Scope and Contents
The Huffington and Allied Families Papers, 1650-1955 contains materials pertaining to direct ancestors and descendants of Phyllis Gough Huffington and Roy M. Huffington as well as oblique family lines. The collection consists largely of printed materials such as correspondence between Mrs. Huffington and other family members interested in genealogy as well as independent research conducted by Mrs. Huffington. Many of the printed materials include censuses, court proceedings, obituaries, and other news clippings to provide evidence of familial relationships. Other materials include maps, photographs of family members, and certificates.
Use Restriction
Permission to publish materials from the Huffington and Allied Families Papers must be obtained from the Woodson Research Center, Fondren Library, Rice University.
The Woodson Research Center use policy is that researchers assume sole responsibility for any infringement of privacy, literary rights, copyrights, or other rights arising from their use of the archival materials. In addition to any restrictions placed by donors, certain kinds of archival materials are restricted for the life of the creator plus 50 years. These materials include, but are not limited to, student grades, transcripts, and any job applications or recommendations.
Biographical Note
Richard Huffington Sr. was born in England, in 1656 and supposed to have immigrated to the United States at the age of sixteen imported by Richard Bayley in 1672. A record from the Upper Northampton Court of Accomack, Virginia attests to this importation. He was a long time resident of the area as many depositions and tax lists indicate his inhabitation. He married Mary Windham (believed to be born between 1654 and 1656) in the year of 1679. Together they parented John Huffington Sr. (1680-1749), Richard Huffington Jr. (1693-1756), Susanna Huffington Brown (1694-date of death unknown) and Thomas Huffington (1697-1762). Though his burial place is unknown, it is believed that he died in the year of 1720 in Nanticoke One Hundred, Somerset County, Maryland.
James Brown was born in Virginia, his exact date of birth is unknown, but it is supposed that he was born in the year of 1760. He served as a private in the American Revolutionary War at the age of sixteen. He enlisted on October 2, 1776 while living in Charlotte County, Virginia and served for a total of three years. During his lifetime he was married twice, first to Frances Warren Brown, with whom he had two children Russell Brown (1782-1843), and Frances W. Brown Hancock. Later he would marry Martha (Pattie) Venable Brown on December 13, 1787 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. She would later receive a widow pension from the Bureau of Pensions in 1838 and lived to collect it for a decade. James Brown had passed away on December 16, 1829 in Charlotte County, Virginia.
Henry W. Gough was born in Blaina, Aberystruth Parish, Monmouthshire County, England on December 7, 1861. Biographical sketches indicate that Gough immigrated to the United States in 1863. However, a 1910 Census indicates that Gough immigrated to the States in 1864. For the rest of his life, he was a citizen of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. On August 25, 1885 he wed Sarah Jane (Jennie) Cope (1860-1925) in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. For nearly a quarter century, Gough served as the County Controller for Dauphin County and had a notable career. He was also a prominent member of the Oddfellow, Masonic, and Elk lodges of Harrisburg. He died on August 27, 1937 and buried three days later in the Harrisburg Cemetery.
Phyllis Gough Huffington was the daughter of Celeste Brown Gough and Captain John Edwin Gough. She was born on January 4, 1923 in the Schofield Barracks on the island of Oahu. She attended Southern Methodist University and earned a Bachelors of Business Administration in 1941. In 1945 she married Roy M. Huffington in Dallas, Texas. Later when the family relocated to Houston Mrs. Huffington was a socially active member of the area’s society, in clubs such as the Doctor’s Club of Houston and the Petroleum Club of Houston. Other areas that held her interest included genealogy and civic activities, which is apparent by her membership in groups such as the Society of Genealogists (United Kingdom) and the Campfire Girls. Mrs. Huffington passed away on November 9, 2003.
