Fred Payton
PRINCE ALBERT HISTORICAL SOCIETY
He served on the first elected Council of the North-West Territories. He was the first Sheriff of Saskatchewan. He lies between two spruce trees in a grave in the same cemetery in which are buried two men, one whom he defeated to earn his seat on the Council, and one who defeated him in a subsequent election. A man who lived a full life, well spent. And yet his grave is unmarked.
Owen Edward Hughes: soldier, fur trader, politician, sheriff, and judge, was born in Carnarvon, Wales in 1848. After his father’s death in 1852, he was schooled in France and Belgium prior to attending university in Hannover. While attending university, he enlisted in the Prussian army and fought in the Prusso-Danish War (February 1st, 1864 to October 1st, 1864).
It appears that Hughes had returned to France to further his education, prior to the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War (July 19th, 1870 to January 28th, 1871). Information exists that, at that time, he joined the French Foreign Legion and that eventually he determined that he did not want to participate. Regardless, he returned to London, England, from where he managed to assist his brother to flee France and also to return to England.
Upon his return to England, Hughes gained employment in F.E. Kew’s London office. Kew, retired from his position with the Hudson’s Bay Company as an accountant, had considerable knowledge of the fur trade business. In 1872, Hughes was posted to Winnipeg to assist in the formation of what was to become known as Stobart, Eden and Company. According to Angus McKay, Stobart established the post at Duck Lake, and in 1873 Hughes was sent to the Nelson River in Manitoba, and thereafter, in 1875, established a post at The Pas.
Even as early as 1875, when he was a witness to the signature of Treaty Five at Norway House, Hughes could be seen to be a valuable and contributing member of the North-West. That was only the beginning of his contribution to the development of the Canadian North-West.
Stobart retired from Duck Lake in 1876, and was succeeded by Hughes, eventually being appointed general manager of the western fur trade business. Under him, the company had posts at The Pas, Prince Albert, Duck Lake, Lac la Biche, and Lower Slave Lake. His duties as general manager required him to travel annually to each of the posts, as well as to Winnipeg.
It is likely that it was on one of his trips to Winnipeg that Hughes met the woman who eventually was to become his wife. Mary Isabella Inkster was the daughter of William Inkster (1836 – 1869) and Mary Todd Inkster (1839 -1916). Bella and Owen were married in Winnipeg in 1881, and became the parents of three sons, Owen William McKay Hughes (born 1882), Roland Howard Inkster(born 1883, and Arthur Edward (who died in infancy the year he was born, 1887).
In addition to his employment as the general manager of Stobart, Eden and Co., Hughes owned a grist mill in Duck Lake and was named Justice of the Peace. The latter position resulted in the Mounted Police swearing out a warrant against Chief Beardy in July,1880. According to Harry Ross, this resulted from Beardy killing three of the cattle belonging to the band, cattle which had been provided them for work and breeding purposes.
Beginning in 1879, Hughes began drilling a small militia company. He was gazetted as Captain, and one of his lieutenants was Gabriel Dumont. This company, comprised mainly of Metis from the area surrounding Duck Lake, Batoche, and St. Laurent drilled under Hughes’ supervision until it was disbanded in 1884 for being “inefficient”.
According to John Peter Turner, in his two-volume history The North-West Mounted Police, Hughes “was in Winnipeg on business when news of the of the Duck Lake fight reached there, and being anxious for the safety of his stock in trade, left immediately, obtaining permission to accompany Middleton’s column. In the excitement following the withdrawal from the clash with Dumont’s halfbreeds at Fish Creek, the general galloped up to where Hughes, sitting his horse, was in conversation with others.
‘What do you think of my men now, Middleton?’ Hughes queried.
‘What men? What the devil are you talking about?’
‘Why, my men, of course.’ Hughes flung back. ‘The men Houghton disbanded – Gabriel Dumont my lieutenant, and my halfbreeds who have just driven your army back. Great Scott, had I been there to lead them, we’d have driven you out of the country.’” Many of the Metis who fought at Fish Creek and Batoche had been drilled by Hughes in the years from 1879 to 1884.
Although he took some pride in the efficiencies displayed by the Metis, Hughes actually supported the Dominion forces. He sailed on the fortified but ill-fated Northcote. Charles Pelham Mulvaney, in his book The History of the North-West Rebellion of 1885, quoted a Prince Albert correspondent: “Owen Hughes and John Vinen were in small barricades behind the smoke stacks, which fell over them. Both managed by the skin of their teeth to escape, but after Vinen had entered the cabin and was helping to barricade it, he received a bullet in the thigh.”
Later in 1885, while Hughes was in Toronto on business, he received a telegram from friends in Prince Albert encouraging him to accept the nomination to the Council of the North-West Territories for the Electoral District of Lorne. Hughes agreed, and defeated his opponent, Dr. Andrew Porter by eight votes.
According to Norman Black, the Seventh Legislative Session of the Council of the North-West was “something very like a vote of non-confidence in the Dominion Government’s policy in the Territories.” Hughes, the newcomer, was appointed to the Finance committee and the Schools committee. He also served on the Select committee reviewing the extension of time for the duty-free importation of cattle, as well as on the Select committee reporting on the proper accommodation for the Supreme Court, as well as the Select committee reviewing the best means to prevent a recurrence of the Gopher Plague.
More importantly, Hughes seconded a motion that a Special committee consider all questions related to the Metis of the Territory. He also seconded a motion that a committee consider a recommendation to the Dominion Government that “pensions be granted to the families of the men of Prince Albert Special Forces who fell or became incapacitated in the late rebellion.”
Other motions which he either moved or seconded included urging the Dominion Government to build a bridge across the South Saskatchewan River, the granting of assistance to the Prince Albert High School, and one declaring valid the incorporation of Prince Albert as a town.
It was clear that when he returned to the Eighth Legislative Session of the Council of the North-West Territories, Hughes was feeling much more comfortable, and was seen by his fellow legislators as being competent. Once again, he was appointed to the Schools, and to the Finance standing committees.
He again was appointed to a Special committee considering the liquor laws. He made the motion to draft a congratulatory message to Queen Victoria on the 50th anniversary of her accession to the throne, and seconded the motion that, out of respect to the memory of legislator Charles Marchallsay who had died during the session, that the session be adjourned for the day. He also seconded a motion that no new bills should be introduced during the session after November 14th. This would preclude bills being considered without appropriate attention. He also seconded a motion encouraging the establishment of the head office of the land department in the Territories.
Although continuing to represent the same electoral district during the Ninth Legislative Session (now renamed the Prince Albert Electoral District, Hughes did not seem to be as involved in this, his third and final session. Although he once again allowed his name to be put forward for election prior to the tenth session (when the local district now had two representatives) he was not successful, losing to William Plaxton and to John Felton Betts. Ironically, Hughes had been partially responsible for the implementation of the ballot box for this election.
However, his work on behalf of the North-West Territories did not go unnoticed. Hughes was appointed Sheriff of Saskatchewan, replacing Harry Ross. He was eminently suitable for this position, given his familiarity with the French, English, and First Nations languages, as well as with the people of the area. He would hold this position until his retirement in 1899.
Perhaps the most important event during this period was Hughes’ testimony in the case of Thomas Scott who had been a sergeant in the militia unit which Hughes had commanded between 1879 and 1884. Scott had been charged with treason after the 1885 Resistance. He was accused of fomenting trouble and writing a letter supportive of Riel’s activities at a meeting at Lindsay on March 23, 1885. Fortunately for Scott, he had been with Hughes in Winnipeg on that day, and Hughes was able to enter into evidence a bill of sale written by the man who had sold horses to Scott on March 23rd. Hughes’ testimony saved Scott’s life.
As a result of his actions in this matter, the Scott family built a house on their property for an elderly Hughes. Hughes was able to spend his time reading in his house, and his friends were able to visit him there. It wasn’t until; nearer the end of his life that Hughes moved off the Scott property. Towards the end, he resided at the home of William McKay at St. Catherine’s.
Hughes’s death followed several weeks in hospital on July 19th, 1932. He was eighty-five years old. Predeceased by his infant son and his son Roland, he was survived by his wife Bella and by his son William, of Salmon Arm, British Columbia.
Hughes’ funeral was held in Hamilton’s Funeral Home on July 25th. His flag-draped coffin was interred in St. Mary’s cemetery, where the committal service was followed by the Legion’s burial service and the dropping of poppies on the casket.
He was a man of more than average ability, of good judgment, and wide experience, and a valiant champion for the Saskatchewan country.
Yet his grave remains unmarked.
