It appears likely the Huddleston name reached America in 1620, with the arrival of Capt. John Huddleston, Masgter of the Bona Nova. "He had tracts of land in the vicinity of Jamestown; little further is known of him." (It was Capt. Huddleston who gave succor to Plymoth in 1622. See Bradford's Plymoth, 150; Young's Chronicles, 293). There was a Mrs. Huddleston in York County in 1670. (A William was a member of Killwinning Crosse Massonic Lodge (Caroline County) about 1760; a George witnessed a will in Cecil County, Maryland, 1702; a William made a will in Kent County, Maryland, in 1728). See the Huddlestons of Buckingham County, Virginia, by George Huddleston, 1915, Tennessee
The tax records of Buckingham show Robert, Robert Jr., and Thomas in 1782. Thomas in 1783, George in 1785, George, Thomas Sr., Thomas Jr., Jarratt and Simon 1796; Thomas , son of Robert, and George 1798 - 1810.
Verbal tradition of my direct line here in Texas as well as that of our family in Cleveland County, Arkansas indicated that our family came from Ireland. I found it interesting to locate a notation in reference to the name Hudson, of the "Lords of Hoddleston," who occupied the castle Millom in Cumberland on the coast of the Irish Sea. This proximity to Ireland and the location on the Irish Sea may well have accounted for this verbal tradition. In addition, the Huddlestons of Sawston Hall had Irish ties. I found the following Irish marriage reference: Scully, Denys & Miss HUDDLESTON, daughter of Ferdinand Huddleston of Sawston Hall, Cambs., Dec 1801. Also, it must be noted that William Easley Huddleston was married to Mary Jane (McMurry) Huddleston, a red headed Irish woman.
The family of my Grandfather, Walter Edward Huddleston, moved to the state of Texas sometime between 1891 - 1900. The trip via covered wagon took 3 weeks. Walter was a small child at the time of the move. The family members known to have made the trip included Walter, his father (my Great Grandfather), James A. Huddleston, William Jackson Huddleston, and Ella Huddleston. It is assumed my Great Grandmother, Mary Rebecca Stewart, made the move also. The reason for the move may have had something to do with the murder of two Huddleston brothers by a Charles Parrott. Parrott beat the murder charge and left William Easley and the rest of the Huddlestons in deep agony over the loss ind assumed injustice. More on this later...soon I will publish the newspaper article on the shooting here.
Another interesting note is that there seems to have been ties between the Huddlestons and the Cherokee Nation. A number of the Arkansas Huddlestons applied for membership in the Cherokee Nation (watch my page for Dawes Files which I intend to publish in the future). Also, tradition has it that after the death of the two brothers William Easley left Arkansas and moved to Muskogee, Oklahoma. It is said he lived and worked among the Cherokee Indians. Apparently, he died and is burried in that area, no one knows where. I believe Joseph Slayton Huddlestons wife, Margaret (Peggy) Welch, was a full blood Cherokee. |
