As stated in the Pulley page, in November of 1880, (Sarah) Ellen Pulley (the only daughter of William and Jane Pulley) married William F. Huggins. Sarah was 15; William was 36.  And on September 12, 1881, in Breckenridge, Texas, Ellen gave birth to her  first child, Gussie (Augusta Jane) Huggins.    There is a family story about Sarah and William F. that I would like to share. 

When I was a child I remember my grandmother telling me that her father (William F. Huggins) and her grandfather (William C. Pulley) were in the Civil War together.  I know that both men were in the Civil War, but still don't know if they ever served together or not.   William C. was severely wounded ( proven) and, the story goes, William F. saved his life. William C. told the slightly younger man that if they should  survive the war he (William F) could marry William C's daughter. Now, Sarah was born in 1865 and the battle at Corinth (where we know that William C. was wounded) was in October of 1862 so that in itself would seem to disprove the story. Of course, there could have been another time when William Huggins did save William Pulley's life.  Right now, we just don't know for sure either way.  However, we do know that both William's were in business together for many years and that they were contemporaries (William C. born in 1837, William F. in 1844). William F. was living in Breckenridge when the Pulley's arrived. Could it be that this was the reason for the move? Whatever the truth may be it's an interesting and romantic story.

Within the year the two families, including Sarah's brother, (William) Price Pulley, moved to Cisco, Texas. At this time, Cisco was the last contact with civilization before travelers began their long trek to the Pacific Coast. It began as a typical Western town. The first building was a stage station, with baths and a corral. At that time it boasted 350 residents, six saloons, two hotels, a post office, and two churches.

The two families bought several pieces of property, some in the downtown section and one large lot in the residential area. Their two homes were side by side in Cisco and the two Williams were in business together, both being merchants. So, thus it was that the business of "Pulley and Huggins, Staple and Fancy Groceries" was born. (Shown here is an image of their letterhead. Note that the "e" is missing from Pulley.)

The Huggins and Pulley families remained in Cisco, Texas for the next several years.  During that time, while both William's were busy running their business, the Huggins family continued to grow.  

Libby Huggins was born in December 1884.  On February 5, 1886 Hattie Belle (my grandmother) was born. 

My grandmother told me that when the Huggins girls reached their teens they decided that their birth names (Gussie, Libby, Hattie, and Lottie) were too unsophisticated. So the girls (with the exception of Libby who, although she became Elizabeth on paper, remained Libby) changed their names to the more formal versions. Thus, Gussie became Augusta Jane, Hattie Bell became Harriet Beecher, and Lottie (who was born in 1890 in Washington Territory) became Charlotte.

Beginning in January of 1882, the Huggins and Pulley families bought and sold several pieces of property in Cisco, Eastland, Texas.  We know this from the deeds that are on file at the Eastland County, Texas courthouse.  The two families bought an entire block in what was to become the residential area of Cisco.  There, they built their two homes side by side.  The two William's had their store on the main street of Cisco.  

They lived there for about two years or less. We know that by February 2, 1890 they were living in Bucoda, Thurston, Washington. On that date, William F. Huggins and William C. Pulley, "of the same residence" purchased a piece of property from Marcus M. Wright for the sum of $3500.   This was undoubtedly going to be the site of the new Pulley & Huggins Staple and Fancy Groceries.  Once again the two Williams' were in business together.  This time serving the needs of the miners in Thurston County.  

In "History of Benton County, Arkansas," there is an article about Lottie (Charlotte) Huggins, William and Sarah's youngest daughter. Here is an excerpt from that article:  "Bucoda, Wash., was the birth place of Charlotte. Her father, William Frederick Huggins, operated a chain of mercantile stores. Mine owners Buckley, Cody and Davis invited him to build a store at their mine site which was as yet unnamed. Mr. Huggins took the first two letters of each owner's name, and thus Bucoda, Wash., it remains today." 

However, according to the Thurston County, Washington website:  

"Bucoda was originally called Seatco, an Indian word meaning "devil". The town was the site of the first territorial prison, 1874-88. Prisoners worked adjacent coal mines owned by J.M. Buckley, Samuel Coulter, and John B. David. To avoid name confusion with Seattle, the three men coined a new name by using the first two letters of their surnames -- Bu-Co-Da. The railroad adopted the name in 1874, the state in 1890."

So, as you can see, there is a discrepancy about who actually named the town, Will Huggins or the mine owners themselves.  The Huggins family didn't arrive in Bucoda until 1890, 16 years after the railroad had adopted the town's name.  Will Huggins could have known the miners before and coined the name for them years before he arrived in Washington.  Another piece of information we can neither prove nor disprove.  

On March 15, 1890 S. E. Huggins of Bucoda, Thurston County, Washington signed a deed for the purchase of "Lot numbered twelve (12) in Block Numbered Ten (10) lying and being in McElroy and Williams First Addition to the Town of Seatco."  The Huggins paid $1000 for this property which was to become the site of their home.  

While living in Washington, the Huggins' next four children were born:  Charles, born September 1888; Lottie, born September 25, 1890; Hale Hunter, born February 7, 1893; and (William) Austin, born February 1896.  

Because of the article in "History of Benton County, Arkansas,"  we know that Lottie was born in Bucoda.  From "Records of Yakima County, Washington, 1869-1907, Volume I, Birth Records." we have discovered that Austin was born in Yakima.  Based on the fact that the Huggins sold their business in Bucoda in 1894 we are assuming that Hale was born in Bucoda.  Interestingly enough, his death certificate lists his birth place as "On high seas."  

The Huggins and Pulley families remained in Thurston County, Washington until 1894. Apparently by that time, the bottom had fallen out of their business because in November of 1894, Pulley and Huggins sold the store that they had paid $3500 for in 1890 for $1.00 gold coin. The home that they owned was also sold for $1.00 gold coin. At the time of the sales the Huggins were living in Yakima, Washington. We're not sure yet if the Pulley's were still with them or if they had returned to Texas. 

In February 1899, in Cisco, Texas, Sarah gave birth to twin boys. There was an announcement of the babies' birth in the Cisco newspaper, Cisco Round Up, February 11, 1899:  "Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Huggins are rejoicing over the arrival of twins at their house, boys."  The boys, both of them tiny, only lived nine days, both succumbing to pneumonia.   

In 1900 the Huggins family was living in Shawnee, Pottawatomie, Oklahoma. They must have only lived there about two years, because on December 24, 1902 Hattie Belle Huggins was married to John A. Whitman in Columbia, Missouri.