Francis Wade Hughes
Francis Wade Hughes | |
|---|---|
Pennsylvania Senate, 8th district | |
| In office 1843–1844 | |
| Preceded by | James Mathers |
| Succeeded by | Henry C. Eyer |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 20, 1817 Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, US |
| Died | October 22, 1885 (aged 68) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Elizabeth Silliman |
| Occupation | Lawyer, politician |
Francis Wade Hughes (August 10, 1817 – October 20, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician from
Early life and education
Hughes was born the fifth and youngest child of John Hughes and Hannah Bartholomew. He studied law in Pottsville, Schuylkill County and Philadelphia. He was admitted to the bar of Schuylkill County in 1837.[1]
Career
He was appointed Deputy Attorney General[Note 1] of the county in 1839. He would resign three times and be reappointed over the next eleven years.[2]
Hughes was elected to the
As chairman of the 1862 Democratic State Committee, Hughes was singled out for vilification. His family ties in the Confederacy were played up, and worse, a draft resolution he authored (but never introduced) for the 1860 convention, suggesting Pennsylvania might secede, was attacked. Hughes was forced to resign, and never returned to politics.[3][4][5]
In 1876 he was the chief prosecutor in the Molly Maguires cases. He had previously never prosecuted homicide cases and frequently defended with success those facing capital punishment.[2]
Personal life
He married Sarah Silliman, of Pottsville, in 1839.[2]
Notes
- ^ Today called District Attorney.
References
Citations
- ^ Roberts 1904, p. 286.
- ^ a b c Roberts 1904, p. 287.
- ^ Shankman 1971.
- ^ Broadwater 2008.
- ^ Bulik 2014.
Bibliography
- Broadwater, Robert P. (2008). Did Lincoln and the Republican Party Create the Civil War?: An Argument. McFarland. ISBN 9780786433612.
- Bulik, Mark (2014). The Sons of Molly Maguire: The Irish Roots of America's First Labor War. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780823262243.
- Roberts, Ellwood (1904). Biographical Annals of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Vol. 1. Montgomery County: T. S. Benham.
- Shankman, Arnold (July 1971). "Francis W. Hughes and the 1862 Pennsylvania Election". The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography. 95 (3): 383–393. JSTOR 20090572.
External links
- * "Pennsylvania State Senate: Francis Wade Hughes". Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
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