Hue & Hugh

My absolute favorite show, "Who Do You Think You Are?" premiered its fifth season a couple of weeks ago and I couldn't be happier.  Seriously, every episode of this show is great.  I always say that my kids and dog are very well behaved until you get on the phone or try to watch your favorite show.  Then for some reason, my kids, who haven't wanted a thing to do with me all day, will definitely want to do a craft, play a game, or make 7 course meal with me right in the middle of my phone call or show.  Maybe I'm crazy but I still try!

The whole time I'm watching the show I  go back and forth being completely thrilled to hear about this celebrity's roots to being green with envy that I can't have the same experience.  It's such a dream to trace my roots and follow them all the way back to Ireland.  But until I'm rich and famous, I guess I'll stick to doing it myself from my living room.

My living room, by the way, is my current obsession. I'm determined to have a family tree wall and I'm thinking this will be here.  Consider this the before picture.  Sure,  right now it's kinda pitiful.  But it's gonna be great!  All there is to it right now is my family tree chart, my grandfather's American flag, and some of my favorite pictures.  Oh and of course, we have this great old chest that we found in a thrift shop for only $50!

I really believe it's so important that your home not only describes who you are but also is a scrapbook, of sorts, of all the things you love in life.  I definitely love genealogy and family history.   It's a way to honor those who came before you and all they accomplished.  So it will need to be incorporated into our home.  I'll start out with our family tree wall but I hope to somehow get a little of it in every room.

Maybe this will be color for the family tree wall?  I'm usually not a fan of an accent wall but I think it would be fitting here.  And I'm completely obsessed with this charcoal color lately.

But back to Ireland...Here's my chance to introduce you to  Hugh Wasson.  He is my very first ancestor to come to America. He was part of a group of people called the Scotch-Irish, Scots-Irish, or Ulster Scots.   He came to America in 1772 with the Reverend William Martin who was the minister of the Kellswater Reformed Presbyterian Church in County Antrim, Ireland.  Rev. Martin brought 5 ships and about 467 families to the port of Charleston, South Carolina.  Conditions in Northern Ireland were declining with Presbyterians being charged excessively high rents and no money to pay it.  At this same time, South Carolina was offering free land and tools to immigrants who were willing to come and farm/clear the land.  Rev. Martin received a calling to come to America.  This information and lots more is from a great book called Scotch-Irish Migration to South Carolina, 1772, Rev. William Martin and His Five Shiploads of Settlers by Jean Stephenson.  It provides details how the author proved the passenger lists of all five ships.  The ships were The James and Mary, The Lord Dunluce, The Pennsylvania Farmer, The Hopewell, and The Free Mason.  Hugh Wasson was on the Pennsylvania Farmer. 

Passengers on the ships petitioned the Governor's Council for land grants.  Each head of household was entitled to 100 acres of land with an additional 50 acres for each dependent under 16.  Passengers aged 16 and older were allowed to petition for their own land.  In that case, they were entitled to their own 100 acres.  I suspect but have not confirmed that this may be the case for  Elizabeth Wasson and Agnes Wasson who were also on the Pennsylvania Farmer.  Hugh Wasson's land grant was for 350 acres in Colleton County but Agnes and Elizabeth's land grants were each for 100 acres in Fairfield County.  Immigrants had no control over the location of their land grant.  Since only the head of households applied for land grants, we don't know the names of the other people who came from Ireland with Hugh.  But because of the fact that he received 350 acres of land, we can either assume that he came with a wife and 4 children or with no wife and 5 children. 



Plat for Hugh Wasson's 350 acres in Colleton County on Black Creek of the Little Salkehatchie River

Just three years after arriving in America, Hugh Wasson fought in the American Revolution.  He is listed in the Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution having served in the Colleton County Regiment of Militia under Capt. Thomas Ladson during 1775 and also having served as First Lieutenant in the Saint Bartholomew's Parish Volunteer Company under Capt. William Mills in 1775.  Walterboro was known as Saint Bartholomew's Parish until 1800. 

In 1780, he served on the Petit Jury for Saint Bartholomew's Parish. Hugh also shows up in the 1790 Census.  His household includes 1 male over 16 (himself), 4 males under 16, and 5 females.

In 1791, he is found on the South Carolina Estate Inventories and Selected Bills of Sale, 1732-1872. In earlier days, when someone died, an inventory of their estate was conducted.  Men of integrity were selected to make the inventory and appraise the value of all property.  Normally there were at least three men chosen to do so.  Hugh Wasson was selected, along with George Smith, and Charles North, to do an appraisal of the estate of the late John Hanley.

Estate Inventory of John Hanley by Hugh Wasson, George Smith, and Charles North

Sadly, that is all the facts I have about Hugh Wasson.  One day, I hope to get to spend a whole day at the South Carolina Archives because they have so much more information there that I can't get online.  I would love to find out the names of all his children.  The only child I know by name is George Cling Wasson.   With this child he started the tradition of naming a child George in every generation, a tradition that continues to this day.  While I don't know positively why he did this, I have an inkling that he was grateful for his land grant from King George III.  After all, his people had been forcibly moved from Scotland to Ireland where they thought they would be able to make a home for himself.  Then life in Ireland was far from ideal.  So with his land grant from King George III, he was able to finally have land to call his own and many of his descendants still remain there today.