Gwynn's Island Project

Mary (called Polly by her family), was born in 1807.

In 1824, at age 17, she married Walter Gwynn Hudgins (1800-1849), and bore eight children, four of whom died in infancy or childhood.

Surviving children were William Houlder Hudgins (1826-1895), Robert Elliot Hudgins (1828-1906), Walter Gwynn Hudgins Jr (1835-1911), and Martha Peyton Hudgins (1841-1924).

After Hudgins died in 1849, Mary married Thomas Edwards (1792-1857) in 1851, and became stepmother to his six children by his third wife, Louisa Ann Lane (1808-1850). Together, Thomas and Mary produced an additional daughter, Ella (1854-1940).

Two of the Edwards children intermarried with Mary's Hudgins children.

Robert Emmet Edwards (1840-1920) married Martha Hudgins in 1868; Robert Elliot Hudgins married Martha Louisa Edwards (1846-1932) in 1862. All the Hudgins men, as well as Robert E. Edwards, served in the Confederate army.

Mary's Diary

12 May 1861 -- Henry & Isack ran off to the Yankeys carrying off all Roberts clothes; stole Mr. Robert Hunley’s canoe. Henry (age 19) belongs to me. Isack (age 20) belongs to Ella.

18 May 1861 – Walter’s Jim (age 14 – a well grown likely boy) left with Mrs. Roy’s negroes for Gloucester Point the Yankeys being now there in possession. Nearly all Mr. Birks’ (slaves) left the same time. They were taken up on the Eastern shore.

9 June 1861 -- Up to this time some 31 negroes have left the Island & Island shores. 12 belonged on here. Last March, negroes encamped on the back of the Island (for) 4 days. Killed Capt. D. Respess. They built a bush house & also made their escape, making 38 who left the Island shores

30 November 1861 -- Ella’s John (age 24) went to the Yankeys. Valued at $1300 at the time of the division.

13 May 1863 -- Another negro raid. 5 steamers anchored in Piankatank; one at Williams Wharf; sending off about 500 negroes to rob the county of everything they could lay their hands on which was effectively done as far as the raid extended. I am told the white officers did not restrain them. They took all the stock within their reach, & a Yankey carried off my carriage which I gave $35 for. I expect them on the Island every hour. God only knows what will be our fate. I am told they are coming in the night. I keep matches by my bedside every night. I know not what moment we may be aroused.

Robbed William Hudgins of all his bacon except about six pieces, all his fowls taking setting hens off their nests, ducks, turkeys, guinea fowls & geese, wild geese also. I do not think there was one left on the land, also his sheep 16 in number. His son Walter’s colt just broke a fine horse. Breaking the stove to pieces. Took William's nets with mine, 4 in number, with all his kitchen furniture. Also his seine (fishing net) worth 150 dollars. Also his wife's clothes, with his pocket book with about $100 in specie & all his bonds with all his valuable papers.

14 May 1863 -- Tuesday morning, Maria left for Capt. Gregory’s boat without her children or clothes. Thursday, just at day, she returned (and) carried off one. I carried the other out of her reach but expect my house to be burned down every hour. She said she would send a gunboat next day after her [child?]….before I reached the other side I heard a band of robbers had been sent from Gloucester Point to rob everyone in the County of their horses, mules & negroes, which they did. (They) also burned all the tide mills. They stayed in the county three days, carrying destruction in their path. I was at Mr. Brown’s about 3 days after they left & oh what a scene of destruction did I behold. Mill & 2 barns with all their contents burned down & still smoking & they perfectly resigned to their fate although they had been robbed of both money & jewels. NOTE: Troops would have been white Union troops and U.S. Colored Troops.

NOTE: Union troops raided Mathews County in May 1863 in a unique operation that involved Army and Cavalry troops transported to Mathews by Union gunboats. Mary’s son William detailed the “Raid of the Enemy” in his journals, concluding, “Mathews County is completely ruined, nothing but starvation and utter destitution stare them in the face.”

5 June 1863 -- When the awful day arrived, he came with 2 large barges filled with men. One went to the Mill point to where the negroes were replanting corn & told them to get ready to leave quick as they were prepared to take them off. The other barge with the Capt. came to the house to pay the friendly visit promised. As soon as he was seated he told me he was ordered to take all my people away. I again asked him what crime I had to be treated so cruelly. He said I was found in bad company & that my son helped to burn the boats in the bay. I told him he was wrongly informed as I could prove Robert was sick at the time & Dr. White attending. He would hear nothing I could say to him. I pled with him to leave me (alone). He said his orders were to take all and he should do so. In one half-hour’s time the land was swept of every negro I owned. Elizabeth Foster was at my house when Capt. Andrews took them.

10 June 1863 – (Troops) took all Capt. Keeble’s (slaves) except 3 from his house. NOTE: Humphrey H. Keeble lived near Mary and was the largest enslaver on the Island.

NOTE: Beginning in October 1863, Mathews County experienced a series of Union coordinated attacks that employed U.S. Colored Troops. The Union army was trying to shut down an aggressive campaign by Southern mariners and watermen to destroy Union gunboats and to run a blockade that would enable them to sell their crops. Mary calls theses “Negro Raids”.

19 March 1864 -- About 500 negroes ware landed on Cobb’s Creek going throughout the county robbing at every house they stopped at & committing every crime that can be imagined -- a parcel of outlaws to be guilty of, where they were not restrained by now & then. White officers carried about 80 negroes away from the county. 2 negro women – Nelly & Margaret -- (were taken) from William Hudgins. They cried & resisted; told them they did not want to go but was at last dragged off. Also took some fowls.

NOTE: The “negroes” were U.S. Colored Troops. William is Mary’s son by her first husband, Walter Gwynn Hudgins.