CHARLES H. HUGHES

Charles H. Hughes was born in Columbia County, Pennsylvania on April 13, 1846 to Elwood and Elizabeth Hughes, in whose family he was the fourth of seven children. For many years the family lived in the Keystone state before moving to Illinois in 1870.

He was descended from Welsh and German ancestry, his forefathers having crossed the Atlantic to America at an early period in the development of this country.

Mr. Hughes had acquired his early education in the public schools of Bernick, Pennsylvania and then attended Susquehanna University. In 1868 at the age of twenty-two he came to Illinois, where he engaged in the occupation of farming. He was also actively connected with agricultural pursuits in Lee County for some twenty-three years.

It was not long after he arrived in Lee County that Mr. Hughes was married to Hannah E. Williams. There would be three children from the marriage, Mark, Vera and Adessa.

From an early point Charles Hughes was recognized as one of the political leaders of Lee County. He was first elected to office in Palmyra Township, being chosen township assessor in 1876. Being reelected for three terms, it became the springboard to becoming elected in 1879 as supervisor for a term of four years which added further laurels to his good name as a public official.

During the year of 1892 he took up residence within Dixon, having a number of business interests in the city. The following year he became connected with the Dixon National Bank as one of its stockholders and at the time of his death was its cashier.

In March of 1895 he was chosen mayor of Dixon, was then reelected in 1896 and again in 1900. At the time of his tenure as mayor there were few of the modern and permanent improvements within the limits of the city. Mr. Hughes had said, "The civil pride of the city had not kept pace with its commercial spirit."

It would become a time of controversy and which saw the mayor's popularity wane. Mayor Hughes had decided to pave the streets, at least in the business center, and replace the plank sidewalks with safe and durable walks of cement. The feeling of many of the business men of Dixon ran high against this improvement and the action of the mayor was condemned in the harshest terms.

But he pursued his course and time proved that the mayor was right. Dixon was soon to be recognized as one of the most finely improved cities in the state.

He went on to serve two terms in the state legislature and as a member of that body he framed and secured the passage of the law which made it possible for Lee and Ogle counties to build the Grand Detour bridge. At the close of his two years' term he was nominated and elected state senator in the thirty-fifth district. His course during the succeeding four years was indorsed by a reelection.

As senator he assisted in the passage of many important measures, one such notable and most important to the citizens of Dixon, was the measure which made it possible for Dixon to accept Lowell Park as a gift for the use and pleasure of the people.

It was at the time of his death that he was serving in his second term as state senator. Mr. Hughes had been in poor health for some time but the immediate cause of his demise was an injury that he received when his saddle horse fell. He was taken to Excelsior Springs, Missouri, for treatment and while there passed away on May 12, 1907. He was returned to Dixon for burial in Palmyra Cemetery.

The character of Hon. Charles H. Hughes was summed up by a quote from the Dixon Daily Sun of May 18, 1907 which said, "His influence will pass into the minds and hearts of his fellows and there will live and unconsciously manifest itself in the actions of their days yet to come."

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