John Hughes (archbishop of New York)

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John Joseph Hughes (June 24, 1797 – January 3, 1864) was an Irish-born Catholic prelate who served as bishop (and later archbishop) of New York from 1842 until his death. In 1841, he founded St. John's College, which would later become Fordham University. A native of Ireland, Hughes was born and raised in Augher in the south of County Tyrone. He emigrated to the United States in 1817, and became a priest in 1826 and a bishop in 1838. A figure of national prominence, he exercised great moral and social influence, and presided over a period of explosive growth for Catholicism in New York. He was regarded as "the best known, if not exactly the best loved, Catholic bishop in the country." He became known as "Dagger John", both for his following the Catholic practice wherein a bishop precedes his signature with a cross, as well as for his aggressive personality. His sister Angela Hughes was a nun and oversaw the opening of 15 schools and convents in New York.

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