Cordelia Hughes was born to a
Hindman hotel keeper in May of 1858 or thereabouts. Her parents
were Elizabeth (Hicks) and Mathias Hughes,
and she shared a home with ten
siblings. With this many individuals in their household it is only
natural that Cordelia would develop as a nurturing individual. It is
theorized this is the reason she married and outlived nine husbands.
This theory is validated by the following quote from the document
prepared
and submitted to the Smithsonian Institute: "That's a quare
thing about Aunt Cord now, seems like she always married
real old men. Just loved to stay by a sickbed and tend
to folks. You'd go by and ask her how her man was,
and she'd might near always say, 'Well,
he ain't a-doing no good 'pears like.
Right down in the bed and I
got to wait on him hand and foot.'"-----
The following were the nine
husbands of Cordelia :( followed by their date
of marriage and age
if known) Josiah Tignor (1886), Solomon Everidge (1889 - age
67), Samuel Ritchie (1903 - age 63), Robert Lawson (1923 -
age 66), Joshua Ritchie (1928 - age 54),
Harmon Davis (1931 - age 60), Solomon Slone (1937 -Age
70), number eight is simply listed as? Combs
and Paris Cox (1940s). ---
Aside from Cordelia husbands her
true fame is one of a memorable Knott
County artisan. It was because
of her willow baskets that she was nominated
and placed in the
Smithsonian Institute-Department of Textiles.
Her craftsmanship is representative
of the spirit of so many early Knott County settlers that took
from nature and created things that were both
beautiful and useful.
Cordelia and her sister Rhoda were both noted basket makers and
could be seen searching the banks of Troublesome
Creek for the
nicest willow branches. Once selected Aunt Cord would take the
branches home where they were boiled and stripped of their bark.
From this she would make tiny baskets and woven creations such
as coasters for afternoon teas. - According to the Knott County
Historical Society, "In her lone days when she got old she tuck to
weaving all manner of baskets, out of willow switches and the like.
Got such a big reputation
for it that they had her a-teaching the
young folks in the Hindman School how to do likewise. The women at
the school would make a great fussing
over her baskets, say 'Aunt
Cord, where’d you get the pattern for this one!'
She'd say, 'Why
honey, hit just came out'n my head some'ers". In summary, Cordelia
Hughes was a survivor in an environment that could only be described
as harsh.
As already noted Aunt Cord took
from her harsh surrounding and made a
living for herself and her
family. Cordelia died on June 30, 1948, at the age of100. Her
remains are buried somewhere here in Knott County, but the
exact
location is not known.
Submitted by Corbett Mullins
March 2003 |