The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-04-13
4 Fascinating Woman.

Many old steamboatmen, who have
traded on the upper Mississippi and
Missouri rivers, will remember the
name of Captain Ross Z. Hughes.
He once commanded the steamer
! IIindoo, a boat that piled on the Mis-
sissipi previous to 1850, Afterward
| Capt. Hughes, in connection with
others, built the famous old steam
boat Choutcau, which lie IA" r'"
awhile Un the Mississippi, and then
took her around to the Missouri river,
ascending as high rs the site now oc-
cupicd by Omaha. At the time OF
which we speak. the gold fever" was
raging throughout the country.
Hughes put his boat to good use at
| Council Bluffs by converting il into a
ferry Tor transferring the outfits OF
golden pilgrims" who were then
stringiug the plains en- route Weat in
| great multiludes. He "nade p good
lhing" out Of the business. AT that
| time, and for many years before.
| Hughes had his residence at KcOkuk.
| His family consisted of three bright
/ and beautiful girls and one son, who
was physically deformed by curva-
ture Of The spine. Years ago, just
what year could not be ascertained.
Mrs. Hughes died. Her place was
supplied in no loug time by second
wife. Hughes continued on the river
for some years, leaving his family at
the home in Keokuk. The lady who
is now known as Mrs. Williams was
the eldest OF the daughters. Mrs.
Krum, wife of Daniel Krum, former
! lv Of keokuk, was next in age, and
the Youngest was fair girl who
answered to the name Of Hottie. AS
they grew to womanhood, these girls
revealed remarkable personal charms.
They were handsome in feature and
symmetrical in form sparkling and
vivaci0us in conversation, they did
not fail to secure the admiration of
the gallants of Keokuk. Their posi-
ton in life was not such as to give
them all the advantages of intellectual
and moral training. CAPTAIN Hughes
is Represented to have been Il rough
man, with little education, and no
aspirations for a higher social life,
and his moral character was much
under par. And yet, adverse as were
the circumstances surrounding the
girls, they succeeded in establishing
themselves, if not in the first rank, at
least in respectable social circles.
Captain Ross B. Hughes died in an
humble boarding house in St. Louis,
many years ago-if we credit the re-
ports we hear, lamented by few. In
course of time the eldest of the girls
now Mrs. Williams, then regarded as
surprisingly beautiful, was married
to man named lvans, and the couple
left keokuk, settling somewhere in
Ohio. The least that can be said OF
this matrimonial union is, that it was
very unfortunate, and the parties scpa-
rated. Mr.. Wins returned to Iowa
In due course of time Mrs. lvins got
a dissolution of the marriage bonds
, and next contracted a marriage with
a man by the name of George. 1t is
: said this second matrimonial venture
was not happy one to the wife OIL
; the husband. AT any rate they lived
apart for a considerable tine George
went West, fell into decline, and
the husband and wife were again
brought together. 1t is said that she
tended him in his last illness will
singular devotion. George having
died, she was again n widow. Tht
second sister, having married Mr.
, Daniel Krum, had with him gone tl
OroUou on1 Nfe Georan rnoda fhf