Homer Harrison Hough, 1869-1932

Homer Harrison Hough

Homer Harrison Hough was born 9 April 1869 in Clear Springs, Jackson Co., Indiana.  Homer was the only son of Milton Thomas Hough and his wife, Martha Jane Alcorn.

Hough family Bible page showing Homer's birth

Homer is found on the 1870 census with his parents and older sister, Rose, in Rockville, Parke Co., Indiana.  On the 1880 census, he is found with the family in Marion, Grant Co., Indiana.  By 1885, when Homer was 15, the family was in Lyons, Rice Co., Kansas.

His mother, Martha, died in 1889 when Homer was 19 years old.

Homer H. Hough, about 1900

The 1900 census shows Homer as a lodger in the home of James N. Hoskins in Hartville, Laramie Co., Wyoming. 

On 24 October 1907, Homer married Clara Cecelia Holmack in Pocatello, Bannock Co., Idaho. 

Homer and Clara are found on the 1910 census in Ward 4, Pocatello, Bannock Co., Idaho.  The household was listed as follows: Homer H. Hough, age 43, born 1867 in Kansas, white, male, married, parents born in United States; Clara Hough, age 28, born Iowa, parents born Bohemia (Austria or Bohemia).

Sometime after 1910 and before 1913, Homer and Clara separated.  On 4 March 1913, Homer married Laura J. Crowe in Salt Lake City, Utah.  Laura was born 20 April 1883 in Kentucky.

In 1917, a daughter, Vera, was born.  About 1920, a second daughter, Dorothy, was born.

The 1920 census shows Homer, Laura, Vera and Dorothy living in Boise, Ada Co., Idaho.  The household was shown as: Homer H Hough, age 50, born about 1870 in Indiana, white, male, father born Indiana, mother born Kansas, owns home, can read and write; Laura Hough, age 37, born about 1883 in Kentucky, white, female, parents born Kentucky, can read & write; Vera Hough, age 3, born about 1916 in Idaho; Dorothy Hough, age 2 months, born Idaho.

City directories show Homer and Laura living in Long Beach, California in 1924 and 1925 at 63 Ximeav St. and list Homer as a conductor.

Sometime between 1925 and 1930, Homer and Laura apparently divorced.  The 1930 census shows Homer as a lodger in Nampa, Canyon Co., Idaho.  He is listed as divorced.  Laura, Vera, and Dorothy are in Long Beach, California and Laura is remarried.  In this household were Paul E. Iffland, male, born about 1889 in South Dakota, white, married, parents born France; Laura J. Iffland, born about 1884 in Kentucky, 46 years old, parents born Kentucky; Vera F. Hough, born about 1916 in Idaho, age 14, stepdaughter to Paul, daughter of Laura; and Dorothy C. Hough, age 11, born about 1919 in Idaho, stepdaughter of Paul, daughter of Laura.

Homer Hough died of pneumonia on 7 December 1932 in his room at the Carlisle Hotel,  Pocatello, Idaho.  He was 63 years old. 

The obituary in the Pocatello Tribune read:

"OSL Conductor Dies Suddenly - H. H. Hough, 63, Victim of Pneumonia; Hold Funeral Friday -  Homer Harrison Hough, 63, died Wednesday afternoon of pneumonia at his room in the Carlyle hotel.  Mr. Hough was a Short Line conductor and, according to railroad officials, when he brought his regular train in from Montpelier yesterday he was apparently in good health.  In the afternoon he called his physician and complained of pains in his chest.  He died at 4 o'clock.

He is survived by two daughters, Vera and Dorothy Hough of Long Beach, California, and three sisters, Mrs. George H. Healey, of Indianapolis, Indiana; Mrs. P. W. Old of Hazard, Kentucky, [note: this is crossed out on the clipping; apparently an error] and Mrs. J. Cland Wilson of North Pleasanton, Texas. [note: on clipping the word 'niece' is written next to 'Texas' and a note is written on the side which reads, "Mrs. Claud Wilson 'his niece' her mother Mrs. J. J. LaFlower was Homer's sister"]

Funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 3 o'clock from the McHan mortuary under the auspices of the local Elks' lodge No. 674 of which Mr. Hough was a member.  The pallbearers, members of the Order of Railway Conductors, of which Mr. Hough was also a member, will be Otis Miller, T. H. Glassford, M. J. Byrnes, F. W. Dice, J. T. Bourne, T. A. McCabe, and M. A. Gudmundson.

The body will be sent Friday evening to Long Beach where interment will be made."

A letter to Homer's sister, Stella, (Mrs. George H. Healey), 2415 N. Alabama St., Indianapolis, Ind. dated 17 Dec. 1932 stated:

"Dear Madam:- In regard to your letter of Dec. 8, 1932, requesting information of your brothers death on the 7th of Dec., we are glad to give you the following information.  H. H. Hough passed away at 4 o'clock in his room at the Carlyle hotel.  He brought his regular train into Pocatello that morning arriving at Pocatello about 11 o'clock.  He went to his room and later called Doc. Young of this city who went to his room and remained with him until the end.  Services were held at our chaple [sic] Friday afternoon, Dec. 9th. at 3 o'clock under the auspices of the local Elks.  The body was shipped that evening at 6:30 o'clock to the Mottells Mortuary of Long Beach, Calif.  We are sending a clipping from the Pocatello Tribune of Dec. 8.  If there is any other information you wish we will be glad to serve you.      Your's Truly;  H.L. McHan, McHan Funeral Home."

According to notes apparently written by Stella, "He [Homer] had been separated from his family for years, but his wife requested his body be shipped to her in Long B[each].  I visited there about 1938 and visited his grave.  His wife was remarried.  I met her in Long B[each]."

I have not yet found the location of Homer's grave in Long Beach, California.

I found Homer's second wife, Laura, with her husband Paul Iffland on the 1940 census in Long Beach, California.  Living with them was a one-year-old granddaughter, Nancy Bettis.  Also on the 1940 census in Long Beach, I found a Dorothy Bettis listed as married but living alone.  I suspect this is Dorothy Hough and that she is the mother of the granddaughter, Nancy Bettis.   Laura (Crowe) Hough Iffland died 29 July 1974 in Tacoma, Washington.  She was buried in Westminster Memorial Park, Westminster, Orange Co., California.  Paul Iffland is also in that cemetery.

I have not yet found anything further on Homer's daughters, Vera and Dorothy, or any descendants. 

Homer Harrison Hough, b. 9 Apr 1869 at Clear Springs, Jackson Co., IN, d. 8 Dec 1932 at Pocatello, ID

+Clara C. Holmack, b. circa 1882 at IA, m. 24 Oct 1907 at Pocatello, Bannock Co., ID

+Laura J. Crowe, b. 20 Apr 1883 at KY, m. 4 Mar 1913 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake Co., UT, d. Jul 1974 at Tacoma, Pierce Co., WA

├── Vera F. Hough, b. circa 1916 at ID

└── Dorothy C. Hough, b. circa 1919 at ID

    +(--?--) Bettis

    └── Nancy Bettis, b. 1939 at CA