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Born on December 29, 1864 in Cape Island, New Jersey, James was the oldest of four sons, and second born of eight children.
He was raised in a strict, revivalist Presbyterian tradition. His primary education, took place at Bellefonte Academy, the preparatory curriculum of which James' father, Rev. James Potter Hughes, established in 1868 when he had become Headmaster, 64 years after its founding in 1805.
In 1881, James enrolled in Princeton University, chosen not only because many of his family had attended there, but no doubt because of the school's Seminary and long tradition as training ground of religious leaders.
"Jimmy" played quarterback during his last three Princeton years; was a "student leader," and also marched with the school's "non-partisan" drum corps. He also edited the school newspaper in his senior year and, when commencement day came, in 1885, he was one of nine honorary orators.
After graduation, James turned down numerous job offers to teach at prestigious prep schools, preferring instead to return to Bellefonte and follow in his father's highly-esteemed teaching career. There James took "entire charge of the department of ancient and modern languages." He was popular with the students, though respected. His students frequently called him "Mr. James."
He also kept up his writing from his Princetonian editorial days, being a "frequent" correspondent of Bellefonte Academy for newspapers in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and other "important" New York papers.
James overtook his father's duties as Bellefonte's Headmaster in 1895 and lead the school to greater success.
James saw to it that Bellefonte produced championship football teams whose members went on to win "all-American star" status.
In 1949, only seven of the one hundred and fifty-two members of the Princeton class of 1885 were still alive. Of those, five rode in that year's parade en route to the Yale-Princeton football game. The "spry" Mr. James, lead that parade on foot.
His stamina, left him with plenty of energy for the lecture circuit, for the record notes he was a speaker much-demanded in and around Bellefonte. Likewise, his loyalty to his church remained unflinching; he was a church elder, head of the men's Bible class, and was a member of the Huntington Presbytery.
Jimmy lived for some years with his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Summers. He maintained an active interest in and attendance at sports events and other community activities. He spent the last years of his life living in a room on the second floor of the YMCA. He died March 25, 1957, at the age of 92.
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