William H. James | |
|---|---|
 | |
| ActingGovernor of Nebraska | |
| In office June 2, 1871 – January 13, 1873 | |
| Preceded by | David Butler |
| Succeeded by | Robert Wilkinson Furnas |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1831-10-16)October 16, 1831 Marion, Ohio |
| Died | February 1, 1920(1920-02-01) (aged 88) Colfax, Washington |
| Political party | Republican |
| Profession | Lawyer |
William Hartford James (October 16, 1831 – February 1, 1920) was aRepublicanNebraskapolitician who served as the actinggovernor of Nebraska from 1871 to 1873. He was also a member of theUniversity of Nebraska-Lincoln Board of Regents during his tenure as governor.
James was born atMarion, Ohio. He attended the public school and Marion Academy for two years[1] and worked on the family farm. He began studying law on his own, and in 1853, James moved toDes Moines, Iowa, and joined a law firm. He was admitted to theIowaBar Association in 1855 and moved toSergeant Bluff to start his own legal practice. He married Louisa Epler and they had four children.[2]
In 1857, James moved to Nebraska and staked a homestead claim inDakota County. He soon became active in local politics, serving asJustice of the Peace and County Attorney for Dakota County. In 1864 PresidentAbraham Lincoln appointed James as register of the Dakota County Land Office. After serving as register of the Dakota County Land Office for five years, James then ran on theRepublican ticket and was electedSecretary of State in 1870. In 1871, with the impeachment of GovernorDavid Butler, James became ActingGovernor of Nebraska until January 13, 1873.[3] He was a member of the University of Nebraska board of regents from 1871 to 1873.[4]
After serving out his term as acting governor, James returned to his legal practice. In 1877, he was appointed register of theColfax, Washington, Land Office. He held that position until his death in 1920. He is interred in Colfax, Washington.[5]
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Nebraska Secretary of State 1871 – 1873 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by David Butler Governor | ActingGovernor of Nebraska 1871 – 1873 | Succeeded by Robert Wilkinson Furnas Governor |
| Territorial(1854–1867) |  | |
|---|---|---|
| State(since 1867) | ||
Italics indicate acting governors | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
