Everyone has 16 Great-Great Grandparents. 8 great-great grandfathers and 8 great-great grandmothers, 8 pairs of great-great grandparents. 4 paternal pairs and 4 maternal pairs. I will be conducting an intergenerational analysis on all of my great-great grandparents, to better understand who they were and what their lives were like, to help me better understand my roots and how they can help inform my legacy.
This is an analysis of my father’s, father’s, paternal grandparents, James and Carmelia Hughes.
Background
James Hughes Jr, as he was known, was actually the third James Hughes in sequence. Both his father and grandfather were named James, but for some reason he was known as James Jr. I bear his name, In the past 7 generations of my Hughes line, I’m the 4th James Hughes…my first name is James, though I go by one of my middle names. He was born on December 10, 1838 in Marloes, Pembrokeshire, Wales. As far as my records go back, the Hughes family had lived in Pembrokeshire since at least 1675 when my 8th great grandfather David Hughes was born there. I have no genealogical records on the Hughes family that go back farther than that. The family could have been in Pembrokeshire for hundreds of more years before then, but I just don’t know. In any case, James and his parents were the first Hughes’ to leave Pembrokeshire in centuries. He immigrated to the United States when we was 16 years old, in 1855. He traveled across the Atlantic on the SS Samuel Curling leaving Liverpool on April 22nd and arriving in New York May 22nd 1855. He immigrated with his Parents, 4 sisters, and one brother. His family had joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints three years earlier and they came to America to gather with the Saints who fled to the Rocky Mountains to escape terrible persecution. Immediately after arriving in New York the family proceeded to Salt Lake City, Utah. They traveled by train and steamboat to St. Louis, Missouri where his father and 8 year old sister died of Cholera. He and his family then joined the Charles A. Harper wagon company and walked across the Plains and through the rocky mountains till they arrived in Salt Lake City, Utah on October 31st, 1855. He lived to be 74 years old.
Carmalia Mariah Burgess was born on January 9th 1844 in Nauvoo, Illinois. She came from a long line of Americans that had been in the country since early colonial times. Her grandfather and great grandfather both served in the continental army during the American Revolution. When she was 4 years old she traveled across the Plains with her family, arriving in Salt Lake City, UT on September 22, 1848. Her family had endured great persecution in Missouri, Ohio, and Illinois because of their membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day saints. She lived to be 86 years old.
James and Carmalia were married in Salt Lake City, UT on February 19, 1860. He was 22 years old and she was a shockingly young 16 years old at the time.
They had 12 children, 8 of which lived past their teen years. They moved around between northern Utah and southern Idaho and then all throughout southern Utah and Nevada. They helped settle many towns and areas people of European decent had never set foot in. They worked in farming, growing crops and running dairies. James also worked with his father in law building and running multiple saw mills throughout southern Utah. They cut the wood that was used to build the pipes for the famous Tabernacle Organ still in use in Salt Lake City, UT. They never stayed in one place for more than a few years, until later in life they were among the first families to settle in Mesquite, NV, near the Utah and Arizona border. They were among those who walked into the West where there was nothing, and settled areas that are now cities populated by many thousands of people.
Intergenerational Analysis
This is about all I know about them. I don’t know anything about their personalities, parenting styles, dreams, etc. I know that family was important to them. As they traveled and settled various places in the West they always went with their families. They stayed together in groups of three generations for the most part. As their children would get married, many of them stayed with the group and traveled to their new settlements together. James worked closely with his father in law William Burgess who was raised in upstate New York and whose family had been in the saw mill business for many generations. He was very skilled in lumber and was able to teach this skill to James.
James came from a family with no money or skilled trade. He was only 16 years old when he came to this country and lost his father. He had no family connections to help him until he got married. He experienced the depths of poverty his entire early life. After arriving in Utah, his family lived in a circular dugout shelter made of wood posts with willow branches weaved in-between them and then covered in mud to make the walls. He rose out of this poverty by developing an incredible work ethic, marrying well, and being fearless. I can’t imagine how difficult his life must have been. He transported lumber and goods all over the west, from Utah, to Montana, to California. There were no dedicated roads to speak of and no safety from wild animals, outlaws, and potentially hostile native people. He didn’t have much of a choice. His options were very few. He left his old country and was in the middle of an unknown wilderness. He did what he could and made the most of his situation.
Carmalia came from a much more established family. From this I learn that I want to make sure I create a family and structure that sets my posterity up for success. Her upbringing was very difficult as well, but her parents had much greater means than James’ did. Her family had been in the U.S. for many generations, were established, and built skills in a valuable trade. She was very young when she was married and became a mother. I can’t imagine giving birth to 12 children, especially out on the frontier. I can’t imagine losing 4 of those children in their childhood and teen years. Carmalia was a great caregiver. She was a midwife who helped bring 200 babies into the world, and never lost a mother or child. She was strong and healthy. She lived to be 87 years old.
They helped settle areas that had been part of Mexico only a few years earlier. These areas were just territories of the United States and some became states while they were there. Their daily goal was survival. Survival has never even crossed my mind, it is not something I have to think about, it is a given. They faced daily perils and had to live with that every moment. They had a daughter die in infancy. I don’t know what caused the death but I can assume it was by a disease or situation that modern society has now solved and no longer afflicts anyone. They had a 19 year old son die because he fell off bags of grain on a wagon on a particularly rough road and was crushed by the wagon wheel. Accidents still happen today, but nowhere at the rate they did then. When we travel now we drive 80 miles an hour over smooth paved highways, we have seatbelts and airbags, including side curtain ones to protect us on every side. James’ father died when he was about 47 years old. He had 6 children between the ages of 17 and 8. When he and his daughter died of Cholera, he left his wife and 5 kids with absolutely nothing. Today, we don’t get Cholera because the modern world has eliminated it from the developed world. We still have tragedies, but if some tragedy strikes, we have life insurance to take care of our loved ones financially. Learning this story has reinforced to me the importance of having life insurance. My appreciation for modern technology and opportunities has skyrocketed by learning about their life. They had very few opportunities, I have all the opportunities in the world. I can’t neglect that. I have those opportunities because of the sacrifices they made. I can’t forget that either.
Faith was important to them. Both of their families traveled across oceans or continents because of their faith. They accepted a very difficult life on the frontier because of their faith. Everywhere they went they built churches. They literally built with their own hands the first church buildings in many towns they settled. They took the time while trying to survive on a daily basis to volunteer their labor and resources to build churches. They took it seriously and lived their faith. This inspires me to follow their example and live more faithful myself.
Insights
Learning about James and Carmalia’s lives has been very eye opening for me. He passed away just 68 years before I was born and she passed away just 49 years before I was born, but their lives and opportunities were night and day different than mine. It cannot be quantified how much better the world is for my generation than it was for theirs. The realities they faced, endured, and conquered are unimaginable for me. As children they both literally walked across the Great Plains into an uncharted wilderness that they helped tame through their ingenuity, dedication, and sheer will. They spent grueling months to cross the plains by walking in horrible shoes with no roads with oxen and covered wagons. I could make the same trip today in 15 hours in a very comfortable car or in a couple of hours in an airplane. The advances the world has seen since then is unimaginable.
As children they both literally walked across the Great Plains into an uncharted wilderness that they helped tame through their ingenuity, dedication, and sheer will.
They were very resilient and strong. After settling in the Blue Mountains of central Utah, they established themselves very well and were very prosperous in farming, dairy work, and running a saw mill. After only a few years, bandits came in and stole most of what they had. They shortly after cut their losses and moved on. This is an interesting story, though I don’t have all the details of what happened and why they left. From this I can infer a few things. One thing I learn is that they were resilient and strong, they didn’t just give up when very bad things happened. I also learn that they were not afraid to try new things. Another thing I think I learn is that perhaps they could have done a better job of protecting what they had. They had a very good situation from what understand. I don’t know why they were left in a situation where bandits could come in and take it from them. Perhaps they put up a fight or knew it was a fight they couldn’t have won, but in any case, it teaches me that I want to stand up and protect what I have built from those who want to take it from me.
Their life was family. I don’t know what their marriage was like, but I have to assume it was good. They had 12 children and raised them well. I know from first hand testimony that their son Charles, my great-grandfather was a very good man with a pure heart. I can only imagine that only good people who love each other could produce a heart as pure as his. Their lives were difficult, but they stayed together. They lost multiple children but still carried on. The emotional strength they must have had is astounding. From them I learn that I can be strong and not let life’s tragedies bring me down.
These two are amazing examples to me. I have been strengthened and energized by learning about their lives. I want to be strong like they are. I don’t want to make excuses, because they didn’t. I want to blaze trails in the world like they literally did in the wilderness. I want to honor their legacy by passing on a portion of what they have given me. I want to leave a legacy of strength, courage, love, faith, as they did.
I’m thankful for the sacrifices they made so that I can exist. I’m also thankful for the example and legacy they left for me. When I figuratively have my leaving the shores of Wales, or crossing the Great Plains, or settling the West, moments I will think of them and do what they did. Take courage and put one foot forward one after another until I have built a legacy the leaves the world a better place for those who come after me.
