Roland Hughes Esq, 33°
(Mar 20, 1855-Sep 7, 1937)
Member, South Gate Lodge #547
Past Master, South Gate Lodge #547

1891 - 32° Consistory of Western MO, Kansas City
1897-1900 - Master of Kadosh in the Consistory
1905 - Knight Commander of the Court of Honour
1907 - Coroneted 33° Inspector General Honorary

Occupation: Attorney, Jackson County, MO Prosecutor, Clinton County, MO Prosecutor.

Born in Plattsburg, Missouri, March 20, 1855, the son of Confederate Colonel John Taylor Hughes, a veteran of the Mexican War, who was killed at the battle of Independence shortly after he was brevetted Brigadier General. Roland was 8 years-old at the time and joined his brothers in working the farm. Despite long work hours he was able to secure some schooling and later in his teens at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri. He taught school for some time in Plattsburg, read law in the office of Governor Ingles of Plattsburg and was admitted to the bar in 1876. His first act was to sell his mothers dower interest in the farm, buying it in for her. Other attorneys said that it couldn't be done but the Missouri Supreme Court upheld the young attorney in his generosity. He practiced law in Plattsburg until elected to two terms as prosecuting attorney of Clinton County. The first two years of his salary went to build a house on the farm for his mother and the second to pay for schooling for his brothers. Brother Hughes then moved to Kansas City where he entered into a partnership with General Byron Sherry until Sherry moved from the city. He then entered into a partnership of Witten and Hughes until he was elected to the office of prosecuting attorney of Jackson County, Missouri in 1902.