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HUGH GRAHAM DARBY
BIOGRAPHY and GENEALOGY
(1848-1927)
Talladega County, Alabama
Hugh Graham Darby, of Sylacauga, Alabama, was a native of Talladega County, born on the farm he later owned, Aug. 3, 1848. His paternal grandparents, Adam and Rebecca (Shepherd) Darby, were both born in Edinburgh, Scotland, but came to America at an early day and settled in Virginia, where both died.
Hugh Shepherd Darby, father of the subject, was born in Culpeper County, Va. After reaching manhood he came to Alabama and established a large tannery about three miles south of Sylacauga, where he also owned a large plantation. Prior to the war, he was a prominent Whig, but after the war, he always voted with the Democratic party. He was twice married. His first wife was Elizabeth Mallory, by whom he had six children, only one of whom was living in 1904. After the death of his first wife, he married Mrs. Sophia Hightower, nee Graham, a daughter of William Graham, a native of Ireland. By this marriage, he had three children, two of whom were still living in 1904. Mrs. Darby died in 1869 and Hugh S. Darby died in 1878.
Hugh Graham Darby received a good common school education and had all his life been engaged in farming, except for five years that he was in mercantile pursuits. He owned a fine farm of 265 acres near Sylacauga and was one of the well-to-do farmers of Talladega County.
Soon after the war he was appointed postmaster at Sylacauga by President Grant and held the position for ten years. Mr. Darby was a Democrat in politics, and both himself and his wife, as well as their children, were members of the Baptist church, as were his father and all his brothers and sisters, though his mother was a Methodist.
In 1879 he led to the altar Mary C. Cox, of Murfreesboro, Tenn. She was a daughter of Middleton W. and Laura B. (Oden) Cox. Her father came from Georgia and a short time before the war lost his life by an accident.
Mr. and Mrs. Darby had three children:
- Middleton Graham Darby,
- Jessie Sophia Darby
- Mary Anna Darby
All lived in Sylacauga, Alabama in 1904.
Hugh Graham Darby died March 24, 1927 and is buried in Marble City Cemetery, Sylacauga, Talladega County, Alabama. His wife, Mary Anna (Cox) Darby died January 1904 and is also buried in Marble City Cemetery.
SOURCES
- Notable Men of Alabama: Personal and Genealogical, Volume 1 edited by Joel Campbell DuBose
- Find A Grave Memorial# 5916116# 5917807
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