The Battle of Kings Mountain was a decisive battle of the American Revoluton. It took place on October 7, 1780, nine miles south of the present-day town of Kings Mountain, North Carolina. The Patriot militia defeated the Loyalist militia commanded by British Major Patrick Ferguson.
Francis Hughes was born about 1759 in Shenandoah County, Virginia. He was the son of Francis Hughes.
His first wife was named Rebecca. Their children included:
Ingobo Hughes (1778, married William Hixson),
John Hughes (1779),
Rebecca Hughes (1789, married Timothy Hixson),
Margaret Hughes (1782).
His second wife was Elizabeth Long. Their daughter may have been:
Mary Ann Hughes.
In 1776, Francis was Captain William Clark's ensign at Fort Sevier on the Nolichucky.
In August, 1776 he participated in the Cherokee Expedition under Griffith Rutherford.
In the winter of 1780 he volunteered for a campaign under Colonel Sevier against the Cherokee.
In 1806 he gifted enslaved women to his daughters. Margaret received Luse, Ingabo received Jeane, and Rebecca received Sal.
A Francis Hughes appeared on the 1809 Greene County tax list of Captain Tullis. He owned 750 acres on Horse Creek. He operated a Stagecoach Inn.
Only part of this Major Statecoach Inn is still standing.Originally there was another building connected to this one by a breezeway. Stagecoaches used the Jonesborough road until 1885 - the last to operate in Greene County. Francis Hughes, first Greene County ranger, was operator of this establishment. As the coach approached, the driver blew on a horn - a toot for every passenger to be served.There was also feed and water for the horses. Inside is a beautiful fireplace of hewed limestone rocks, walls are plastered over real horse hair. There is a narrow winding staircase inside.This is located where the Jonesborough Road crosses over Camp Creek. (from "The Southside" by Goldene Fillers Burgner)
The Cherokeewere indigenous people who lived in the southern Appalachian mountains. European Americans called their towns in eastern Tennessee, the Overhill Towns. The towns included Chota, Tellico and Tanasi.
In 1776, the Cherokee planned to drive settlers out of the Washington District. The settlers were warned and stopped the first attack at Heaton's Station. The second attack was stopped at Fort Watauga. In response to these attacks, the militia burned Tuskegee and Citico.
Slavery is an immoral system of forced labor where people are treated as property to be bought and sold. It was legal in the American Colonies and the United States until the Civil War.
East Tennessee is part of Appalachia. At the end of the French and Indian War, colonists began drifting into the area. In 1769, they first settled along the Watauga River. During the Revolution, the Overmountain Men defeated British loyalists at the Battle of Kings Mountain. The State of Franklin was formed in the 1780s, but never admitted to the Union.
from Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution
Francis Hughes applied for revolutionary pension while living in Bledsoe County, Tenn., July 21, 1833. He was born in Augusta County. Va., in 1759 and was the son of Francis Hughes.
He resided in Burke County, N. C. in June, 1776 when he enlisted in the 3rd North Carolina Regiment. He moved to the Tennessee Country and volunteered in 1777 under Cot. John Sevier. He volunteered again in the fall of 1780 and was in Capt. Samuel Williams' company in the Battle of King's Mountain. He volunteered again under Col. John Sevier for the Cherokee Expedition. Nathan Gann swears in the pension application, that Francis Hughes was a soldier of the Revolution and Felix Earnest also testifies to his revolutionary record. Francis Hughes states that he has children but does not give their names. In 1840 he was living with Margaret Hughes, possibly a daughter.
Augusta County, Virginia was formed in 1738 from Orange County and was vast territory including West Virginia and Kentucky.
1770 - southern part became Botetourt.
1776 - parts became Monongalia, Ohio, and Yohogania.
1778 - area west of Ohio River became Illinois County.
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northeastern part became Rockingham.
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southwestern part was combined with part of Botetourt to form Rockbridge
1788 - northern part combined with part of Hardy to become Pendleton.
1790 - western part was combined with parts of Botetourt and Greenbrier to form Bath.
Virginia county formation was complex and some of the above counties were further divided or disbanded.
1778 Feb 25
Francis Hughes
300 acres on S. side of Nolichuckey river and on Camp Creek.
1779 Jan 2
Francis Hughes
100 acres on branch of Sinking Creek
1782 Oct 24
Francis Hughes
99 acres on Sinking Creek
50 shilling per 100 acresWatauga
1787 Aug 15
Deed Francis Hughes to Robert Wilson
paid £50 VA currency
99 acres .
On waters of Sinking Creek.
1790 Aug 3
Deed Francis Hughes to Daniel Kennedy
paid £530 VA currency,
300 acres on S. side of Nolachuckey [Nolichucky] river and on Camp Creek.
1790 Aug 3
Deed William Caldwell to Francis Hughes
paid £320 VA currency,
284 acres on S. side of Nolachuckey River and at mouth of Camp Creek.
1790 Aug 3
Deed Daniel Kennedy to Francis Hughes
paid £550 VA currency.
One 1/2 acre on Mill Fork of Big Limestone.
alsoThree 1/2 acres on same.
also120 acres on same.
1792
Feb 2
Deed
Francis Hughes to Thomas Hardwick
Paid £200 VA currency.
284 acres on S. side of Nolichuckey River and at mouth of Camp Creek.
old stagecoach stop property
1792 Apr 2
Deed Robert O'Neal to Francis Hughes
Paid £150 VA currency.
?? acres on S. side of Nolichuckey River
1792 Apr 2
Deed Robert O'Neal to Francis Hughes.
paid £583-6s-8pVA currency.
400 acres on Horse Creek.
Adj to Nolichuckey River Incl Plantation.
1792 Sept 5
Grant Francis Hughes
1794 Sept 24
Deed Francis Hughes to Martin Click
paid £10 VA currency
350 acres S. side of Nolichuckey River.
From Greene County Court of Common Pleas
Deed of gift from Francis Hughes to his daughter Margaret Hughes,
20th April 1806
for a Negro girl, named Luse
Deed of gift from Francis Hughes to William Hixson and Ingabow his wife,
30th July 1806
for a negro woman, named Jeane,
Deed of gift from Francis Hughes to his son-in-law, Timothy Hixson
17th February 1806,
for a negro girl named Sall
from Tennessee Heroes of the Revolution
John Hughes applied for revolutionary pension while living in McMinn County, Tennessee, Sept. 5, 1832. He was born in 1752. He served in the Revolution enlisting first in Burke County, N.C. Later he enlisted again in Capt. Sevier's North Carolina Company and was in a battle on the Watauga River. Later he served in Capt. Jacob Tipton's Company under St. Clair and was in the battle of St. Clair's Defeat. He moved from Burke County, N.C. to what is now East Tennessee and settled in Blount County. From Blount County he moved to McMinn County where he died.
