HUGHES, JouN (1797-1864). An American prelate, first Archbishop of New York; horn in Annaloghan. County Tyrone, Ireland. Brought up in the northern or Protestant section of his native land, where Orange societies were rife. he rally because imbued with the combative spirit which ever afterwards characterized him. His parents were poor, and could give him little schooling, hut he educated himself, and at the age of twenty emigrated to the i cited States. %%here he worked as a lay lablirer in Mary. land and for three year-. until he gained admission to the Roman loll.of .114mill Saint Jlnry. Eininitsburg, Ald. There he earned distinction as a debater and also as a collector of funds f•ar the rebuilding of the euliege after it was burned down. Ile was ordained a priest. in Es2ti., and the same year the first of Lis controversial pamphlet, was published. .tii tasir• r thjo chons Mode by an ring mons Writer .1 gains( the ('ethane lb Hying. .After being assistant at the Church of Saint .Augustine. Philadelphia. he went to Redford, Pa., thence returned to Philadelphia (I$27), to take eliark• of Saint Joseph's Church. after wards took charge of Saint Nlary's, and was the founder of Saint dallies orphan .Vsyliiin
From 1833 to 18:15 lie published in the Catholir Herald his replies to his Presbyterian antagonist, Dr. Breckenridge. In ls;:IS lie was appointed co adjutor Of the Bishop of New York, four years afterwards became a bishop himself, and con tinued his controversies upon edneat• al. po litieal, and religious affairs, in which 111' powers exerted a potent influence. One of Bishop Ihiglies's tirst undertakings the esUillisliment of a short-lived theological semi nary at Lafargeville. Jeirerson County. which was reopened at Fordliam under the name of Saint John's College in 1541. In 1850 lie was made an archbishop. and in 1861 was sent on a special embassy 1(1 gain the friendship of France for the North in the Civil \Var. extend ing his influence in the same cause both to Ire land and Italy. Two volumes of his writings. edited by Lawrence h•line, were published in ISti:i after his death, Consult: Ilassard. Life of John oghes (New York. and Braun, John //iiyhrs (New York, P19•), in the "'Makers of .\ineriea Series."