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This is sure to stir up much controversy because I have seen Blackmore Hughes, b. c1718 as being the son of different Hughes fathers, in different locations. I am not a descendant of Blackmore, but believe I am related and have done quite a bit of research on his Hughes family.
First, Blackmore was not born 1718 in Henry County, Virginia. Henry County did not come into existence until 1776. I am pretty sure that he was born in Hanover County, about 4 miles northeast of the I-295/US 360 Interchange. The year 1718 for his birth is one that I would not argue about. I think his father’s name was William Hughes, b. c1692. Explanation follows.
Blackmore Hughes Processioned (walking the boundaries with neighbors every 4 years to insure that everyone agreed on the lines) land in Hanover County in 1759. Some of his neighbors were: John Ussery’s heirs, Josias Blackwell, John Blackwell, Macajah Blackwell, James Blackwell’s heirs, Peter Garland, John Turner, George Jones’ heirs, John Holden, David Talley, and Mark Anthony.
Now, go back a few years to 1743 when Widow Hughes was named in the processioning record. Some of her neighbors: John Holden, John Blackwell, Sr., George Jones, Mark Anthony, John Turner’s orphans. Widow Hughes was named in the processioning records from 1732 until 1743 with the same neighbors.
There are no processioning records from 1719 until 1732 when Widow Hughes first shows up (or I can’t find any). But in 1715 Rees Hughes Jr., b. c1655, was processioning land in St. Paul’s Parish, New Kent Co. (Hanover was formed in 1721 from New Kent). Some of Rees’ neighbors in 1715 were: James Blackwell (also James Jr., & Robert Blackwell), George & John Turner, and George Jones. In 1719 these same names appear. Rees Hughes, Jr must have died sometime between 1719 and 1732. I think it was closer to 1719. He would have been about 64 years old in 1719. He was the son of Rees Hughes, Sr. who lived very close to the St. Peter’s Parish Church in New Kent Co.
Rees Jr’s land was about 12 miles northwest of Rees Hughes Sr’s land. Sr’s land was about 3 miles from the Hanover Co. border in northwest corner of New Kent Co.and very close to the old Swayback’d Church of St Peter’s Parish. That old church was replaced in 1703 by the Brick Church which was built about 3 miles SE from the old Church. Just before Rees Sr. died (seems like 1698) he gave 100 acres of land to the Parish Church (glebe land). In 1704 his son, Robert Hughes, b. c1650, a Quaker, attempted to reclaim this land. Robert would not back down, even when threatened with a lawsuit, and the Parish Officials ended up giving him over a ton of tobacco to give up his claim on the land. From the Parish Vestry Records we learn that Robert was the son of Rees Hughes.
Robert patented 855 acres on the north side of the north branch of the Chickahominy River in 1682. This has to be Beaverdam Creek and it runs practically underneath the I-295/US 360 Interchange. It is only about 6 miles long—generally short for a creek, but long in comparison to other tributaries of the Chickahominy River. In 1693 Rees Hughes, Jr. patented several hundred acres on the south side of Beaverdam Creek. On December 23, 1714 Rees patented an additional 430 acres on Beaverdam Creek just east of the land he had previously patented. Rees probably sold part of his land west of the 430 acres and gave part of it to Anthony Hughes who appears to be his oldest son, b. c1685. Anthony shows up in processioning records from 1719 until 1751 with neighbors that Rees had before he patented the 430 acres in Dec, 1714. Anthony’s land was in a different precinct from Rees/Widow Hughes/Blackmore’s land.
But we need to concentrate on that 430 acres that Rees patented in December, 1714. That seems to have been his main place of residence and that was the land (or parts of it) that was being processioned from 1715 by Rees and his widow and Blackmore when he processioned it in 1759.
Records of Hanover Co., VA – Wm & Mary Qrtly, Vol 21, No. 1
Jan. 4, 1734. --- Samuel X Ruther, St. Paul's P. to Rich'd Tyree of St. Peter's P., James City Co., (said land—200 acres--willed by Rees Hughes of New Kent to heirs of Mr. Wm Philips & Wm Watkins proving himself heir of said Philips as appear on records of New Kent, 14 April 1720), being part of 430 acres granted Dec. 23, 1714, to Rees Hughes.
Another account of this deed is at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/TNSMITH/2004-07/1089374986
Which brings out that the other 230 acres of the original Rees Hughes 1714 Grant was occupied by Orlander (Orlando) and William Hughes (though Widow Hughes was still considered to be the owner according to the procession records). This would make it very likely that Orlando and William were sons of Rees Hughes and that Dr. William Phillips was a son-in-law of Rees.
We can glean a lot from this deed. We find that Rees Hughes, Jr. had a grand-daughter that married William Watkins in 1720. Giving her an age of 20 when she married, that gives her a birth year of 1700. If her mother (wife of William Phillips; daughter of Rees Hughes, Jr.) was 20 when she was born, that would give the mother (may have been named Elizabeth) a birth year of about 1680. Rees Hughes Jr. would have been about 25 years old in 1680. About that time Rees Hughes Jr. had come back from England accompanied by Elizabeth Hughes. Rees and Elizabeth were used as headrights by Robert Hughes to get his 855 acres on Beaverdam Creek in 1682 in what is now Hanover Co. It looks like Elizabeth may have been a new bride that Rees Hughes, Jr. was bringing back from England. Whoever his wife was, she seems to have been an educated lady. She named sons Anthony, Orlando, William, and possibly Leander. All names related to William Shakespeare or his works.
But the most important thing (as regards Blackmore) we find from this 1734 deed is that Orlando and William Hughes were associated with the land that Rees Hughes, Jr. had patented in 1714. Orlando left a will (Cumberland Co., VA, 1768). He named no son Blackmore. By the process of elimination, that leaves William as the most likely father of Blackmore. This is definitely not the William Hughes, builder of the Brick Church, St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent Co., VA.
But I think that William Hughes, b. c1655, who built the Brick Church (1701-1703) of St. Peter’s Parish, New Kent Co., VA (still standing and in use) is close kin to Blackmore Hughes. I think William the Church Builder was the grand-uncle of Blackmore. I put the Church Builder as a son of Rees Hughes, Sr. because of time and proximity. If anyone knows of another Hughes that lived close to St. Peter’s Parish Church besides Rees Hughes, Sr. who could have been the father of William Hughes, b. c1655, I would like to know of him.
Forrest Mullins, descendant of George Hughes, b. c1760 who I believe to be a grandson of Anthony Hughes, b. c1685, son of Rees Hughes, Jr.
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