Felix Hughes, Northern Ireland to Mississippi

August 28, 2013 — 8 Comments

Jefferson College

Felix Hughes was born in Northern Ireland and died in Mississippi. He was a founder of Jefferson College in Washington, Mississippi, and became the first secretary of the institution.  He served in the upper house of the first territorial legislature in Mississippi.  His father-in-law was a Presbyterian minister, bad ass Revolutionary War hero.  They did mix politics and Presbyterianism, for sure.

Felix Hughes (1751 – 1824)
is my 4th great grandfather
Philip Oscar Hughes (1798 – 1845)
son of Felix Hughes
Sarah E Hughes (1829 – 1911)
daughter of Philip Oscar Hughes
Lucinda Jane Armer (1847 – 1939)
daughter of Sarah E Hughes
George Harvey Taylor (1884 – 1941)
son of Lucinda Jane Armer
Ruby Lee Taylor (1922 – 2008)
daughter of George Harvey Taylor
Pamela Morse
I am the daughter of Ruby Lee Taylor

He also was involved in another local school:

The Franklin Society
Founds
THE FRANKLIN ACADEMY

Jefferson County, Mississippi

FRANKLIN ACADEMY.   “This institution was founded by the Franklin society, named in honor of Doctor Benjamin Franklin, which had its first meeting at Greenville, after the adoption of a constitution, Jan. 4, 1806.  Cato West was president, Thomas Fitzpatrick, vice-president; Daniel Beasley, secretary; Thomas M. Green, treasurer.  Other original members were Thomas Hinds, Henry D. Downs, Robert Cox, John Shaw, John Hopkins, James S. Rollins, Charles B. Howell, David Snodgrass, Thomas and Joseph Calvit, William Thomas.”

“At a meeting June 14, Henry Green and Edward Turner were proposed as new members.  Mr. Hinds, chairman of the committee, reported that Edward Turner offered a house and lot in Greenville as a house of instruction for the Franklin Academy, at a rent of $100 a year if paid in advance, and the Rev. David Snodgrass offered to take charge of the academy for six months at $50 a month, “finding myself.”  At the next meeting, in August, Armstrong Ellis, Robert McCray, William Snodgrass and Feliz Hughes were made members.   The Turner proposition was accepted, Felix Hughes was chosen principal of the academy, and tuition was fixed as follows:  reading, writing and common arithmetic, $20 a year; higher branches, $30.” 

From:  Mississippi Vol. 1 A-K by Dunbar Rowland, 1907, page 742-743.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From:  ACTS OF THE LEGISLATURE  The Historical Records Survey, Works Progress Administration, Abstrated for Genealogical Purposes page 19 by Ella McCaleb Young.

“Academis
(52) Founding members of the “Franklin Society”:
Cato West, Thomas M. Green, Thomas Fitzpatrick, John Shaw, Daniel Beasley, Charles Howell, William Snodgrass, David Snodgrass, Edward Turner, John Hopkins, Henry D. Downs, James Rollins,  Thomas Calvit, Robert Cox, Henry Green, Felix Hughes, Armstrong Ellis, Jacob Stampley, John Brooks, Thomas Hinds, Wm. Thomas & Robert McCray, January 8, 1807.”