Blair County Pa Archives Biographies.....hughes, James C. September 9, 1848 - ???? ************************************************ Copyright. All Rights Reserved. Http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm Http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File Contributed For Use In Usgenweb Archives By: Judy Banja Http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00004.html#0000757 January 4, 2025, 12:14 Pm Source: Biographical And Portrait Cyclopedia Of Blair Co, Pa: Philadelphia, 1892. Author: Samuel T. Wiley James C. Hughes, Now A Prominent Business Man Of Altoona, Is One Of The Self-made Men Of The Old Keystone State, Who, Beginning With Nothing But Inherited Ability, Have Achieved Financial And Social Success By Earnest Effort And Unconquerable Energy. He Was Born September 9, 1848, At Buffalo Run, Centre County, Pennsylvania, And Is A Son Of John D. And Hannah (hicks) Hughes. He Was Reared In Centre County Until He Attained The Age Of Fifteen Years, And Received Only An Ordinary Common School Education. In 1865 He Came To Altoona And Has Been A Resident Of This City Ever Since. After Leaving School He Learned The Blacksmith Trade, And Continued To Work At That Occupation Until 1878, When He Embarked In The Grocery Business. At First His Trade Was Small, But It Increased By Degrees, And In 1876 He Added A Line Of General Merchandise. He Gave Close Attention To Business, And By Industry, Enterprise And Native Ability, Had Soon Built Up A Prosperous Trade. A Customer Once Gained Was Never Allowed To Drop Away Through Inattention Or Incivility, And His Dealings Were Marked By That Scrupulous Integrity That Lies At The Bottom Of All Permanent Success. The Consequence Has Been A Constantly Increasing Patronage, And He Now Carries A Good Stock Of All Kinds Of General Merchandise, And Is Doing Larger Business Than Ever Before. Mr. Hughes Is A Member Of The Firm Of G.l. Cyphers & Co., And They Run Two Hardware Stores In This City And One Tinware Store. In All These Mercantile Enterprises He Has Met With Success, And Is A Stockholder In The City Electric Railway Of Altoona. He Also Owns Some Valuable Real Estate In This City. In October, 1868, Mr. Hughes Was Wedded To Elizabeth Walton, A Daughter Of Elias Walton, Of The City Of Altoona, And To This Union Has Been Born A Family Of Ten Children, Eight Sons And Two Daughters: John, Harry, Charles, Bertha, James, Ralph, May, Arthur, Robert, And Clyde. Politically Mr. Hughes Is A Democrat, Taking An Active Part In Politics And Ever Anxious For The Success Of His Party And The Triumph Of Its Principles. He Is Now Serving As School Director, And Is A Well Known Friend Of Popular Education. Hs Is Also A Leading Mason, Being A Member Of Mountain Chapter, No.189, Royal Arch Masons; Mountain Council, No. 9, Royal And Select Masters; And Mountain Commandery, No. 10, Knights Templar. The Family Of Which Mr. Hughes Stands As The Representative Is Of Irish Origin, And Was Planted In America At An Early Day By The Paternal Great-grandfather Of The Subject Of This Sketch, Who Was A Native Of The Emerald Isle, But Emigrated To The United States While Yet A Young Man, And Settled In Centre County, Pennsylvania. He Married And Reared A Family, Among His Children Being John D. Hughes (father), Who Was Born At Bellefonte, Centre County, This State. He Removed To Altoona In 1865, And After Residing Here Three Years, Returned To Centre County. In 1876 He Again Located In Altoona, And Thereafter Was A Resident Of The City Until His Death, In 1885, At The Advanced Age Of Sixty-one Years. He Was A Blacksmith By Trade, And Followed That Occupation Until 1876, When He Engaged In The Coal Business In Altoona. He Was An Active And Influential Member Of The Methodist Episcopal Church, And In Politics A Democrat Of The Old School. He Married Hannah Hicks, A Native Of Center County, Who Still Survives Him, And Now Resides In The City Of Altoona, In The Sixty-fifth Year Of Her Age. She Is Also A Member Of The Methodist Episcopal Church, And Is Held In High Esteem By Her Many Friends. Additional Comments: Originally Submitted 2001. Transcribed By Denise. This File Has Been Created By A Form At Http://www.usgwarchives.net/pafiles/ File Size: 4.2 Kb