James Hughes (representative)

James Hughes
Judge of the Court of Claims
In office
January 18, 1860 – December 1, 1864
Appointed byJames Buchanan
Preceded byIsaac Blackford
Succeeded byCharles C. Nott
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Indiana's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1857 – March 3, 1859
Preceded byGeorge Grundy Dunn
Succeeded byWilliam McKee Dunn
Personal details
Born
James Hughes

(1823-11-24)November 24, 1823
Bladensburg, Maryland
DiedOctober 24, 1873(1873-10-24) (aged 49)
Bladensburg, Maryland
Resting placeRose Hill Cemetery
Bloomington, Indiana
Political partyDemocratic
EducationIndiana University Bloomington
United States Military Academy
ProfessionAttorney

James Hughes (November 24, 1823 – October 24, 1873) was a United States representative from Indiana and a judge of the Court of Claims.

Education and career

Born on November 24, 1823, in Bladensburg, Maryland,[Note 1][1] Hughes attended the common schools, Indiana University Bloomington, the United States Military Academy and read law in 1842.[1] He was admitted to the bar and entered private practice in Bloomington and Bedford, Indiana from 1842 to 1852.[1] He served as a lieutenant in the United States Army during the Mexican–American War.[1] He was a judge of the Indiana Circuit Court for the Sixth Judicial Circuit from 1852 to 1856.[1] He was Professor of law at Indiana University Bloomington from 1853 to 1856.[1]

Congressional service

Hughes was elected as a Democrat from Indiana's 3rd congressional district to the United States House of Representatives of the 35th United States Congress, serving from March 4, 1857, to March 3, 1859.[2] He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1858 to the 36th United States Congress.[2]

Federal judicial service

Hughes was nominated by President James Buchanan on January 12, 1860, to a seat on the Court of Claims (later the United States Court of Claims) vacated by Judge Isaac Blackford.[1] He was confirmed by the United States Senate on January 18, 1860, and received his commission the same day.[1] His service terminated on December 1, 1864, due to his resignation.[1]

Later career

Following his resignation from the federal bench, Hughes was a cotton agent for the United States Department of the Treasury from 1865 to 1866.[1] He was a member of the Indiana House of Representatives from 1866 to 1868, and a member of the Indiana Senate from 1868 to 1869.[1] He resumed private practice in Washington, D.C. from 1869 to 1873.[1]

Death

Hughes died on October 21, 1873, in Bladensburg.[Note 2][1] He was interred in Rose Hill Cemetery in Bloomington.[2]

Notes

  1. ^ Hughes Congressional Biography gives his place of birth as Baltimore County, Maryland.
  2. ^ Hughes Congressional Biography gives his place of death as Wattsville, Maryland.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Hughes, James - Federal Judicial Center". www.fjc.gov.
  2. ^ a b c United States Congress. "James Hughes (id: H000923)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Sources