Lydia Hylton cont.



I had never heard or read anything that indicated Gordon and Lydia Hylton had
children, but the information provided by Mr. Cox indicated that there were six children. 
On son, Mastin Bottom Hylton was of special interest.  In fact, I think his name was a
vital bit of evidence in proving Lydia Hylton's ancestry.  Her father was Mastin Steagall;
her grandfather was Bottom Steagall, therefore the name of her son, Mastin Bottom, was
easily explained.  (Bottom Steagall's mother was Agnes Bottom, which explains his
unusual name.)  It was also further proof that I had correctly identified Lydia Hylton.
Evidence indicated that the Cox and Hylton families were near neighbors, but I
had a strong suspicion that there was also a close kinship between the two families. 
Sometime during my research, I had discovered proof that Tobias Cox had married
Fannie Steagall, probably a daughter of Mastin and Fannin Dickson Steagall.  Fannie had
sisters named Lavinia and Susannah.  She and Tobias named three of their daughters
Lydia, Lavinia, and Susannah.  They named a son Gordon, undoubtedly after Gordon
Hylton.  It also cleared up the connection the Hylton family had with the family of Tobias
Cox. 
Earlier, I had stated that Gordon Hylton reportedly left this area and returned to
VA.  I also mentioned the possibility that he moved to Missouri.  Let me explain: Various
attempts had been made to identify the sons of Mastin Steagall, Sr., but records
pertaining to them just didn't seem to exist in the area.  Only one son, Mastin, Jr., could
be identified, and after living in this area for a number of years, he sold his property and
resettled elsewhere, maybe in Kansas.  The records Mr. Cox sent indicated that some of
Mastin Steagall's sons settled in Missouri, and that explains why I could not located them
in local records.  Now, it has also been established that some of Gordon and Lydia
Hylton's children moved to Missouri, most likely with some of their close relatives. 
Emsley N. Hylton died in Kansas City in 1883; his brother, John B., died there in 1870;
their sister, Mary Frances also died in Missouri.  Did Gordon Hylton follow his children
to Missouri after the death of his wife?  He may have.  A death certificate would prove
the location of his last residence, but finding such certificate is highly unlikely, maybe
even impossible.  Mortality schedules prior to the early 1900s were skimpy at best, and if
the informant happened to be someone other than a close relative of the deceased person,
the information given was often incorrect. 
The Hyltons may well have been among the pioneering families of our county,
but they certainly could not have been here more than a few years.  I am not aware of
other Hyltons (sometimes spelled Hilton) that may have settled in Elliott Co, even for a
brief period of time.
I have contacted a Hylton descendent in VA, and she has promised to pass along
information on the Gordon Hylton family.  Her information will likely shed some light on
this mysterious Elliott Co family.  But now when the question, "Who was Lydia Hylton?"