Francis Wade Hughes (August 10, 1817 – October 20, 1885) was an American lawyer and politician from Pennsylvania. He served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania Senate for the 8th district from 1843 to 1844. He served as Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1853 and as Attorney General of Pennsylvania from 1853 to 1855. Although pro-Union, he was tarred as a secessionist "traitor" in the press during the 1862 elections, ending his political career. During the 1870s, he was the chief prosecutor in the Molly Maguires trials.