My Genealogy Hound

FRANK HUGHES, one of the best known residents of Upper Merion township, Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, is the son of William and Hannah (Maris) Hughes. He inherited the property on which he lives, including the saw mill, which has been in use for several generations, about a mile from the village of King-of-Prussia, from his father, William Hughes.

His forefathers were of Welsh origin, and the immigrant is believed to have come to Pennsylvania in the time of William Penn. The home now occupied by Frank Hughes, subject of this, sketch, was a part of the property purchased by Abner Hughes (grandfather) who resided there from early manhood until his death at an advanced age. The tract of land originally owned by Abner Hughes embraced land in Chester county immediately adjoining the Upper Merion tract. He bequeathed a share to each of his children. Thomas Brown now owns that which his mother, Phebe (Hughes) Brown, inherited, and also that inherited by Mary Hughes, who married Peter Gamble, she having no direct heirs. The share of Sara, who married John Owen, has been recently sold by the Owen heirs to Dr. Browning, who occupies it. The old saw mill, much improved, as a matter of course, stood where it does at the present time when Abner Hughes purchased the property, prior to 1800. He operated for many years before his death.

William Hughes (father) was the son of Abner and Katherine (Lehman) Hughes. He was born on the homestead in Upper Merion township, 6th mo. 10, 1816. He obtained his education in neighboring schools, that section of the county being well supplied with able teachers prior to the introduction of the public school system. He was a farmer by occupation. He married, 12th mo. 1841, Hannah Maris, of Chester county. They had five children as follows: Annie Elizabeth, born 5th mo. 4, 1843, married Cadwallader H. Brooke, and had three children, Hannah Hughes, born 12th mo. 11, 1865, died 10th mo. 22, 1898; Elizabeth Adams, born 4th mo. 12, 1872; Athalia W., born 12th mo. 24, 1876, died 4th mo. 17, 1877; Sarah Maris, born 11th mo. 26, 1845, died unmarried, 8th mo. 19, 1893; William Hughes, Jr., born 4th mo. 2, 1848, married, 12th mo. 18, 1877, S. Emma Marshall, of Chester county, and have one child, Annie Brooke Hughes, born 2d mo. 4, 1880, married 10th mo. 24, 1901, Charles Simpson, of an old Bucks county family, they residing in Norristown; Rebecca Maris, born 1st mo. 13, 1855, married, 12th mo. 29, 1881, Francis E. Corson, and had one child, Helen Rebecca, born 10th mo. 12, 1882, died 4th mo. 5, 1901, Rebecca Maris Corson dying 1st mo. 16, 1892, and her husband, Francis E. Corson, 8th mo. 19, 1894; Frank, subject of this sketch. Anna Elizabeth, wife of Cadwallader H. Brooke, died 2d mo. 17, 1877. Charles and Annie B. Simpson have one child.

Hannah Maris, wife of William Hughes, was a descendant of Christian Maris, who came to this country from Germany and bought a tract of land near the present site of Phoenixville, in Chester county, Pennsylvania, on which he settled. His son, David Maris, married and had several children, one of whom, Hannah, born 7th mo. 30, 1819, married William Hughes. She died 10th mo. 27, 1902, at her home near King-of-Prussia.

Abner Hughes (grandfather) married Katherine Lehman, and had four children: Sara, married John Owen; Phebe, married Thomas Brown; Mary, married Peter Gamble; William (father). Abner Hughes was the son of William Hughes. William Hughes (great-grandfather) had four children: Phebe, unmarried; Hannah, married Hance Supplee; Elizabeth, married William Carver; Abner (grandfather).

Frank Hughes, subject of this sketch, was born January 30, 1857. He is a member of the Society of Friends. He was educated in Upper Merion schools, and has since followed the occupation of farmer. In politics he is a Republican. He is a man of the highest integrity, and enjoys the confidence of the community in which he lives.