He ministered to several congregations, and was appointed as a rural dean, an inspector of township schools, and a trustee of the British-American Institute, befriending Josiah Henson, its principal founder.

The school was noted as "flourishing" by the examining chaplain to the bishop of the diocese,[10] though its rationale had earlier been questioned by the Provincial Freeman, an Afro-Canadian, abolitionist newspaper.

[11] While in London, Hughes studied for Anglican holy orders under the guidance of then Archdeacon Isaac Hellmuth and the Right Reverend Benjamin Cronyn, first bishop of the Diocese of Huron.

Hughes accepted the new posting, and accompanied by Jemima Williams, an English schoolteacher working in the London mission, moved to Dresden with his family in 1859.

[3]: 37–38 Soon after Hughes' arrival in Dresden, he began to hold services in the town hall of nearby Dawn Mills.

In 1860, Hughes bought a farm lying between Dawn Mills and Dresden[1]: 81, cell VI/2  from William P. Newman, who had left Canada the year before.

[15][16] Parker T. Smith, carpenter, pharmacist and one-time president of the Banneker Institute, a literary society in Philadelphia, lived with his family in Dresden in 1861/62.

[17][18] Smith recounted his experiences in letters published in the Christian Recorder, describing Hughes as "A gentleman of distinguished ability and learning as a theologian",[19] and "An untiring advocate of the equality of man, and knows no complexional distinction".

[22]: 12:22 mins in After a two-week illness, Thomas Hughes died in Dresden on 12 April 1876 from "general congestion from cold".

[v] His will was proved and registered at Kent County's surrogate court and its administration granted to Hughes' executors, his sons Thomas and William.