| ** The Hugg Family ** | 
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The Huggs in America
To my knowledge, there are currently at least four different Hugg lines in the United States. The one that is the probably the most researched and best known is the John Hugg line from New Jersey, which begins on this continent in the late 17th century.
There is a second line from colonial times that took root in New England and New York. A third line began, sometime later, in the Carolinas -- these Huggs appear to be from Northern Europe. A fourth line of Huggs, this time French, came to America via Pennsylvania.
Finally, there are two lines that appear to begin in Maryland. The better known of these is a line of German Hugg's that came to American via Ireland. This family, which appears to have been centered around Baltimore, Maryland, was very successful. Their wealth eventually became the source for the Thomas-Hugg House in Baltimore and the Hugg-Thomas Wildlife Management Area near Sykesville, Maryland.
The second Maryland line appears to be the source of my current line. They seem to be located on Maryland's Eastern Shore, with members in Cecil County and other possible relatives in Queen Anne's County. There still may be a possibility that these Huggs are descendants of John Hugg of New Jersey, but it appears more likely they arrived simultaneously. Perhaps they were British relatives of John Hugg who came over separately.
** The Delmarva Huggs**
Updated 6/22/2006.
This is my name for the line of Huggs to which I belong. They have lived in Delaware for several generations (although I now live, ironically, in New Jersey). Before Delaware, they lived on Maryland's Eastern Shore.
The line I'm related to is traceable to the Cecil County, Maryland area. There is also evidence of Huggs in other Eastern Shore Maryland areas, which may be related. (For instance, I have seen a Jacob Hugg listed in Queen Anne's County, Maryland in 1781 -- although I do not have the original source at hand.)
In one of the oldest references to a Maryland Hugg, George Hugg is listed in A 1681 Maryland State Tax List.
These Huggs do not seem to be related, at least in the New World to either the Baltimore-area Huggs or to the New Jersey Huggs, even though the later seem to have moved into the Philadelphia area.
** The Baltimore Area Huggs **
I found a reference to an Admiral Jacob Hugg, who is mentioned as a "founder of the town of Sykesville in Carroll County" in a web page describing The Hugg-Thomas Wildlife Management Area. Unfortunately, on-line searches for more information on the Huggs of Caroll County have not been very successful.
A Visit to the Hugg-Thomas WMA - Father's Day, 2001
In the Summer of 2001, my family and I went to the small town of Sykesville to find out more about the Hugg-Thomas WMA, especially to see the ruins of the Hugg mansion the website speaks of. Well, while we found a couple nice restaurants in Sykesville, and did get our exercise hiking through the expansive WMA, we did not see anything we could identify as ruins. There is one old stone wall near the road at the WMA, but this seemed to be more of a fence or ground retention wall than the foundation of a house. Perhaps we'll make a future visit after contacting someone at Maryland Natural Resources for more information.
Although it now appears that I am not related to this line of Huggs -- at least not on this continent -- my grandfather believed that we were and did a great deal of research on this line. Following in his footsteps, I have also researched this line.
This line begins in America with John Hugg, b. 1640. For detailed information on his descendents, see the John Hugg pages.
** George C. Hugg (b. 5/23/1848, d. 10/13/1907) **
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George Crawford Hugg, born near Haddonfield,
New Jersey, is a descendant of the John Hugg New Jersey line. He was a prolific
composer of gospel songs, and was well known in and around Philadelphia.
He was the son of a John and Elizabeth Sprole Hugg, of New Jersey.
He married Annie E. Ketchum, with whom he had one child, "Evangeline
." (
GCHuggSources
)
Ironically, the composer's time in Philadelphia follows closely upon the existence of a separate George C. Hugg, who, according to census and business directory records, was a rigger with his father, William Hugg in the 1860's. |
There is a Hugg line out of the Carolina’s – I believe started by a Swedish “Hugg.”
There is also a Hugg line out of New York/Connecticut region. I originally thought, as I believe other New Jersey researchers have, that this line was a branch of the New Jersey Huggs. However, correspondence with researchers on the Connecticut Huggs seems to be conclusive that this is a separate line.
The Betsy Ross Connection: The New Jersey Huggs (most likely Samuel and John Jr.) owned a tavern where Betsy Griscom married John Ross – due to Betsy’s young age, John Hugg (Jr.) posted bond so that the couple could be betrothed. Later, the widow Betsy Ross would, as legend holds, so the Stars and Stripes. For more information on Betsy Griscom's descendants, visit Bill Abram's Genealogy Site.
More direct Colonial Ties: Samuel Hugg was an officer in the W. New Jersey Colonial army from 1776-77.
The Death of John Hugg, Jr.:
Thanks to Myrna Hewitt
, I now have this information on the death of John Hugg, Jr.
From The History of the Colony of Nova-Caesaria, or NJ.,p. 424:
1730 "In this year died John Hugg, esq; of Glouster County; He was about ten years one of the council; Riding from home in the morning, he was supprised to be taken ill about a mile from his house; when getting off his horse, he spread his cloak on the ground to lie down on; and having put his gloves under the saddle girth, and hung his whip through one of the rings, he gurned his horse loose, which going home, put the people upon searching, who found him in this circumstance speechless, they carried him to his house, and he died that evening."
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Mysteries, loose ends, etc. |
The Talarowski's & Grabowski's Lines through Wilmington, Delaware |
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Research Journal & Information
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These pages (with the exception of ads, banners, etc. put in by the sponsor or sponsors), the compilation of data contained, and all original text are © copyright 2000-2006 by S.D. Hugg. All rights reserved.
Sources:
(For primary information on George C. Hugg, composer)
Biography of Gospel Song and Hymn Writers, Jacob Henry Hall, Fleming H. Revell Company, New York, Chicago, etc., 1914. Pages 263-265. Source can be seen at the Rockingham Public Library, Harrisonburg, Virginia as of June 2000.
(Source for George Hugg's middle name, his mother's maiden name and his pedigree)
Personal E-Mail and papers from fellow Hugg researchers. For more information, please contact huggfamily@yahoo.com.