Bernard Shandon Rodey | |
|---|---|
 | |
| U.S. Attorney for the 2nd Division of Alaska | |
| In office 1910–1913 | |
| Judge for theU.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1906–1910 | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNew Mexico Territory'sAt-large district | |
| In office March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1905 (Delegate) | |
| Preceded by | Pedro Perea |
| Succeeded by | William H. Andrews |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 1, 1856 |
| Died | March 10, 1927(1927-03-10) (aged 71) |
| Party | Republican |
| Alma mater | Harvard University |
| Occupation | lawyer, politician |
Bernard Shandon Rodey (March 1, 1856 – March 10, 1927) was an Irish-born American politician who was a Delegate from theNew Mexico Territory and later a federal judge inPuerto Rico.[1]
Rodey was born inCounty Mayo,Ireland. He emigrated with his parents in 1862 to theProvince of Canada, and was educated inSherbrooke,Quebec. After leaving Canada, he went toMassachusetts where he studied law atHarvard University. Rodey moved toAlbuquerque, New Mexico in 1881 where he became employed as a private secretary for theAtlantic and Pacific Railroad Company. He left the railroad to practice law and was admitted to the bar in 1883. Active in politics from a young age, Bernard was elected to the territorial senate representingBernalillo County in 1889. He introduced legislation to create theUniversity of New Mexico. The bill detailed the acquisition of funds and land for the institution, locating its construction in New Albuquerque. Passage of the bill on February 28, 1889, earned Rodey the title "Father of the University" and Rodey Hall was named in his honor.
In 1900 Rodey was elected as aRepublican to theU.S. House of Representatives as a Delegate from the New Mexico Territory. During his two terms in office, he was best known for his unrelenting fight to gain statehood not only forNew Mexico, butArizona andOklahoma as well. He fought against a consortium of Eastern senators led byAlbert J. Beveridge ofIndiana that was threatened by the admission of Western territories as states. Rodey was defeated in a primary fight againstWilliam Henry Andrews in 1904.
After his terms in Congress, PresidentTheodore Roosevelt appointed Rodey as federal judge for theUnited States District Court forPuerto Rico in 1906. Rodey's tenure on the bench was controversial and he became involved in the political dispute that culminated in adoption of theOlmsted Amendment and led some prominentPuerto Rican attorneys to unsuccessfully advocate for the abolition of the federal court in Puerto Rico or severely limit its jurisdiction. Rodey left the bench in 1910 and was succeeded byJohn J. Jenkins.
At the 1908Republican National Convention, Rodey was one of several Republicans who convinced Taft to promise statehood for New Mexico and Arizona in his election campaign. Rodey was appointed by PresidentWilliam Taft as a federal government attorney in theTerritory of Alaska, and then helped investigate a coal scandal in Alaska in 1913. He returned to Albuquerque to found the law firm of Rodey and Rodey, which ultimately grew into the present-day firm of Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb.
Although PresidentWarren Harding attempted to persuade Rodey back into politics, he never sought another public office. He died in Albuquerque in 1927 at the age of 71.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives fromNew Mexico 1901-1905 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Judge,United States District Court for the District of Puerto Rico 1906–1910 | Succeeded by |
| Territorial (1851–1912) |
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| At-large seats (1912–1969) |
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| Districts (1969–present) (3rd district established in 1983) |
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