Howard Hughes

Birth Name: Howard Robard Hughes, Jr.

Date of Birth: December 24, 1905

Place of Birth: Houston, Texas, U.S.

Date of Death: April 5, 1976

Place of Death: Houston, Texas, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, as well as Scottish, Welsh, Scots-Irish/Northern Irish, distant Dutch, French Huguenot, and Swedish

Howard Hughes was an American business titan and investor, aerospace engineer, film producer, philanthropist, and pilot. A key figure in 20th century America, he was one of the richest people in the world. He began as a young producer, including the films The Racket, Hell’s Angels (1930), and Scarface (1932), known as big-budget for the time; and created the Hughes Aircraft Company in 1932, becoming an important figure in aviation and incentivizing the output of many engineers, designers, and defense contractors. During the 1930s and 1940s, he won awards for aviation and set world air speed records, and built the Hughes H-1 Racer and the H-4 Hercules/the Spruce Goose; the latter the largest flying boat in history, with the longest wingspan of any aircraft of the 20th century. He acquired and expanded Trans World Airlines; acquired airline Air West/Hughes Airwest; and bought RKO Pictures, at the time one of the Big Five studios of Hollywood’s Golden Age. His later ventures focused on Las Vegas, Nevada, where he wielded considerable influence, including hotels, casinos, real estate, and media; he is widely credited with helping turn the city into a cosmopolitan world-destination. He also founded non-profit medical research organization the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and holding company Howard Hughes Corporation, which developed the planned community of Summerlin, NV.

Howard was the son of Allene Stone (Gano) and Howard Robard Hughes, Sr., a successful businessperson and investor. His father was born in Lancaster, Schuyler, Missouri, and founded the Hughes Tool Company; he also invented the “Sharp–Hughes” two-cone rotary drill bit during the Texas Oil Boom. His mother was born in Georgetown, Scott, Kentucky. His uncle was novelist, film director, screenwriter, military officer, and music composer Rupert Hughes (Rupert Raleigh Hughes), who was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for The Patent Leather Kid.

Howard’s paternal grandfather was Judge Felix Turner Hughes (the son of Joshua William Hughes and Martha Staton Askins). Felix was born in St. Clair County, Illinois. Joshua was the son of William Hughes, Jr. and Judith Hughes, who were of English origin. Martha likely was the daughter of Philemon Askins and Philenor Stayton.

Howard’s paternal grandmother was Jean Amelia “Jennie” Summerlin (the daughter of Thomas Summerlin and Bathsheba Robards). Jean was born in Iowa. Thomas was the son of Winburn Summerlin, who fought in the Revolutionary War, and of Milly Pearson. Bathsheba was the daughter of William Robards.

Howard’s maternal grandfather was William Beriah Gano (the son of Brig. General Richard Montgomery Gano and Mattie Jones Welch). William was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky. Richard was a Confederate general, and was the son of John Allen Gano and Mary Catherine Conn. John’s grandfather, Howard’s great-great-great-great-grandfather, was Baptist minister, soldier, patriot, and Revolutionary War chaplain The Rev. John Gano, known as “The Hero of Chatterton Hill” and “The Fighting Chaplain.” The Rev. John was said to have baptized then-General George Washington; Gano Chapel at William Jewell College is named after him. The Rev. John’s father, Daniel Gano, was of French Hugeunot descent, with the family name spelled Gayneau. Howard’s great-great-grandfather John Gano’s own maternal great-grandfather, John Stites, was Mayor of Elizabethtown, New Jersey. Howard’s great-grandmother Mattie was the daughter of Thomas Welch and Clara Gatewood.

Howard’s maternal grandmother was Jeannette de Lafayette Grissim (the daughter of John D. Grissim and Hannah A. R. Moore). Jeannette was born in Georgetown, Scott, Kentucky. John was the son of Rowland W. Grissom and Betsy Rather. Hannah was the daughter of Charles Chilton Moore and Maryanne Harrison Stone.

Sources: Genealogies of Howard Hughes – https://famouskin.com
https://www.geni.com
https://www.findagrave.com