McGuffin, Hugh (ca. 1780–unknown)

Hugh McGuffin, a native of Ireland, was born around 1780. In 1820 he lived near Camp Sabine in East Texas. Moses Austin, on a return trip from San Antonio to Missouri in 1820, became ill with pneumonia and recuperated in McGuffin's home for several weeks. Later, McGuffin wrote Stephen F. Austin of an interest in moving to his colony. He did so in the 1820s. In Washington County he was elected justice of the peace in 1836. Montgomery County was established in December 1837, and McGuffin served the new county as associate land commissioner in 1839 and chief justice in 1840. That year he owned 1,442 acres in Montgomery County, one slave, two horses, and ten cattle. After statehood he continued to take active part in Texas affairs. When Madison County was separated from Montgomery County in 1853, McGuffin ran a successful campaign in the May election for the post of notary public. He was reelected in January 1854. He married Delphina Earl about 1835. She died in 1846. The 1850 census listed McGuffin's age as seventy.