George Washington Huff was born 28 Feb 1816 in Kentucky, probably in Wayne County, the son of Philip and Hannah (Spenser) Huff.[1] He died in Hart Co KY 22 Jul 1902.[2] At times George’s family used the spelling Hufft.[3]
About 1834 George married Malinda Denton. She was born 10 Jan 1812 in Stokes Co NC and died 30 Dec 1901 in Hart Co KY. She was the daughter of Isaac and Mary S (–?–) Denton.[4]
In 1836, Washington Huff was fined for being delinquent in his service in the Wayne Co KY militia.[5] This is the only known source which gives the name Washington; George W Huff was used most often. He was listed in census returns as a farmer.
The first census where they have been found after starting their family is 1850 in Casey Co KY, p 304, 213-218.[6] By that date, they had five sons and a daughter. By 1860, they were in Hart Co KY, Dist #1, p 78, next door to Lorenzo D Huff and his family, with Mary S Denton, the grandmother.[7] Two more sons had joined the family, including a second one named John. In 1870, they were in Metcalfe Co KY, p 75, #235-236.[8] In 1880, they were back in Hart Co KY, enumeration district 84, p 17, close to several of their sons.[9] And in 1900, they were in the home of oldest son Clayton in Hart Co KY, p 8B-9A, 155-159.[10] Of Malinda’s eight children, five were still living.
George W and Malinda Huff had the following children:
- Clayton M HUFF was born on 14 Feb 1836 in Russell Co KY. Clayton M died in Metcalfe Co KY, on 19 Aug 1928. On 14 Feb 1857 when Clayton M was 21, he first married Martha Jane BELL in Hart Co KY. Born in say 1838. Martha Jane died in KY on 13 Jul 1860; an infant, John Thomas, survived although some sources say he died young.
- John Thomas (1860-)
On 18 Nov 1861 Clayton second married Mary S DENTON, daughter of Benjamin DENTON & Elizabeth HUFF, in Wayne Co KY. Born ca 1844 in Wayne Co KY, Mary died in Green Co KY, on 14 Apr 1886. Clayton fought as a Union soldier in the Civil War. He and his second wife had the following children:
- George W J (1862-)
- Noah E (Died as Child) (1864-<1870)
- Isaac N (Died as Child) (1866-<1870)
- James W (1869-)
- Powhatan T (1871-1950)
- Tina E (1873-)
- Eli M (1875-)
- Charles Miller (1881-1912)
- Robert E (Died as Child) (1881-)
- Samuel C (1883-1937)
- Lorenzo Dow HUFF was born on 12 Oct 1839 in Wayne Co KY and died in Crail Hope, Hart Co KY, on 17 Dec 1912. He was buried in Houk Cemetery, Hart Co KY. He served on the Union side in the Civil War and later worked as a photographer. On 30 Sep 1858, he first married Laura Frances GENTRY, daughter of Benjamin GENTRY & Emily MARTIN, in Hart Co KY. Born on 25 May 1844 in Hart Co KY, Laura Frances died in Green Co KY, on 13 Feb 1911. They had the following children:
- Mary T (1859-1924)
- Jane C (1866-1891)
- George Benjamin (1868-)
- daughter (1874-)
- John Miller (1878-)
- Clarence Underwood (1880-1968)
On 29 May 1912 when Lorenzo Dow was 72, he second married Isophene PIERCE in Metcalfe Co KY. Born on 4 Oct 1876 in KY, Isophene died in Green Co KY, on 9 Apr 1949. They had one child, born after the death of Lorenzo:
- Lorenza Franklin (1913-1997)
- William A HUFF was born in Aug 1842 in KY. William A died in Smiths Grove KY, on 3 Mar 1919. In the Civil War, he served as a private, Capt Ward’s Independent Co; then Co G, 3rd KY Cavalry, 1862-1865 On 9 Sep 1859, he first married Mary Elizabeth STEWART in Columbia, Adair Co KY. Born in 1844 in KY, she died in Rocky Hill Station, Edmonson Co KY, on 5 Sep 1897. They had the following children:
- Martha J (Died as Infant) (1862-1863)
- Sarah Elizabeth (1866-)
On 30 Jul or 3 Aug 1917 when William A was 74, he second married Elizabeth H LOWE in Barren Co KY. Born in 1848, Elizabeth H died in 1950; she was 102.
- Isaac Newton HUFF was born on 23 Jan 1845 in Marion Co KY. He died in Crescent, Logan Co OK, on 25 Jan 1925. He also served as a privatet, Co G 3rd KY Cavalry, enlisted 9 Mar 1962. While home on leave in 1864, he contracted smallpox; two of the five soldiers on leave died of this disease, but he survived and got married. His neighbors who signed his pension application called him “Isaac Hufft.” On 28 May 1864, Isaac married Elizabeth Ann JEWELL, daughter of James JEWELL & Margaret ATWELL, in Metcalfe Co KY. Born on 5 Mar 1844 in Metcalfe Co KY, Elizabeth died in Logan Co OK, on 30 Jan 1924. They had the following children:
- James W (1865-)
- John G (1867-<1898)
- Mary C (1870-1953)
- Malinda Marquerite (1872-1928)
- Hannah Cathern HUFF was born on 19 Mar 1847 in KY. She died in Hart Co KY, on 24 Dec 1891. About 1863, she married John R ATWELL, son of Richard Nevet ATWELL & Sarah P/Polly JEWELL, in KY. Born on 12 Feb 1839 in KY, John R/T died on 4 Jan 1924. They had the following children:
- George R (1867-)
- Martha E (ca1869-)
- William P (ca1872-)
- David H (1873-)
- Thomas A (1878-)
- James N (1878-)
- Sarah S (1881-)
- John G (1884-)
- Charles N (1887-)
- Mary E (1889-)
- John W HUFF was born about 1850 in KY. He married Leatha E NUNN, who was born ca 1852 in KY. They had the following children:
- James W (1870-)
- Mary C (1872-)
- Henry A (1875-)
- Elizabeth Grace (1876-1967)
- John O (1878-)
- Hardin Thomas HUFF was born on 18 Aug/Oct 1855 in Taylor Co KY. Hardin Thomas died in Metcalfe Co KY, on 13 Sep 1943, and was buried in Young Cemetery, Metcalfe Co KY. He married Ann HARLOW. Born on 29 May 1853, Ann died on 28 Dec 1914. They had the following children:
- William A (1877-)
- Barilla Elizabeth (1880-)
- Joseph Buford (1887-1969)
- probably Clinton HUFF, died before 1900 census.
© Kathy Alvis Patterson, 2008
[1] A descendant, now deceased, named Luther Huff, sent much of our Huff data to my parents in the 1970s. Luther was a son of Lorenzo’s son Clarence. His statement that George W was from Wayne Co led to our finding Philip Huff and Isaac Denton as near neighbors. He also said that George W and Malinda had a son named Clinton. [This is contrary to the 1900 census numbers.] The proximity of the father-in-law Isaac Denton to Philip Huff in various census years is the best evidence for his father. Apparently his sister Elizabeth married Malinda’s brother Benjamin; their granddaughter wrote that her mother was a cousin of my family, apparently a double cousin.
[2] Dates are from gravestones. See Hart County KY Historical Society Quarterly. 11 Feb 1999.
[3] Granville W Hough, Laguna Hills CA, wrote me in 1991: “By family records [he] used a t at the end of his name. Census and other records do not always show the t, and some of his children dropped it; however, it appears that neighbors pronounced the name with a t. This characteristic may indicate that this family had a different origin from that of other HUFF families in the same area. It possibly descends from HUFFT or HOOFT families of VA and/or TN.
“The family tradition holds that the HUFF or HUFFT family was of German Origin, coming through VA to TN or KY and living in Harlan Co KY, then at Albany in Clinton Co, then Monticello in Wayne Co, then Crail Hope KY, which is near the intersection of Hart, Green, and Barren Counties.”
[4] George W Huff’s marriage record and 1840 census have not been found. His wife Malinda Denton’s parents were living with his family in 1850 and with his son Lorenzo in 1870. The proximity of the father-in-law Isaac Denton to Philip Huff in various census years is the only evidence of his father. Apparently his sister Elizabeth married Malinda’s brother Benjamin; their granddaughter wrote that her mother was a cousin of my family. A newly found brother is Lorenzo Denton, b in Stokes Co NC.
[5] Wayne Co KY Vital Records, Vol. 5, 1978, p. 166: “1836 Delinquent List. The following is a list of fines assessed in the 90th Regt. of Ky Militia by a Court held on the 1st Monday of November 1836. Capt Charles H. Hamilton’s return: Washington Huff for Oct 1.00.”
[6] George W Huff 35 farmer $100 KY can’t rd & wr, Malindy Huff 38 spins NC can’t rd & wr, Clayton M 10 KY attended school, Lorenzo 11 KY attended school, William A 8 KY attended school, Isaac D 5 KY, Hanah C 3 KY, John N 6/12 KY, Isaac Denton 77 NC, Mary Denton 77 NC can’t rd & wr.
[7] 543-538: GW Huff 48 farmer $100 ditto [=KY], Malinda Huff 46 NC cannot rd & wr, Hannah C 13 KY in school, John N 10 KY, Hardin T 4 KY, William A Huff 17 farm laborer KY married within in year, Mary E Huff 17, KY married within year.
544-539: L D Huff 20 farmer $100 ditto [=KY] , Laura F Huff 16 ditto [=KY], Molley 1 ditto [=KY], Mary S Denton 87 MD.
[8] George W Huff 53 farmer $280 $100 KY, Malinda 53 keeping house, NC, cannot rd & wr, Hardin Thos, 14 works on farm KY cannot rd & wr, John T, 9 works on farm KY.
[9] 148-148. Lorenzo D Huff 40 mar photographer KY KY NC, Laura 36 wife mar keeping house KY KY KY, Mollie 21 dt sg KY KY KY, Jennie 14 dt sg KY KY KY, George 12 son sg KY KY KY, John 2 son sg KY KY KY. #146-146. Benjamin Gentry 59 mar farmer TN TN TN, Emily 56 wife mar keeping house KY KY KY. #150-150. George W Hufft 64 mar farmer KY Tenn VA, Malinda 67 wife mar keeping house NC NC NC, Hardin T 25 son mar farm hand KY KY NC, Anna G 26 dt[-in-la] at home KY KY KY, William A 2 grandson KY KY KY. #151-151, Isaac N Hufft and family. [water damaged, hard to read].
[10] Clayton M Huff head 64 Feb 1836 widowed 1 ch, 1 ch liv KY KY NC farmer, Linie C daughter 26 Jul 1873 single, KY KY KY, George W Huff father 83 Jul 1816 66 yrs married KY TN KY, Malinda Huff mother 87 Jan 1813 66 yrs married 8 ch, 5 liv NC NC NC
Alvispat's Weblog 
Samuel C. Huff did NOT die as a child, Samuel was my Grand Father and he died in Omaha Ne. in 1937 from a hit and run drunk driver. His son Edward C. Huff was my father, and I am Thomas R. Huff and I have all the documented proof.