Hugh Gwynn lived a long and productive life. His lifelong occupation was farmer. He was born in 1769 in Warrington, York , Pennsylvania to parents who were members of the Society of Friends (Quakers). He moved with his parents and siblings to Northumberland County, Pennsylvania (near Sunbury) sometime between 1776 (when Hugh Sr., his father, appears in Penn Twp. as a non-resident landowner) and 1790 (when Hugh Sr. is taxed for both land and personal property in the same township). Hugh Jr. (c. 1792) had left his parents and moved to Westmoreland Co. where he met and married Margaret Russell, a non-Quaker. The young couple migrated further west and south into the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia (exact location undetermined). Here their children John, Mary, Margaret, Elizabeth, Jesse and Hugh were born. By 1804/05 the family had moved once more, this time to Jefferson (later Harrison) Co., Ohio where they settled in the area of the Short Creek Monthly Meeting. At Short Creek they rejoined the family of James and Mary McMillan, Quakers and former associates of the Gwynn family in Warrington, PA. The McMillans had remained in that area until their move to Jefferson (Harrison) Co. in 1803. Hugh and Margaret Gwynn's eldest son John would marry two of the McMillan daughters - Edith and Gulielma Maria. In 1806 Margaret Gwynn died. In 1811 Hugh remarried. His new wife was Hannah Thomas, daughter of Isaac Thomas and Rachel Babb, Quakers and members of the Short Creek Monthly Meeting. By marrying Hugh, Hannah contracted a marriage contrary to discipline and was disowned. Three years later she was restored to membership because Hugh had applied for and been received into membership, along with two daughters born since 1811. By this marriage there were seven children: Susannna, Rachel, Isaac, Sarah Ann, Thomas and Hannah (twins) and William Harrison. In 1813 Hugh purchased land in Green Township, Harrison Co., becoming one of the pioneer settlers in the area. Hannah died on Nov 16, 1830, but Hugh survived her by many years. He appears as Hugh Guynn on the 1830 Census for Green, Harrison, O., next door to son Jesse Guynn and one household away from son-in-law Elijah Madden (married to Susanna). He also appears on the 1850 Census as Hugh Guinn in the household of daughter Margaret and son-in-law Ralph Barcroft in Cadiz, Harrison, O. At this time he appears as a widower. Hugh made his will in Harrison Co. on Nov 8, 1858 (probated Nov 9, 1861). His heirs were children: Hugh, Thomas, William, John, Mary Carter, Margaret Barcroft, Elizabeth Roweles, Susanna Madden, Rachel Wilson, Sarah Ann Cope and Hannah Neely. (Son Jesse had already received his share). Hugh Gwynn died on Sep 9, 1861 at the age of 92 yrs, 5 mos, and 27 days. He was buried on Sep 10, 1861 in the Quaker graveyard of West Grove Cemetery, Harrison, Ohio.
March 2022 - The addition of the gravestone photo is gratefully acknowledged. However, a clarifying note is in order: this is a Quaker memorial - the initials "H.G." could indicate either Hugh Gwynn or his 2nd wife Hannah (Thomas) Gwynn (or possibly both).