W. H. Hughes

As printed in 1902

W. H. HUGHES.

Hie BIOGRALHICAL RECORDS the adoption of movements which have advanced sanitary conditions and thereby promoted the helpfulness of the place. He has likewise gradually improved the appearance ot the infirmary by keeping everything in first class condition and improving the grounds in a way to add to their attractiveness.

Mr. Hughes is a native of Wilmington, Clinten county, Ohio, born August 31, 1841, and is of English descent. The family was founded in this state at a very early day. Jesse Hughes, the grandfather of our subject, was one of the early settlers of Clinton county and a distinguished jurist of Ohio in pioneer times. He served tor twenty-eight years as judge of the common pleas court and left the impress of his individuality upon the judicial history of this commonwealth. He was a man of broad learning in his profession and his decisions were strictly fair and impartial, his rulings being seldom reversed. He had come from Virginia to Ohio and was a well educated man. Indians were numerous in this state at the timé he took up his above here, and the work of improvement and development largely lay in the future. An active and prominent member of the Baptist church, he did much to promote the cause of religion here. His son, Jesse Hughes, Jr., succeeded: his father upon the bench of common pleas. Judge Hughes lived to the advanced age of eighty-eight years and the county profited by his labors, by his mentality and by his efforts in advancing the general good. From the establishment of the family in Ohio representatives of the name have been leaders in public affairs. They have become well-todo citizens, actively associated with the business interests as owners of a packing house, woolen mills, and as merchants.

Charles D. Hughes, the youngest son of Judge Jesse Hughes, was a farmer and merchant, who was born in Clinton county and made that locality his home throughout his entire life. During the greater part of his manhood he carried on general mercantile pursuits, meeting with good success in his He was countant and penman, and in his store was found to be an obliging salesman, putting forth every effort to please his customers. The cause of temperance and religion found in him a warm friend and he was an earnest Christian gentleman, doing everything in his power to uplift his fellow men and add to their usefulness in the world. As an active member of the Christian church, he served for many years as one of its officers and contributed liberally of his means to its support. In politics he was a Republican, but he never held or desired office. He married Mahala Jones, who was born in Hillsboro, Highland county, Ohio, and was of Welsh and German ancestry. Her father was a colonel in the war of 1812 and was also a distinguished citizen in civil life. He served as a state senator from Highland county, was treasurer of his county and was very prominent and influential in political circles. The father of our subject died in Clinton county at the age of seventy-one years, and his wife passed away near Wilmington at the age of fifty-one years. - They were the parents off eleven children, of whom

John J., undertakings. an excellent acseven are living, as follows:

.of Kansas City, Missouri, who is engaged in contracting and building; Charles, a retired lumber merchant of Wilmington, Ohio; Emma, the widow of Colonel Elias Wright, of Buffalo, New York; William H., of this review: Belle, the wife of Albert Stowell, the custodian of the Garfield Memorial, of

Cleveland, Ohio; and David, who is engaged in the insurance business in Allegheny City; also Jasper S., who is a Christian preacher and lecturer of note, living in Chicago. Charles was a soldier of the Civil war, serving for about six months as leader of the band in the Fifty-ninth Ohio Infantry. The second child of the family died in infancy and the others who have passed away are Mrs. Elizabeth Neville, who resided at Great Falls, Montana; and Jennie, who died at the home of her brother in Dayton, Ohio. The members of the family were all born and reared in Clinton county; and the children received good public school advantages.

William H. Hughes, whose name introduces this record, was a student in the common schools of Clinton county until seventeen years of age and remained at home with his father until 1863, when he enlisted in the Seventh Ohio Cavalry,-as a body-guard and escort to President Lincoln, remaining in that service until the close of the war. He was on detached duty as usher in the White House tck President Johnson for several months and was a non-commissioned officer. The company to which he belonged was made up by Governor Tod, of Ohio, and the majority of its members were all very large men. Mr. Hughes has many times assisted President Lincoln in mounting his horse when the chief executive wished to ride, as he always rode with him as an escort. At the time of the muster out of the various companies he returned to the Seventh Cavalry and was discharged in September, 1865.

Mr. Hughes at once returned to Clinton county, Ohio, and began carpentering in connection with his brother Charles, who was a contractor and lumber merchant. He learned his trade and followed it as a journeyman for a number of years. He was married in 1867 and then went with his wife to West Kansas City, Wyandotte county, Kansas, where he secured employment in the car shops of the Union Pacific Railroad at carpenter and repair work. In 1869, however, he returned to Yellow Springs, Ohio, and followed his chosen pursuit there, working on the Neff House and Antioch College. When two and one-half years had passed in that way he removed to Dayton and in the spring of 1873 he came to Springheld, where he was employed as a journeyman, and also spent a few years in the Whiteley and Mast shops.. In the spring of 1880 he was appointed to the position of patrolman on the police force of the city and after four years spent in that capacity he was elected as cıty marshal for a term of two years, when on the expiration of this period, in 1886, the office was abolished by law. Mr. Hughes then returned to the police force, acting as patrolman for a year, after which he secured a situation as watchman with the P. P. Mast Company, being thus employed until January, 1892, when he was appointed superintendent of the county infirmary, having since had charge of the institution. There have been a good many changes made during the last decade, a new laundry having been added, with modern machinery. There are sixty-nine acres of land in connection with the home and twelve employes in addition to Mr. and Mrs. Hughes and upon the farm the work has been /kept up to a high standard and Mr. Hughes superintended many changes in the interior as well as on the exterior of the farm and buildings. He has secured better sanitary conditions and has added many modern equipments. There are now one hundred and twenty-six inmates of the infirmáry and at times the number has reached as high as one hundred and seventy-three. He gives his personal attention to all the details of the institution, to the purchase of supplies and to the general supervision of the inmates and has received biel commendation by reason of his efficient service. In 1867 was celebrated the marriage of Mr. Hughes and Miss Cornelia King, of Yellow Springs, a daughter of William King, a nurseryman. He was very prominently identified with Antioch College, acted as one of its first trustees, and came from New York to Ohio to look after the erection of the college buildings. His sons and daughters were all educated in that institution. Sarah passed away in April, 1902; Moses King is now in the department of seeds at Washington, D. C., and formerly was a newspaper man. Celia resides at Yellow Springs, Ohio. Mrs. Hughes is the next of the family. Nathamiel was a soldier of the Civil war and died in a hospital, and Moses was also a soldier. Mrs. Hughes was a student in Antioch College under President Horace Mann, a noted educator, and is a lady of culture and refinement. By her marriage she has become the mother ot three children: Lavinia Belle, the wife of Irving Lawrence, of Lagonda, by whom she has three children, Harold, Edwin and Helen; William K., born in 1876,.is the steward and baker in the infirmary; Albert AN. lis a bookkeeper and stenographer in the state hospital at Toledo. The children attended the public schools and both sons have been students in a business college.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Ephraim Lodge, I. O. O. F., and since 1880 has been a member of the Encampment. Since 1885 he has also been a member of Red Star Lodge, K. P., and he belongs to the Commercial Club. His wife is a member of the Christian church, and he contributes generously to its support. In his political views he is a Republican and served at one time as sanitary marshal of Springfield. His course in office has ever been commendable, being characterized by unfaltering performance of duty, and his loyal citizenship stands as an unquestioned fact in his career,

As printed in A Biographical Record of Clark County Ohio (1902). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.