James Bibb Hughes (October 12, 1805 – August 11, 1873) was an American newsman, politician, and
abolitionist.
Early life and education
James was born October 12, 1805, in
Prince Edward County, Virginia to Simon Hughes and Betsy Colman Bigger. He was raised just outside
Farmville near
Hampden-Sydney
Hampden Sydney is a census-designated place (CDP) in Prince Edward County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,450 at the 2010 census.
Hampden Sydney is the home of Hampden–Sydney College, a private all-male college that is the tenth- ...
. He studied at
Hampden-Sydney College as a youth until he moved to
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
where he studied law under the guidance of
William Wirt, the ninth
US Attorney General.
Ohio and Minnesota
He moved to
Jackson County, Ohio in 1835 until 1849, publishing successively the ''Jackson Standard'' and the ''Meigs County Telegram,'' both
Whig papers. He also served in the
Ohio House of Representatives in 1836 - 1838, and served as
Colonel in the local militia. He met and married Elizabeth Mather in Jackson County, Ohio, September 4, 1838. Elizabeth was born in
Brooklyn, Connecticut April 27, 1816. She was the daughter of Eleazer Mather and L. Williams and a direct descendant of Rev.
Richard Mather.
A book published about the history of
Jackson County, Ohio lists him along with his brother in-law William Mather as one of the three most important individuals to come from the county. The book also lists James as the first Governor of
Minnesota which is inaccurate. He was actually sent to
St. Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul (abbreviated St. Paul) is the capital of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the county seat of Ramsey County. Situated on high bluffs overlooking a bend in the Mississippi River, Saint Paul is a regional business hub and the center o ...
in 1849 as a Whig agent by President
Zachary Taylor. He brought with him the first printing press and outfit in that city, and established the ''Minnesota Chronicle,'' which subsequently united with the ''Register''; the first number bears the date June 1, 1849. In November of the same year he sold his interest in the ''Chronicle and Register'' and removed to
Hudson, Wisconsin where he established the ''St. Croix Banner'' the first paper printed and issued in the St. Croix valley.
Wisconsin
While living in Hudson, Wisconsin he raised his family of 12 children with his wife and ran the newspaper until a fire destroyed everything. In 1851 he was picked to join the
Whig Ticket as
Lieutenant Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
and lost in a close election. As an attorney in Wisconsin he practiced law at State and Federal Courts, and once he presented a case in front of the
U.S Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point of ...
. Four of his sons (Eleazer, George R., James, and Edwin) served in the Union Army during the
Civil War.
On August 11, 1873, James Hughes died of natural causes. His legacy still lives on in the ''Hudson Star-Observer'' newspaper according to editor and historian Willis Miller.
[''Fifty Years in the NORTHWEST, Wisconsin, Minnesota'', W.H.C. Folsom, Pioneer Press, 1889]
Notes
Sources
*http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/hughes.html#01F0GAUHF
*http://apps.ohiohistory.org/ondp/index.php/Jackson_Standard
*Book: ''Mid-West Pioneers: Fifty Years in the Northwest''
:Col. James Hughes Pages (CHAPTER VI. page 146, HUDSON CITY. page 155, BIOGRAPHICAL. page 165)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hughes, James B.
Ohio lawyers
Wisconsin lawyers
1805 births
1873 deaths
Ohio Whigs
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American newspaper editors
Hampden–Sydney College alumni
People from Prince Edward County, Virginia
People from Jackson County, Ohio
People from Hudson, Wisconsin
Members of the Ohio House of Representatives
People from Farmville, Virginia
American male journalists
19th-century American male writers
Journalists from Virginia
Journalists from Ohio
19th-century American lawyers