York County

Judge Supreme Court N.B.

Hughes, Peter Joseph (1878 – 1959)

Born, June 28th, 1878, at St. Mary’s, York County, NB.  Of Irish-Canadian ancestry.  Son of Thomas Hughes, Esq., and his wife, Margaret Nowlan.

Educated at the St. Mary’s public school; at the Fredericton High School; and at the University of N.N., graduating with the degree of B.A. in 1899.  Studied law in the office of R. W. McLellan, Esq. and was admitted to the bar of N.B. in 1902 [or 1903?]

Located at Fredericton, N.B. and engaged in the practice of his profession.  Member of the law firm of McLellan & Hughes.  Appointed K.C. om May 9, 1923.  In 1928, established own practice and continued to practice until his appointment to the Supreme Court.  Was Solicitor for the City of Fredericton.  Pres. Of the N.B. Barrister’s Association.  Member of Canadian Bar Association.

Member of the Fredericton Board of Trade; Board of Trustees of the Victoria Public Hospital, Fredericton, N.B.

Was a member of the Senate of the Univ. of N.B. and, in 1942, U.N.B. conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of D.C.L.

Married July 17th, 1902 to Miss Katherine A. Hanebry, daughter of accountant William P. Hanebry, Fredericton, N.B.  By this marriage there was a family of one son and five daughters.  Mrs. Hughes died December 26th, 1952.

Unsuccessfully contested the constituency of York-Sunbury for the House of Commons at the G.E.s of September 14th, 1926 and March 26th, 1940, in the interests of the Liberal Party.

On October 26th, 1945, he was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court of N.B., Appeals and Chancery Division, vice Mr. Justice Ward C.H. Grimmer (q.v.), deceased.  He held this appointment until 1958 when he retired due to ill health.

He died October 14th, 1959, at Fredericton, N.B., aged eighty-one years.  Buried in the Hermitage, Fredericton, N.B.  Survived by one sone and five daughters.

In Politics: a Liberal                             In Religion:  a Roman Catholic

Family:

  1. Dau: Dorothy Monica – Mar. E. Coulter King, Contractor, Fredericton, N.B.
  2. Dau: Margaret Catherine – married Basil Dunphy, Banker, St. John, N.B.
  3. Dau: Josephine Agnes Marie – Mar. (1) Gerald P. Griffin, Edmundston, NB (d. 1947) (2) Mr. Halahan, Army Officer, Oromocto, N.B.
  4. Dau: Isabel Mary – Mar. Melbourne M. Hoyt, Q.C., Barrister, Fredericton, N.B.
  5. Dau: Anna Agatha – Mar. John Edward Warner, Q.C., Barrister, Fredericton, N.B.
  6. Son: John Patrick – Accountant, Fredericton, N.B.