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Orville Hughes recognized for contributions to agriculture, Simcoe County

James 'Orville' Hughes inducted into the Simcoe County Agricultural Hall of Fame
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From left, past Warden John Fennell, BWG Mayor Rob Keffer, Hughes' son Brian and other family members, BWG Councillor Gary Baynes, Deputy Mayor James Leduc, and current Warden George Cornell with portrait of James 'Orville' Hughes. SUBMITTED

The Simcoe County Agricultural Hall of Fame recently inducted a new honoree: its own founding member and past president, the late James ‘Orville’ Hughes.

Orville Hughes was born in West Gwillimbury Township In 1921, in the hamlet of Dunkerron, located at the intersection of County Road 27 and Line 3 of Bradford West Gwillimbury.

After graduating from Grade 8, Hughes worked on the family farm, Hughes Haven. In 1946, he married Jean Allan, and the young couple took over the Allan family farm on Concession 8, renaming it Hughesdale Farm.

It was the start not only of a long career in agriculture, but also in the civic realm. Hughes served on the West Gwillimbury Township School Board, then on West Gwillimbury Council, first as a councillor, then as deputy reeve, and finally reeve.

In 1976, the year that he sold Hughesdale to his son Brian, Reeve Orville Hughes was elected warden at Simcoe County Council.

A member of Simcoe Masonic Lodge in Bradford for over 50 years, Hughes was a member of Ontario Federation of Agriculture, and the Grain Farmers of Ontario. He chaired both the Ontario Pork Producers and Ontario Wheat Producers during his career, and was a founding director of the Ontario Corn Producers.

Hughes also represented West Gwillimbury on the Holland Marsh Drainage Commission, and chaired the Simcoe County International Plowing Match in 1981.

He died in 2016, at the age of 95.

The induction ceremony on Oct. 6 and unveiling of a portrait of Hughes was held at the Simcoe County Museum in Midhurst, which houses the Agricultural Hall of Fame. It was attended by Hughes family members, Bradford Mayor Rob Keffer, Deputy Mayor James Leduc and Coun. Gary Baynes, Simcoe County Warden George Cornell and past warden John Fennell, also from West Gwillimbury.


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Miriam King

About the Author: Miriam King

Miriam King is a journalist and photographer with Bradford Today, covering news and events in Bradford West Gwillimbury and Innisfil.
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