He was twice wounded during his military service during World War II but for 18 years Howard Hiram “Hi” Hughson would lay in an unmarked grave at Lakewood Memorial Park.

But on Nov. 12 the great-grandson of town founder Hiram Hughson finally received a marker during a special ceremony attended by some relatives, local historians and veterans.

Hughson lived out his final years in Pebble Beach where he died at the age of 87 on March 26, 2006 but wished to be buried in the Pioneer Section of Lakewood Memorial Park near the town his ancestor founded. He had no children and his wife Gladys preceded him in death. After his burial, the marker was not ordered due to an oversight. Members of the Hughson Historical Society brought this to the attention of his family residing in Salinas, Danee Hutsell of Lakewood Memorial Park and to the Veteran’s Administration in May. The VA approved the military headstone which was installed during a military ceremony complete with bagpiper Elisha Akard of Ripon last month.

Speaking at the event were Hughson’s niece Hetty Eddy and Melinda Garret Nichols, a second cousin who recited history of the family of Hiram Hughson who gave his name to the town.

Hi Hughson did not have much to do with the town his family established since he grew up in Piedmont. Born Sept. 15, 1918 in Woodland, he was the great-grandson of Hiram and Luella Hughson who founded Hughson. After he graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1940, he completed naval officer training. Hiram was assigned in of 1941 as Communications Officer to the destroyer, U.S.S. Maury in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. His destroyer was returning from Wake Island on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941 and arrived to confront the Japanese attack. Following Pearl Harbor, Hiram participated in 29 naval actions including Wake Island, Marshall Islands, Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands and Midway. He was awarded five Silver Star medals, four Bronze Stars, the Presidential Unit Citation and a Purple Heart.

Howard later attained the rank of captain. 

After the war he went into banking, living in La Jolla for a while before staying for good in Monterey, retiring in 1983.

One of the WWII uniforms worn by Howard Hughson is on display at the Hughson Historical Society Museum in downtown museum. The uniform and other memorabilia was donated 18 years ago by Kenneth and Carol Lundell of Hughson.

One of his uniforms and related memorabilia was donated by the family of Kenneth and Carol Lundell of Hughson 18 years ago.

Howard was the son of Carroll Cecil Hughson who died in 1933 and is buried in Woodland. Carroll was the son of George Washington Hughson (1870-1935) who was one of 10 children of Hiram Mark Hughson (1840-1911) and Luella Rosalie Avery Hughson (1848-1951).

When she became a widow in 1911, great-grandmother Luella Hughson bought the corner of 10th and J streets in downtown Modesto to build six-story Hughson Hotel Hughson. It opened in 1914 but was razed in 1998 to build the Tenth Street Plaza.