AURELIUS GREEN HUGHES. The shadow of adversity hung darkly over this
valued citizen and public official of Carbondale even before his birth. Its
gloomy pall continued to droop around him in his childhood and youth, and
was never lifted until by his own efforts he totally dispelled it by boldly
challenging Fate to do her worst and making his own way in the world to
consequence and standing among men by his own efforts and in spite of her
displeasure. When she found out the mettle he was made of, and realized that
he did not tremble under her frowns, she changed her demeanor toward him, as
if weary of tormenting him, and became all smiles and generosity.
Mr. Hughes was born in Franklin county, Illinois, on April 8, 1862, and is
the son of Granville and Adaville (Clark) Hughes, natives of Tennessee. The
father was a farmer in that state, and prospering as such according to the
standard of his time and locality. But he was not spared to continue his
labors and put himself in a position to make any provision for his family
after his death. This occurred sometime before his son Aurelius was born,
and after the sad event the mother moved to Illinois. She died soon after
giving birth to her son, and he was left in early infancy to the care of an
uncle. This relative reared him to the age of twenty-one, and gave him such
school facilities as his circumstances allowed. The uncle, E. L. Hughes, was
a farmer in Jackson county, this state, but had a struggle for his own
advancement, and the nephew was obliged to take his part in the work of the
farm and make his schooling secondary to that. He did not repine at this,
for he felt within him the stirring of a spirit of enterprise and
self-reliance which kept him inspired with the hope of better things, and he
has since realized them.
After attaining his majority Aurelius G.
Hughes worked in mines four years, and then returned to farming. For three
years he worked industriously and to good purpose on farms he rented, then
bought a farm on credit. As he paid for one tract of land he puchased
another, and kept on in this way until he owned 200 acres. He was living at
that time in Williamson county, and there he bought and sold a great deal of
land, becoming a considerable dealer in real estate of an agricultural
character. All the while his fortunes were mending and he was forging ahead
in the struggle for progress among men. He gave his own affairs close and
careful attention, but did not neglect the public interests of the county in
which he lived, and devoted to them a fair share of his time and energy. For
many years he served his locality as school director, and for nine as road
commissioner. That his services were faithful, intelligent and progressive,
and that the community found them highly useful is proven by the universal
appreciation in which they were held and the warm commendations passed upon
them by all classes of the people.
In 1902 he moved to Carbondale
and became the proprietor of a hotel, the Hundley House. He managed his
business in this enterprise with his customary energy and close attention to
every detail, and was making an extended reputation for the house, when a
disastrous fire destroyed it and its contents a few months after he took
charge of it, and he once more became a tiller of the soil, also engaging in
the livery business. He was not dismayed by his misfortune, and lost no time
in repining over it. He went at his farming operations and livery trade as
if he meant to make them compensate him for what the fire had robbed him of,
and he did it in the course of time.
In 1907 Mr. Hughes was elected
county supervisor of Jackson county. He was re-elected in 1909 and again in
1911, and has been chairman of the board during the 1909 and 1911 terms. His
services in this position have been well and wisely rendered, and are
accounted as of great advantage to the county. They have been twice
submitted to the judgment of the people, and in both cases have been
handsomely approved by them. To those who know the facts the reason is
patent enough. He is intelligent, progressive and knowing, and he applies
all his powers to the work of his office, just as he does to his own
affairs. He is prudent and careful, too, of the public funds at the command
of the board, and as the county receives good work and secures excellent
results from his official industry without any extravagant outlay, its
people cannot but be well pleased, and they do not hesitate to say they are.
Mr. Hughes was married on September 30, 1884, to Miss Clara Clark of
Carbondale. They have two children: Harmon A., who is associated with his
father in conducting the operations of the farm; and Louis D., who is a
physician in active practice at Delaware, Oklahoma. He was graduated from
the medical department of the St. Louis University at the age of twenty-one.
The father is a Republican in politics and active in the service of
his party, although he never allows partisan considerations to outweigh his
sense of duty in the administration of his office. In connection with that
his first concern is the welfare of the people, and he has no other. In
fraternal circles he belongs to the Odd Fellows, the Modern Woodmen of
America and the Carbondale Lodge of Elks, and takes an earnest interest and
an active part in the proceedings of all his lodges. He is one of the
Jackson county's most reliable and useful citizens.
Extracted 15 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1912 A History of Southern Illinois, volume 2, pages 737-739.