Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Heathcock Genealogy Database - Person Sheet
Notes for William “Strong Bill” Huff
William Huff, the son of Joseph Huff, was said to have been the most powerful specimen of manhood ever reared in Cocke County; he always won the prize for strength. Sometimes when excitement was high and whiskey plentiful, the physical test was made by a fisticuff fight or pitched battle. To provoke a battle of this kind, it was only necessary for the party who desired to engage him to jump up in the air, crack his heels together three times and exclaim, “I am the best man in the county,” or “I am much a man.” Another kind of challenge was for the person who wanted to fight to step up to the side of the other pugilist and crow like a rooster; the fight would be on.
Uncle Frank wrote that Bill, the oldest boy was very strong indeed and could shoe an ordinary horse when the animal was leaning most of its weight on the shoe. This Bill was married many times and it was generally accepted that he was the father of 22 children who were counted each night. It was he who had twins killed by a storm-felled tree.
Positive information about William is totally lacking. Although there was a William Huff, taxpayer, in Cocke Co TN) in 1827, the William in the census of 1830 of that county is obviously not the oldest son; (this William was born betwen 1790 and 1800). If born between 1770-1775 Joe's William would have been about 50 odd years when his father died in 1827, unless, of course, Uncle Frank was in error and William was not the oldest son.
In the Big Pigeon Baptist Church Records where one might be expected to find joseph Huff I's entire family, we find a William received by letter in 1826, indicating he may have been transferred from a different church. In the same record Will i am was cited by "Brother John Huff", June 5, 1830, the reason for citing usually meant he had skipped church.
William could have “gone west” after receiving his inheritance or just moved out of the general area, or he could have been living with a married child. The possibilities are endless! BUT:
1. If we can accept the will made by unmarried Sarah Huff in 1838. (this Sarah was indeed a daughter of Joseph I and Elizabeth), listing her brother William, the will is an indication that William lived somewhere nearby in 1838!
2. That William stayed in Cocke County can be assumed by his not being listed as living out of Cocke County in the newspaper article of 1827.
3. There clearly were two William Huffs who are listed in the Early East Tennessee Taxpayers for 1836. One owned 342 acres of land near Newport in the 5th and 6th districts; the other owned just 3 acres near Rev. John in the 9th district. In 1840 there was just one William listed on the census records, indicating that William had either died, moved on, or was living with his children.299
Uncle Frank wrote that Bill, the oldest boy was very strong indeed and could shoe an ordinary horse when the animal was leaning most of its weight on the shoe. This Bill was married many times and it was generally accepted that he was the father of 22 children who were counted each night. It was he who had twins killed by a storm-felled tree.
Positive information about William is totally lacking. Although there was a William Huff, taxpayer, in Cocke Co TN) in 1827, the William in the census of 1830 of that county is obviously not the oldest son; (this William was born betwen 1790 and 1800). If born between 1770-1775 Joe's William would have been about 50 odd years when his father died in 1827, unless, of course, Uncle Frank was in error and William was not the oldest son.
In the Big Pigeon Baptist Church Records where one might be expected to find joseph Huff I's entire family, we find a William received by letter in 1826, indicating he may have been transferred from a different church. In the same record Will i am was cited by "Brother John Huff", June 5, 1830, the reason for citing usually meant he had skipped church.
William could have “gone west” after receiving his inheritance or just moved out of the general area, or he could have been living with a married child. The possibilities are endless! BUT:
1. If we can accept the will made by unmarried Sarah Huff in 1838. (this Sarah was indeed a daughter of Joseph I and Elizabeth), listing her brother William, the will is an indication that William lived somewhere nearby in 1838!
2. That William stayed in Cocke County can be assumed by his not being listed as living out of Cocke County in the newspaper article of 1827.
3. There clearly were two William Huffs who are listed in the Early East Tennessee Taxpayers for 1836. One owned 342 acres of land near Newport in the 5th and 6th districts; the other owned just 3 acres near Rev. John in the 9th district. In 1840 there was just one William listed on the census records, indicating that William had either died, moved on, or was living with his children.299