ABSALOM HUGHES

(From the History of Callaway County Missouri, 1884, page777-778.)
Transcribed by Kris Breid, 25 March 2008

ABSALOM HUGHES, a gallant old soldier of the Mexican War, and a substantial farmer and land holder of Callaway county, like many of the best citizens of Missouri and of the entire West and South is a son, by nativity, of the old mother of presidents--Virginia, and was born in Halifax county on the 16th of August, 1811. He was the fourth in a family of seven children: Thomas, Ruth, William, Benjamin, Absalom, Wiley and Archer--of William Hughes by his first wife, whose maiden name was Jemima Griggs, and was reared on his father's farm in his native county. William Hughes, by his last wife, whose maiden name was Mary Puckett, (a daughter of Thomas Puckett), had six children: Lucy, James (now deceased), Martha (now deceased), John (now deceased), Patience, Nancy and Rebecca.

In 1832 Absalom Hughes, the subject of this sketch, was married in Virginia to Miss Parthenia Bowles, a daughter of Allen Bowles, of that State, and seven years afterwards, in 1839, Mr. Hughes immigrated with his family to Missouri, and settled in Callaway county, where he has since resided. He assessed Callaway county two years, and was justice for sixteen years. Here he resumed farming, which he followed before in Virginia from boyhood, and as a farmer he has been entirely successful. Mr. Hughes owns some 400 acres of fine land, which includes his homestead, a substantially improved and comfortable farm. In 1846 he entered in Colonel Doniphan's gallant command of Missouri soldiers for the Mexican War, and was in the 1st Regiment Missouri Artillery Volunteers, and sergeant in Parson's command, and followed that old hero-leader into the heart of the Cactus republic. He was wounded by a cannon-ball--having both legs broken--at the battle of Sacramento, and was honorably discharged after the expiration of his term of service at New Orleans. On March 4, 1861, he commenced to draw a pension of $8 a month, and from September, 9, 1876, it was increased to $12 a month. Mr. and Mrs. Hughes have eleven children now living: Mary J., Wesley, Sarah, Louisa, Martha, Julia, Gilpin, Mildred; and three are deceased: David, Sanford and Henrietta. Mr. H. and his good wife are highly esteemed by all who know them.

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