At Nova Scotia: 10/17/1879 “left Goldenville. At M. Archibald’s. To a dance, good time.” 10/18/1879 “To Sunnie Brae, Stopped at Brother William’s, very fine day.”
At Leadville, Colorado: 10/28/ 1879 Arrived Leadville, hunting up friends, glad to meet them.” 11/25/1880 “Left Leadville for Old Mexico, employed by Amey Mining Co., our fare paid.”
The diary goes on to detail working at mines in Mexico and returning to California 7/29/1881. He then spent time with Maggie Tease and her mother while working in local mines until deciding to return to Nova Scotia in June 1896. Instead he ended up in a mine at Jackson and after a cave in left for a lease on a silver mine in New Mexico.
In August 1887 he received a letter from Leadville and returned there. By December he learned his sister Isabel had died and in March 1888 his sister Jessie arrived from Boston.
March 4, 1889 “Left Leadville for Granite, Montana. Had a good time on my way, lots of fun.” By January 1890 Hugh had bought 2/3 interest from Angus McDonald et al in the Elgin Quartz Lode and 5/6 interest in the Isabella Quartz Lode from Allan McDonald according to the New Northwest.
In 1891 his brother Jim arrived at Philipsburg from Boston and Maggie Biggar, the former Maggie Tease came from Iowa.
5/22/1891 “Put Maggie Biggar to work in Dining room; we were old friends.” Brother William arrived from Nova Scotia the week of July 16, 1891.
Obviously Hugh was already managing the Moore Hotel (Granite) though he doesn’t mention that until 9/11/1891 “Bargaining for the Moore Hotel; it costs a lot of money.”
Then on April 28, 1892 “Margaret Biggar and I were married today.” Boss at the store and Sister Jess” stood up for them. Maggie brought her child Will (Biggar)with her to this marriage. She turned twenty four in May and Hugh bought her a “nice little saddle horse” in August.
The next entry 7/18/1895 “Sister Jess married today” but there was no entry of here husbands name. The diary is devoid of entries again until 1913.
Gleaned from the newspapers in this interim, Hugh was very active as a citizen of Granite. Both he and Maggie were active in the Mason’s and Eastern Star. Maggie traveled east and Hugh to Spokane in 1893; Hugh attended the republican meeting April 26, 1894 and was on the Granite Republican Central Committee. He was treasurer of the Granite Miner’s Union in March 1896. Hugh was the Mayor of Granite in 1898 and was the Past High Priest officiating at the Hope Chapter # 10 for officer installation January 1, 1898. He bought a new buggy from Valentine Jacky in June and by July of 1898 had leased the Moore Hotel to Buchner and Deveny.
Hugh was appointed the census enumerator in Granite for the 1900 census and in 1901 served as the Deputy Sheriff of Granite. Hugh was elected to the State Legislature in 1908, then lost by 206 votes to John Hickey in his re-election in 1910; lost to John Page by 144 votes in 1912.
Son John Everett born July 16, 1907 died May 30, 1910 and is buried in the Philipsburg cemetery. By 1913, Hugh, Maggie and the boys (Will, Finlay, Ray and Forest) had moved from Granite to Drummond. There Hugh again mounted a campaign for the state legislature and on 11/3/1914 “election Day. I lost out for the legislature by six votes.” (again to John Page) The next entry in the diary: 7/21/1917 “ Trying to save my diary, so much of it was lost in the fire. (1895 to 1913 were lost in the fire.)
9/10/ 1918 “I was elected president of the Drummond State Bank.”
6/12/1919 “ Poor Margaret passed to her long sleep, died at 11:10 am.”
6/16/19 “ All the boys are home; Brother Jim and sister Jessie are with us.”
The Drummond Chapter of Eastern Star #47 was named in honor of Margaret Cumming. November 1920, Hugh was elected Public Administrator and Justice of the Peace of Flint Creek Valley. He was re-elected as Public administrator in 1922 and 1926.
2/15/1927 “My insurance business is growing everyday.”
7/27/1929 “ tried Dishman brothers and Powell (bad men) They are guilty.”
Hugh continued serving as Justice of the Peace for the Elk Township until he retired at age 90 in 1947. Hugh’s son’s married, had children and his siblings died; Hugh stayed active in the Mason’s with his last entry
10/31/1947 “I feel thankful for friends. Thank God.”
Hugh’s long sleep began October 23, 1948.
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