Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Hughes, James

by Rees M. Jenkin Jones

HUGHES, JAMES (Iago Trichrug) (1779–1844), Welsh Calvinistic methodist minister, was born at Neuadd-ddu, in the parish of Ciliau Aeron, at the foot of Trichrug Mountain, Cardiganshire, in 1779. At the age of twenty-one he settled in London. He was soon afterwards expelled from the body of Calvinistic methodists with which he had been in communion. In 1805 he returned under the influence of the Rev. John Elias, and four years later began preaching. In 1816 he was ordained at Llangeitho, and continued a useful minister till his death, which took place at Rotherhithe in London on 2 Nov. 1844. He was buried in Bunhill Fields. He was popular as a poet, and contributed largely to Welsh periodicals.

Hughes's translations of Gray's 'Bard' and Blair's 'Grave' are well executed; but his chief literary work was his 'New Testament Expositor,' based on Poole, Doddridge, Scott, Henry, &c. It was begun in 1829 and completed in 1835, in 2 vols. 12mo, and published at Wyddgrug; a second edition was issued at Holywell in 1845. A similar work on the Old Testament was left incomplete at his death.

[J. T. Jones's Geiriadur Bywgraffyddol, i. 558-559.]

R. J. J.