Martin D. Hughes was born on 15 October 1836 in County Mayo, Ireland, the son of John Hughes and Mary Welch. His mother died when he was a child, and his father remarried to Kate around 1840. With Kate John Hughes had six daughters. According to his biography Martin was sent to England as a lad, and emigrated to North America in 1854 at the age of 18, settling for a short time in Upper Canada. After that he came to Iowa, spending two years in Des Moines before coming to Council Bluffs in the fall of 1856, where he remained. In May 1858 he married Mary Wickham, daughter of Patrick and Cecelia (Pryor) Wickham. They has eleven children, seven of which reached adulthood. They were Ida C. (married Charles A. Fox), George F. (married Elizabeth J. Keating), Thomas B. (married Julia C. Sinnott), Cecilia A. (married John M. Mullen), John J. (married Clara H. Wyckoff), Mary D. (married John F. Coad) and Martin D. (married Mary E. Pierce and Grace Thompson). Martin became a successful contractor, and was for several years in a partnership with his wife's brothers James and Owen P. Wickham before going into business on his own. He died in Council Bluffs in 1920, 16 years after the death of his wife. He is buried in St. Joseph's Cemetery.

Related Items:
Biography from 1891.
The Hughes residence at 903 3rd St., Council Bluffs, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Death notice for his father, John.
Obituaries for his step-mother Kate and half-sisters Honora Murphy, Katherine Coyle, Anne Coyle and Mary Carter.
Obituaries for his wife, Mary Wickham, and sons Thomas B., John J. and Martin D. Jr. and daughter Mary.
Pictures of the Hughes family plot in St. Joseph's cemetery, Council Bluffs, as well as those of other individuals connected to the Hughes family.

Mr. Hughes is survived by three sons, George F. Hughes, postmaster of Council Bluffs; M. D. Hughes of this city and J. J. Hughes of Des Moines, and two daughters, Mrs. C. A. Fox and Mrs. John M. Mullen of Omaha. Since the death of his wife, Mr. Hughes had made his home with Mrs. Mullen at 3808 South Twenty-sixth street, Omaha.

The funeral will be held Tuesday morning at 9 o'clock from St. Francis church. Rev. Father McManus will celebrate requiem high mass. Burial will be in St. Joseph's cemetery. The family request that no flowers be sent.