Hello List, In early September I asked for some help and in less than a week I received about 24 e-mail replies pertaining to the family of my great-grandaunt Elizabeth Rachel Dempsey and her husband Robert Hughes. I want to thank everyone again for all their help. I've put the pieces of the puzzle together that you have sent me and come up with this family picture. On November 21st, 1822, Matthew Hughes married Margaret Sims in Nicholas County, (West) Virginia. Matthew was the son of Robert Hughes & Elizabeth Tincher and Margaret was the daughter of James Sims and his wife Phoebe. Four children were born to this couple: Susanna b. ca. 1826, Anna b. ca. 1833, Robert b. ca. 1834, and John b. ca. 1835. (est. years of birth taken from 1850 census) Margaret Sims Hughes' father James Sims of Nicholas County died leaving no widow. There is still some question as to when he died -- in 1836 or after 1840. Margaret died before 1848 when a suit was filed "in the circuit supreme court of law and chancery for Nicholas County, Geo. H. Lee being judge; seeking to have the court provide for the sale of the 125 acre farm near Beech Glen, I believe, which was left by James Sims when he died in 1836. The bill of complaint represented that William, Martin, John, James, Dryden, Charles, Washington Sims; Joseph Darlington and Jane (Sims) Darlington, his wife; Joel Settle and Mildred (Sims) Settle, his wife; and Nancy (Sims) Johnson respectfully represent that James Sims, the father of your orators and oratresses departed this life on the ___day of ___1836 intestate and leaving no widow". Heirs included among others "the children of Margaret Hughes, formerly Margaret Sims, to-wit, Matthew Kincaid and Susan his wife; Ann Hughes, Robert Hughes, John Hughes, the last three are infants" In 1850 these four children are found in Nicholas County. The three younger children are living with their father Matthew Hughes while the oldest Susanna is next door with her husband Matthew Kincaid. 1850 Nicholas County, (West) Virginia Census 43rd District Enumerated on 26 August 1850 by D. Oliver Kelly Ass't Marshal Sheet No.: 371A Household and Family # 405: Kincaid, Mathew 51 M W Farmer b.Va Kincaid, Susanna 24 F W b.Va Household and Family # 407: Hughes, Mathew 54 M W Farmer b.Va Hughes, Anna 17 F W b.Va Hughes, Robert 16 M W Occ:None b.Va Remark:Dumb (i.e. cannot speak)(b. ca. 1834) Hughes, John 15 M W Farmer b.Va Sims, Isaac 56 M B Farmer 87 b.Va Remark:Enumerator put (free) next to last name* *James Sims reportedly brought eighteen slaves with him to Nicholas County. Below the "Information" sign at the Nicholas County Courthouse there is a framed letter from him freeing a slave named "Isaac". I have put in a query on the Nicholas County List asking about the date this document was written as it may clear up the question of when James Sims died. Robert Hughes age 22 b. Fayette Co s/o Mathew and Margaret married Mar 28, 1858 Nicholas Co Nancy Simms age 21 b. Fayette Co d/o James and Elizabeth. Robert was not found on the 1860 Fayette County Census as a head of household. I suspected that the young couple may have been living with Nancy's parents, James and Elizabeth Simms. The 1860 census shows a Nancy b. ca. 1838 in James Sims' household but she is not listed as Nancy Hughes. Her husband Robert is not found with her. It is possible that he may be living/working in Nicholas County as this is the county they were married in. However he was not found on an index of the 1860 census of Nicholas County. 1860 Census Fayette County, (West) Virginia Household #731 SIMS, James 47 Farmer Elizabeth 47 Nancy 22 Day Labor (b. ca. 1838) Amanda ? Day Labor (this child seen as America on 1850 census) Charles 16 William A. 13 Minerva 11 B. F. (m) 8 G. W. (m) 6 Note: James Sims m. 5 Dec 1832 Elizabeth Darlington in Nicholas County, (W)VA. James Sims (b. bet. 1813-1816) I believe is the grandson of James Sims (1754-1836) of Nicholas County through his son William. James and Elizabeth Darlington Sims were seen on the 1850 Kanawha County census: 1850 Census Kanawha County, (West) Virginia Household #176/176 Sims, James 36 Elizabeth 36 Nancy 14 Mary J. 12 America 9 Charles 8 William A. 4 Minerva 1 In 1866 James Sims reported the death of his daughter Nancy Hughes, 31 yrs on November 17, 1866. She was listed as born in Fayette County with James and Elizabeth Sims as her parents. Source: Fayette County Death Records 1866-1899, by Larry Shuck Robert HUSE (Single) and Elizabeth DEMPSEY (Single) were married on April 8, 1868 in Fayette County, West Virginia, by C.F. Crooks. Marriage record lists Robert's place of birth as Nicholas Co. and parents as Thomas and n/a. Elizabeth, born ca. 1846, was the oldest child of Sarah Ann WOOD and William A. DEMPSEY. At this point I must stress that I am not sure that Robert Hughes who married Nancy Sims is the same Robert Hughes who married Elizabeth Rachel Dempsey as there are two different names listed for the father. Matthew and Thomas. The 1870 census shows that Rachel and Robert had a son Willie b. ca. 1869. There are also two other children listed. 1870 U. S. Federal Census Fayette County, West Virginia Falls of Kanawha #220 Hughes, Robert 35 (b. ca. 1835) #220 Hughes, Lizzie 23 (b. ca. 1846) #220 Hughes, George 13 (b. ca. 1857) #220 Hughes, John M. 6 (b. ca. 1864) #220 Hughes, Willie 1 (male) (b. ca. 1869) Next door: #219 Falls of Kanawha: #219 Sims, James J. 54 Farmer #219 Sims, Elizabeth 55 #219 Sims, Benjamin 18 #219 Sims, George W. 16 #219 Sims, A. Dixon (m) 8 By 1880 Rachel and Robin, as Robert is listed in the census, had 4 children. The two boys, George and John M. who were seen with them in 1870 are no longer in the household. I can only assume that these boys were sons of Robert and his first wife. As far as I know all Hughes listings on the 1880 census have been checked and they were not found in Fayette County. 1880 U.S. Federal Census Fayette County, West Virginia Census Place: Falls, Fayette, West Virginia Source: FHL Film 1255402 National Archives Film T9-1402 Page 2C Name Relation Sex Marr Race Age Birthplace Robin HUGHES Self M M W 41 WV Occ: Farmer Fa: VA Mo: WV Rachael E. HUGHES Wife F M W 31 WV Occ: Keeping House Fa: VA Mo: WV William F. HUGHES Son M S W 11 WV Sarah M. HUGHES Dau F S W 8 WV Nancy HUGHES Dau F S W 5 WV James E. HUGHES Son M S W 1 WV Remark: According to Geraldine Dempsey Workman this Robin is Robert, wife is Rachel Elizabeth Dempsey In 1887 it is possible that their daughter Sarah M. married and in 1888 had a child: Turner, Fayette County, West Virginia Marriages-1866-1889-Turner, Page 160, 21 Jan 1887, Geo. W. Kincaid 26 b. Fayette and Sarah Martha Hughes 15 b. Fayette. (another source lists marriage date 21 Jun 1887) Fayette County West Virginia Births 1881-1893, Mary Kincaid b. 16 Apr 1888, Geo W. Kincaid/Sarah. I do not yet have definite proof that this Sarah Martha Hughes Kincaid is the daughter of Robin and Rachel Hughes. Robin and Rachel's first child Willie, as he was called in the 1860 census, is seen marrying in Clay County, WV in 1899 and at the time of the census in 1900 he and his wife did not yet have children. I do not know how William Franklin Hughes came to be in Clay County in 1899-1900 but he must have moved on as he is not found in that county in 1910 and 1920. William Franklin Hughes age 29 b. Fayette Co s/o Robin and Rachel married June 28, 1899 Clay Co WV Ella Alice Crawford age 17 b. Kanawha Co 1900 Clay Pleasant Dist #49 William Hughes b. Sep 1869/age 30 m. 1yr - Alice b. July 1881/age 18 no children It is possible that William's wife died and he remarried as I found another marriage in Clay County: HUGHES, William F. & STONE, Rachel April 23, 1904 Source: http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvclay/claymar.htm This is all the information that I have been able to find on Robert Hughes and his children from his second marriage. If anyone has anything new to add to this, please let me know. Thank you for all your help. Cathy