• Henry Hight was grandson of Rufus Henry Hight. Joe Mack Hight copied this during the summer of 1960 while on a visit to Hubbard.
• It is written in quite a rambling manner. It appears Joe Mack tried to copy exactly as it was written, and this version is the same regarding spelling, etc.

William Hight – Martha Meekins Smith

• Pollie Hight was called Aunt Patsy—came from North Carolina. Pollie Hight was William’s sister and came to Tennessee with him. She married Archie Collier.
• William Hight’s children were George, Goodman Smith, Pollie (Mary I.) , Henry and Lucy.
• Think they came from Raleigh , North Carolina. William’s brother in North Carolina was Charnal Hight. Think perhaps their father was also named Charnal. Not sure whether his (William’s) children were born in North Carolina or Tennessee.
• Martha Smith’s father, Goodman Smith, was a Methodist preacher.
• William Hight died January 21, 1851.
• Goodman Smith married Pollie Hight (must have been a sister of Charnal Sr.) on February 14, 1798. Lived in North Carolina. Their daughter, Martha, (Patsy) Meekins Smith married William Hight on July 28, 1821.
• Mary I. (Polly) married William Collier on July `4, 1845.
• Charnal Hight father of William and Charnal, died on November 26, 1833 in North Carolina. He never came to Tennessee.
• Charnal Hight Jr. was a soldier in the U.S. army in the War of 1812. He was a fife major. It seems that his finger was shot off in one of the battles—the finger with which he played the fife—without stopping and by putting down the next finger he kept playing without a stop. He visited in Tennessee later but returned to his home in North Carolina.
• George C Hight couldn’t go to the Civil War on account of being lame and old. He married Minerva Dial on September 2, 1847. They lived on Uncle Andy Wright’s place in Maury County—and it was here in 1852-53-54 that Grandma met Grandpa (Rufus Henry Hight and Mary Emily Wright).
• George C. Hight was the dependence of the women and children during the war. The other brothers went, but he had to stay home on account of lameness and age. He saw after everything—crops, sick, etc. He died about the year after Grandma came to Texas.
• Goodman Smith Hight married Sallie Russ on December 15, 1847. Their children were Billie, Dick, Pattie Meekins, Mary Levonia, Goodman, Jim, Bennett, George (died when a baby), and another boy who died while still a baby. Goodman went to the war. He went through it all. He was at Greenville—some camp in Kentucky: was at Murfreesboro. He was in Bragg’s Army (not sure of this) He was in many battles.
• Pollie Hight married William Collier . He went to the war. He was with Goodman Hight.
• Rufus Henry Hight married Mary Emily Wright on October 10, 1857, Married at the home of her father. They went to live at the “Old Whitaker Place” and stayed there two years. Grandpa was overseer of the plantation and negroes. Then he bought a place on Fountain Creek in Maury County Tennessee about 1859. Aunt Lizzie was born October 31, 1858 at the Whitaker place. They lived on Fountain Creek until about 1867 when they moved to the Wilkes farm (Coffey place) near Culleoka. Papa was born on Fountain Creek on August 11, 1861. Alice Lenora was born July 6, 1864: Joseph Cavassa was born May 24, 1867 on the Coffey farm.
• In fall near Christmas—after hogs were killed—they moved to Wilkes farm near Culleoka. They stayed there until 1870. John Samuel was born June 1, 1870.
• They left Tennessee about September 20, 1870 for Texas. They went in two covered wagons, four good mules. Spent a week in Arkansas. Visited Uncle George Oliver and Uncle John Westmoreland. Uncle Newt Wright’s wife Nancy and children (Newt was killed in War) and William Miles (his mother was a Parks) Sam Keyes married Ma__ie Wright. Had dinner with them . Met old Uncle Jim McKee—they lived in county next to Izard. We reached Uncle Sam’s last of October.
• The trip required about 6 weeks. Grandma did all the cooking for the family and for John Oliver. Also for the Kirks after leaving Arkansas. –who drove one of the teams. They came with john Kirk (one wagon) and his brother Ging Kirk. They brought Mrs. Hargison and 2 daughters to Arkansas.
• They had a hard time in Langee (?) C-a bottom noted for robbers and panthers. They attempted to make trip thru in daytime, but failed to get through on account of bad roads and were forced to stay in there all night. They couldn’t find water for some time—did locate enough for people, but had to let the horses do without. Made up a big fire and stretched tent. All slept in the tent except Papa and John Oliver. They slept in wagon. After all had gone to bed and were almost asleep , a panther began to scream. The mules began snorting—one broke loose. They built up a fire and shot off pistols to scare panthers away. Broke camp early and got out.
• When first started, they were crossing the Tennessee river on a flatboat. One of the mules jumped off—had to cut harness. She swam to shore, then turned around and swam back across. She almost drowned. Had to stay here rest of day to give mule time to recuperate. This happened at Clifton. Crossed Mississippi River at Memphis on boat. Crossed Arkansas River at Little Rock and the Red River at Texarkana. Crossed both rivers on boats. Had some trouble with mules. Crossed White and Black Rivers on flatboats. One of mules jumped off in White River and swam down river—was almost drowned (Cofman County-“Mr. Mockaday”) stayed day here- had good beef. Crossed the St. Francis River just across from Memphis –Salido Mountain—had to scotch wagons.
• Went thru Columbia, Mt. Pleasant, Lawrenceburg, some spring, Clifton