LORA MAY HUGHES, was born January 17, 1891, in Searsboro, Iowa. Lora came west
with her family to Sumas and married Fred Lade. A letter my sister, Marjorie,
received from Fred in 1974 indicates that he and Lora were married in Montana,
April 30th, 1911. Both Fred and Lora lived in Sumas and why they were married in
Montana is not explained. However, the Hugheses had been in Sumas for ten or
eleven years by that time so probably visits to the Montana relatives were not
unusual.
Fred wrote about how he took a ride on a horse breaking cart from McAllister to Virginia City; expecting every minute to be his last. It was a 20 mile trip and usually took more than three hours even with good horses. He and his daring young driver, named Tom, made it in two. The breaking cart was two wagon wheels with a board across for a seat and a tongue long enough so the frantic colts couldn't kick the driver's head off. Seldom was anyone invited as a passenger, even more seldom did anyone want to be a passenger.
Fred said it was a good chance for him to ride over to procure his marriage license, but he believed in his heart that he would end up as the main actor at a funeral instead of a wedding. But they got to Virginia City in one piece. They hog-tied the horses to a hitching rack while they ate a big meal that cost 25 cents, then they bought the license and a wedding ring fashioned of purest Montana gold. At the time Fred wrote the letter, 58 years later, it was still on the finger of the proud bride. Tom, the young driver, had gone on, but Fred and Lora were still raising beautiful flowers in Sumas.
They also raised two sons, Elmer and Owen. Both sons passed away before their parents. Fred died in May, 1985, at age 98, Lora died March 17, 1990, at age 99. They are buried in the Sumas Cemetery.