In 1809, Madison County was still a part of the Mississippi territory. The following census, which was published in the Territorial Papers, has been reproduced here. This census gives a reasonably accurate portrait of the families residing in Madison County at its earliest point in history.
I would like to identify as many of the other family members as possible in this census. If you’re aware of the family makeup of any of the enumerations below, will you please send me the details using the comments section below. Thanks!
In the entry of the 1809 Squatters census for Raleigh Hews, there are 2 males under 21, 2 males over 21, 2 females under 21, and 1 females over 21, a total of 7 in the group. No slaves. In 1814, Thomas Hughes has died and Raleigh has died by 1815. They were related and it is known Thomas had a wife Nancy (Agnes) Scott Hughes. It is thought Thomas was born about 1780, Raleigh was thought to be his father, but recent document brought to light shows maybe hie was brother, age of Raleigh is not known. Thomas and Nancy had 4 children born before 1809 Mary Hughes 1804 – 1880 ; Thomas B Hughes 1805 – 1828; Sarah H Hughes; 1807 – 1887; and Robert H Hughes 1808 – 1867.
Yes. I believe that Raleigh, Thomas, and Robert were brothers. Raleigh was arrested for fighting in Fairfield Co. SC in late 1790s. He is part of several other court cases having to do with brawling. I’m just guessing, but that seems to be a young man’s activity. At any rate, he left SC and was one of the Squatters in Madison Co. AL as you have noted. Robert and Anna had 4 children. William C., 1800 in SC-1874 TN, Sarah H, 1803 in SC, Raleigh, 1805 in SC, and Molly bef 1809 in prob. SC. They are listed on the estate papers of Raleigh Hughes as heirs and orphans of Robert Hughes. On the same estate papers it lists Thomas’ children as Rebecca, 1800 SC, William A. ca 1803, Thomas, 1805, Sarah abt 1807, Robert H. 1808 and Mary Jane or Polly 1810.
Both Raleigh’s and Thomas’s estate papers are available from the Archives in Huntsville. I first found them in a google search for Raleigh where in 1816 the MS Territorial govt. gave Anna permission to sell some land for the benefit of the “minor heirs of Raleigh Hughes”. I presume this is so she and her nearly grown sons could move away to the newly opened land in Hardin County, TN. (Which is N of Muscle Shoals, a major impediment to shipping except in spring) From Hardin Co. the Tennessee River has no other rapids or shoals until it reaches the Ohio R. at Paducah, the northern most ice free port on that river. There are no rapids or shoals from that point all the way to the mouth of the Mississippi.
William applies to dam up the Mud Creek in Hardin Co. in one of their first records, ca 1820. The county was opened to settlement in 1819. The 1830 census has William and family and Anna and her own family and Raleigh with his family. In 1840 the family is still living close to one another Vestal is head of household and live next to William C and has a female of the age to be Anna. In 1850, Vestal is head of household with a wife and children.
The James Copeland enumerated above was James Copeland Sr. born NC 1759, died Madison Crossroads, Madison Co. Alabama, in 1809 (the year of the above census). Enumerated with James was his wife, Lydia Dill Copeland (b. 1750 Rowan, NC; d. 1830 Wayne Co., TN), and their son James Copeland Jr., born 19 August 1791, Greenville, SC, died 18 February 1866, Lutts, Wayne Co. TN.