James A. Hughes

Summary

James Anthony Hughes (February 27, 1861 – March 2, 1930) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of West Virginia.

James A. Hughes
Frontispiece of 1930's James A. Hughes, Late a Representative
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia
In office
March 4, 1927 – March 2, 1930
Preceded byHarry C. Woodyard
Succeeded byRobert Lynn Hogg
Constituency4th district
In office
March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1915
Preceded byRomeo H. Freer
Succeeded byEdward Cooper
Constituency
Member of the West Virginia Senate
from the 6th district
In office
December 1, 1894 – February 1898
Preceded byJames H. Marcum
Succeeded byJames H. Marcum
Personal details
Born
James Anthony Hughes

(1861-02-27)February 27, 1861
near Corunna, Province of Canada
DiedMarch 2, 1930(1930-03-02) (aged 69)
Marion, Ohio, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Ida Belle Vinson
(m. 1885)
Children2, including Eloise

Hughes was born near Corunna in the Province of Canada (in what is now Ontario). He immigrated to the United States as a youth, graduating from business school in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1875. He worked as a bank messenger, travelling salesman, and a businessman before being elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1888, serving a two-year term. He was a member of the West Virginia Senate from 1894 to 1898. In 1896, Hughes was appointed postmaster of Huntington, West Virginia. He was a delegate to every Republican National Convention from 1892 to 1924.

In 1900, Hughes was elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives in the 4th congressional district.[1][2] After his first term, he represented West Virginia's 5th, and was elected six additional times before choosing not to run again in 1914. During his time as a Representative, he served as chair of the Committee on Expenditures on Public Buildings and as chair of the Committee on Accounts. After eleven years of retirement he was re-elected to the House in 1926 for the 4th congressional district. He served two terms before dying in office on March 2, 1930, in Marion, Ohio. He was interred in Spring Hill Cemetery in Huntington.

Hughes was, through his marriage to Belle Vinson, a member of the Vinson political family. His daughter, Eloise Hughes Smith, was among the survivors of the RMS Titanic disaster. Her husband, Lucian P. Smith, died in the sinking. She later married another Titanic survivor, Robert Daniel.[3]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^
    • United States Congress. "James A. Hughes (id: H000924)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  2. ^ "James Hughes, former Representative for West Virginia's 4th Congressional District - GovTrack.us". GovTrack.us. Retrieved August 25, 2018.
  3. ^ "Mrs. Eloise Hughes Smith Reweds". New York Times. April 11, 1923. Retrieved June 21, 2007. Mrs. Cort's first husband, Lucien P. Smith of Uniontown, Pa., was drowned when the Titanic sunk [sic] and the encounter in mid-ocean between Daniel and his widow culminated several years later in their marriage.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia's 4th congressional district

1901–1903
Succeeded by
Preceded by
None
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia's 5th congressional district

1903–1915
Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from West Virginia's 4th congressional district

1927–1930
Succeeded by