MARSHFIELD – Back in 1856, before there was even a town in the area, the Hughes Family Farm was established.
This year marks 170 years of the family farm — passed down through generations.
The Hughes family was farming the land before “Staadt’s community” was established and long before Stratford became a town.
John Hughes received land from the government and it was passed down five generations to Jonathon Hughes, who owns 80 acres and his dad Ken owns 85 acres.
John Hughes lost and won 40 acres gambling at cards three times and then lost it permanently.
Ken and Connie purchased those same 40 acres, when it was paid up.
John now owns approximately 80 acres, while his parents, Kenny and Connie Hughes, still own about 85 acres.
Although they began renting the cropland to Stueber Farms three years ago, the land has remained in the Hughes family.
Ken and Connie farmed the land until 2009, raised beef cattle until around 2015 and continued crop farming until 2023.
Over the years, the Hughes family expanded the farm to 125 acres and later purchased an additional 40 acres from neighboring landowners.
While discussing the farm's history, Connie Hughes shared a humorous story about that purchase.
"Once we paid off the land, we received the deed and all the paperwork with it. I read it and found out that, over the years, they had lost and regained the land about three times by gambling it away in card games before they finally lost it for good," Hughes said with a laugh.
Throughout the years, many generations of the Hughes family have lived and worked on the farm.
A railroad track once ran nearby, and it was along those tracks that Charles Hughes suffered a fatal heart attack while walking home one day.
The family home has changed significantly over the years.
It began as a log cabin before the first section of the current house was built with a dirt basement.
As time went on and the family grew, a second addition was added with a house moved onto the existing home.
At that time, a full basement was built and cemented and Jon's wife, Sherry, joined him in ownership.
Ken Hughes' grandmother lived on one side of the home, while their children and grandchildren lived on the other.
"Over the generations, the Hughes seemed to keep breaking the record for how many kids they had by one. I broke that record by only having four myself," Hughes said.
The farm buildings have also evolved over time.
An old metal shed collapsed in 1978 and was replaced later that year by the shed that still stands today.
In 1989, the family built the home's garage, and years later they replaced the enclosed patio with an open patio after the original structure began to rot.
Connie also recalled one of her favorite memories from raising livestock on the farm.
"Pigs can be mean, and one pig got stuck in the muck, so Kenny and I went in there and tied a rope to it to try to pull it out. The rope slipped, and I went tumbling into the muck along with Kenny. I remember looking over at the house and seeing Grandma holding one of the kids, just belly laughing at us, which made me laugh too," Hughes said.
Over its 170-year history, the Hughes Family Farm has witnessed generations of family members come and go while enduring many significant moments in local history.
The farm weathered the devastating June 2002 flood, the 1950s train wreck, the decline of the Staadt community and the establishment and growth of Stratford.
To celebrate the milestone, the Hughes family will gather on Aug. 8 for a 170-year family celebration, welcoming relatives from across the country back to the farm.
After 170 years, the Hughes Family Farm stands as more than just a piece of land. It is a testament to generations of hard work, perseverance and a family's commitment to preserving both its farming heritage and its home for future generations.
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