Ira Hughes, (1876-1927) "

THE FAMILY THAT WENT TO OREGON

Composed and presented by R R (Bob) Hughes, May, 1999.

The Ira Hughes family, about 1925.
back row: Flora, Ada (holding George), Ira.
Front row: Martha, Goldie, Mary

IRA HUGHES, 1876-1927, (no middle initial that we know of) was the third child of John Wesley and Sarah Vincent Hughes. Mary, Ira's oldest daughter, thinks that he came to Montana from Iowa in 1900, at age 24, along with his parents and the rest of the family. Just exactly where he was and what he did for the next few years is a mystery, but he apparently continued west with the part of the family that went to Sumas, Washington..

He met Ada Irene Kincaid, whose parents lived in the Sumas area, and married her, March 10th, 1910, in Bellingham, Washington. It appears that Ira and Ada moved to Meadow Creek, Montana (now McAllister) shortly after their marriage. We don't know if Ira had filed on his homestead prior to that time or not. My folks, Tom and Emily Hughes, filed on their homestead on Dry Leonard Creek, in 1908, and Uncle Ira's homestead was just down the creek, so, jumping to conclusions, it seems that Ira probably homesteaded at about the same time. Their daughter, Mary, was born there November 18, 1911.

Ira and Ada were still in Montana as of 1912; as their second child, a daughter, Flora, was born there on the12th of September, 1912. However, they went back to the coast, perhaps right after selling the homestead; as we find them living at Hugo, Oregon, when their third daughter, Martha, was born November 12, 1914.

They had two more children, Goldie, born in Powers, Oregon, June 3, 1918, and George, born in Napa Vine, Washington, May 22, 1922.

Ira died in Sumas, Washington, July 4, 1927. He was only 51 years old.

ADA IRENE KINCAID (Seen here on the left)
Married: (1st) Ira Hughes.
---------- (2nd) Jules Lathrop.

Ada was a widow at age 34, with five children to support, ranging in age from two years to sixteen. Mary's statement, "it was tough, but we made it." is only a glimpse at what must have been a very difficult time indeed.

The oldest daughter, MARY (HUGHES) KINCAID was 16 years old when her father died. She recorded a tape about her recollections, June 3, 1996

From Hugo, Oregon, we went by wagon, covered wagon, to Powers, Oregon. All I remember of that trip was that it rained and rained; the horses got stuck and we had to throw out some of the things they were taking so that the horses could move the wagon out of the mud.

We went from Napa Vine to Wendling, Oregon, where Grampa and Grampa Kincaid had lived. Dad went to work in a lathe mill. He didn't stay there very long as his health was bad so we moved from Wendling to Sumas where Dad wanted to be where his folks were.

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Additional details about the family are contributed by Mary's younger sister, Martha (Mattie) Hughes Cofer : "Mary says I was born in a converted chicken house in Hugo, Oregon. My first memories were of being very sick with a fever in our tent house in Powers. The Doctor thought I wouldn't last out the night. Goldie was born at Powers although I can't remember her being there when I was so sick. We moved from Powers to Napavine on a small farm where I started school and brother George (Bud) was born. Then we moved to Wendling for a few years before moving to Sumas where Dad died and Mom moved her brood back to Wendling where her folks were living. In Sumas I can remember playing in Aunt Mattie's pump house. It was covered with grapevines. I can also remember going to Uncle Fred's and Aunt Lora's farm out of Sumas. Uncle Fred was my favorite Uncle and I think I made Aunt Ina my role model, although I fell really short of living up to her standards. Goldie and I stayed at Aunt Ina out on Lake Whatcom for two weeks after Dad died and I'm sure Aunt Ina was never so happy to see some one leave as she must have been us two. We used her highly polished hardwood floors to scoot scatter rugs on. Tracked mud across them as we were afraid to go in the back door because of a neighbor's dog. Had never seen a telephone and were scared to death to answer it. I think she thought we were pretty dumb! After Dad died Aunt Ina "took over". Made Goldie and I wear boys overalls to save our few dresses. We hated them!"

Left to right is Mattie, Mary and Goldie

Click on Martha Hughes Rich "Memories of a Plain Little Girl for a handwritten article about the family by Martha (Mattie) Hughes Rich

To continue reading the sstories of the 9th generation. Click on Roy Marcus Hughes

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http://www.toysrbob.com/genealogy.html

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Last updated 10/30/08 by R Hughes