Flatwood’s Hughes Sisters

By Dr. Phil Aaron

What has four arms, four eyes, four legs and drives a Cadillac? You have the right answer if you guessed “the Hughes sisters from Sparksville: Emma and Evelyn.” For you see, until recently, it took both sisters to drive their car to town. Emma would start the ignition; Evelyn couldn’t because her hands were disfigured, distorted with arthritis. Emma would steer, Evelyn would feed the gas and both sisters would peer over the wheel as they crept along the road toward their destination—usually somewhere to eat.

Their neighbors mainly tolerated these trips partly because they were super cautious and careful and partly because of who they were: two of the kindest, most good natured, true ladies ever. Yet all good things must come to an end. Emma and Evelyn have quit driving! Some say “Hallelujah! The world—Flatwoods in particular—is a safer place. Others say time affects us all even these two characters.

For you see, these two are just part of the story. Paul Harvey could tell us “the rest of the story.”

There are several families in Adair County who seem to attract their members into their businesses/professions. Take the Loys, Marshall, Stephen and Michael—All attorneys. Or the State Police Burtons up 206, Albert, Michael and Danny. Or even my own Aaron family, Oris, Louis, Steve, Jann and Phil.

None of these families can match the Hughes women, however. For theirs is a true storey of hardship, struggle, perseverance and determination in the face of obstacles. Their eventual success as teachers with college degrees was a remarkable feat.

Sammuel Zachariah Hughes married Effie Lillian Staten. They had seven children. They were very devout Christians who took their children to church every Sunday. According to lifetime neighbor, Colonel Walkup, “Zack and Effie never missed a Sunday. We would look up and someone would announce, ‘Here come the Hughes ladies.’ And ladies they were. Dressed in their best, always wearing large colorful hats.”

Zach Hughes had little education himself. But he had a plan. He went to Columbia Attorney Hershel Baker Jones and borrowed money from him to help send his oldest daughter Leola “Note” to Kentucky State College (now University) in Frankfort, the only college where blacks could attend. His son Robert Filmore “Bob” and his brother, Edward “Moody” cut wood (for 35¢ a cord) to help pay for their sisters’ tuition.

Then in sequence Christine, Evelyn, and Emma all attended Jackman High in Adair County, then to Kentucky State University majoring in elementary education.

Once one sister graduated she would help the next sister attend college. With their brothers’ help cutting wood and occasional loans from Hershel Baker Jones, all four sisters graduated from college and returned to our area to teach.

And teach they did. One of Christine’s students, Diane Stone, described the Hughes teachers as “very classy, sophisticated ladies who made their students mind.” All four started teaching careers in black schools and all four became part of the county system when it was integrated in the early 1950s.

Each started in one room schools, Christine and Evelyn also taught music and played for graduation and church events. Evelyn and Christine had both been valedictorians of their classes. Evelyn taught ten years in Knifley and 20 years in Columbia; Emma taught in Jamestown, Summer Shade and Columbia. Christine taught in Jamestown, Union Chapel, Russell Springs, Crocus and Columbia. And Leola, who loved to read, taught all over Adair County from Absher to Columbia.

They would live in the homes of students and friends during the week and brother Bob would make the rounds picking up his four sisters and bringing them home to Flatwoods on weekends.

The two brothers never attended college, but played significant roles helping finance their sisters’ college education. During World War II, both brothers served in the Pacific theater. Bob was on the Alleutian Islands, while Moody was in India.

Each of the four sisters would return to the old home place in Flatwoods. Emma and Evelyn lived there until recently when Evelyn fractured her left hip. Only then did they move into their new house, which had been built but remained unoccupied. They had it built in case something happened to their beloved old home place.
When reminiscing it seems Chris was quite an athlete; she loved recess and would play softball with her students. She is now a resident of Summit Manor Nursing Home, having had both her legs amputated because of poor circulation. The only sister to marry, she married Howard Wilkerson after he returned home from the Korean conflict. Howard remembers the sisters as being determined to help each other obtain an education. Chris went on to obtain her Master’s Degree from Western.

Obtaining an education, much less a college degree, during those years was very difficult. And these were the years our schools were segregated. Perhaps one reason there was little difficulty in integrating the Adair County school system, as opposed to some schools across the South, was because we already had educated, respected black role model teachers—the Hughes sisters. Their standing in the county and their influence in the Adair County churches and schools were of monumental importance.

Evelyn remembers her parents, “They were so very proud of their children. With all four of their daughters teachers, we were able to buy our parents clothes they never before had. However, often they refused our efforts to purchase things for them.”

She says of Emma, “Students and families were just wild about Emma. She was so personable, a real cut up. Everyone loved Emma.”

And what about Bob and Moody? After the war Moody was a carpenter and worked at Ft. Knox. Bob farmed the old home place. Even though they spent their time and money helping their sisters to obtain an education so they could teach, the male Hughes’ rebounded and were rewarded in the next generation. What a legacy and shoes to fill for Adair County teacher, Sammy Hughes, son of Moody.