Thomas Francis McCran (December 2, 1875 – September 19, 1925) was an American jurist andRepublican Party politician who served as Speaker of theNew Jersey General Assembly, President of theNew Jersey Senate, andAttorney General of New Jersey.
McCran was born inNewark, New Jersey in 1875. He was raised inPaterson and was educated in the public schools there. He attendedSeton Hall College and graduated in 1896 with aBachelor of Science degree.[1]
Heread law in the office of former State Senator William B. Gourley in Paterson and was admitted as an attorney in 1899, becoming a counselor in 1911. He practiced in Gourley's office until 1907 before opening up an office of his own.[2]
McCran was elected City Attorney of Paterson in 1907, holding the office until 1912. He became a counselor at law in 1911 and obtained hisLL.D. from Seton Hall in 1917.[1]
In 1909 McCran was elected as a Republican member of theState Assembly fromPassaic County, and he was re-elected in 1911 and 1912. He was named floor leader by the Republican minority in 1911 and the following year, when the Republicans took control of the Assembly, he was made Speaker.[1] While serving as Assembly Speaker, his Secretary wasWilliam Wadsworth Evans, who would later represent Passaic County in the State Assembly from 1919 to 1924.
Before the expiration of his term, he was nominated by the Republicans of Passaic County for theState Senate. TheProgressive Party ran a candidate in the race, splitting the Republican vote, and theDemocratic candidate Peter J. McGinnis defeated McCran by a slim margin. In 1915 he ran against McGinnis again and defeated him by a plurality of more than 8,000 votes.[1]
In 1917 Senate Republicans named McCran majority leader, and in 1918 he was selected as Senate President. He presided as Acting Governor in the absence of GovernorWalter Evans Edge.[3]
In 1919 Governor Edge appointed him to the position ofAttorney General for a five-year term.[2] On the completion of his term he sought the Republican nomination forGovernor in 1925. Despite the backing of Edge (now in theUnited States Senate) and the regular Republican organization, McCran was defeated for the nomination byArthur Whitney, who had the support of theAnti-Saloon League. Whitney would go on to be defeated in the general election by Democratic candidateA. Harry Moore.[3]
In September 1925, three months after losing the arduous gubernatorial primary, McCran died suddenly at his home in Paterson. He was diagnosed with acute indigestion and leakage of the heart.[3]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Speaker of theNew Jersey General Assembly 1912 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | President of theNew Jersey Senate 1918 | Succeeded by |
| Legal offices | ||
| Preceded by | Attorney General of New Jersey 1919 – 1924 | Succeeded by |
