Wayne County Biographies



Part of the Indiana Biographies Project



Rev. Isaac M. Hughes

Rev. Isaac M. Hughes, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, of Richmond, Indiana, is a son of Rev. William and Martha B. (Wells) Hughes, and was born at Loudenville, Ashland county, Ohio, December 23, 1834. Dr. Hughes' lineal ancestors emigrated from Wales during the early colonial history of this country, and settled in eastern Pennsylvania. Some of their descendants migrated to Washington county, Pennsylvania, where Rev. Thomas Edgar Hughes, the grandfather of our subject, was born April 7, 1769. He was a minister of the Presbyterian faith, and spent his entire life in his native county, laboring earnestly and faithfully in disseminating the word of God. He took a deep interest in educational matters, and was the founder of Greersburg Academy, one of the early and substantial educational institutions of Washington county. He died May 2, 1838, at the ripe old age of seventy-eight years. He married Mary Donahey, and they were the parents of ten children, four of whom,—John D., James R., Watson and William,—were Presbyterian clergyman.

Rev. William Hughes (father) was born in Washington county, Pennsylvania, May 20, 1802. He was educated at Washington and Jefferson College, in Washington county, Pennsylvania, and Princeton Seminary, at Princeton, New Jersey, graduating from both institutions. Immediately after his ordination to the ministry he removed to Ashland county, Ohio, where he spent his entire life as pastor of various churches in that county, passing away on August 25, 1883. As a minister he was zealous in the interests of his church; as a citizen he was active in every movement for the advancement of the public, and he took a deep interest in the organization of Vermillion Institute, being president of the board of trustees for many years. His marriage with Martha B. Wells, on April 13, 1830, resulted in the birth of six children, five sons and one daughter.

Dr. Hughes was educated at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, graduating in 1855, with the honor of standing second in a class of twenty-five. After his graduation, he became professor of languages in Westminster College, Fulton, Missouri, where he remained four years. He subsequently became principal of the Seven Mile Academy, at Seven Mile, Ohio, which position he filled two years.

In 1861 he was ordained and accepted the pastorate of the Presbyterian church, at Venice, Butler county, Ohio, where he labored successfully nine years. In 1870 he was called to the First Presbyterian church, of Richmond, in which he has since earnestly and zealously ministered to the spiritual welfare of his congregation. When he accepted this charge, the congregation was small and in debt. The debt was soon liquidated and the building materially improved. In 1885 the church edifice was destroyed by lightning, but the congregation now being a large and wealthy one, soon rebuilt at the corner of Tenth and North A street. This is a commodius structure of modern architecture, and altogether a fit shrine for the worship of the penitent heart and contrite spirit.

Dr. Hughes is a man of fine literary taste and scholarly attainments, and is thoroughly schooled in Biblical lore, in recognition of which Hanover College conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity upon him in 1885. He was a member of the board of trustees of Wooster University before coming to this state and has been a trustee of Hanover College, and is now a trustee of Westminster Seminary, of Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Dr. Hughes has been twice married. On November 18, 1856, he married Anna M., a daughter of Rev. Dr. Claybough, a distinguished theologian of the United Presbyterian church. They were the parents of four children, all of whom are deceased. Mrs. Hughes died May 14, 1864, and on August 14, 1866, Dr. Hughes wedded Jane P. Carnahan, of Venice, Ohio. Their children are Rev. Stanley C. Hughes, pastor of the Second Presbyterian church of Richmond, and James Rowland, a graduate of the civil-engineering department of Princeton University, who served as a soldier in the Spanish- American war.

Source:
Biographical and Genealogical History of Wayne, Fayette, Union and Franklin Counties, Indiana, Volume 1, The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1899