Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 5.djvu/194

 VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY

and confidence of all who knew him. It was not surprising, therefore, under the circum- stances, that he should have been called to serve his fellow citizens in some public ca- pacity, and accordingly he was elected on the Republican ticket to the Richmond board of aldermen from the Jackson ward, ai; ofTice which he continued to hold for a period of twenty-four years. He was still an alderman when death overtook him, Feb- ruary 3, 1907, in his sixty-fourth year, and he departed this life, a man of large wealth and property, with the respect and regard of his whole community. He was married in Richmond to Margaret Hogan, also a native of county Clare, Ireland, who sur- vived him until February 21, 1914. Besides James Bahen, Jr., of this sketch, they were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are now living, as follows: Sister Cecelia. of the Benedictine Order of Nuns, who is now located at St. Gertrude's Academy in Richmond ; Margaret, now Mrs. A. G. Roon- ey ; William H. ; Joseph B. ; Rosa G. ; Ed- ward and Charles, all residents of Rich- mond. One of the deceased, George D. Bahen, was a student at Georgetown Uni- versity, and met his death when taking part in a football game between that institution and Columbia University, being one of the first to fall a victim to the dangers of that sport.

James Bahen, Jr., the third child of James and Margaret (Hogan) Bahen, was born July 6, 1875, in Richmond, Virginia. He received his education in the Xavierian School, of that city, attending its courses until he had reached his eighteenth year, when, having completed his studies, he took .a position as clerk in his father's store on First street, Richmond. Here he remained for three years, and then decided to embark on a similar enterprise for himself. This project he carried out with great success, establishing a grocery and liquor store on Second street, which rapidly grew to large proportions. Besides this lucrative business, Mr. Bahen also engaged in the business of building contractor, and in this also was soon operating on a very extensive scale. Following in the footsteps of his father, he entered politics in Richmond, and soon be- came a conspicuous figure in the conduct and management not only of party matters, but of public affairs generally. He was a staunch rhember of the Democratic party, and took a keen and intelligent interest in all

political questions, whether of local or na- tional significance. His opinions soon came to be valued highly for one of his youth, and this added to his obvious ability and integrity in lousiness, and a rapidly growing popularity induced his party to bring him forward as a candidate for a number of im- portant offices at a very early age. He was uniformly successful in his campaigns, and held many positions of trust and respon- sibility within the gift of his constituency. He was finally, in the year 1899, elected a member of the City Democratic Commit- tee, holding this honorable office until his untimely death negatived the promise of a brilliant career. This sad event occurred on March 3, 1906, when he was but thirty years of age, and cast a gloom, not only over the immediate circle of his family and friends, which had lost so dear a member, but over that larger circle of those who. marking the brilliancy and promise of his first steps up the ladder of life, had looked forward confidently to a splendid future. Mr. Bahen's life was a remarkably well rounded one for one brought to so early a termination, and his activities were in many departments. He was prominent in the social life of the city and a member of the Eagles and the Magill Capital Union. He was a devoted member of the Roman Catholic church, to which his family had always belonged, and his charities were of that spontaneous kind which is a stranger to unbecoming patronage. He was active in the work of St. Peter's Cathedral, Rich- mond, which he and his wife attended, and was a material sup])ort to the many benevo- lences, connected with the parish and dio- cese.

Mr. Bahen married. May 18, 1899, in St. Peter's Cathedral, Richmond, Kate Hughes, a native of that city and a member of a very distinguished Irish family. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Van de Vyver performed the wedding ceremony. Mrs. 13ahen was a daughter of John' and Ellen (Mehegan) Hughes, and was a descendant on both sides of the house from prominent Irish families. Her paternal grandfather was Edward Hughes, a native of county Armagh, Ire- land, and a relation of Archbishop Hughes of New York. He migrated from Ireland to the United States, and settled in the city of Paterson, New Jersey, and there became a wealthy merchant. He was a wealthy shoe merchant and among the pioneers of