From Proud Heritage, Vol. 1 by DCPA, not currently in print.
Anna Hunnicutt was born August 17, 1802 in Anderson County, South Carolina. Her father was Hartwell Taylor Hunnicutt, born April 7, 1782, Cumberland County, South Carolina, son of Hartwell Hunnicutt and Mary Seward (Sewell). Anna’s mother, Margaret Cunningham, was born 1783, in Greenville County, South Carolina. They had eleven children born in South Carolina before they moved to Illinois. The Hunnicutt family is found in Virginia records as early as 1653.
In December 1816, the Hunnicutts loaded their family into covered wagons and started on their journey. They traveled along the National Highway through the Allegheny Mountains to Illinois, and in the spring of 1817 they settled on the eastern bank of the Mississippi River in what is now Madison County, Illinois, close to the mouth of the Missouri River.
In 1820 Anna’s family left Madison County and moved north along the east bank of the Illinois River to what is now Walkerville Township, Greene County, Illinois, where they settled and Hartwell became the first school teacher in that district. He was also a farmer. By 1824 Anna had fourteen brothers and sisters.
Anna, the oldest child, married William Bolin Cox, July 27, 1820. Hulda (born September 27, 1803) married William Moore July 24, 1821; Patsy married Abel Bates September 1, Abel died and Patsy married Solomon Silkwood. Emily Manley Hunnicutt (born February 19, 1806) married John Beeman on June 19, 1823.
Anna’s other brothers and sisters were: Rowell; Montillion; Betsey Polly married James Dawdy; Sally Penely married William Beeman; Mariah Jane died young; Thomas P. Hunnicutt married Ruth Silkwood; and Beneter, youngest of the Carolina born children, married Charles Clanton. William C. and Patience, twins, born December 19, 1818, were the first children born in Illinois. Then came James born 1821 and John born 1824.
Late in 1839 one of the men in the family bought a land certificate from someone recently from Texas. William and Anna Cox, the Moores and the Silkwoods were living in Greene County and William Beeman was living across the river in Calhoun County when they learned of the land purchase in Texas.
John and Emily Beeman had eight children when they heard of the new Republic of Texas; they felt it would be a good place to raise their children. Finally in the latter part of 1840 plans were being made for the move to the Red River Country of Texas. Several of the Hunnicutt children and their families including Anna Cox, Hulda Moore and Emily Beeman moved to Texas. William C. Hunnicutt who married Nancy Beeman came to Texas later.
William Bolin Cox came from near Springfield, Illinois. Anna and William had several children. Three children are listed on the 1830 Greene County, Illinois Census. Four boys, John, Dave, James and Hartwell are mentioned in their move to Texas. Hartwell Bolin Cox was born January 22, 1840 and was the youngest of the children. When the families were ready for their journey Anna loaded all their belongings in two wagons. At this time there was no mention of Anna’s husband, William. It is thought that he died before Hartwell was born. Anna and her son John drove the wagons.
On March 27, 1852, Anna bought Lot 2, on Block 18, in the new town of Dallas, from Stephen B. McCommas and his wife Caroline. March 31, 1852, she bought Lot 1, Block 18 from Rufus Burnett and his wife Elizabeth. She sold both lots to Frederick Brown on August 25, 1860 for $200. Later she bought some land near Mesquite on Old Seagoville Road.
On the 1850 Dallas County Census, Anna’s last name was Duval. Anna’s niece, Margaret Beeman, daughter of John and Emily Hunnicutt Beeman, married John Neely Bryan.
Anna died November 7, 1879 and is buried in the w. W. Glover Cemetery. Her sister Hulda Hunnicutt Moore, brother William C. Hunnicutt and his wife Nancy Beeman Hunnicutt are buried there too, along with other Hunnicutts and early families of Dallas. Glover Cemetery is one of the oldest in Dallas.
Information sources: DeGolyer Library S.M.U., Dallas County Census Records, Dallas County Land Record, Madison County, Illinois Records.
By Helen J. Sullivan, Dallas
