Lorenzo Dow Huff[1] was born 12 Oct 1839[2] in Wayne Co KY, the son of George Washington and Malinda (Denton) Huff. He died 17 Dec 1912 in Crail Hope, Hart Co KY[3] and was buried in the Houk Cemetery, Metcalfe Co KY.[4]
On 30 Sep 1858, Lorenzo married Laura Frances Gentry in Hart Co KY.[5] After her death, he married second Isophene (Pierce) Clark, the daughter of William and Nancy Pierce and the widow of Harlan Clark.[6]
Laura Frances Gentry was born 25 May 1844 in Hart Co KY, the daughter of Benjamin and Emily (Martin) Gentry.[7] She died 13 Feb 1911 in Green Co KY and was buried in an unmarked grave in the Houk Cemetery.[8]
During the Civil War Lorenzo served in the United States Army, Co G 3 KY Cavalry, as a private in Turyman’s Independent KY Cavalry, 1862-1865.[9]
In the 1860 and 1870 censuses, Lorenzo was listed as a farmer. In 1860 his grandmother Mary S Denton was living with the young couple and their one-year-old daughter Mary, or Mollie. In 1880, he was listed as a photographer; in 1910 his occupation was “makes pictures.” Lorenzo and Laura joined by letter the Three Springs Baptist Church, 22 Sep 1865, and received a letter of dismission, March 1867.
With his second wife, Lorenzo fathered a posthumous child, Lorenza, who was born in 1913, the aunt of my great-grandmother, who was 26 at the time of the birth of this niece. Lorenza died in 1997, undoubtedly one of the last daughters of any Civil War soldier.
Lorenzo and his first wife, Laura, had the following children:
1. Mary T HUFF. Born on 22 Jul 1859 in Hart Co KY. Mary, usually called Mollie, died in Hart Co KY, on 3 Oct 1924. About 1883, she married Henry Thomas DAVIS, son of Samuel N DAVIS & Catherine H ARNETT, probably in Hart Co KY. Born on 28 Jul 1865 in KY. Henry Thomas died on 2 Dec 1948. They had the following children:
i. Frances Catherine (1884-1961)
ii. Henry T (1885-1969)
iii. Carria B (1887-)
iv. John N (1890-)
v. Jennie E (1893-)
vi. Lucy J (1895-1984)
vii. Minnie L (1902-)
2. Jane C HUFF. Born in 1866 in Hart Co KY. Jane died in Horse Cave, Hart Co KY, in 1891/1893. She was buried in Rock Cemetery, Horse Cave, Hart Co KY. On 24 Dec 1882 Jane C married as his second wife William Rush ATWELL, son of Benjamin ATWELL & Susan ERWIN, in Metcalfe Co KY. Born on 15 Apr 1854 in Metcalfe Co KY. William Rush died in Horse Cave, Hart Co KY, on 23 Oct 1943. They had the following children:
i. Mary Frances (1884-1980)
ii. Wood (1886-1977)
iii. Lucy Birdie (DAR Line approved) (1887-1985)
iv. Henry M (1891-1975)
3. George Benjamin HUFF. Born on 1 May 1868 in Hart Co KY. George died in Jonesboro, Craighead Co AR, after 5 Jun 1918; he was 50. He was a plumber. George married Nancy Jane –?–. Born in 1869 in AL. They had the following children:
i. Lucy B (1896-)
ii. Otho McKinley (1896-1971)
iii. Cordia M (1900-)
iv. Olive R (1903-)
v. Lola V (1905-)
4. daughter. Born in Jun 1874. This daughter appears in the Metcalfe Co KY genweb site, list of births, 1852-1911. She must be a baby who died and was forgotten by family record keepers.
5. John Miller HUFF. Born on 11 Feb 1878 in Hart Co KY. John Miller died in Tucson, Pima Co AZ, in Mar 1971; he was 93. He was twice married, first to Mary, ca 1909, and second to Magnolia. In 1910 Little River, Poinsett Co AR, his census showed they had been married one year, with no children, and Mary was born MO. In both 1920 and 1930, he was called Hufft. There were other Huffs on the page, but not our family. In 1920 Tucson, Pima Co AZ, his wife was Magnolia 31 OK, no children. The 1930 census shows he was 34 and she was 22 when they married each other.
6. Clarence Underwood HUFF. Born on 20 Nov 1880 in Hart Co KY. He died in Hart Co KY, on 14 Nov 1968. Clarence married Dolly F SPENCER, daughter of John D SPENCER. Born on 27 Jul 1882 in prob Green Co KY. Dolly F died in KY on 29 Jun 1954. They had the following children:
i. Luther (1902-1987)
ii. Chester (1909-<1920)
iii. Willie (ca1914-1930)
7, 8. two children. According to Laura’s 1910 census, she had given birth to eight children, four of whom were living.
Lorenzo and his second wife, Isophene, had the following child:
9. Lorenza Franklin HUFF. Born on 10 Mar 1913 in Metcalfe Co KY. Lorenza died in Edmonton, Metcalfe Co KY, on 25 Jun 1997.[10] She first married Glody BISHOP, possibly Garland Bishop (3 Apr 1911-May 1975, Glasgow, Barren Co KY), and second — FROEDGE, possibly either Henry Froedge (28 Nov 1904-15 Oct 1987, Edmonton, Metcalfe Co KY) or Buell C. Froedge (25 Jul 1907-Aug 1991, Edmonton, Metcalfe Co KY. The names of her children are not known, since all would have been born after 1930 and are possibly living.
© 2008, Kathy Alvis Patterson
[1] On documents written during during his life, Lorenzo Dow Huff often, but not always, spelled his name Hufft. See, for example, his pension record.
[2] Lorenzo Dow Huff, death certificate Reg. Dis. 6028, No. 20 (1912), Kentucky Bureau of Vital Statistics. His death certificate identifies his father, but is mistaken about his mother. Comparing the family’s censuses and death certificates of his older and younger brothers show that his mother was Malinda Denton, not Elizabeth Edwards. His grandmother Denton lived with Lorenzo and his family in 1860.
[3] Lorenzo Dow Huff, death certificate cited above. Art and Evelynne Alvis obtained a military headstone for his grave.
[4] This cemetery is about 2 1/2 miles down the road from the Rock cemetery where other family members are buried.
[5] USGenweb site for Adair Co KY has 1858 marriages, south of the Green River:Reyns [interpretation uncertain] Huff, 20, first marriage, born Adair Co. KY, residence Hart Co., and Laura F. Gentry, 15, first marriage, born Barren Co. KY,residence Hart Co, married September 30, 1858. [Is “Reyns” a nickname for Lorenzo? Adair Co coordinator] [This researcher has found records that state Lorenzo Dow Huff, and his granddaughter, my great-grandmother, who knew him, said his name was Wren Huff. KP]
[6] Second marriage license, Isophene Clark, Metcalfe Co KY, 24 May 1912. A copy was included in his pension file..
[7] Laura T. Huff, death certificate (1911), Kentucky Bureau of Vital Statistics. A copy was in Lorenzo Dow Huff’s pension papers.
[8] Laura T. Huff, death certificate cited above.
[9] Pension #773746. Included here are death certificates, marriage certificates, and the birth certificate of his youngest daughter. Identified as a Union soldier at Green Co KY genweb site, http://kykinfolk.com/green/union__soldiers_of_green_county.htm.
[10] Ancestry.com, Social Security Death Index. Also, dates for Garland Bishop and the two men named Froedge.
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