Biography - THOMAS P. HUGHES

It has often been demonstrated that responsibility develops character and many of the noblest men and women of America are those who were obliged early to assume burdens usually borne by older shoulders. Thomas P. Hughes who is now a prominent business man of Carlinville, owes much of his success perhaps to the fact that in his boyhood, owing to the death of his father, he was brought directly into contact with the realities of the world and thus learned lessons which under ordinary circumstances are deferred until maturer years. He was born in Western Mound township October io, 1845, a son of Pinckney and Eliza Jane (Campbell) Hughes, both of whom were born in Kentucky.

The paternal grandfather of our subject was Andrew Hughes. He was born in North Carolina and came from Kentucky to Macoupin county, Illinois, at an early day, settling in Western Mound township where he took up government land and farmed and ran a horse-mill. His wife was Elizabeth Cruse, a native of Crittenden county, Kentucky. She died when about fifty-two years of age. Mr. Hughes was accidentally killed in a runaway accident, at the age of seventy-five, in Shelby county, while hauling sugar cane. In his family were four children; Pinckney; Thomas and Nancy, twins; and Isaac, who now lives in Moultrie county, Illinois, and has arrived at the age of eighty-seven years. The grandfather of our subject on the maternal side was Thomas Campbell who died in Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1850, having lived there for twenty-seven years. He was a farmer and a preacher of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. His wife was Elizabeth Robison and she lived to be eighty-eight years old. They had ten children, James R., Annie, Eliza, Narcissa, William B., Julia, Mary and Dorothy, twins; Edward, and Thomas.

Pinckney Hughes, the father of our subject, came to Macoupin county with his parents in 1835 and was a carpenter, trader and farmer. The family moved to Greene county but later returned to Macoupin county where the father entered land. The mother of our subject came to Illinois in 1823 with her father, Rev. Thomas Campbell, and they settled on government land ten miles west of Springfield. Pinckney Hughes lived at Fayette and Greenfield, finally settling at Nilwood where he died in January, 1861, at the age of forty-one years. His wife died in 1886, at the age of seventy-one. They were both members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Mr. Hughes was an intelligent and progressive man and served as justice of the peace, being also a captain in the state militia. In the family of Mr. and Mrs. Hughes were six children, four of whom grew to maturity: Mary E., who married Thomas Baker and is deceased; Thomas P.; Annie M., the wife of L. P. Lowry, of Sac City, Iowa; and Nettie J., who married William Poland, also of Sac City.

Thomas P. Hughes lived in Greene county until fifteen years of age and possessed only limited advantages of early education. He worked on a farm by the month and at the age of fifteen, on account of the death of his father, was obliged to take charge of the affairs of the family. In 1870 he entered the grain business at Nilwood and for twenty years engaged successfully in buying grain and live stock. He then came to Carlinville and for four years served as deputy sheriff. After retiring from this office he entered the insurance business to which he devoted his attention for four years. He was twice nominated upon the democratic ticket as sheriff of the county but was defeated. However, in 1898 he was nominated for county treasurer and was successful in the election, filling the office with great credit to himself and his party for four years. Since 1902 he has concentrated his attention with very satisfactory results on the real-estate and insurance business.

On the 19th of September, 1871, Mr. Hughes was married to Miss A. E. Ross, a daughter of the late M. H. and Nancy (McMullen) Ross, and to this union two children were born: Walter L., who is a clerk in the Nathan Clothing Store at Fort Smith, Arkansas; and Charles E., who was connected with the editorial department of the Chicago Tribune for four years and is now a member of the editorial staff of the Philadelphia Evening Times. The mother of these children died April 3, 1909, and her departure was the occasion of profound regret not only on the part of her family but of a wide circle of friends and acquaintances. She was an earnest member of the Baptist church and a true exemplar of the highest virtues of wife and mother. Her father was a native of Tennessee and lived near “The Hermitage” — the old home of Andrew Jackson.

Mr. Hughes is a member of the Baptist church, and fraternally is identified with Mount Nebo Lodge, No. 76, A. F. & A. M. He has at all times been actuated by a desire to advance the general welfare and in business and social relations has so discharged his responsibilities as to merit the confidence of all who know him.

Extracted 14 Nov 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 293-294.