Thomas McHugh (politician)

For other people with the same name, see Thomas McHugh.

Thomas McHugh
1st Secretary of State of Wisconsin
In office June 7, 1848 – January 7, 1850
Governor	Nelson Dewey
Preceded by	Position Established
Succeeded by	William A. Barstow
Personal details
Born	Thomas Morris McHugh (1822-11-22)November 22, 1822 Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland, UK
Died	March 19, 1856(1856-03-19) (aged 33) Palatka, Florida
Political party	Democratic
Parents	Stephen McHugh (father) Elizabeth Norris (mother)
Profession	lawyer

Thomas Morris McHugh (November 22, 1822 – March 19, 1856) was an Irish American immigrant and lawyer who served as the first Secretary of State of Wisconsin. He had previously served as Secretary of the Territorial Council and the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention.

Biography

Thomas McHugh was born in County Leitrim, Ireland, to Elizabeth Norris and the Reverend Stephen McHugh. His father was an Episcopal minister.[1] He studied law at Utica, New York, and moved with his parents to Delavan, in the Wisconsin Territory, in 1844, where his father established an Episcopal parish.[2]

In 1847, McHugh was chosen as Secretary to the Wisconsin Territorial Council, and, in 1848, was Secretary for the second Wisconsin Constitutional Convention. In May 1848, he was elected the first Secretary of State of Wisconsin. He was admitted to the State Bar of Wisconsin in 1849. He later served as Chief Clerk to the Wisconsin State Assembly in the 1853 and 1854 sessions.[2]

He died, unmarried, in Palatka, Florida, March 19, 1856.[2]

References

1. Atwood, David; Tenney, H.A., eds. (1880). Memorial Record of the Fathers of Wisconsin. David Atwood. pp. 275, 276. ISBN 9781556137013. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
2. History of Walworth County, Wisconsin. Western Historical Company. 1882. pp. 510, 679. Retrieved June 14, 2019.

Further reading

• Anderson, William J. (1929). Anderson, William A. (ed.). The Wisconsin blue book, 1929. Madison, Wisconsin: Democrat Printing Company. p. 144. Retrieved 2008-08-23.
• Barish, Lawrence S., ed. (2007). "Chapter 8: Statistical Information on Wisconsin". State of Wisconsin Blue Book 2007–2008 (PDF). Madison, Wisconsin: Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau. p. 721. ISBN 978-0-9752820-2-1. Archived from the original on 2011-08-11. Retrieved 2008-05-14.

Political offices
Preceded by John Catlin as Secretary of Wisconsin Territory	Secretary of State of Wisconsin 1848–1850	Succeeded by William Barstow