HUGH M. GETTY, named for his grandfather, Hugh McCaughey, was the seventh child of James and Matilda Getty. He was born in the Townland of Dreen, County Antrim, Ireland, on October 6, 1849, and on October 25, 1849, he was baptized in the Craigs Parish Church (Church of Ireland). At the time that his family sailed for America, he was three years old. In 1868 he married Mary Jane Covell. Mary Jane, born December 11, 1848, was the daughter of William and Elizabeth Covell, early pioneers of Ridgeway Township. Hugh and Mary Jane had one son, James, born in July 1869. On April 11, 1870, Hugh bought a small parcel of land in Ridgeway Township from John H. and Eliza J. Zeluff for $75. The transaction was witnessed by David H. Zeluff and Elizabeth Curtis, and described as such:

"Township Ridgeway  a part of the sw of the SEt of Section 2 in Town 6 south of Range 5 east commencing at a point in the center of the LaPlaisance Bay Turnpike at the NW comer of land sold and deeded by William Covell and wife to Samuel Barlow." This parcel may have been owned by Mary Jane's father previously. It was located about one and one half miles east of Britton right on M50.

September 27, 1870, at the age of one year and two months, baby James died with dysentery. Just one month later, on October 30, 1870, at the age of 21, Hugh died of consumption. They're both buried beside James and Matilda in the Ridgeway Cemetery. So little is known of Hugh, only these few records were found. He died at such an early age; he had not yet begun to live.

The deed for Hugh's property was not actually recorded until January 30, 1872, a year and a half after his death. No doubt the mortgage had been assumed by his father, because the same parcel again was deeded to Mary Jane Getty for $.50 on August 17, 1872, by James Getty and Rasey Getty his wife. Before the parcel was deeded to Mary Jane, she had married:

On January 18, 1872, at Tecumseh, Michigan Thomas Smith, age 38, birthplace Yorkshire, England Residence  Ridgeway and Mary Jane Getty, age 24, birthplace Ridgeway by Justice of the Peace Witnesses: James W. Patterson, Vernon Crane 1892 and Mary Jane died in 1934. They are buried Thomas died in way Cemetery. Smith, Thomas, Born May 27, 1826, Died March 30, 1892 Smith, Mary Jane Covell, wife of Thomas, Born December in the Ridge 11, 1848, Died August 9, 1934

Following is Mary Jane's obituary as it appeared in the Tecumseh Herald. How strange that her first husband, Hugh Getty, and their son, James, are not even mentioned.

MRS. MARY JANE SMITH DIES AT RIDGEWAY HOME. Mrs. Mary Jane Smith, widow of Thomas Smith, died Thursday morning at the home of her daughter Mrs. John Frayer of Ridgeway, after an illness of four days following a paralytic stroke. Mrs. Smith was formerly Mary Jane Covell, the oldest of six children born to William and Elizabeth Covell, who were early pioneer settlers of Ridgeway Township and who for many years lived east of Britton. She was born December 11, 1848. On January 18, 1872, she was united in marriage to Thomas Smith, who died March 30, 1892. After leaving the farm she made her home with her son Floyd Smith in Milan and with a daughter, Mrs. Della Frayer, where she had been staying since April. Four children survive, two daughters and two sons. Mrs. Frayer, Mrs. Ida Stalter in Ridgeway Township, Elmer Smith of Adrian and Floyd Smith of Milan. Two daughters preceded her in death, Mrs. Eva Jones who died in 1926 and Mrs. Lizzie Osborn who died in 1931. She also leaves 18 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren, one sister Mrs. Libbie Palmer of Britton, two brothers Charles and Peter Covell of Tecumseh and several nieces and nephews. For many years she was a faithful attendant of the Britton Methodist Protestant church and during her later years when in Milan she attended the Free Methodist Church. The funeral was held Saturday at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Frayer. The Rev. E. C. Miner officiated. Three hymns were sung by Mrs. Martha Gorham. The bearers were grandsons of the deceased, Garth Stalter, Raymond Stalter, Wilton Stalter, Forrest Frayer, Edwin and Merwin Smith. Burial was made in the Ridgeway Cemetery. Those from away in attendance were Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Smith and family, Mr. and Mrs. Garth Stalter, Mrs. Orville Howe, John Hoover, Clyde Simmons and Mrs. Fannie Grieshaber of Milan, Mr. and Mrs. Peter Wurm, Mrs. Alfred Wurm, Mr. and Mrs. William Wilson, Miss Rena Stalter, Mr. and Mrs. John Devlin of Detroit, Mrs. Major Young, Mrs. Myrtle Culver and Elmer Smith of Adrian. "Yesterday is but a memory, Tomorrow an unchartered course, So live today so it will be A memory without remorse" Author Unknown