Mecosta County MI Archives Biographies.....Hugh, William February 2, 1829 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Jan Cortez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00020.html#0004939 April 18, 2009, 1:14 pm Author: Chapman Brothers WILLIAM HUGH, senior member of the lumber firm of Higbee & Hugh, was born in Kidwilly, Wales, Feb. 2, 1829. He is the son of William and Rebecca (Gonar) Hugh, natives of Kidwilly, where the father died about 1865, and the mother in the spring of 1880. Mr. Hugh experienced all the hardships of the class of people to which he belonged in his native land, gaining his limited but eminently practical education by studying under the most adverse circumstances. He commenced life's active work at the early age of 12. His father was the village blacksmith, and he, assisting in the shop, gradually learned the trade. For a period of about five years he was occasionally employed in some iron works and rolling mills; then for a time he was engaged in the timber business. His next employment was with the south Wales Railway Company, in which work he went from his native country to England, engaged with a railroad construction corps. Soon afterward, in 1853, he sailed for this continent and, upon landing at New York, at once proceeded to Cincinnati. Here for a year he was occupied in a machine-shop, on blacksmith work, and also on steamboat work. He assisted in making the needed iron-work and finishing the round- house of the c.H. & I.R.R., at Cincinnati. He has become imbued with a desire to engage in farming in Iowa, and he took a trip to the Hawkeye State, but on reaching there changed his intentions. He retraced his route as far as Chicago, and thence went to New York, where he embarked for Wales, by way of Liverpool, with the purpose of returning with his wife. His final decision was that he would first establish a home in Cincinnati. He sailed once more for the United States, but when off Cape Clear, Ireland, his steamer collided with a coast vessel; and being disabled she put back to Liverpool, her captain not daring to venture across the sea in a crippled vessel with 600 or 700 souls on board. Mr. Hugh returned then to Wales, and when he finally reached New York, proceeded direct to Hamilton, Province of Ontario, Can., locating a small village near that city. He started a common blacksmith shop, and finally began manufacture of agricultural implements. His residence there lasted 18 years. In the fall of 1872 he came to Morley, and built the first planing mill in the township, which he conducted nearly seven years. In the fall of 1879 he went into business with Mr. Higbee, and built the saw and planing mill where they now carry on an extensive business. Politically Mr. Hugh is a Republican; for eight hears he has been a member of the village Board of Trustees. He is a member of the Masonic Order. Mr. Hugh is a regular attendant of the Episcopal Church. He is a self-made man, financially, as he held no property when he commenced life for himself. By habits of industry, economy and fair dealing, he has acquired a substantial property, and is now classed among the representative citizens of Mecosta County. Mr. Hugh was married in Wales, in the winter of 1851, to Amy Thomas, who was born Nov. 8, 1828, the daughter of William and Jane Thomas. The family circle now includes five children: Ann, born Sept. 23, 1853; William, born, June 19, 1858, Rebecca, born Feb. 20, 1860; Jane, born Aug. 28, 1861, and David, born Oct. 15, 1870. A portrait of Mr. Hugh is given in this volume. Additional Comments: 1883 Portrait & Bio Album of Mecosta Co. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/mecosta/bios/hugh597nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb