Huff - Hylton families
Papers, 1803-16, 1858-82, 1975, n.d., 39 items, Ms98-001
History:
The Huff and Hylton families settled in what is now Floyd County, but prior to 1831 was Montgomery County, Virginia, in the late 1700s and early 1800s. The Huff family owned land on the west fork of the Little River.
Lorenzo Dow Hylton was born on August 16, 1830, son of Burwell Hylton [Hilton] and Mary Ann Slusher. On July 23, 1857, he married Barbara Ellen Huff (1828-1911). The 1860 Virginia census lists him as being a resident of Floyd County, age 29, his occupation as a machinist, worth $484.00. During the Civil War he enlisted in Company D of the 54th Virginia Infantry on March 24, 1862, in Abingdon, Virginia, as a 1st Lieutenant. He was missing wounded in action at Missionary Ridge, Tennessee, on November 25, 1863, and died in Marietta [Georgia] Hospital on February 13, 1864. (The text of an 1863 letter from Samuel Slusher to Jacob S. Harman, mentioning Hylton's wounding, may be viewed here.) He is buried in a Confederate cemetery in Marietta, Georgia. After Hylton's death his wife Barbara Ellen Huff Hylton married James Dillon [Dillion] and moved to Patrick County, Virginia.
Scope and Content:
The collection consists of items from the early 1800s pertaining to the business dealings of Samuel Huff of Montgomery (now Floyd) County. Materials include promissory notes, fines for Huff's failure to attend muster of the 75th Regiment of the Virginia Militia, and an indenture for land.
The collection also consists of six letters written by Lorenzo Dow Hylton to his wife Barbara while he served in Company D of the 54th Virginia Infantry during the Civil War, and one letter to him from Barbara. Included in the collection are letters from Barbara's cousin, Samuel Slusher, and brother-in-law, Ira Hylton, about Lorenzo Hylton's death in a Confederate hospital in Marietta, Georgia, and letters from Martha Huff of Indiana, to Barbara.
Genealogical information about the Hylton family, compiled by the collection donor Robert Howell is available.
Provenance:
The Lorenzo Dow Hylton letters were donated to the Special Collections Department of the University Libraries of Virginia Tech in May 1998 by Hylton's great-grandson Robert Lane Howell of Jacksonville, Florida. The letters were processed in May and June 1998 by Brad Shearer, student assistant, and Laura Katz Smith, Manuscripts Curator, Special Collections Department. An addition to the collection was made in July 1998 and processed in August 1998 by Sarah Gouger, student assistant.
Contents list:
1803, October 29 -- Fine of 75 cents to Samuel Huff of Capt. Robertson's Company for failing to attend a muster on October 21, 1803, signed by E. Howard.
1803, October 23 -- Promissory note from Thos. Goodson that he will pay George Melton two pounds Five shillings. Also signed by Sammuel Huff.
1805, February 4 -- Promissory note from Bird Smith that he will give Samuel Huff 30 acres of land. Note also mentions George and John Hilton.
1806, August -- Letter from John Weddle of Montgomery County, Ohio, to Samuel Huff of Montgomery County, Virginia.
1806, September 23 -- Promissory note from James Keef to William Byon in the amount of eight dollars to be paid on or before November 1, 1806.
1807, March 3 -- Indenture made between Bird and Rhoda Smith and William Thompson, for land on the West Fork of Little River in Montgomery County, Virginia.
1808, January 12 -- Promissory note from Sam. Huff that he will pay John Snyder one pound and ninepence.
1808, October 8 -- Promissory note from Samuel Huff that he will pay James Goad the sum of $10.00.
1812, February 23 -- Promissory note from James Brawney to Samuel Huff for the sum of four dollars, four shillings, and two sixpence.
1812, November -- fine of 1 dollar, 50 cents to Samuel Huff for delinquency at batallion and August muster.
1813, October 30 -- Fine of one dollar to Samuel Huff of the first Battalion of the 75th Regiment of the Virginia Militia, for failing to attend muster.
1814, November 28 -- Fine of 75 cents to Samuel Huff of the first Battalion of the 75th Regiment of the Virginia Militia, for failing to attend muster.
1816, July 31 -- Montgomery County loan account in the name of Samuel Huff.
1858, January 8 -- Receipt from L.D. Hylton to George M. Slusher for sawing 581 feet of inch plank at forty cents per hundred, $2.32.
1862, April 24 -- Letter from Barbara E. Hylton in Floyd County, Virginia, to her husband, L. D. Hylton.
1862, May 10 -- Letter from L.D. Hylton at "Salt Vill Washington Co Va" to his wife Barbara Hylton.
1862, October 18 -- From L.D. Hylton in Bath Co., Kentucky, to his wife, B.E. Hylton.
1862, December 28 -- Letter from L.D. Hylton in "Camp near Pettersburg" to his wife, B.E. Hylton.
1863, February 1 -- Letter from L.D. Hylton to Burwell Hylton.
1863, March 12 -- Letter from L.D. Hylton in "Camp on Black Water Virginia" to his wife Barbara Hylton.
1864, January 20 -- Letter from L.D. Hylton in "Marrieta, G.A." to B.E. Hylton.
1864, February 15 -- Letter from Samuel Slusher in "Camp Near Dalton Ga," to his cousin Barbara E. Hylton, telling her about Lorenzo Hylton's death in Marietta, Georgia.
1864, February 17 -- Five dollar Confederate Bond.
1864, February 18 -- Letter from Ira S. Hylton in Dalton, Georgia, to Barbara E. Hylton.
1865, October 7 -- Promissory note from Barbara E. Hylton to pay Riley H. Hylton the sum of $8.80.
1866, August 8 -- Letter from Martha huff in Hundrix County, Indiana to sister Barbara Hylton.
1866, October 24 -- Letter from Martha huff in Hundrix County, Indiana to sister Barbara Hylton and mother Huff.
1875, April 11 -- Letter from Martha Huff of Putnam County, Indiana to Barbara E. Hylton; on back of letter another letter from Martha Huff to James Huff.
1882, September 9 -- Assignment of the real estate in Patrick County, Virginia, of James Dillion to his widow Barbara E. Dillion, signed by the Commissioners of the County Court of Patrick County
1975, June 12 -- Letter from Barbara M. Goscha, City Clerk of the City of Marietta, Georgia, to Robert Howell, about locating the grave of L.D. Hylton in the Confederate Cemetery.
1975, July 2 -- Certificate from the Virginia State Library, certifying information about L.D. Hylton's Civil War record.
n.d. -- empty envelope addressed to Mrs. Barbara E. Hylton of Floyd Co, Va., from S.P. Weddle.
n.d. -- Poem written by Barbara Hylton, for Lorenzo Dow Hylton.
n.d. -- two needlepoint samples, done by Barbara Hylton.
n.d. -- Letter from L.D. Hylton in "Indian Valley" to his cousin S. Weddle.
n.d. -- note written by James H. Guthrie.
n.d. -- Genealogical information about Lorenzo Hylton and his descendants, compiled by Robert Howell.
Return to:
Guide to the Manuscript Collections in the University Libraries
Manuscript sources for Appalachian History
Manuscript sources for Montgomery County, Virginia, History
Manuscript sources for Civil War Research
