Obit: Hughes, Patrick Frances (1850 - 1938)

Contact:  Crystal Wendt

Surnames: Hughes, Shea, Biegler, Donahue, Neville, Hauser, Barton, Murphy, Johnson, Eckes

----Sources: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Thursday, 27 Oct. 1938

Hughes, Patrick Frances (14 March 1850 - 23 Oct. 1938)

Patrick Francis Hughes passed away at his farm home in the town of Weston Sunday, October 23, 1938, after an illness of eleven days, the last of the family of eight children.

Mr. Hughes had attained the age of 88 years. He was born at Frampton, Province of Quebec, Canada, March 14, 1850, to Margaret and James Hughes and was there married to Ellen Shea, June 4, 1884, having returned from the United States to get his bride. Three children were born to this union: James, William, and Mary, all of whom survive, there being also one grandson, James, Jr. His wife preceded him in death in March, 1932.

He came to Clark County about 68 years ago, in 1870, and the following year he purchased his farm from the Fox River Lumber company and had since been a taxpayer, being one of the oldest settlers in Clark County. He was a blacksmith by trade and spent many years in logging camps, working on Black River, Chippewa River, and their tributaries, and also helped build the Cameron dam of Dietz fame in the Thornapple River. He was one of the charter members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Neillsville and was its oldest member.

In his younger days he traveled extensively. He was in Chicago in 18?? [blurred] at the time of the fire. In 1934, accompanied by his son, William and daughter, Mary, he made a trip to his birth place, and displayed a remarkable memory after an absence of 50 years. In 1937, in company with his nephew of Pleasant Ridge, he traveled through the western states and into western Canada by auto, visiting relatives and friends and generally enjoying the trip.

Mr. Hughes was a well known and highly respected gentleman. He was a kind husband and father and a good neighbor and possessed a kindly and jovial nature.

Funeral services were held on Wednesday, Oct. 26, at 9:30 a.m. at St. Mary’s church, Fr. J. A. Biegler officiating, burial taking place in the Catholic Cemetery here.

Pallbearers were: James Donahue, James Neville, John Hauser, Arthur Barton, Frank Murphy and Edward Johnson.

Relatives and friends attending the funeral from a distance were: D. P. Hughes, Menomonie; Mrs. Louis Eckes and son and Miss Evelyn Eckes of Marshfield.