Individual Details

Pauline apparently attended Miss McCee's girls' school in Kemper County, Miss. Until about 1847, Pauline taught school in Kemper County. She married Charles Edward Hughes December 13, 1846 in Old Daleville, Miss. at the Methodist Church.
She wrote, "I was solicited to teach at a school in the southern part of Kemper County. My patrons insisted that I should board around among them, free of charge, and I found the arrangement to be very satisfactory and pleasant. They were all so kind to me, and I am sure that I won not only the respect, but also the love of most of the pupils.
I really enjoyed teaching that school. December 13, 1846, I was married to Charles E. Hughes in the church at Old Daleville by the pastor, Rev. Walton J. Reeves.
We lived with Father and Mother Hughes until February 8, 1848, on which date we went to housekeeping in our little log cabin in the woods. (By the way, that was just sixty years ago today.) (Pauline wrote this in 1908.) In that room all my children, except the oldest, were born.
In 1850 my mother and the children still remaining with her, moved to Texas, and I never saw any of them again except sister Jane." Her daughter, Betty Hughes, also said that, "All of mother's immediate family moved to Texas near the middle of the past century."
Miss Betty Hughes wrote to her nephew, " And now of mother herself I will write a bit. She as well as her older sister, Aunt Jane Colvin, was endowed by nature with a mind capable of high development, Music, "Watercolor" painting, instructions in French, as well as good needle work instruction, were parts of the curriculus of the girls' school she was privileged to attend. This bright young girl proved herself no "slacker" as she applied herself to these various branches of study, and when still in her "teens" was enabled to begin the work of teaching. Her ability in this direction was soon established.
Only a few short years, however, were spent in teaching, before she met my father, Charles Edward Hughes, eldest son of James Fisher Hughes family at Daleville, Mississippi. They were married December 13, 1846. It was planned that they would live in the home of his parents during their first year of married life. Early in that year (1947) however, some substantial citizens of eastern Kemper county desired mother to take charge of a small school in their community, in order that their children might have the benefit of such superior teaching as they had reason to believe mother capable of giving. She acceded to their request, and taught the school through the spring and early summer months, though she was expecting to become a mother in the early fall. (Sister Mary was born Sept. 19th of that year.)
During this year of 1847, father, with the assistance of his brothers and some more experienced relatives of adult age, had built a large one-room house of hewed logs, on part of the eighty acres of land his father had given him. Into this home early in February 1848, father, mother, and the infant Mary moved, and in that home my mother lived for more than half a century. Here, all of the nine children, except Mary were born and reared. For many years, this one big room, with a big kitchen out in the yard, some twenty-five or more feet away, was all there was to a home for this growing family. Additions were made in later years. One large room, 16 X 20 feet in dimensions, was built by father in 1870, the year your father was born. This room was made of logs hewed square by father's capable hands, who was skilled in the use of the "broad axe." Other additions of mill-sawed planks were added to the home. A large kitchen adjoining the house was put up and the old home was then a place of abundant room and real comfort to all who lived there or chanced to come for nights.
From the early months of 1848, until the spring of 1852, mother was occupied with the duties of helping to establish this home "in the woods" and in the bringing two more children to the world.
Matty was born in April 1850, and Will two years later.
When Will was but a tiny infant, grandfather, James F. Hughes' health having given down, and he being unable to fulfill a contract he had made to take a school near Lauderdale Station, he asked that mother take the school in his stead. Grandmother Martha would care for father and the two little girls, Mary and Martha, while mother was thus engaged. This arrangement was made, and mother taught the school to a successful finish, adding for herself in the meanwhile, more merited praise as a teacher of worth. Some months later, she was again solicited to help in a school at "Old Marion" known I believe as the "Marion Academy". Marion was then the county seat. Her splendid work at this "academy" enhanced a reputation already well established, but mother felt that she should no longer let work away from home deter her from giving to her own family its service which only a wife and mother could give. She continued to "teach" however, around her own fireside, instructing the children of her own home. My older brothers never knew another school. In those strenuous days, just preceding, during and following the Civil War, there were few schools being taught in rural districts of our southland. It was at the home fire-side in the evening, while mother's busy fingers sewed, knitted or spun thread, that instructions were systematically given, and the children were indeed not permitted to grow up in ignorance. In later life, these brothers of mine were never humiliated by feeling themselves educationally less prepared to meet life than some of their companions who had been taught in school.
We were taught early not only how to "read, write and cipher" but were given literature worth while to help us in mental development. It was not in school rooms, but at "mother's knee" so to speak, that our appreciation of good literature was established. Book-shelves in a corner of mothers room, held worth while books for us to read, as well as necessary school books, too, with "notes" for the tunes were there in abundance, for both my parents loved music and were capable of making it with their own fine voices; mother's a clear soprano, father's deep-toned bass. Other literature in addition to the valuable books I have mentioned, was provided us; children's periodicals for the younger children, and more advanced literature for the older ones.
Father, as well as mother could appreciate good reading matter, and I cannot remember a time at least when there was not a weekly newspaper as a regular visitor to our house. These father would read during his short mid-day resting periods from his farm work, and at night, by the light of burning pine-knots, on the hearth. Sometimes, when he might be feeling too much fatigued from his long hours in the field, he would have sister Sally, who was an exceptionally good reader, read aloud such articles in these papers as he wished specially to hear. My first glimpses into American "politics" came through these readings.
The book-shelves I mentioned were the work of father's own capable hands, for he was indeed well skilled in the use of tools. Tables, chairs, benches, and other things for the use of the family were made by him, as well as the plow stocks from seasoned timbers, for use in the cultivation of the soil.
But to return to what I was writing about mother and her ability as a teacher, she proved herself as one who could help other young people as well as the children in her immediate family. When Professor J. L. Cooper established his school at Daleville a year or so after the close of the Civil War, quite a few young men beyond the "teen"-age came from various points in our own and adjoining states, to enroll there as pupils.
A "literary and debating" society was organized, and public debates were organized in which important subjects were discussed were held from time to time. Some of these young men having learned that mother had been a successful teacher in pre-war days, would consult with mother about the arguments they were supposed to present on given subjects in these public meetings. She was ever ready with her helpful suggestions, and, on more than one occasion, was know to have written in full the "speech" some hesitating youth was supposed to present. On one such occasion, a prospective "debater" came to mother for desired help in a coming debate before the public. He gave mother the subject, telling that he was to be on the "affirmative" side, and asking that she write his speech for him. This she proceeded to do. Just a few days later this young man came to tell mother that it was the other side, the "negative" to which he had been assigned, and that he didn't know where he could turn for help with the arguments he had to present. Mother comforted him by telling him that she would write another speech, giving such arguments as she might find on the "negative"side. This second speech was written and duly presented to the public by the perturbed young man. The judges appointed by the society to render the decision on the merits of given arguments awarded approval to the young man who had used this speech on the "negative" side. Some months later, the society decided to have this same subject again presented in a "public debate," using other speakers than those who had dealt with the subject on the previous occasion. Again a would-be debater came to mother needing help. She told him that she had the speech she had previously written on the affirmative side (which was to be his), and gave it to him to look over.
He read it, and being pleased, decided to use it, just as mother had written it some months before. His side, the affirmative, gained the approval of the judges, just as the negative side had won on the earlier occasion, so my mother's speech proved winner in both instances. (It takes no ordinary mind to be able to see both sides of given subjects, I am well assured.) It was not in the realm of mental development alone that mother's training and ability was of the superior grade. Her hands, too, were trained to all useful work. I've never known one more skilled in the use of a needle than she. Those capable hands too made every garment worn by her husband and children during all of my childhood days, for ready-to-wear establishments were unknown in that day. Full suits for my father, of coats, vests, and pants were made by her of material heavy enough for winter, comfort as well as those of lighter weight. They were cut and shaped by mother's own hands, every stitch of the sewing (she never owned or used a sewing machine in all of her eighty four years of life,) done by her. Machines came into use long after mother had become adept in the use of needle, thread, and thimble. Not only could the more substantial garments be skillfully fashioned by her, but the finest and most delicate of embroidery work could be done. Her beautiful watercolor paintings, done while she was at school where those fine arts were taught, were the wonder of my childhood days. Few of them were ever framed, but most of them were kept together in parcels in her individual trunk, holding other things regarded by us all as sacred treasures. Among these was my grandfather John Craig's Masonic apron, which had been a part of his outfit when he was a leader of that group. For many years after mother's death, this trunk of keep-sakes remained in Sister Sally's home at Daleville, just as mother had kept it through the years. Paintings, Masonic apron, and all were in their usual place there at the time of Sally's death in 1940. Almost a full century had passed since Pauline Craig, attending school at Miss McCee's girls' school in Kemper County had made these lovely paintings, and they had never been disturbed in any way. Two years after Sally's death, however, when the house was for the first time in it history left unoccupied (though fully furnished) for a time looters broke in, ransacked the place, turning things topsy turvy in he sacred trunk, and these paintings disappeared along with some other things of value which had been left in the house. Who the marauders were, we've never known, but we truly have reason to regret that those of your generation, Dear Craig, can't see and appreciate that beautiful work of dear mother's hands -- hands so capable of doing so much and so well.
Spinning thread and weaving cloth on old-fashioned thread looms, were parts of her accomplishments. She excelled in these, too, and could accomplish a prodigious amount of work in a single day. During all of these war years (1861-1865) she made, with sister Mary's assistance, clothes for all the needs of the family at home and for father, away with the army. Through the day-light hours of those strenuous years, she would spin and weave. At night by fire-light on the hearth she would make the cloth into garments and fashion socks and stockings for us all of the threads she had so skillfully spun. She managed, somehow, to always have an extra pair of socks to be put into parcels she would be sending father, to be given to some companion soldier, less fortunate than himself in getting things from home.
Mother held things together during that distressing period when the Civil War was being fought so strenuously in other parts of our state. It was nearly two more years before peace finally was declared between the warring factions, and the up-hill business of rebuilding our southland began. Father went bravely back to his farm work as soon as strength was sufficiently restored while mother continued to spin, weave, and sew and knit as she had during the preceding years, so, there was clothing for us all and we were always supplied with the real necessities of life, much of which the dear old farm supplied, and there was never what could be termed "real want" though we never knew what could be termed super abundance of either food or clothing. As soon as he could get opportunity to add to the rooms of the home, father began to do this, and, as I've said on another page, our home was made comfortable and commodious. From this dear old roof tree, I went away to China as missionary in 1887. In June of the following year, dear father passed away. Your father, Craig dear, was then a boy of only eighteen years. He, mother, sister Matty and her two little girls, Linnie and Lida, were those left in the home after father's death. Sister continued to live on with mother and Charlie until her own daughter Linnie married Will Hopkins in 1897. Mother, it was planned, was to live no longer at the old home which she had occupied for fifty-four years, but with sister Sally, who was married to Mr. Will Prouty, and whose home adjoined ours. In October of 1902, mother went to Sally's. The following eight years were spent there, and she was truly cared for most adequately by both Sally and Mr. Prouty. "Sally," mother often said, "is the best woman I ever knew." No son born to me could have shown me more kindness and thoughtfulness than Mr. Prouty, these many years.
Her last days were indeed made comfortable by those who were considerate. She died of heart failure on December 10th, 1910. She was laid away in the final resting place in the little cemetery. Her grave is the last in that tier of graves to the right as you enter the cemetery from the south. (The gate is on that side.) Grandfather Hughes grave comes first; then my baby sister Evvy's, then sister Florence's and little Ida Burt (sister's stepdaughter in the "double-grave"), then brother John's, then father's, Lida's sister Matty's and Sally's, and sister's baby boys are in the tier of graves to the west."

Birth	21 Apr 1826	Marengo, Alabama, United States
Marriage	13 Dec 1846	Daleville, Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census (family)	30 Aug 1850	Southern District, Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census (family)	1853	Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census (family)	1860	Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census (family)	1870	Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census (family)	1880	Daleville, Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States - Charles Edward Hughes
Census	18 Jun 1900	Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States
Census	11 May 1910	Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States
Death	10 Dec 1910	Daleville, Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States
Burial		Hughes Family Cemetery, Daleville, Lauderdale, Mississippi, United States

Spouse	Charles Edward Hughes (1821 - 1888)
Child	Mary Jane Hughes (1847 - 1929)
Child	Martha M. "Mattie" Hughes (1850 - 1937)
Child	William James "Will" Hughes (1852 - 1905)
Child	John Craig Hughes (1855 - 1878)
Child	Sarah Matilda "Sallie" Hughes (1858 - 1940)
Child	Everette "Evie" Hughes (1861 - 1862)
Child	Elizabeth Louise "Miss Betty" Hughes (1863 - 1949)
Child	Emma Florence Hughes (1866 - 1872)
Child	Charles Edward Hughes Jr. (1870 - 1954)

Father	Dr. John Craig (1801 - 1841)
Mother	Mary Barfield (1803 - 1860)
Sibling	Eliza Jane Craig (1824 - 1894)
Sibling	Mary Craig (1828 - 1841)
Sibling	William Henry "Will" Craig (1831 - 1880)
Sibling	John Craig (1834 - 1861)
Sibling	Sarah C. Craig (1839 - )
Sibling	E. Matilda Craig (1838 - 1862)
Sibling	Louisa Anna Craig (1841 - 1887)

Notes