Alton Eugene Hughes - Emma Neale Ortner

Alton Eugene Hughes was born, January 17, 1898 in Altus, Greer County, Oklahoma Territory. Alton was the first of five children born to William David and Lena Belle Campbell Hughes with baby sister, Ruby following 18 months later (see the picture to the left). In order of birth were: Alton Eugene, Ruby Algia, Claude Deane, Evelyn Beryl and Harlan Wayne.

Alton's mother died November 29, 1917 and on June 2, 1918, his father married a younger sister of Lena Belle's, Maude Flurina. This union would produce more siblings in the Hughes household: William Clay, Lorena Margaret and David Ardelle.

Nothing is known regarding Alton's elementary schooling, but a college transcript indicates he graduated from high school in Altus, May 1917. Then in the fall of 1918, he enrolled as a student at Southwestern Junior College, a Seventh-day Adventist College, located in Keene, Johnson County, Texas where he was a boarder with several other young men in the home of George and Esther West. (Ruby, Alton's sister, was at the same time boarding with Ellenor Hunter just a short distance away.)

On September 12, 1918, Alton completed the mandatory WWI registration which shows Alton to be a student at Southwestern Junior College (SWJ).

Alton graduated from SWJ College in 1920. Later, he would complete a B.A. from Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Just when Alton met a very special young German girl from Hitchcock, Oklahoma, I don't know, but they were married May 24, 1921. So far, I have been unable to locate a marriage certificate for this couple, but the search goes on.

Who was this special girl? Her name was Emma Neale Ortner, daugther of George C. and Maria Samuels Ortner who had immigrated to the United States in 1878. George and Maria had emigrated from Russia with their young baby, Jacob (Jake) and settled in Marion County, Kansas. In 1893 the George Ortner family homesteaded in Blaine County, Oklahoma on a quarter section of land near Hitchcock. Later, they would move into the town of Hitchcock and it was here, Emma was born, March 22, 1899. Ultimately, there would be 14 children, seven boys and seven girls with one girl, Sarah, dying shortly after the family arrived in Oklahoma.

Back rowL-R: Ellen, Abe, Sam, Chris

Front row L-R: Leah, Maria, Elsie, George, Emma

More information regarding Alton and Emma Hughes and their families will be coming in later posts.