The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1916-09-29
THE LATE CAPT. j. NJ. HOUGH.


We refer to the late ]. M. Hough
who spent the latter years of his life
in Lancaster.
After spending four years in the
Civil War with Butler and His Cav
airy" he returned to his native
Chesterfield county and began life at
the bottom of the ladder Within a
few months he married Martha ely
burn, daughter of Steve Clyburn of
Kershaw county
He settled on the poorest farm
perhaps in the State. Rock ribbed"
and an unforbidding SOIL seventy
five miles from the railroad and
twenty miles from the village of
Lancaster. To augment his income
he went into the mercantile business
and was a successful country mer-
chant for thirty-nine years. His
was not a wet weather" store, but
open every day in the year, Sunday
and holidays excepted.
At this country place he reared a
large family, five boys and five girls,
giving all college education. who
showed tendency in that direction.
On one occasion Colonel Leroy
Springs having looked over his farm
and met his family gave utterance
to something like the following:
"Hough, any man who can rear and
educate a family on this plantation
is a genius of the first water"
No man, perhaps has ever fully
understood Captain Hough. Begin
ming life with less than nothing; an
expensive family, few of whom re-
allied the source or the worth of
dollar; handicapped by lack Of edu-
cation and early training, yet in spite
of difficulties and discouragements
which would have thwarted the pur-
poses Of a less courageous man, he
made a big success. From worldly
point OF view his success was not
pronounced, as he did not die pos
sessed Of a great deal of property.
He nevertheless made and spent a
fortune. He was not possessed of
was simply a means to an end A
mere piece Of metal. A something
provided by the goodness of God and
the engenuty of man to augment
happiness; to relieve the desires of
his children; to provide for the
widow and the orphan; to further
the spread of the Gospel 1t was
never his concern to store up treas
ures "where moth and rust doth cor
rupt and thieves break through and
steal" In some way he always
managed to make ends meet and new
er lacked for the dollar.
He was possessed of perennial
youth A very boy to the last. he
could "Root" for the home team on
the diamond with the zest of a six
teen year old. His very nature was
one OF sustained enthusiasm for all
things savoring of life and push anu
perseverance. He hated sham and
despised formalty. He sometimes
alienated his friends by his utter dis
regard for conventionalities
Straight to the heart of a matter
was his motto-the consequences
taking care themselves. Yet his ma
ture was the essence of gentleness.
Wherever there was sorrow his hear.
and sympathy and aid responded at
once.
His contact with the business
world and his love for public life
sharpened his intellect till he was
in the best sense of that word, an
educated man. His perception was
quick and his judgment of the mo-
tives of men was seldom far afield
With no literary training and with
an utter disregard for the uses of
Grammar he could in mid-life hold
his own in argument or in public
debate with the best minds.
Captain Hough represented Ches-
terfield county in the legislature for
eight years. He never made a second
race for the Office though there were
always six or more aspirants. Just
before the election in the year 1892.
he made a Sunday school address at
one of the voting precincts and when
the votes were counted at that box
he received every ballot save one.
He afterwards offered five dollars
reward for the name of the man who
was brave enough to stand alone in
his community. No one answered