John Hughes

Birth Name: John Wilden Hughes, Jr.

Date of Birth: February 18, 1950

Place of Birth: Lansing, Michigan, U.S.

Date of Death: August 6, 2009

Place of Death: New York City, New York, U.S.

Ethnicity: Norwegian, German, English, Scottish

John Hughes was an American filmmaker. He helped shape cinema and pop culture in the 1980s and 1990s, with the films National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, Planes, Trains and Automobiles, and Home Alone, all of which he wrote and most of which he also directed, and many others.

John was the son of Marion Joyce (Crawford), a charity volunteer, and John Wilden Hughes, Sr., who worked in sales. He was raised mostly in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. He was married to Nancy Ludwig, until his death, with whom he had two children.

John’s patrilineal line can be traced to Humphrey Hewes, who was born, c. 1555, in Somerset, England.

John’s paternal grandfather was Ralph Ernest Hughes (the son of Hiram W. Hughes and Sarah Jennie Smith). Ralph was born in Michigan. Hiram was the son of Issachar Hughes and Hannah Miller.

John’s paternal grandmother was Marie Isabell/Isabelle Borgerson/Burgeson (the daughter of John Burgeson and Ella Martinson). Isabell was born in Michigan, to Norwegian parents.

John’s maternal grandfather was Francis Clifford Crawford (the son of Charles Crawford and Minnie Davis). Francis was born in Michigan. Charles was the son of Francis W. “Frank” Crawford and Amanda Case. Minnie was the daughter of Scuyler/Cuyler Davis and Elmira/Almira Unger.

John’s maternal grandmother was named Erna F. Pabst (the daughter of Louis Pabst and Amelia). Erna was born in Berlin, Germany.

Sources: John’s father on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Marriage record of John’s paternal grandparents, Ralph Ernest Hughes and Marie Isabell/Isabelle Borgerson/Burgeson – https://www.familysearch.org

John’s mother on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org