrick (30), Samuel A. O'Neil(43)***, Philo Parsons (27)*, John Moore (25), John Palmer (57) and George Evans (26).

        *James L. Parsons and brother Philo Parsons were children of Mary Ellen Garner and her first husband, Henry Seth Parsons.  After Henry's death, Mary married John Randolph Huggans' son, Oliver.

    ** Josephus Huggins was the son of John Randolph Huggans.

    *** Samuel A. O'Neil had a relationship with John Randolph Huggans' daughter, Arminta, which resulted in the birth of Calvin Lewis Huggans, Sr.

 

 

    John Randolph Huggans died on 20 January 1903 in Wetzel County without leaving a Will.  His Estate was administered by his son, Gawen Eddy Huggins.  Click here for 1902 Estate Appraisal and Sales Bill.  Click here for the Commissioner's Report of Fiduciary Settlement which Gawen submitted to the Court in January 1904.   The Final Estate Settlement was filed ten years later, in August 1913.  Click here to view.

 

 

                        Children of JOHN RANDOLPH HUGGANS and ANNA BARBARA EDDY:

 

                     i.    PRUDENCE HUGGANS 11,13 was born in about 1852 in (West) Virginia7 and  died before the 1870 census as she was not listed.10

 

2.                 ii.    OLIVER T. HUGGANS  was born on 26 April 1854 in Wetzel County and died in Proctor District on 27 August 1883.19

 

3.                iii.    ARMINTA HUGGANS  was born in about 1857 in Wetzel County15  and died in August 1891.

 

                  iv.     EMORY HUGGANS was born on 11 March 1856 in Wetzel County16 and died before the 1870 census as he was not listed.11

 

4.                v.     SANFORD EDDY HUGGANS was born on 26 May 1858 in Proctor District and died on 18 June 1929 in Moundsville.17 

 

                  vi.     RANDOLPH HUGGANS  was born in about 1859 in (West) Virginia and died before the 1870 census as he was not listed.11

    

5.              vii.     JOSEPHUS C. HUGGINS was born on 12 June 1863 in Wetzel County and died from double pneumonia on 21 March 1935 in New Martinsville.17  He was buried on 24 May 1935 in Antioch Cemetery, Proctor District. Headstone    He never married.16, 17                              

 

6.              viii.    GAWEN EDDY HUGGINS was born on 16 March 1864 in Wetzel County and died on 27 November 1928 in New Martinsville.17

 

                  x.     WILEY W. HUGGANS was born on 10 May 1866 in Wetzel County.18 He is not listed on any censuses so probably died when born or soon afterwards.

 

7.              xi.     FRANCIS MARION HUGGINS was born on 26 January 1869 in Proctor District and died on 16 September 1949 at Waverly Pike Hospital in Williamstown, Wood County, West Virginia.17,18

 

8.             xii.     CYRUS PARSONS HUGGINS was born on 16 January 1872 in Proctor and died there on 12 March 1942. 23

 

 

 

NOTE:  Later documents referenced John Randolph Huggans as having seven children.  This leads credence to Prudence, Emory, Randolph and Wiley having died while young.

 

 

 

 

 

 

     RESOURCES:

 

1.   The Eddy Family in America (1968 Supplement), published by the Eddy Family of America.

2.   Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  "Other Huggins Families"  Page 374.

3.   Gravestone.

4.   Death Certificates - C.P. {Cyrus Parsons} Huggins was the informant for John Huggins' son, Josephus Huggins' death certificate and John R. Huggans' birthplace was shown as GREENE CO., PA 

5.   Death Certificate of son, Sanford

6.   U.S. Federal 1900 Census, Page 227, Sheet B  Proctor District 103, Wetzel County, West Virginia  Date of Census:  11 June 1900.

7.   Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 374 & 375.

8.   U.S. Federal 1820 Census, Dunkard, Greene, Pennsylvania; Roll: M33_98; Page: 321; Image: 329; (Page 6 of 8 at ancestry.com).

9.   U.S. Federal 1830 Census, Dunkard, Greene, Pennsylvania; Roll: 162; Page: 363; (Pages 17 & 18 of 18 at ancestry.com)

10.  U.S. Federal 1870 Census, Page 28  Proctor, Wetzel County, West Virginia  (Ancestry.com page 28 of 53).

11.  U.S. Federal 1860 Census, Page 117  Wetzel County, ((W) VA  (Ancestry.com page 117 of 169).

12.  U.S. Federal 1880 Census  Pg. 10B; Enumeration District #104  Dated 6 Jun 1880.

13.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia, (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14 Page 375

14.  L. G. Stout research in West Virginia 2005 - 2006.

15.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 375 & 380.

16.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 380.

17.  Death Certificate.

18.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 383.

19.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 375 & 376.

20.  Charles E. Huggins, Huggins Families of Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia,  (1987 by Gateway Press, Inc. of Baltimore), Chapter 14  Page 375 & 385.

21.  The Source: A Guidebook of American Genealogy by Loretto Dennis Szucs; edited by Loretto Dennis Szucs and Sandra Hargreaves Luebking (Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997).

22.  History of Wetzel County WV to 1983 (page 138) published by the Wetzel County Genealogical Society

23.  Obituary

 

 

 


 

 


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Last Updated 04 July 2010