John F. Hughes Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 444-445

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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JOHN F. HUGHES, one of the prominent and successful representatives of 
the legal fraternity in Pierre, South Dakota, is a native of Iowa, his 
birth having occurred in Scott county, November 26, 1857. His parents, 
John and Eliza (Parks) Hughes, were both natives of Ireland, the former 
born in county Monaghan, the latter in county Armagh. Both came to the 
United States in 1837, and were married in Davenport, Iowa, in 1855. 
They died in that state, where the father had engaged in agricultural 
pursuits throughout his active life. 

The subject of this sketch was reared in Iowa, and began his education 
in its public schools. In 1879 he entered St. Vincent's College, at 
Cape Girardeau, Missouri, where he spent two years, and in 1881 
commenced reading law at Davenport, Iowa, under the direction of W. A. 
Foster, now of Chicago. He was admitted to the bar in his native state 
in 1882, and the same year came to Pierre, South Dakota, where the 
following spring he opened an office and has since engaged in active 
practice, being associated for some years with Mr. Shunk of that city. 
For three years he was also engaged in the clothing business and is now 
interested in live stock, but gives the greater part of his time and 
attention to his professional duties. In 1886 Mr. Hughes led to the 
marriage altar Miss Ellen Feeney, a native of Ireland, who came to 
America in 1882, and to them have been born six children, namely: Felan 
T., Helen, Francis V., Kiran A., Mary and Leo. The parents are both 
members of the Catholic church. 

In politics Mr. Hughes is a stalwart Democrat, and has been an 
influential member of the county committee for six years. He was 
receiver in the United States land office at Pierre for four years, but 
it is as a lawyer that he is best known. Genial and affable, possessed 
of a logical mind and rare persuasive powers, he is enabled to appear 
well before a jury and to exert over it a wonderful influence. As a 
citizen he ha, at all times the good of the community at heart and all 
his abilities are exerted to make the city and county of his adoption 
rank among the brightest and best of all composing this great 
commonwealth. He has been one of the principal attorneys of the 
Populists and of Governor Lee in the many legal battles that grew out 
of the closeness of the vote on state officers during the last two 
elections.