David Hughes Family Reunites - Sept 1895

After 30 years apart, David Hughes arrives in Indiana from Wisconsin and a reporter from the local newspaper documents the tale....

















                                Margaret Hughes
                                  (around 1895)









 
























                                           David Hughes
                                         (around 1900)



             Indiana Weekly Messenger

                    September 25, 1895



What Happened to David Hughes?? (Part 2)

As the reunion draws near after 30 years apart, here's the last letter from David to his daughter Kate before he arrives.

Sept 13th, '95,

Linden, Iowa Co., Wis

My dear daughter,

Yours of the 3rd is at hand, glad to hear that you are all well. Aunt Lizzie and my self are well. I am intending to leave here on Monday or Tuesday morning and will be at Indiana by Wednesday or Thursday of next week. All being well will be glad if some of you will meet me at the depot. My love to you all

From your father
David Hughes 

Of course I will do my best to be there on Wednesday evening.

Margaret & Kate around 1865... this is what his wife and daughter looked like the

 last time David had seen them almost 30 years ago.

What Happened To David Hughes?? (Part 1)

One of the strangest and most intriguing characters in our family history is my 3rd great grandfather David Hughes. As you recall in an earlier post, David served two enlistments in the Civil War. Previously I posted a letter he wrote home to his wife in 1864 and it was easy to see the relationship was strained. What happens after the war gets even more interesting. The story I'm told is he comes home and his wife's foster mom tells him he can't see her or his children! Apparently he tries and tries with no success. Eventually the story is he goes to live with his sister out in Wisconsin. Why would she do this is anyone's guess?! One theory is she was widowed and depended on her. She may have feared if David took her away who would take care of her? Or maybe she just really didn't like him!

Several years of research reveals some answers. Yes, he does go to Wisconsin and part of the time he is living with his sister Elizabeth and her husband John Deam in Linden. I also discover that he spends several periods living in a veterans home in Milwaukee. Another revelation is one of his wounds from the Civil War was that he had been shot in the leg. An interesting item that stands out is he lists his mother-in-law as nearest relative and he is widowed?! So just what did Mrs. Holesberry tell him when he came home from the war?? Later you will see he made one more attempt in the 1870's, which would be not too long before this document was filled out. Did Mrs. Holesberry tell him upon his 2nd return that his wife was dead so he would stop trying?? Hmmm

Well whatever happened, 30 years passed and then for another unknown reason to us he makes contact with his wife and now adult children. I'm not sure who found who first. The following is a letter David wrote to his daughter Kate (Milton Beatty's wife) before the big homecoming.


 




















  


August 14th 1895

My dear daughter

Your letter of the 6th was missent. it was addressed all right. the fault was a bluder of the PM. in making up the mail he sent it to Iowa instead of Wisconsin. It however got here at last and I was greatly relieved as I could not make out the cause of the delay. I am now in haste to answer so that you will get it by Saturdays mail. We are well. I heard from your aunt Lizzie and she is now in Mineral Point and will not be home for a week or so yet. I however am doing well and don't feel worried the least bit. There is now but a short time until I will be picking up my traps in order to make my exit from this vicinity so if you will be so kind you may as well give me what instruction you can about the trains and what you expect me to do when I get there. If you jot the time I will try and make it suit to not disappoint you. That is if you will be so kind as to meet me at the Depot. I will come into Indiana on the train that will be the most convenient for you to be at the Depot when I arrive. I may have some more favors to ask before I arrive. It will be about a month yet till I will be ready to go. I am ward commisioner (the name gives the position away) and I am not through with that yet. 

 
























It will be a couple of weeks yet before I can hand in my resignation. Then I will have some wood to get sister and the potatoes to dig up. That poor old woman must be getting very feeble. I don't know her exact age but she must be between 80 and 90. Any how not much wonder she gets bewildered. I think she must be a great burden for your mother. So you are fattening a chicken, good for you. I hope it is a big one. All statesman, dignitaries, and even preachers love chicken. So does old soldiers. Yes I think they are pretty good to eat as well as to lay eggs and scratch the garden. I wrote to your mother on the 11th on the same day your brother Sammy wrote to me from the Hotel Naugle Blairsville PA, but he failed to tell me the cause of his stopping there over Sunday on the way from Glencairn to Indiana. But I know all the same, it is a pleasure to send you those papers. Will mail one to you along with this. Also one to your mother. From the fear that there is a motive in it of a party I was at last Saturday evening, the old gentleman mentioned is my best friend in these parts. Do write again as soon as you can to keep up my courage for the long trip I am about to make. Give my love to Milton and the babies. A large share for your self. Good bye from your affectionate father.

David Hughes

Reed Beatty - Life as a Lineotypist

In this final edition of the Indiana Evening Gazette (Nov 7, 1970) in their old publishing building, Reed recalls his days working for the Gazette for over 49 years and the changes he's seen over that time. Both Reed and brother Walter worked for many years for the Gazette. On the right is a portrait of Reed from about 1930.

Reed Beatty - Narrow Escape for Reed Beatty and Friends

Reported in the July 6, 1942 Indiana Evening Gazette.... Reed Beatty and his friends have quite a hunting trip.

Milton D. Beatty letter - Nov 3, 1888

Here's the second in a series of letters sent from Milton D. Beatty to Kate E. H. Hughes while they were "courting" at the time. She was a teacher and was often away during the school year.

Indiana PA

Nov. 3/88

My dearest friend Kate-

I received your kind letter of the 28^th on Hollowene night and (ashamed to state) have neglected to answer it until this morning. I wish you to know that my neglect does not originate from any disinterest. We have had very beautiful weather this week up to last night. I think it rained all night and was raining this morning when I got up. We were busy husking our barn and got through. Yesterday we only had 5/12 husk. Kate it makes me feel unpleasant to know that you are in a place where there are so many bad characters passing through. Yet when we know that the same one that looks down upon, and cares for us in one place

 

is in another. We then should not fear but consecrate ourselves to him who is able to the uttermost to protect us. I am glad to know that you are pleased with your school and that the citizens are satisfied with you and further that they are frank enough to say so. I think that there is nothing that so much encourages and lights one up as to have the assurance that their best efforts to do right are felt and appreciated by they for whom we are laboring. So if we think so let us be kind enough to say so. We lose nothing in so saying for every flower on other pathway shall cast its fragrance on our own. I would no doubt be an advantage to you if the school was graded and it would be much better for the scholars, especially where a school as large as you expect that one to be. But I suppose if you do not kick they will not stir. But I trust that your work will yield you a reward. And as time passes by your pleasure may be agitated and increased. So as to exclude all doubt that you have not done your duty

Kate I am almost destitute of any important news at this time and as I have learned by your letter that your people have sent you the ----- papers it’s not necessary for me to state anything in my letter that is in the paper. And there is very little in the paper anyway outside of politics. Your mother went with me to town in the wagon yesterday. She said that she was going to the post office for she was expecting a letter from you. I knew by her conversation that she was very anxious to hear from you.  I told her that I had received a letter from you and that you were getting along very well which seemed to be a gratification to her. The Roof girls were down here accompanied by the Jones’s  two oldest boys. They were on their way to Thomas Lucas’s and they stopped

to get sis and I to go with them. Sis got ready to go with them and I refused to go. Moreheads insisted very much for me to go so I went on account of sis going. Then they tried to get us to promise to go with them to Harry St Clair’s some night. They were trying to gather up a sled load to go. According to this they must be expecting snow or then they are going to try it in the mud. I think they had better wait until the snow comes before they gather a load. You are in no doubt over taxed writing to so many but I hope you will write me another letter as soon as is convenient as I am ever anxious to hear from you.

Yours Truly

Milton D Beatty

Harry Edward Beatty Tree Diagram

Here's a diagram to show where Harry and his family connect in our Beatty tree. This is the family my last several posts have been about. Also another great photo I received from cousins of the Harry branch.

 

Harry, Nora, Walter, Reed, Meredith, & Aletha (around 1910)

Harry is a great-grandson of immigrant John Beaty and brother to my

 2nd-great-grandfather Milton D Beatty

New Arrival For Reed Beatty

Reed I. Beatty, son of Harry & Nora Beatty, and his wife Florence (nee Minser) Beatty have a new arrival in their home... daughter and first child Helen Louise Beatty.

Indiana Evening Gazette

September 5, 1923

A Bad Day for Harry

Indiana County Gazette
June 17, 1908

Harry, Milton, and most of the other brothers were carpenters at least on a part time basis. As you can see it was a bit of a risky profession, especially 100 years ago.

Aletha Belle Beatty

Aletha Belle Beatty was born December 20th, 1902... the eldest daughter of Harry Edward & Nora Belle (Adams) Beatty. She grew up in Indiana, PA and was very active in the community. Newspaper articles at the time show her in elected roles as archivist for The Dames of Malta, president of The Young Women's Missionary Society of the Presbyterian Church, and frequent host and player in the Women's Bridge Club. She was awarded first honors in the Class of 1919.

Sometime in the 1920's she started working for Alex Stewart at his hardware store in Indiana, PA employed as a bookkeeper. Alex just happened to be the father of famed actor Jimmy Stewart! During her early years at the store Jimmy was just starting out in acting so he often worked at his father's store as well. Jimmy's grandfather J. M. Stewart also worked there, so it was a real family affair there. Aletha spent her entire working career there until she died in 1953. When Jimmy won his only Academy Award, it was in the front window of this store that his father proudly displayed it.

J.M. Stewart & Co. Hardware - 1931

 

(L-R) Robert Brady, Clair Doty, J. M. Stewart, Aleatha Beatty, Alex Stewart, Walter Wiggens, George Little, Jimmy Stewart

 

 

Aletha with brother Reed - 1939

Aletha, cousin Alice, and sister Meredith
 - early 1920's