Conrad Huffman (Conrad Hofmann) was born in Germany in about 1715 and his family came from the Rhineland-Palatinate area of south-west Germany.

The 1730's was a period of instability in Rhineland-Palatinate, the region become involved first in the War of Spanish Succession and then in the War of Polish Succession. State religion during a 60 year period also swung among the three state religions: Catholic to Lutheran to German Reformed Church and back several times causing religious dissention.

The family of Conrad Huffman was of the "Personal Piety" or "Pietism" movement of Lutheran Protestants at that time. Pietism was in opposition to these state religions and was therefore systematically suppressed.

This group was also opposed to the baptism of infants, putting them into opposition of the established church. To read about Pietism, and its influence on emigration due to religious oppression, click on The Rise of Pietism in Germany.

Followers of the Personal Piety movement often experienced suppression by authorities. As Ronald Gordon wrote, "...The ruthlessness of the government in suppressing Pietism eventually resulted in the departure of a large number of...[the government's] subjects." (also see Funk*)

In about 1739, Conrad and several other German families from the Rhineland-Palatinate area emigrated to Virginia. These families followed the teaching of Pietism and also believed in baptism when old enough to understand and accept the gospel, rather than of infant baptism. They were therefore sometimes referred to as "Baptists" or "Anabaptists".

Other German immigrants, such as Henry Huffman (1734) and Johannes Heinrich Huffman, or John Henry Huffman (1735) had previously arrived in this area of Virginia, and had likely come from the Baden-Durlach/Paletinate area or the Rhein-Westphalia area. In any case, there are a number of "Huffman" names and other German immigrants in Virginia from 1713 through 1739 who may have aided these German families.

Conrad and the other German families settled in the farming lands of Hampshire County, just below the Maryland border in what was then Virginia, and now is West Virginia.

In 1749, Conrad married (Elizabeth ?) Kuykendal, who was born in about 1726. The Kuykendal family was Dutch in origin, first emigrating from Holland to New York (still Dutch at that time), in the Hudson River valley in about 1650. According to Dutch Reformed Church records, and the 1919 research of Dr. George B. Kuykendall, the Kuykendal family that lived in Hampshire County, Virginia (now West Virginia) had located there from the Delaware Water Gap region of Pennsylvania as early as 1743.

Elizabeth Kuykendal might have been daughter of Elizabeth Brink and Johannes Kuykendal (born 1713). Another historical source states: "...from 1652, Dutch settlers carried copper ore from rich mines located near the Delaware Water Gap to Kingston, New York..." since Johannes Kuykendal married his wife in Kingston, and he was known to work in the Delaware Water Gap area, he may have been involved in this copper mining.

Johannes Kuykendal settled in Hampshire County in 1743, along with his brothers his brothers and uncle. Dr. Kuykendall states: "After getting to what is now Hampshire county, West Virginia, Johannes, Sr., or John [Kuykendal], his brothers Nathaniel, Abraham, Uncle Matthew and others of the family located on the south branch of the Potomac..." This was the same location in Hampshire County as the German families that had migrated with Conrad Huffman.

The Kuykendall graveyard near Romney in Hampshire county has a grave: "E. Kuykendall: died Mar 31, 1816; 'in the 79 year'.", but this seems not to match the presumed age of Conrad Huffman's wife. Many Kuykendalls still live in Hampshire County, 200 years later.

Conrad and Elizabeth Huffman had 9 children:

1. Elizabeth Huffman,

2. Adam Huffman,

3. Benjamin Huffman, our ancestor (1750-1815),

4. Christopher Huffman (1753-1807), born Hampshire, VA,

5. John Huffman (1755-1780), born Hampshire, VA,

6. Henry Huffman (1757-1827), born Hampshire, VA,

7. Nancy Ann Huffman (1760- ), born Hampshire, VA,

8. Conrad Huffman (1763-1784), born Hampshire, VA,

9. Philip Huffman (1769-1843), born Hampshire, VA

The third child, our ancestor, Benjamin Huffman was born in 1750 in Hampshire County, (now West) Virginia, near the Maryland boarder. Benjamin later moved to Brooke County, Virginia, now Brooke County, West Virginia, located at the area where Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio come together.

Benjamin Huffman was married twice. His first wife's name has not yet appeared in the records. Sarah Cuppy (or Köppe), born June 10, 1758 in Morris County, New Jersey was Benjamin Huffman’s second wife.

Sarah’s father was John Cuppy (Johannes Köppe, 1730 - 1802) who had also moved from Germany, first to New Jersey, and then sometime around 1762 to Virginia.

John/Johannes was a stone mason and he married in 1754 in Morris County, New Jersey Margaret Parker (born 1736). Margaret and John Cuppy lived for 8 years in New Jersey, where their first three children, Elizabeth Cuppy (named for her Grandmother Paeker), Sarah Cuppy (future wife of Benjamin Huffman, our ancestor), and John Cuppy were born.

Margaret Parker Cuppy lived until March 25, 1816, outliving John who died in 1802.

The Cuppy / Köppe family moved to Brooke County, Virginia in about 1762 when Sarah Cuppy was about 4. Sarah Cuppy later married Benjamin Huffman (Benjamin's second marriage) in 1779 when Sarah was 20, and Benjamin was 29.

Benjamin lived in Brooke County until his death in 1815. In the 1810 Census, he is listed as "Benjamin Hufman".

Benjamin Huffman had two children from his first marriage, and had eight children with Sarah Cuppy.

Benjamin Huffman's two children by his first wife were:

1. Conrad Huffman (February 22, 1770 - May 31, 1862) who married Elizabeth Carbaugh (June 12, 1798 - July 17, 1884, aged 86). Conrad and Elizabeth had 8 children together.

2. John Huffman (1776 - before September 1818), who married Mary Ellefritz (1779 - )

Benjamin and Sarah's children were:

1. Benjamin Huffman (1780 - October 19, 1860), who married Susannah Huffman (1782 - 1821) in 1803,

2. Sarah Huffman (1782- ),

3. Abraham Huffman, our ancestor (November 16, 1785-November 28, 1860),

4. Jacob Huffman (1787 - after 1819), who married Agens Casebear (born about 1792)

5. Isaac Huffman (1790 - November, 1835), who married Maria Huffman,

6. Elizabeth Huffman (1790 - 1862, twin of Isaac?). Elizabeth married twice, first to Samuel Strong, who died on March 7, 1815. She then married John Cox. Elizabeth died, aged 72 on September 17, 1862 in Brooke County, Virginia.

7. Daniel Huffman (March 9, 1793 - November 28, 1876), who married twice. Daniel's first wife was Natalie Holmes (March 20, 1796 to May 20 1837). Daniel's second wife was Barbara Stoner (February 18, 1803 to September 24, 1882).

8. Margaret "Peggy" Huffman (1794 - 1880).

Benjamin Huffman's third child by Sarah Cuppy Huffman, Abraham Huffman, our ancestor, was born November 16, 1785 in Hampshire County VA, and moved with his family to Brooke County.

Abraham at age 24 married Margaret Cuppy who was then 21. Margaret Cuppy Huffman was born September 26, 1789 in Hampshire County, Virginia and died March 27, 1862 in Clear Creek, Ohio.

Abraham and Margaret were married in Brooke County, Virginia on March 15, 1810.

Interestingly, Abraham Huffman's wife Margaret Cuppy was daughter of Abraham Cuppy (Dec 12, 1763 - 3 Nov 1840) and Sarah Perrin Cuppy (3 Mar 1766 - 8 Sep 1841). Abraham Cuppy was the brother of Sarah Cuppy Huffman (1758 - 1816), Benjamin Huffman's second wife. So, Margaret Cuppy Huffman's aunt was the wife of Margaret's father-in-law, Benjamin Huffman.

Records also show that the Cuppy family and the Huffman family lived together in both Virginia and in Ohio. Records show the Cuppy and Huffman families living near each other in Clear Creek, Ohio, and historical records listed below cite John Cuppy as being "...one of the early settlers known in Clear Creek Township."

In 1814, Abraham Huffman entered deeds for lands in what later became Clear Creek Township, Ohio at the Canton, Ohio Land Office. The next year, 1815, Abraham and Margaret moved to Clear Creek, in what was then Richland County, in the northern central part of Ohio. Clear Creek Township was organized in 1818, and in 1846, Ashland County was created by separating it out of the eastern half of Richland County, after which, Clear Creek was thereafter located in Ashland County.

John Cuppy and Samuel Huffman (relationships not yet investigated) moved the same year to live near Abraham Huffman in the southern portion of Clear Creek Township. In 1820, the population of Clear Creek Township was approximately 309 persons.

Abraham was apparently something of a local leader, since he was elected to Township offices in 1826 and 1829. He also erected the first school house on his property.

Rae Baily (see below) quotes H. S. Knapp's History of Ashland County (1861): "...About 1820, the first school house in the southern portion of the Township was erected on the couther line of land of Abraham Huffman. The house was of hewn logs, 18 X 20 feet, cabin roof, puncheon floor, puncheon tables and puncheon seats. The only light admitted by throwing out a log on the two sides of the building and using paper saturated with grease as a substitute for window glass....Among the first scholars were the children of Abraham Huffman..." [note: "puncheon" refers to wooden boards that are made by hewing with an ax, rather than sawing, since a saw mill was not available.]

Abraham and Margaret had 10 children, with the first five born in Brooke County, (West) Virginia, prior to the move to Clear Creek, Ohio:

1. Daniel G. Huffman ( -1887)

2. Mary Ann Huffman ( -1898).

3. Zachariah Huffman (1811-1841), Zachariah's tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and is inscribed "Zachariah child of Abraham & Margaret died 1841 age 29 years".

4. Abraham G. Huffman (1813-1827), Abraham's tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and says "Abraham G. Huffman son of Abraham & Margaret died 1827 age 14 years".

5. Susanna C. (1815-1880). Susanna's tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and says "Susana C. Huffman died 1880 age 65 years" .

The next 5 children were all born in Clear Creek, Richmond County, Ohio:

6. Benjamin C. Huffman (1817-1871), who married Mary Ann Ferrell (1815 - 1891).

Benjamin's tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and says "Benjamin C. Huffman died 1871 age 55 years".

Mary Ann outlived Benjamin by 20 years and her tombstone says "Mary Ann Ferrell wife of Benjamin C. Huffman died 1891 age 76 years". They had children Roena (1851 - ), William O. (1853 - 1930), Franklin (1857 - ), Laton (1860 - ), and George (1862 - ).

7. John Huffman (1819-1862), and

8. The sixth child, our ancestor, William Huffman, born September 24, 1824.

9. Sarah Jane Huffman (1826-1829) Sarah Jane's tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and says "Sarah Jane Huffman, daughter of Abraham & Margaret, died 1929 age 2 years"

10. Perrin Cuppy Huffman (1832-1894)

One of the ten Huffman children, Sarah Jane, died at age 3, and Abraham G. died at age 14, not long after William Huffman was born.

The 1860 Census shows Abraham Huffman, aged 74 still living in Clear Creek, Ohio with his wife Margaret, aged 71, and with his oldest sister, Susan Smith, who seems to have been either a widow or perhaps never married. Shortly after the Census which was done there in June, 1860, Abraham died. His tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery which says "Abraham Huffman died 1860 age 74".

Two years later, Margaret Huffman died. Her tombstone is in Ashland Cemetery and says "Margaret Huffman, wife of Abraham died 1862 age 72".

In 1845, William Huffman married Elizabeth Ann Smith (born in Ohio in 1819) he being 20 and she 26 years old. They together moved from Ohio to Huntington County, Indiana. This arduous trip was made first from the Ohio River to Fort Wayne, Indiana via the Wabash and Erie Canal which had been completed from the Ohio River to Fort Wayne during the years 1834 to 1837. The final 20 miles from Fort Wayne to Jackson Township, Huntington County was done by a wagon pulled by oxen. During the next few years, the Wabash and Erie Canal was extended down to Roanoke, where a lock (Dickey's lock) was constructed, making Roanoke a transportation hub.

Above is a map of Huntington County when Walter Charles Huffman (Senior) and his parents Aurora and Abram Huffman lived there, showing Jackson Township and the village of Roanoke nearby.

It was in Jackson Township, near this village of Roanoke, William bought 160 acres for $1000, and began to clear the land. Read more about this in the Memoirs about A. C. Huffman.

William’s brothers and sisters mostly stayed in Ohio. In the 1850 Census, William’s brother John and his children were still living in Clear Creek Township, Ohio, presumably taking over the family farm.

William and Elizabeth may also have taken Elizabeth's mother with them to Indiana. In the 1850 Census, Margaret Smith, aged 65, presumably Elizabeth’s mother was living with William and Elizabeth Huffman, and their children Abram C. Huffman (then aged 3) and Margaret A. "Maggie" Huffman (1 year old) at the Huffman farm in Huntington County, Indiana. John K. Smith, born in 1828 in Ohio, and presumably Elizabeth Smith’s younger brother was also living with them, and helping farm.

William was active in the Methodist movement. Pietism, the movement that had influenced Conrad Huffman and his co-religionist who moved to Virginia was also a major influence on John Wesley and others who began the Methodist movement. As a Methodist pastor, William Huffman was said to be active as a circuit rider (itinerant pastor) in what is now referred to as the "Second Great Awakening" or "Great Revival", a protestant evangelical movement of the first half of the 1800s. The source cited states: "The Methodists had an efficient organization that depended on ministers known as circuit riders, who sought out people in remote frontier locations..."

William’s itinerant travels preaching the word might have introduced him to northern Indiana, and lead him settle near the town of Roanoke in Jackson Township located in Huntington County, northern Indiana.

William and Elizabeth had 5 children:

1. Abram Cuppy Huffman, their first child and our ancestor, was born March 4, 1846 in Huntington County, Indiana.

2. A younger sister, Margaret "Maggie" A. Huffman was born in April, 1849. Maggie married Leander D. Smith of Huntington County on October 16, 1868, when Maggie was 19 and Leander was 18 (Leander was born in in Jackson, Huntington County, IN in September, 1850).

They lived first in Jackson, Huntington County, at later moved to Jefferson in Whitney County, Indiana. They had 5 children: Ermina B. Smith (1870 - ), Lizzie C. Smith (1873 - ), L. Aden Smith (1874 - ), Earl I. Smith (August 1879 - ) and Velena Smith (1886 - ).

By 1900, Leander and Maggie Smith had moved to Lancing, Michigan.

By 1910, their children had moved out and Leander and Maggie lived in Lancing with Leander's 85 year old mother, Sara A. Smith. Leander's profession in each source document was listed as "carpenter". Maggie died in 1920.

3. A younger twin sister of Maggie, who died soon after birth.

4. John M. Huffman (1855-1861) who died as a young boy at age 6,

5. William N. Huffman born in 1858, who moved to Missouri (with no further information yet found about him).

The death of two children of the five, early in life was an all too common event in that era, and in the harsh environment of the pioneer life.

This early mortality applied to William Huffman, also. William died on September 24, 1871, at what was even then the relatively young age of 47. In the illuminating Memoirs about A. C. Huffman, there is no particular reason given to William's age at death, which was perhaps considered not so uncommon in that era.

By the time of William's death, his son Abram C. Huffman, our ancestor, was 25, and had already purchased his own farm in Huntington County. So, his brother William N. Huffman, still only aged 14, with his mother Elizabeth, took over William Huffman's 160 acre farm in section 4 of Jackson Township.

By 1880, Elizabeth had moved to Whitney County, Indiana to live with her daughter, Maggie and son-in-law, Leander D. Smith, and their four children (daughter Lizzie having married). Elizabeth outlived her husband William by nearly 23 years, dying July 28, 1894 at age 75. Both were buried in the cemetery of the Wesley Chapel Methodist church, which they had helped to build.

Abram C. Huffman is variously listed as "Abraham C. Huffman" and "A.C. Huffman" in census records, but occasionally as "Abraham (Abram) C. Huffman", such as in his Civil War records, and "Abram C. Huffman" in certain records such as the Huntington County Memoirs, and a birth registry listing. He listed himself as “Abram”, and his tombstone in Huntington County gives his name as “Abram C. Huffman”, so this would seem the correct version. However, content of all these records clearly show this is one and the same person, married to Aurora Comstock Huffman and son of William Huffman and Elizabeth Smith Huffman of Huntington County, Indiana, originally of Clear Creek Ohio.

Abram C. Huffman fought for the Union side during the Civil war, serving 100 days in Company D of the 137th Indiana Infantry in 1864 at age 18 and serving in the 153rd Indiana Infantry Regiment in 1865, being discharged in 1865 at war’s end at age 19.

Abram C. Huffman was likely the first of our family to be university educated. Following the Civil War, in 1865, he entered the Roanoke Classical Seminary in Roanoke, Indiana which later became Manchester College. (The college history states: "...Manchester College traces its origin to the Roanoke Classical Seminary founded by the United Brethren Church in Roanoke, Indiana in 1860. The seminary became Manchester College when it was moved to North Manchester, Indiana in 1889. ")

It is interesting that the United Brethren Church is a spiritual descendent of the Pietism movement which motivated our German ancestors to migrate to the U.S in 1739.

At the Roanoke Classical Seminary, Abram trained as a teacher, graduating in 1867. Thereafter, he would teach in the winters, and farm during the rest of the year.

So in our family tree, Abram started the family trend to university education, since his son Walter Charles Huffman, senior graduated from Huntington Business College, later called Huntington College, and now Huntington University, a Methodist liberal arts college in Huntington, Indiana. Walter Charles Huffman, junior in turn graduated from Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana.

Abram C. Huffman, following his graduation, married Aurora B. Comstock in the Wesley Chapel Methodist church in Huntington County, Indiana on October 21, 1868, when Abram was 22 and Aurora was 18. Wesley Chapel was the small church that William Huffman helped construct.

Aurora B. Comstock was born in Roanoke, Jackson Township, Huntington County, Indiana on February 19, 1850. Aurora's parents were from Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. They moved to Huntington County before Aurora was born, and her father, Charles Comstock (October 12, 1807 to July 21, 1850), was involved in the construction and extension of the Wabash and Erie canal (on which William and Elizabeth Huffman moved from Ohio to Indiana). Unfortunately, Charles Comstock died only 5 months after Aurora's birth.

Aurora's mother, Polly Hall Comstock (February 6, 1813 to June 25, 1872) outlived Charles Comstock by nearly 22 years. Polly then remarried to John Houseman (born in Virginia in 1810), and Aurora and her older brother Charles Comstock, Junior (born in 1845) were thereafter John Houseman's stepchildren. Charles served in the Union Army from 1861 to 1864. Charles Comstock married Mary E. Rose January 7, 1866 in Huntington County, and they later moved to Ellis, Kansas where they raised 3 children.

Both Abram and Aurora were lifelong active members of the Methodist church, and Abram helped later erect the larger frame church on the Wesley Chapel location, where his father had erected the first small Wesley Chapel Methodist church.

In later years, after John Houseman died, Polly came to live with Abram and Aurora on the Huffman farm in Huntington County. Many Huffman and Comstock families are show in the Huntington County registries at this time.

Abram C. Huffman and Aurora B. Huffman had 5 children, each born in Jackson, Huntington County, Indiana:

1) Lillian E. Huffman, born July 9, 1869 in Huntington County, Indiana, who married James Monroe Dinius (usually called by his middle name Monroe) on March 1, 1891, in Jackson Township, Huntington County. Monroe Dinius was 26 and Lillian was 21.

By 1897, Lillian is listed in the Huntington County directory as being a teacher. The 1920 Census also lists her as a college teacher in Huntington County.

Monroe Dinius died on May 17, 1917 at the young age of 52. By 1920, Lillian had come to live with her in-law Boyd Dinnius and his wife Eza and their 5 children in Jackson, Huntington County, Indiana. Also living there was Barbara Dinnius, born about 1845 in Ohio. Lillian Huffman Dinius died in Huntington County on January 17, 1940, outliving Monroe by 22 years.

Lillian and Monroe Dinius had three children according to the 1900 Census, but with only two living. These are Fay Aurora Dinius, born October 3, 1892, and Claude W. A. Dinius, born June,1896, both in Huntington County.

2) Archer William Huffman was born on October 3, 1872. He later moved to Santa Barbara County, California, and married Antis E. Huffman (born in Texas on November 29, 1879), daughter of Antis E. McCarty of Dallas, Texas.

Archer and Antis lived at 1308 North Texas Street in Redlands City, San Bernardino, California with their two boys, Glen G. Huffman (January 17, 1900 - March 3, 1971) and Lee A. Huffman (May 8,1902 - April 25, 1965). Archer's occupation in 1900 in California was listed as "U.S. mail carrier".

Archer and Antis later moved to Highland, CA, about 7 miles away from Redlands City, and in the foothills of what is today the San Bernardino National Forest. Archer died there on October 23, 1942, age 70, shortly after Antis's death on September 10, 1942.

3) Mabel E. Huffman, a daughter born in 1875, who married John C. Ellsworth of Allen County Indiana in February 21, 1895. John and Mabel Ellsworth had at least 3 children, Ethel E. Ellsworth (1898 - ) Charles (1904 - ) who married Erma F Ellsworth (January 20, 1909 - June 18, 1979) in 1926 and Ruth (1907 - ). All three children had been born in Indiana. By 1920 John and Mabel Ellsworth had also moved to Highland, San Bernardino, California, living next door to Archer and Antis Huffman. Archer was of course brother to Mabel Ellsworth. Interestingly, John Ellsworth's occupation listed in the 1930 Census was "horticulturist, bee keeper".

4) Walter Charles Huffman (Senior) was born February 19, 1877.

5) Verne Abram Huffman was born January 1, 1882. Verne married Elfa Carter in about 1905, and they had nine children:

- Lavuna Abigail Huffman born 11 Jul 1906

- Ruth Elizabeth Huffman born 13 Dec 1907

- Mabel Melissa Huffman born 24 Mar 1909

- Doyle Carter Huffman born 14 Nov 1911

- Byron Abram Huffman born 29 Jan 1914

- Woodward Owen Huffman born 15 Nov 1916

- Thomas Albert Huffman born 25 Jun 1918

- Bayless Vern Huffman born 16 Apr 1920

- Elizabeth Betty Huffman born 18 July 1926.

These children were all born in Huntington County. Their last child, a baby girl, Elizabeth Betty Huffman lived only one week, born July 18, 1926 and died on July 25, 1926.

Elfa Carter Huffman was the daughter of Hiram A. Carter born October 1865, and Minnie A. Johnson Carter, born October 1865. Hiram Carter was listed as a "livestock dealer" in Hillsboro, Fountain County, in western Indiana in the 1900 Census.

It is interesting that Abram and Aurora moved to San Bernardino County, California by about 1918 to live in retirement with Archer and Antis, first in Redlands City, and later on Archer's farm in Highland, located about 30 miles east of Los Angeles. This must have been a welcome retirement climate, compared with the frigid Indiana winters. Also, not only were Archer and Antis there, with the grandchildren Glen and Lee, but also living on the adjoining farm were daughter Mabel Ellsworth with her husband John, and the two teenage grandchildren Charles and Ruth Ellsworth.

To read more of a contemporary memoir of Abram C. Huffman in the Huntington County archives, go to the Memoirs about A. C. Huffman, or click on the link below.

After Abram and Aurora moved to California for retirement, they left the family farm to Verne and Elfa Huffman.

The 1920 Census shows Abram and Aurora living with Archer, Antis, and Lee, (aged 17) in California. Aurora's death at age 72 is recorded as "28 Jan 1923 in Highland, San Bernardino County, California" and Abram C. Huffman died more than 4 years later, on December 15, 1927 (at age 81) also in in Highland, San Bernardino County.

Both Abram and Aurora were taken back to Indiana, and buried in the cemetery of the Wesley Chapel in Huntington County, Indiana, the graveyard at this church for Wesleyan Methodists. This is the Wesley Chapel church that both Abram Huffman and his father, William Huffman helped erect and then expand. William and his wife Elizabeth are also buried there. Also, Aurora's parents, Charles and Polly Comstock are buried in the Wesley Chapel Cemetery.

Family Information:

Click here to go to the Huffman Family Tree page

Click here to go to the Hadley Family Tree page

Click here to go to the Lagakos Family Tree page

Click here to read about the Wallers

Click here to read about the Hendricks County Whickers

Click here to read about the Norwoods of Indianapolis

Pictures:

Click here to see Huffman and Lagakos Family Pictures

Click here to see Hadley and Whicker Family Pictures

Click here to see Leach and Junkin Family Pictures

  If you have any comments, corrections, or additions concerning this site, please send me (Larry Huffman) and email at huffman@gmx.com