My Genealogy Hound

George Hughes, probate judge of Maries County, Mo., was born in Washington County, Mo., September 5, 1835, and is a son of William and Elizabeth (Keller) Hughes. William Hughes was born in Tennessee in 1802, and during the latter part of his life was a farmer by occupation, but formerly had learned and followed the trade of millwright. His father was John Hughes, who immigrated to Missouri when it was a part of the Louisiana district, and located in what is now Washington County. William Hughes was married in Montgomery County, Ky., in 1834, and immediately after settled in Washington County, Mo., where he resided until about 1871. He then moved to Rockwall, Texas, where he died in 1875. His wife, who was a native of Montgomery County, Ky., died in 1870, at the age of fifty-six years. Of the twelve children born to William and Elizabeth Hughes, five are living, viz.: George; Louisa, wife of John McCrary, of Texas; James K., in Texas; Armilda, who married George Orr, and Lawson S., also in Texas. George Hughes was reared to the pursuit of farming, making his home with his parents until twenty-one years of age. May 13, 1858, he married Miss Jane Wood, who was born in Washington County, Mo., in 1832, and died April 10, 1863, leaving three children, viz.: Thomas A., William N. and Armilda E., wife of A. J. Thompson. In August, 1862, Mr. Hughes enlisted in Company D, Thirty-first Missouri Infantry, Union army, and did honorable service until his discharge at Cairo, Ill., July 14, 1865. In December, 1862, he was wounded in the right thigh at the battle of Vicksburg, which disabled him from field duty until the following October, during which time he was on garrison duty. He now receives a pension of $6 per month. After the war he engaged in farming in Washington County until March, 1873, when he removed to Maries County, locating in the northeastern part, where he owned 160 acres. In 1886 he was elected, by a large majority, on an independent ticket, as probate judge of Maries County, which office he still holds. He is a Republican in politics, and a member of the Masonic fraternity as well as the I. O. O. F. December 15, 1864, Mr. Hughes married Mrs. Matilda Yates, nee Stone, who was born in Canada in 1837, a daughter of James Stone. They are members of the Christian Church.