The Perfect Obituary

The perfect obituary answers the following  10 questions:

1.  Name of the decedent and residence

2.  Cause of death 

3.  Date of birth and death 

4.  Date of marriage(s) and name(s) of spouse(s) 

5.  Name of parents

6.  Place of birth and death

7.  Military service 

8.  Names of survivors

9.  Religious affiliation

10. Place of burial

Although we can hope for answers to all 10 questions, rarely do we get answers to more than half of them.  I was delighted to find the obituary of W.L.  Hughes of Marion, Crittenden County, Kentucky in his local newspaper. His father was mentioned, but not named.  That and military service are the only two questions not addressed.   See what you think about this obituary.

"W.L. Hughes

Passes Away[1]

After Many Months of Illness and

Suffering  A Well Known and

Respected Citizen

Wm. Leonard Hughes, one of the county's pioneer citizens, died at his home two miles northeast of Marion Thursday, Sept. 21st, of cirrhosis of the liver, which he had suffered for several years.

He was in his 71st year having been born April 4th, 1846. His father moved here from Smith county, Tennessee, when he was a child.

"He was married Dec. 27th, 1866 to Miss Lutitia Hunt of this county who survives him with five children, all of whom are representative citizens. There are two sons, Wm.  H., and John Wyatt Hughes; and three daughters, Mary Ellen, wife of J.H. Mayes, of this city; Martha Frances, wife of John M. Baker; and Lucy Jane, wife of Josie Hunt, the latter two of Pleasant Hill section. He is survived by one brother, Heziciah Hughes, of Lilly Dale, and one sister, Mrs. H.S. Wheeler, of this city.

"The deceased was a member for nearly 40 years of the Pleasant Hill Primitive Baptist church and always lived an upright christian life. He was a man of strict integrity and honorable in all of his dealings. His sons could not do better than to follow his example. His remains were laid to rest in Pleasant Hill cemetery on Friday at noon Sept. 22nd, 1916, Eld. John A. Hunt officiating. A large gathering of sorrowing friends and relatives were there to do honor to the memory of the dead man."

---

[1] "W.L. Hughes Passes Away," Crittenden Record-Press, Thursday, 28 September 1916, p. 6.

Published 1 Mar 2018, Western Kentucky Genealogy Blog, http://wkygenealogy.blogspot.com/