 The report of the council of the university for the year 1887, in recording their regret at his death, called him ""the Founder of the Chair of Classics and of the Chair of English Language and Literature, and Mental and Moral Philosophy--whose munificence led to the establishment of the University"".On 22 September 1841 Hughes married Sophia Richman ( – June 1885), eldest daughter of John Henry Richman, who arrived in South Australia with his family aboard "Thomas Harrison" in February 1839.They had no children.