It's All In A Name

If I have learned anything in doing family history, it is to be very careful with assumptions. Don't be too quick to accept all family traditions as fact. In seeking David G. Hughes' parents, we began with a family tradition which actually delayed our finding the right answer. What was the tradition? Early Hughes research on this line said that David's father had settled in or near Nashville, Tennessee and that his name was William. In fact, he did settle just to the east of Nashville in Smith County, but his name was not William, unless it was a part of his name.

Joy discovered some information that caused us to wonder. She found there was Lydia Hughes buried in Smith County, Tennessee though her grave stone said she was the wife of Tarlton Hughes. Since Joy's great-grandmother's middle name was Lydia, we wondered. However, the name Tarlton was troubling. That is, it was until a phone call gave us another clue.

I had been given the name and phone number of Louis T. Hughes, grandson of Warner T. Hughes. In a phone conversation, I asked if he knew what Warner's middle name was. He knew because it was his middle name and his father, Guy T. Hughes', middle name - Tarlton. The name wasn't William, but was it possible that Tarlton was actually David G.'s father and Lydia, his mother?

Joy made contact with a gentleman in Smith County who had taken pictures of the Rucks Family Cemetery, where Lydia is buried. Did he know anything about the Hughes family in Smith County? It turned out that John is a volunteer who assists in the preservation of old documents of Smith County. He found and photographed a will for Tarlton Hughes who had died in 1850. The will lists Lydia, his wife, and children: William F., Sarah, John, David, and Mary.



Is this "our" David? A search for the names of the children in Smith County, beginning with 1850, found William and Mary, but no Sarah, David, or John. Where did they go? We knew that David G. was in Hot Spring County, Arkansas in 1850. We had begun to suspicion that Sarah had married Edmund Rucks. The Rucks family, including Edmund, had lived in Smith County, but in 1850, Edmund Rucks was living in Dallas County, Arkansas. His wife was Sarah. And there is more. They had a boarder whose name was John Hughes (1850 census has it Jno Huse - in 1860, John S Hughes). Sometime in the early 1850s, David and Cynthia purchased land in Dallas County and even in the same township as Edmund. Were these three siblings, David, John and Sarah, now neighbors? (There were some land transactions which also led to this suspicion.)

The weight of evidence was rather compelling, but this was not yet proof. We were convinced we had the right family, but needed that one last piece of evidence to seal the deal. Where was it? How could we find it?

On Monday, June 30, Sharryn and I made a brief stop in Smith County, Tennessee. Our first visit was to the Rucks Cemetery, made possible by our new friend, John. There, we were able to photograph Lydia Hughes' grave stone. After our visit there and a few other stops, John led us to the Carthage Library where there is a small genealogy room. Here, Sharryn and I began combing the Smith County books, not quite sure we would or could find that missing piece. But we did! I could have shouted, but was afraid I would be kicked out the shhh! zone. The index led us to the court couse annex and the Register of Deeds for Smith County. Below is a transcription of what we found.

Know all men by these presents that I David G Hughes of Hot Spring County of state of Arkansas do by these presents constitute ordain and appoint my Brotherinlaw Edmund T Rucks of Dallas County in said state to be my [?] and lawful attorney to act for me and in my behalf to draw or receive that portion of the estate of Tarlton Hughes decd that lawfully belongs to me as an heir of said Tarlton Hughes decd, and to receive and receipt for or give such other discharges or acquaintances for all moneys of other property which he may draw in my name from said estate as may be lawfully required and I hearby [sic] further give said Edmund T Rucks generally all such other powers as may be nessary [sic] in the transaction of any and all other businefs wherein my name may be [?] and the acts and doings of the said Edmund T Rucks touching the businefs of said estate the receiving and receipting for money or other property and any and all other matters and things specifically or generally set forth hearin [sic] shall have the same force, [virtue ?] and effect and be as binding upon me and my heirs [?tho] I were personally present and doing the same in my own right and behalf and testimony whereof I have hearunto [sic] set my hand and affixed my seal this 17th day of September AD 1851 signed and sealed in the presents of

Samuel Bender DG Hughes {seal}
Rufus Mc?

Deed Book U, p 262
Smith County, Tennessee

Another wall comes crashing down!