Catherine Williams Hughes

                                                           Catherine Williams Hughes

                                                                                  

 Catherine William Hughes  

History of Blue Earth County

  Tom Hendricks

 

Catherine ('Williams) Hughes was born 15 April 1852 to Hugh R. Williams and Margaret Williams, of Waukesha, Waukesha County, Wisconsin.  The family came to Minnesota in the fall of August,1855 (Brother Richard's obituary say they came to Minnesota three months after he was born, which would make it July) with other Welsh families of Wisconsin.  They settled on the Richard Morgan farm, (Richard's obituary says the George Wagner farm) building a sod shanty on the southwest corner of the town of Cambria, Minnesota.  It was said that their house was one of the first two houses built in that town.  On the 1860 census records it lists the value of the Williams Estate as $250.00.

Catherine was the first of four other children in the Williams family.  The other children after her in order of birth are : Mary; Richard who bought the family farm in 1881 from his father and mother; William,  and Elizabeth.  At present nothing is known about her early childhood or late adulthood.  

  Catherine married William Salisbury Hughes, July 23 1867 in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.  It is also known that Hugh R. Williams was present at the marriage, it is believed her mother died some months earlier that year.  There were a number of Williams families living in Cambria during this time period.  The closest Margaret Williams I can find is listed as living in Wales with a birth date in 1822.  Her father is listed as Prithand or Prichard.  This is merely speculation.  It is also not known where Catherine's mother or father are buried.  Stories about the family say that possibly the mother is buried on the homestead claim in Cambria.

  After the Dakota conflict, several of the pioneer citizens took matters in their own hands and wanted to hold a trial to condemn 38 Sioux warriors of crimes that ranged from rape to murder.  Her father, Hugh R. Williams,  took part in the war.  He was enlisted as a Butternut Valley guard during that time.  He also drove the carts to hang the Indians in Mankato.  The Welsh Settler book written in 1895 gives a small detailed account of what happened to the Indians and their fate.

  Hugh R., along with about a dozen other Welshmen, led the carts to haul the  Indians to their death passing through New Ulm.  Catherine's courageous part in the uprising was fleeing the savage attack of the Indians by running to New Ulm with her baby brother Richard in her arms.

  The only other recollection family members remember about Catherine Williams is that she baked bread in round loaf  pans which she would butter up, cut down the middle with a razor sharp knife, towards herself.

  She died on 22 May 1914 almost one year after her husband died.  She lived to be 62, and lived with her son Hugh S. Hughes, the youngest of the twelve children.  Her cause of death is listed as "acute dilation of the heart and mental insufficency," which she had for two days and two nights.  Some family members say she died of a broken heart.  She too, is buried in Jerusalem Cemetery, Lake Crystal, Minnesota.

  She did leave a will in which her youngest son, Hugh S. Hughes, received the family farm.  It was Government Lot Two in Section Four in Township One Hundred Eight North of Range Twenty-nine West, containing 60 acres of land, more or less, according to the government survey thereof.  This will was made May 27, 1914.

Census Record

1860 US Federal Census,Minnesota,Blue Earth,Butternut Valley P184

Hugh Williams, age 38, married, farmer, born in Wales, worth $ 250,

Margaret Williams, age 35, married, born in Wales

Catherine Williams, age 8, born in Wisconsin

Mary Williams, age 5, born in Wisconsin

Richard Williams, age 4, born in Wisconsin

William Williams, age 3, born in Minnesota

Elizabeth Williams, age 1, born in Minnesota

 

1865 State Census of Minnesota, Blue Earth, Genesco #48

Hugh Williams,

Margaret Williams

Catharine Williams

Richard Williams

Elizabeth Williams

Ellen Williams

1870 US Federal Census, Minnesota,Blue Earth, Butternut Valley

William S Hughes, male, age 29, married to Catherine, farmer, real estate worth  $3300, personal worth $673, born in Wales

Catherine Hughes, age 18, keeping house, born in Wisconsin

Richard Hughes, age 1,born in Minnesota

Mary Hughes, born  3/12,born in Minnesota

1875 Minnesota State Census, Blue Earth, Butternut  P 210
William S. Hughes,male, age 35, married, born in Wales, parents b in Wales
Catherine Hughes,age 23, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Wales
Richard S Hughes, male, age 6, born in Minnesota
Mary Hughes,female, age 5, born in Minnesota
Robert S. Hughes, male, age 3, born in Minnesota
Catherine Hughes,female, age 1, born in Minnesota,

1880 US Federal Census, Minnesota,Blue Earth, Butternut Valley
William S. Hughes,  male, age 39, white, married farmer, born in Wales
Catherine Hughes, female, age 28, born in Wisconsin
Richard Hughes, age 11, born in Minnesota
Mary Hughes, age 10,born in Minnesota
Robert Hughes, age 8, born in Minnesota
Catherine Hughes, age 6, born in Minnesota
Margaret Hughes, age 4,born in Minnesota
Ellen Hughes, age 2, born in Minnesota
William Hughes, age 6/12, born in Minnesota

1885 Minnesota State Census,Minnesota,Blue Earth,Butternut Valley
William S. Hughes, male, married, age 43, born in Wales
Catherine Hughes, age  33,born in Wisconsin
Richard Hughes, age 16, born in Minnesota
Mary Hughes, age 15, born in Minnesota
Robert Hughes, age 13,born in Minnesota
Catherine Hughes, age 11,born in Minnesota
Margaret, Hughes age 9, born in Minnesota
Ellen Hughes, age 7, born in Minnesota
William Hughes, age 5, born in Minnesota

1900 US Federal Census,Minnesota,Blue Earth,Butternut Valley  Ed 3 SH 9
William S. Hughes, male, age 59, born  Feb 1841,married 33 years, born in Wales, parents born in  Wales, immigrated in 1864, in US for 36 years,  farmer
Catherine Hughes, age 28, born in Wisconsin
Richard Hughes, age 31,male, age 31, born Apr 1869,single, born in Minnesota, father born in Wales, mother born in Wisconsin
Kate S. Owens, age 26,female, age 26, born Apr 1874, single, born in Minnesota, daughter of William and Catherine, parents  born in Minnesota
Margaret Hughes, age 24, born April 1876 in Minnesota
William Hughes, age 20, single, born Mar 1880 in Minnesota, farm labourer
Winnifred Hughes, age 14,female, born in Minnesota, at school
Jane Alice Hughes, age 11, female, born Dec 1881,single, born in Minnesota, at school
Susie Hughes, age 10, female,single,born June 1890 in Minnesota, at school
Hugh Hughes, male, age 8, born Oct 1891 in Minnesota, single,at school
Cesiah Hughes, female, age 6, single, at school,born in Minnesota
Edward Owen, age 28 born in Wales

1905 Minnesota State Census,Blue Earth,Butternut Valley P 451
William S. Hughes, male age 64, born in Wales, parents born in Wales
Catherine Hughes, age 52, female, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Wales
Margaret Hughes,female, age 29, born in Minnesota, father  born in Wales, mother in Wisconsin
William S. Hughes,male, age 25, born in Minnesota, father born in Wales, mother in Wisconsin
Winnifred Hughes, female, age 20, born in Minnesota, father  born in Wales, mother in Wisconsin
 Jane Alice Hughes, female, age 16, born in Minnesota,father born in Wales, mother born in Wisconsin
Susie Hughes,female, age 14, born in Minnesota, father born in Wales, mother in Wisconsin
Hugh Hughes, male, age 13, born in Minnesota, father born in Wales, mother born in Wisconsin
Cesiah Hughes,female, age 11, born in Minnesota, father born in Wales, mother born in Wisconsin


1910 US Federal Census,Minnesota,Blue Earth,Butternut Valley P242
William S.Hughes, male, age 69, married 43 years born in Wales, parents born in Wales, farmer,  owns farm
Catherine Hughes, age 57, married 43 years, 12 of 13 living children, born in Wisconsin 
Jane A. Hughes, age 21,female,single, born in Minnesota
Susie Hughes, age 19, female, single, born in Minnesota
Hugh Hughes, age 18, male, single,born  in Minnesota,
Cesiah Hughes, age 16, female, single, born in Minnesota

1915 Minnesota State Census, Blue Earth, Butternut Valley  P 451
Catherine Hughes, age 53, born in Wisconsin, parents born in Wales

Obituary  Mankato Free Press  29 May 1914  From Friday's Daily
    Mrs. Catherine Hughes, the widow of William S. Hughes of  Butternut Valley, died at her home at three o'clock this morning,  very suddenly.  She had been up and around half an hour before  she died.  Mrs. Hughes was sixty-five years old and is survived  by twelve children, eight daughters and four sons.  Mrs. Griffith Roberts of this city is one of the daughters.  Most of the other  children live in the vicinity of Butternut.
     Mr. Hughes died last July and since that time Mrs. Hughes has lived with her son, Hugh Hughes.  She was a member of the Bethel  Church in Cambria.'