WILLIAM HENRY HUGHES. ROME, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
TAPS SOUNDED FOR WILLIAM H. HUGHES.
Skillin Post Roll Is Reduced To Nine By Death.
William H. Hughes, one of the ten remaining Civil War veterans affiliated with Skillin Post, No. 47 Grand Army of the Republic, died at 4 o'clock this morning at his home at 814 N. James street at the age of 87. Death was due to complications.Mr. Hughes, who at the time of his death was vice commander of the Skillin Post, enlisted for Civil War service at Utica when 17 years of age. He was assigned to the 16th New York Heavy Artillery and during his three years' service took part in several major battles, including those at Gettysburg and Fort Fisher. Mr. Hughes attempted to enlist in Rome, but was turned back because of his youth.
At the close of the Civil War Mr. Hughes went West where he secured work as a carpenter with the Union Pacific Railroad which then was extending its rails to the Pacific coast. While engaed in this capacity Mr. Hughes often came in contact with the late Thomas A. Edison, then telegraph operator for the railroad.
As the railroad pushed forward through the wilderness Mr. Hughes in his capacity as carpenter constructed the buildings in frontier towns used by the Union Pacific as telegraph headquarters. Edison moved from town to town and in this way Mr. Hughes became acquainted with him.
With the completion of the railroad Mr. Hughes returned ro Westernville, where he had resided at the time of his enlistment, and 50 years ago married the late Ann S. Willis of that village. He continued the carpenter's occupation and built practically all of the barns and homes in that vicinity, some of which are still standing. Mr. Hughes built his own home in Westernville, which he sold 37 years ago when he moved to this city. He constructed the residence in which he resided at the time of his death.
Mr. Hughes was born in North Wales on March 12th 1846. When he was 12 years old he came to America and went to live with an uncle, Hugh Hughes at Quaker Hill. Several years later he moved to Westernville and reisded there until coming to Rome.
At the time of his death Mr. Hughes was a member of the Rome Carpenters' Union and of the First Presbyterian Church.
He is survived by two sons, Preston W. Hughes of Syracuse and William J. Hughes of Washington D. C. He also leaves two brothers, Hugh Hughes of Wright Settlement and John Hughes of Floyd, and two grandchildren, Carl and Naryne Hughes of Washington.
Mr. Hughes' death leaves only nine members of the roll of Skillin Post. The survivng comrades are Commander R. C. Briggs, J. H. Chisam, Henry Fike, A. D. Hendricks, Fred I. Griffith, James Wendover and Simon E. Leonard, all of Rome, and Herbert Patterson of Camden and William E. Dann of Verona.