The Hughes Family of Butler County, Ohio

ELIJAH HUGHES was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, November 4, 1777, and died about 1845. He was married about 1800 to Sarah Muchner, who was born in the same county May 5> 1780, and died about 1841. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were descendants respectively of Welsh and German ancestors.’ Mr. Hughes was a blacksmith by trade, and carried on the business in his native state for a few years before coming to Ohio in 1816. Upon his arrival here he purchased a farm of one hundred and seventy acres in Liberty township, this county, from Peter Lesourd, where he settled and for about seven years tilled the soil in connection with his trade, after which he gave up his forge and turned his attention entirely to farming and stock dealing. He was a prominent citizen, and was a devout member of the Methodist Episcopal church. In the family of Elijah Hughes there were seven children who grew to maturity: Eliza, Rachael. Daniel, Micajah, Christopher, Philip and Joshua.

Of the sons, Daniel, born June 27, 1805, died July 14, 1884, received a limited education and was brought up to agricultural pursuits. He remained at home until twenty-six years of age, when he went to Indiana and located one hundred and sixty acres of land on the Wabash, but soon tired of it and returned to Ohio. In March, 1833, he was married to Anna B. Kain, a native of New Jersey, born in 1805. After his marriage Mr. Hughes, in company with his brother Micajah. located on sixty acres of land which was unimproved, and for seven years they owned all things in common. He purchased more land at various times until his farm contained five hundred acres. He also owned three hundred acres in the vicinity of Kyle’s Station. Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Hughes were the parents of four children, of whom three attained their majority: Mary Jane, Mrs. Job Mulford; Elijah and Samuel Kain. The latter are residents of Lemon township and live on a well improved farm of five hundred and fifty acres, including their father’s old homestead, where they have been associated in partnership for many years as extensive dealers in cattle, in which business they have been successful. In 1891 they platted the Lakeside addition to Middletown, consisting of a fine tract of twenty acres, lying in the northern part of the city. Samuel is a director in the Miami Valley National Bank of Hamilton. He was married in March, 1885, to Miss H. B. Boudinet, daughter of the late Joseph Boudinet, of Lemon township.

Micajah, the second son of Elijah and Sarah Hughes, was born January 25, 1807, and died in August, 1883. His wife was Phoebe Cassidy, a native of Butler county, to whom were born ten children, six sons and four daughters. His son, Joseph B., resides in New York city, where he is a prominent capitalist, and was consul to Birmingham, England, under the administration of President Cleveland. Micajah Hughes was a prosperous farmer of Liberty township and for twenty years he was president of the First National Bank of Hamilton.

Christopher, the next son, was born December 12, 1813. On February 6, 1838, he was married to Eliza A. Young. He was a noted political leader and fought strenuously for his party, the Democratic, from his majority till his death. He was endowed with more than ordinary natural ability. Clear in his judgment, and decidedly firm in his convictions, enterprising and public-spirited, he acquired great influence, and for many years occupied a prominent place in social and political circles. He was four times elected to the legislature, serving eight years. He took especial delight in agricultural pursuits, and for many years was connected with the county agricultural society, and for a long time was a county commissioner. He took an active part in securing the location of the Short Line Railroad (now known as the Big Four) from Dayton to Cincinnati. He possessed high principles of honor, and though strong in his likes and dislikes, was by no means revengeful. He was very determined in his efforts to accomplish any object he believed to be right, but whenever unsuccessful he took his defeat like a philosopher. He was a sincere and steadfast friend and much esteemed citizen.

Philip Hughes was born in Liberty township, October 19, 1820, and was married on May 5, 1847, to Elizabeth Rose, daughter of Isaac and Charity (Garwood) Rose, who was born in Liberty township, February 26, 1827. To them were born two children, Rosa, born September 4, 1845. who became the wife of Linus P. Clawson, and Emma, born May 12, 1852. Mr. Hughes was a prominent stockbreeder and farmer. He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank of Hamilton and was a director of that institution for several years. He was also one of the organizers of the Butler County Fire Insurance Company. He was a stockholder and director for some time in the Union Central Life Insurance Company in Cincinnati, and he held positions of trust and honor in Fairfield and Liberty townships.

Joshua E. Hughes, the youngest child of Elijah and Sarah Hughes, was born in Liberty township January 6, 1823. In December, 1848, he was married to Mary Ann Legg, bom May 18, 1828. To them were born two children. Frank M. was born

May 22, 1849, and Charles L. was born May 23, 1851. The latter, who was a prominent farmer residing near Monroe, died about four years ago. Frank M. resides at Hughes’ Station, where he is a wealthy land owner. He is also president of the Hamilton Home Telephone Company. He was married first to Christiana Swearingen, who died, and then he married Hannah Shafor, the daughter of Peter Shafor. Joshua Hughes was a wealthy agriculturist and was vice-president of the First National Bank for several years, and succeeded to the presidency after the death of Asa Shuler, which position he retained until his death.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Micajah Hughes, of Liberty Township, president of the First National Bank of Hamilton, was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, on the 25th of January, 1807. He is the sou of Elijah and Sarah (Muchner) Hughes, who were both natives of the same county, and removed to Ohio, settling in Liberty Township, in 1815. Mr. Hughes followed the occupation of a blacksmith in Maryland, but after coming to Ohio, also embarked in farming. He was born November 4, 1777, and died August 8, 1849, and his wife died September 10, 1845, being born Mriy 5, 1780. Micajah Hughes was educated in an old log school-house, in Liberty Township, located in Huntsville. He soon was initiated into farm ing, and in 1832, in company with Daniel, his oldest brother, bought a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, in Lemon Township, which they owned together until 1837. In the meantime they had bought another farm in the county, then dividing it. Micajah took the farm ! on which he now lives, of one hundred and twenty acres, and forty acres of woodland two miles distant. Their partnership was dissolved in 1837, when Mr. Hughes married. His business from that time on has been to farm, trade in stock, and loan money.

He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank in Hamilton, in August, 1803, and has ever since been its president. The first meeting to form this bank was held on the day on which the battle of Gettysburg was fought, but the meeting at which the permanent organization took place was on the 6th of August. The capital was originally 50,000, of which Mr. Hughes owned one-tenth, but a few months after it was increased to 60,000, and in January was made 100,000, its present capital. Mr. James Beatty was the first vice president. The average dividend of the bank since its beginning has been sixteen and two-thirds per cent; the highest dividend, twenty-four per cent, and the lowest, ten. The deposits now are over 700,000, mostly received from farmers.

The bank has been uniformly successful in its history, never having been obliged to close its doors or ask the least indulgence. Its stockholders are conservative money lenders, who never receive lovers from the bank or use its funds for their own purposes. In proportion to its capital it has the largest deposits of any bank in the State, except one in Cleveland and one in Cincinnati. Mr. Hughes now owns but one thousand dollars’ worth of stock, just enough to qualify him to be president, by request of stockholders, though he formerly owned twelve thousand five hundred dollars of stock. He pays the largest personal tax in Butler County, being on upwards of eighty-seven thousand dollars, all his property being in this county, except ten lots in Louisville, Kentucky.

lie was married on the 3d of March, 1837, to Miss Phebo F. Cassidy, born September 19, 1814. of Lemon Township, who was the daughter of John and Sarah ( ak- sidy, farmers. Mrs. Hughes is still living, at the age of sixty-six. Nine children were born to Air. and Mrs. Hughes, though but five are now living. The oldest, Mrs. Helen Taylor, was born May 23, 1839; Albert, born April 23, 1843; George AAA. born June 29, 1844; Joseph B., born November 21, 1848; Alexander C., born January 16, 1851, and died August 14. 1867, at Minneapolis, where be had gone for his health. He was a lawyer of Hamilton. Sarah L., born February 4, 1841, died November 8, 1871, was an accomplished scholar and writer. She possessed a high degree of literary skill, and her letters from Europe excited much attention. Alice M., horn July 2, 1845, died July 1, 1861; Evelyn, born October 22, 1853, died November 1, 1853; Clarence F., born March 3, 1855, died September 11, 1864

He has always been a Democrat, casting his first vote for Jackson, in 1.828, and voting for the candidates of that party ever since. lie has frequently been a delegate to the State Democratic Convention. IF was a director of the Butler County Insurance Company for ten years, and was one of its organizers.

As printed in the source³. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

MICAJAH HUGHES.

Micajah Hughes, late of Liberty township, formerly president of the First National Bank of Hamilton, was born in Baltimore county, Maryland, on the 25th of January. 1807. He was the son of Elijah and Sarah (Muchner) Hughes, who were both natives of the same county, and removed to Ohio, settling in Liberty township in 1815. Mr. Hughes followed the occupation of a blacksmith in Maryland, but after coming to Ohio, also embarked in farming. He was born November 4, 1777, and died August 8, 1849, anc* September 10, 1845* being born May 5, 1780. Micajah Hughes was educated in an old log school-house in Liberty township, located in Huntsville. e soon was initiated into farming, and in 1832, in company with Daniel, his oldest brother, bought a farm of one hundred an sixty acres, in Lemon township, which they owned together until 1837. In the meaa time they had bought another farm in county, then dividing it Micajah took the farm on which he later lived, of one un dred and twenty acres, and forty acres 0 woodland, two miles distant. Their partnership was dissolved in 1837, when Mr. Hughes married. His business from that time was farming, trading in stock and loaning money.

He was one of the organizers of the First National Bank in Hamilton, in August, 1863, and became its president. The first meeting to form this bank was held on the day on which the battle of Gettysburg was fought, but the meeting at which the permanent organization took place was on the 6th of August. The capital was originally fifty thousand dollars, of which Mr. Hughes owned one-tenth, but a few months after it was increased to sixty thousand dollars, and in January was made one hundred thousand dollars. Mr. James Beatty was the first vice-president.

The bank has been uniformly successful in its history, never having been obliged to close its doors or ask the least indulgence. Its stockholders are conservative moneylenders, who never receive favors from the bank or use its funds for their own purposes. Mr. Hughes, in later years, owned but one thousand dollars’ worth of stock, just enough to qualify him to be president, by request of stockholders, though he formerly owned twelve thousand five hundred dollars of stock. He paid the largest personal tax in Butler county, being on upwards of eighty-seven thousand dollars, all his property being in this county, except ten lots in Louisville, Kentucky.

He was married on the 3d of March, 1837, to Miss Phebe F. Cassidy, born September 19, 1814, in Lemon township, who was the daughter of John and Sarah Cassidy, farmers. Mrs. Hughes died a few years ago. Nine children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Hughes, though but five are now living. The oldest, Mrs. Helen Taylor, was born May 23, 1839. Albert, born April 23, 1843; George W., born June 29, 1844; Joseph B., born November 21, 1848; Alexander C., born January 16, 1851, and died August 14, 1867, at Minneapolis, where he had gone for his health. He was a lawyer of Hamilton. Sarah L., born February 4, 1841, died November 9, 1871, was an accomplished scholar and writer. She possessed a high degree of literary skill, and her letters from Europe excited much attention. Alice M., bom July 2, 1845, died July 1, 1853; Evelyn, born October 22, 1853, died November I, 1853; Clarence E., born March 3, 1855, died September 11, 1864.

He was always a Democrat, casting his first vote for Jackson, in 1828, and voting for the candidates of that party ever afterward. He was frequently a delegate to the state Democratic convention. He was a director of the Butler County Insurance Company for ten years, and was one of its organizers.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected.

EUGENE H. HUGHES, a speculator, money loaned and farmer, was born in Liberty Township, January 1, 1859. He is a son of Micajah and Phoebe (Cassidy) Hughes, the former from Maryland, and the latter from this county. There were ten children born to them, six sons and four daughters, five of whom are now living: Helen H., wife of J. Gordon Taylor, of Cincinnati; Albert, of Chicago; Joseph B., of Hamilton; George W., of St. Paul, Minn.; and Eugene II.

The father of our subject was a banker and farmer, and came to Ohio when a small boy, being reared on his father’s farm in Liberty Township. He always lived the life of a farmer, although for twenty years he was the President of the First National Bank of Hamilton, and has always taken an active part in political affairs, but has never been an office-seeker. He has espoused and championed the cause of Democracy, and ever been loyal to the principles of that party. His death occurred on his farm in August, 1883, at the age of seventy-six years, and his wife is still living. The paternal grandfather was a native of Maryland, and also a farmer. He lived to a good old age, and died in this county, having reared a large family and accomplished much toward the development of a better civilization.

Eugene II. Hughes was reared in Liberty Township, and received his early education in the district schools. He engaged later in life in farming and stock-growing, which has always been his business, and he is still living on the old homestead. Politically he affiliates with the Democratic party, and takes a commendable interest in the affairs of that organization. He takes interest in schools, and has been Director for six years. Mr. Hughes at the present time manager one hundred and twenty-five acres of land, makes mortgage loans, buys and ships stock, and is a busy man generally. He has that diversity of qualifications which enables him to accomplish much in different and widely divergent lines of business, and is a man capable of managing large interests and doing his work well.

As printed in the source². Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.