JOHN HUGHES, my Grandfather , was born in Kildare, Ireland on October 16, 1834. In1846 he and his family came to the US He was 12 years old. His parents settled in Michigan.Later the family moved to Wisconsin. They lived in Wisconsin until 1878. His father passed away in Wisconsin. Grandpa John Hughes married  Margaret McNealy. They had 4 children; Catherine, Mary, Anne, James, Grandma Hughes died in child birth of the 5th child; at least I never heard the child lived either. My mother (Kate Hughes) was 10  when her mother died. Grandpa Hughes, later married your great-grandmother (Catherine Nolan), Mrs. Murtha Whelan whose husband died leaving her with 5 children; Margaret, Mary, John ,William, and James. They, with Grandpa's mother moved to a homestead near what is know Stephen, Minnesota.  I know they lived on section 28 where the Bulgers lived. Their daughter, Mary Whalen died while living there at age 16, and was buried in the yard in the trees. Later when Aunt Maggie had a claim up next to (Grandpa (Johnny) Whalen's farm, Mary's remains  were move to an acre of Aunt Maggie's farm and a grave yard was started there. The following are buried there: Uncle Will Whalen, Grandpa John Hughes, his second wife Grandma Whalen Hughes, and two of James Austin Whalen's baby brothers (John Edmund in 1902 and Julian in 1905 in infancy).

Mary Ann and my mother ( Kate) came to Stephen or rather Tamarac where their folks were "running" the section house. My dad  (Pierce) and your  Johnny and Uncle Will worked laying the rail road for Mr. Hill, his great northern railroad. When the girls came in on the first train they were supposed to get off at Kennedy to leave the train. There was no depothere but the cook had no soda so the train stopped at the section house for soda and the girls got off there.

    Grandma Hughes' mother's maiden name was Catherine Kelly. When her husband passed away she moved into Grandpa's home. I don't know if that was before he married the second time or not.

    Catherine Kelly was born in County Kildare, Ireland March 10, 1800. She died in Stephen Thursday morning June 9, 1887 at the age of  87 years and three months. She is buried in the Argyle Catholic Cemetery.

     Mrs. Murtha Whelan Hughes,  was born near  the city of  Tuam in Galway County,  Ireland. She came to U.S.at the age of 20.  The first two years she lived in Massachusetts. Then she moved to Wisconsin. Shortly after moving to Wisconsin she married Murtha Whelan. They had five children; Margaret, Mary, John,  William and James. Her husband took the boys town to have their picture taken according to Uncle Jim.  It was to be a surprise for their mother at Christmas. Murtha caught a cold, developed pneumonia and died..

    In 1871 she married John Hughes. They came to Stephen, Minnesota. and lived on a homestead, then in the section  house and finally in Stephen where Grampa and Gramma had  a drug store.
 

     Mrs (Catherine). Hughes passed away May 25, 1895, sitting in a chair. She had been ill for sometime with a bad heart. (This obituary was written in 1895 and it stated her daughter passed away10 years ago so she died in 1885)

    Frances writes she (Mary) was a teacher but according to my mother she was 16 and living at home. She also said that Aunt Maggie was never the same after Mary died. Never so light hearted and happy.
 

Insertion of names and a bit of correcting and rewording for better understanding by Keith A. Whalen, Great Great Great Grandson of Murtha and Catherine Whelan.