MR. ROBERT E. HUGHES. BLUE EARTH COUNTY, MINNISOTA.
Born at Porthmadoc, Carnarvonshire, Wales, December 20th, 1819.His parents were Evan and Jane Hughes. His father was a weaver by trade and soon after Robert was born went to live at Festiniog. When a young man Robert left home to work in the coal mines of Merthyr Tydfil, and about 1839 he emigrated to America, settling in Pennsylvania where he married at Pottsville in 1842, Catherine, daughter of William and Catherine Davies, who were from Dowlais Glamorganshire, Wales. In 1849 he went to the California gold fields. He remained there until 1851, when he returned and removed his family at once to Portage Prairie, Wisconsin, where he purchased a good farm. In 1867 he removed to Judson, Minnesota, where he again engaged in farming.
In the spring of 1876 he received a severe stroke of paralysis which clouded his intellect. September 29th, of the same year his wife died, and he followed her to the better land December 13th, 1881. He was a man of more than ordinary ability and took much interest in Eisteddfodau and literature. He was a good musician and did much in training the young people of the neighborhoods where he lived in music. He was also a faithful elder of the C. M. church for years.
His surviving children are: Hugh D.. Martha, Alexander and James.