Birdie Hughes and his sisters at New York

Why in the world would someone name a little boy "Birdy," I got to wondering the other day after happening upon the following brief account of his accidental death as published in The Chariton Herald of June 14, 1888:

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"Birdy Hughes, age 13 years, son of Mr. Hamilton Hughes, of Warren Tp., met with a fatal accident on last Tuesday evening. He was out in the barn lot with some horses, when one of them ran against the fence, pushing the end of the top rail past the post, striking him  on the head, crushing his skull. He died last evening and will be buried tomorrow at the New York cemetery, Wayne Co. The bereaved family have our deepest sympathy."

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So I looked him up on "Find a Grave" and sure enough there was the tombstone in the New York Cemetery bearing his name, spelled "Birdie."

As it turns out, however, this youngest child of Hamilton and Mary Ann Hughes had been named "Burch," the maiden name of his mother, so "Birdie" was a nickname --- but obviously the name he answered to and the name his loved ones wanted him to be remembered by. And so he is.

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Two older sisters joined Birdie the New York Cemetery during the next few years. 

Lillian, married to William E. Nichols, was 31 when she died in Chariton on May 16, 1893, following surgery. Her death was reported as follows in The Herald of May 18:

"Monday morning, Mrs. W.E. Nichols living 10 miles south of Chariton underwent a very severe operation in having an ovarian tumor weighing 50 pounds removed. Drs. Stanton had the operation in charge, and was assisted by Drs. Culley, Todd and Yocom. Mrs. Nichols received every possible attention in the infirmary of Dr. Stanton, but in her weak condition the shock proved too great for the emaciated body and she passed away Tuesday evening about 6 o'clock. The funeral services will be held today and interment take place at New York cemetery. She was a daughter of Hamilton Hughes, and leaves a large circle of relatives and friends to mourn her departure."

Anna died eight years later, on July 25, 1901, age 32, having outlived her first husband, Charles E. Tuttle, and survived by her second, Andrew W. Hanson, as well as a son, also Charles E. Tuttle. Her death was caused by "paralysis," The Herald of August 8 reported.

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After that, Hamilton and Mary Ann, now approaching 70, relocated to Kansas, where all of their surviving children --- Sarah, Richard, Frank and Riley --- now lived. Mary died in Pratt County during 1906 and Hamilton followed during 1910.