Debbie Hughes
Privacy Level: Open (White)

Debbie A. Hughes (abt. 1822 - 1861)

Debbie A. Hughes
Born about in Chester, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
Daughter of [father unknown] and
[sibling(s) unknown]
[spouse(s) unknown]
[children unknown]
Died at about age 39 in Chester, Pennsylvania, United Statesmap
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Sue LaVoie private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 3 Apr 2023
This page has been accessed 71 times.


Biography

Debbie Hughes was a Pennsylvanian.
Debbie received Doctor of Medicine degree; although over qualified, served with devotion and skill as a nurse in the Civil War at Columbian College Hospital before her tragic death.

Debbie was born about 1822 in Pennsylvania, United States. Her parents were Robert Hughes (1786-1857) and Elizabeth Vanderslice Hughes (1789-1875).

Debbie was one of four women who graduated in the class of 1855-6 receiving the degree of Doctor of Medicine from the Female Medical College of Pennsylvania. Her thesis was titled "Dissertation on Carcinoma".

She arrived in Washington in 1861 and immediately impressed everyone with her skills and devotion, including Dorothea Dix, superintendent of nurses. She was assigned to Columbian College Hospital starting 17 Jul 1861.

In the autumn of 1861, she received a furlough and planned to visit family in Charles town. Instead, she heard of the suffering soldiers at nearby Camp Wayne. She collected jellies and foodstuffs, and with her sister Hannah and teenager William Williams set off by carriage to Camp Wayne on 11 Nov. When they approached a railroad crossing, their horse spooked and the carriage crashed into the engine. Hannah was killed instantly, Debbie and William were dragged some distance. William suffered severe injuries and died the same day. Debbie also suffered serious injuries, however the doctors gave her the hope of a full recovery. Just in case, Debbie drafted her will that same day. Tetanus set in and she died a week later.

She passed away 18 Nov 1861 in Chester, Pennsylvania and is buried in Morris Cemetery in Phoenixville, Chester, Pennsylvania.[1]

Debbie's will indicate that she was living in Charlestown, Chester, Pennsylvania and names brother Robert G Hughes as Executor and leaves half of her property of every kind to her "adopted son William Franklin Hughes" and the other half split between Robert G. and sisters Sarah and Elizabeth.[2]

One newspaper report said: "The nurse corps of the Army have lost in her one of its most accomplished and kind-hearted members."

Sources

  1. Memorial Find a Grave (has image and newspaper death notice), Find A Grave: Memorial #38233682 (accessed 3 April 2023), Memorial page for Debbie Hughes (1822-18 Nov 1861), citing Morris Cemetery, Phoenixville, Chester County, Pennsylvania, USA; Maintained by Angel Wilson Gerhart (contributor 47096172).
  2. Will "Pennsylvania Probate Records, 1683-1994," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G99B-B9G1-J?cc=1999196&wc=9PM6-BZ9%3A268496301%2C280955802 : 3 July 2014), Chester > Wills 1850-1863 vol 20-21 > image 543 of 596; county courthouses, Pennsylvania.
  • Monumental inscription. Morris Cemetery, Phoenixville, Pennsylvania. 18 Nov 1861 (b. unmarked) HUGHES, Debbie A. Photographed by: Find A Grave contributor Angel Wilson Gerhart, ID 47096172.
See also:

Acknowledgements

  • Gravesite photo posted with permission of Find A Grave contributor Angel Wilson Gerhart, ID 47096172 as noted in email response to request to use his/her images on WikiTree.




Is Debbie your ancestor? Please don't go away!
 star icon Login to collaborate or comment, or
 star icon contact private message the profile manager, or
 star icon ask our community of genealogists a question.
Sponsored Search by Ancestry.com

DNA
No known carriers of Debbie's ancestors' DNA have taken a DNA test.

Have you taken a DNA test? If so, login to add it. If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA.



Comments

Leave a message for others who see this profile.
There are no comments yet.
Login to post a comment.