The Family Tree that illustrates this can be found from here, or from the link at the bottom of the page.

Thomas Hughes (1827):

There is some deliciously murky family history here: Thomas came back to England from Salt Lake City Utah in about 1860 he would have been 33. Sarah was his second wife, some infidelity and multiple marriages involving Mormon's apparently went on precipitating the return. Though who did what to whom and why is not fully clear.

They (he and Sarah) are buried at St. Stephen's Churchyard Harpurhey Manchester.

At least this is what Granddad had to say, it is the only really significant discrepancy. Firstly the records show no-one called Sarah, rather Martha, who was in fact a good couple of decades younger than old Thomas! Moreover, whilst he is about in 1901, in 1881 there is no sign of him at all, so this probably points to him still being in the USA in 1881. Given he (Thomas) was not about in 1881 he made quick work of getting going again when he got back, as we have Jessie and Perla arriving in 1885 & 1887 respectively. I guess Martha the elder was just plain pleased to see him!

There is also a rather deeper mystery, which is that when you consult the 1901 census you find a Harriet Hughes who was born in 1880, she should therefore appear in the '81 census, she doesn't. There are a number of explanations including that she was actually born later in '81 which in census terms is possible because of the way they record things, but if Thomas is not about this seems unlikely. Equally Thomas may have come back with her from the US a product of multiple Mormon Marriages?. It will take some digging into birth certificates to bottom this one and when linked with the Addie Hughes mystery (below) it becomes yet more intriguing.

Additional information about Thomas is that he had so many relatives and progeny that he could not tell kith from kin and all the local children would approach him and call him Granddad! Not knowing who was and wasn't he'd give them a farthing and tell them to be off! He was also an Organ builder and when in the US built them in Colorado Springs and Salt Lake City where he also met and became friends with Brigham Young.

David Hughes (1874):

First built houses in Northenden Manchester (Princess St) and was "instrumental" in building a church of the Latter Day Saints at Beresford Rd., Longsight, Manchester.

He emigrated to New York around the turn of the century, forming a company with a lawyer to build houses on "stage payments". The firm went bust ("lawyer took off with the money..."), the family escaped back to the UK in 1910 to avoid the law! This picture is of David, Rachel & Doris at more or less that time. With all these pics you can click on them to increase the size if you want a better look.

The research from the Ellis Islands is very helpful here. If you follow the Manifest link below you can see that the date was actually September 18th 1904. Given my Granddad was born in 1906 he was actually a native New Yorker! Though again facts disproved another family myth ie that he had been born on the Hudson more or less during arrival...

However my father supplied an amusing story about their Ellis Island arrival which can be found here: Worrying Aliens and if anything is better still.

It was very moving to discover these records and a very strange sensation to see the actual hand written record and even a picture of the ship they traveled on ie the Arabic. Moreover it produced yet another riddle, in the party as listed in the Manifest is Rachel, David and Doris as you would expect, but between little Doris and her mother (check the passenger numbers) is one Addie Hughes who is 24, single and from Manchester. My father thought (logically) that she would be David's sister - but of her there is no record either in 1901 or 1881 and not just in Manchester but the whole country, Addie is a helpfully unusual name. In terms of age only the mysterious Harriet fits, did she accompany them and change names mid-Atlantic? Whoever she was she did not return with the rest in 1910...

On their return they boarded back with his father Thomas (who after all knew a thing or two about running back from the USA), mother "Sarah" and sister Perla at the family business at 73 Miller St Manchester. Rachel's sister "Molly" and brother in law "Joe" said there was work in a Cotton Mill in Oldham so they decamped there i.e. staying with Molly and Joe. My Granddad went to his first school there so it was probably 1911 when he would have been 5.

Thomas & Sarah died in 1911...They are buried at St. Stephen's Churchyard Harpurhey Manchester.

Perla ran the business before marrying and then selling it in installments to David, the family moving back to live behind the business at 73 Miller Street. These events must have taken place between 1911 and 1920. Another child of theirs (& sister to my Grandfather), being born at Miller St. Manchester, in approximately 1916 this is Edith, she took no interest in the business. (This is slightly inaccurate, she was actually born on 21 November, 1915).

The business moved to 54/56 Great Ancoats St. Manchester in 1920. At that time David's brother in law John Thomas Smith joined the business and another shop opened for him in Oldham, there is another story associated with this but it's not for the current telling and not in front of children either.

Doris and James Hughes (my Grandfather and his sister) then took over the business in the 1930's and changed it to wholesale. David and Rachel retiring to Paignton where he died in 1935/7 and Rachel then returned to Manchester.

My Grandfather records DH's death as both 1935 & 1937 so some latitude needs to be allowed. My father is certain it was 1935. In fact I found out recently that he died within a few days of the King (George V) in January 1936. The picture above of him and Rachel Thana was certainly a post war shot and possibly as late as the 30's.

James Hughes 1906 my Grand Father:

Lived at 5 Chelston Ave, New Moston Lancashire, where both boys (James and John) were born.

He was called up to the RAF in 1941 (he would have been 35), became a Corporal Armament Instructor (& nearly snuffed it when some idiot threw munitions on a fire). In early '45 was transferred to the Naval Air force and was awaiting an Aircraft Carrier to head off to Japan when he was discharged Xmas 1945.

Moved to 78 Waterloo Rd Bramhall because of bombing in WWII. Moved again within Bramhall to the house I recall before immigrating to Australia (Tasmania) in 1970. The house is pictured little changed in 1988.

James Hughes 1930 my Father:

Was born at 5 Chelston Road and moved to Waterloo Rd Bramhall to escape the blitz in Manchester during WWII. The two brothers are pictured below in June 1984.

Passed his 11+ and went on to win a scholarship to Manchester University though was called up to do his National Service before attending. This influenced his choice of career as in the Army he acquired an interest in electronics and went on to study Electrical engineering. This lead in turn to a career in the then infant computer business. Ferranties, were taken over by ICL, an exchange deal lead to two years in the USA with ICT between 1964 and 1966 and eventually to emigration in 1968, the family joining him in 1969. This is a picture of my parents and first wife Anne April 1986. One thing my parents certainly weren't missing was the English climate.

My sister returned in 1972 & I joined her back home in 1975. The 5th generation of Hughes to return after immigrating to the USA. Pictures of our generation (should you be curious) are elsewhere on the website and quite a few are in the Twinkle Toes section.

The Manifest from Ellis Island can be found below and then if you still have the energy there is the story of Twinkle Toes. If you have an interest in the Ellis Island site it can be found here: http://www.ellisisland.org/ you do need to register but searches cost nothing - the site can be a bit temperamental though!