Hugh McCaughey Getty was born on October 6, 1849 in Ballymena, County Antrim in what is now Northern Ireland. He was the seventh of the nine children of James, Sr and Matilda (McCaughey) Getty and the last one to be born in Ireland.

Hugh was only 3 years old when he arrived with his parents and six siblings at the port of New York on October 2, 1852 aboard the the SS William Rathbone.

He married Mary Jane Covell in 1868 in Ridgeway Township, Lenawee County, Michigan and they had one child: James Getty

Hugh died on October 30, 1870 at 21 years of age. He died of "consumption", the term commonly used for tuberculosis. His death occurred only about a month after the death of his son, James. Hugh and his son are both buried at Ridgeway Cemetery in Ridgeway Township, Lenawee County, Michigan.

After Hugh's death, Mary Jane married Thomas Smith. Mary who was born December 11, 1848, died on August 9, 1934 at the age of 85.

"On October 30, 1870, James and Mattie lost their son, Hugh, to the ravages of consumption. Hugh was only 21, recently married, and had in turn lost his son just a month before. They say it was the swamp that did it. The old timers claimed all this land around here was swamp when it was first settled. That's why so many people died with consumption, especially young folks."