Thomas McHugh was born in
County Leitrim,
Ireland, to Elizabeth Norris and the Reverend Stephen McHugh. His father was an Episcopal minister. 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. 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. He died, unmarried, in
Palatka, Florida, March 19, 1856. == References ==