Haldain Bayne Hughes (1871-1923)

Portrait from the Canonsburg, Pennsylvania "Daily Notes", July 14, 1919.

  During a brief life that extended just 51 years, Haldain Bayne Hughes carved a career as a leading figure in the Washington County, Pennsylvania bar. A practicing attorney for over two decades, Hughes was elected as the inaugural holder of the office of President Judge of the Washington County Orphan's Court in 1919 and continued until his unexpected death four years later. A lifelong Washington County native, Haldain Bayne Hughes was born in Amwell township, Pennsylvania on August 15, 1871, the son of James and Sarah (Bayne/Bane) Hughes.  One should note that Hughes' middle name has a variation in spelling, being given as both Bayne and Bane.

  Young Haldain was a student in schools local to Washington County and in 1887 graduated from the Washington High School. Shortly thereafter he enrolled at the Washington and Jefferson College, and, following his graduation in 1892, turned his attention to law studies, reading law in the office of future Washington county judge James Franklin Taylor. Hughes was admitted to the bar in 1895 and in January of the following year joined with his brother Blanchard in establishing the law firm of Hughes & Hughes, continuing until his election as orphan's court judge. 

  Appointed to the Washington County Board of Law Examiners in 1909, Hughes married two years later to Charlotte Martin, to who he was wed until his death. The couple's union was childless. In 1912 Haldain Hughes was elected as president of the Washington County Bar Association and was reelected the next year. Acknowledged by his contemporaries as having "studiously observed the ethics of his profession", Hughes led an active life outside his profession and was a leading club-man in his state, holding memberships in the Washington County Golf and Country Club, the Union and Republican Clubs of Pittsburg, and between 1922 and 1923 held the presidencies of both the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and the county's Kiwanis Club chapter. Sources also denote Hughes as a leading mason, holding memberships in several masonic lodges in both Washington County and Pittsburgh.

  In July 1919 the Pennsylvania State Assembly passed legislation that provided for an additional judge for the state's 27th judicial district, under the title President Judge of the Orphan's Court of Washington County. One of several counties in the state with a similar judicial office, the court would oversee the claims of orphaned children and any rights they had to a deceased family member's estate.  With the creation of this court, preparations were made for the election for the judge of that court, and in short order, Haldain Hughes entered into the race to be the inaugural holder of that office.

  The state election of November 1919 saw Hughes elected as President Judge of the Orphan's Court, and he entered into his duties on January 5th of the new year. Hughes' time on the bench proved to be brief, as he died in office on June 15, 1923, at age 51. He was survived by his wife Charlotte and was interred at the Washington Cemetery.