Calhoun County AlArchives Biographies.....Hughes, W. M. April 14 1817 - living in 1893
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Ann Anderson alabammygrammy@aol.com May 14, 2004, 5:22 pm

Author: Brant & Fuller (1893)
   W. M. HUGHES, one of the pioneers of Calhoun county, was born in South
Carolina, April 14, 1817, a son of Lankford and Nutty (Reeves) Hughes, both also
natives of South Carolina. The father was a son of Moses and Telitha Hughes,
both natives of Virginia. Mrs. Nutty Hughes was a daughter of William and Jane
(White) Reeves, both natives of Virginia. Lankford Hughes was reared in South
Carolina was always a farmer and remained in South Carolina until 1837, when he
removed to Georgia, where he remained until 1842, when he came to Alabama and
settled near Edwardsville, Claburne county, where he remained about ten years,
then moved to a farm about one and a half miles north of Choccolocco, where he
died in 1862, at the age of sixty-seven years, a strict member of the
"Hardshell" Baptist church. He came to Alabama a vey poor man, but succeeded
well and became one of the wealthy farmers of the county. W. M. Hughes was
reared on the farm and attended school in a little cabin, in the winter, and
during the summer season would help his father in the farm work. He has plowed
many a day with rawhide traces, and the only wagon used at that time was what is
called a truck wagon, with wheels sawed off of a sweet gum tree. At that time
they had to haul their tobacco to Charleston, S. C., a distance of 100 miles.
After his father moved to Georgia, W. M. Hughes went back to South Carolina to
make some collections, and while there he thought he would take a wife back to
his new home with him, but when the time came the father of the young lady
entered a very vigorous protest to the match; but not to be outdone,
arrangements were made and January 12, 1855, he married Margaret Ritchie,
daughter of Joseph and Jane (Roberts) Ritchie. This union resulted in the birth
of eight children, of whom five are still living : Eliza, Caroline, Nancy, James
and Amanda. The mother was born and raised in South Carolina, and died a member
of the Baptist church. In 1862, Mr. Hughes, married Emily Harrison (widow of
John T. O'Neal). The children now living, born to, this union, are John, Emma,
Selety, Deanna, R. L., Enoch, Mary and Callie. The mother was born in Georgia
and died August 13, 1891. In December, 1891, Mr. Hughes married Susan Thompson,
widow of James Pollock. He is a member of the Baptist church. When he began life
for himself all he had was a mare that his father gave him, and after a few
months his father-in-law relented and asked him to come to see him and, strange
to say, when the father-in-law came to die, in making his will he willed his
personal property to his daughters, but to Mr. Hughes he willed the real
porperty direct. In his early life, Mr. Hughes followed teaming, and many a time
he has swung a six mile team; and although he began without anything, he is now
one of the substantial citizens of Calhoun county and at one time owned 700
acres; he now owns 600 acres of fine land in the Cheekeleeke valley. In 1862 he
enlisted in the late war in Brabeau battalion under Capt. Bowie and was at Selma
when it was taken by the Yankees.



Additional Comments:
from "Memorial Record of Alabama", Vol. I, p. 597-598

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