James Birney | |
|---|---|
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| U.S. Minister to the Netherlands | |
| In office 1876–1882 | |
| Preceded by | Charles T. Gorham |
| Succeeded by | William Lewis Dayton, Jr. |
| 13thLieutenant Governor of Michigan | |
| In office January 2, 1861 – April 3, 1861 | |
| Governor | Austin Blair |
| Preceded by | Edmund Burke Fairfield |
| Succeeded by | Joseph R. Williams |
| Member of theMichigan Senate | |
| In office 1858 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1817-06-17)June 17, 1817 |
| Died | May 8, 1888(1888-05-08) (aged 70) |
| Resting place | Pine Ridge Cemetery,Bay City, Michigan |
| Party | Republican |
| Spouse | Amanda S. Moulton |
| Children | 4 |
| Parent(s) | James Gillespie Birney Agatha (McDowell) Birney |
| Alma mater | Centre College Miami University Yale College |
| Profession | Lawyer Newspaper Publisher Politician |
James M. Birney (June 17, 1817 – May 8, 1888) was anAmerican lawyer, newspaper publisher and politician from theU.S. state ofMichigan. He served as the 13thlieutenant governor of Michigan and as theU.S. Minister to the Netherlands.
James Birney was born inDanville, Kentucky, the eldest son of Agatha (McDowell) andJames Gillespie Birney, who was a presidential candidate for theLiberty Party in the 1840 and 1844 elections. Birney spent his early years in Alabama and Kentucky. Birney was educated atCentre College in Danville and in 1836 graduated fromMiami University inOxford, Ohio.[1] For the next two years, Birney was employed by the university as a professor of theGreek andLatin languages. After this, he studied law atYale College inNew Haven, Connecticut.
Completing his studies, Birney moved toCincinnati, Ohio, and began the practice of law until 1856, when he succeeded to his father's business interests in the Saginaw Valley of Michigan, where his father had made large investments in what has becomeBay City. Birney moved there in the summer of 1857. One of Birney's most notable early acts of public service was procuring the passage in 1857 of an act in the state legislature changing the name of "Lower Saginaw" to Bay City. In 1856, Birney had the distinction of editing the city's first newspaper, theBay City Press, which lasted for only a few weeks.
In 1858, Birney was nominated as aRepublican candidate for theMichigan Senate. At the time the senate district was regarded as a stronghold of theDemocratic Party, thus it was seen as a significant achievement that Birney garnered all of the votes in the district withinBay County except for five. He served a single term in the Senate representing the Saginaw district. While in the Senate, Birney was chairman of the committee on public instruction and a member of the judiciary committee.
In 1860, Birney was nominated by thestate Republican convention as the candidate forLieutenant Governor withAustin Blair as candidate for Governor. Birney was elected to office by a majority of over 20,000 votes. While serving as Lieutenant Governor, a vacancy occurred in Michigan's 10th circuit court, and the governor offered the position to Birney. He resigned as Lieutenant Governor April 3, 1861, to accept the judicial appointment and served in that position for four years.[2] Birney lost in the next judicial election and was succeeded byJabez G. Sutherland.
After leaving the bench, Birney established theBay City Chronicle in 1871 as a weekly Republican paper and in June 1873 began publishing theMorning Chronicle. Birney was also a delegate toRepublican National Convention from Michigan in 1872.[3]
In 1872, GovernorHenry P. Baldwin nominated Birney toU.S. PresidentUlysses S. Grant as Centennial Commissioner for Michigan to celebrate the Hundredth Anniversary of theDeclaration of Independence in 1876. Birney was unable to serve in this capacity, however, as he was appointed on December 17, 1875, as U.S. Minister to theNetherlands. Birney departed forThe Hague in 1876 and served until 1882.[4]
Birney died on May 8, 1888, inBay City, Michigan. He is interred in Pine Ridge Cemetery in Bay City.[1]
While in New Haven studying at Yale College, Birney married Amanda Moulton on June 1, 1841. His wife was the stepdaughter of Nathaniel Bacon, Esquire of New Haven. Birney and his wife had five children: James G. Birney, Arthur Moulton Birney, Sophia Hull Birney, Alice Birney and one child that died in infancy. The eldest, James G. Birney, distinguished himself as captain in the 7th Regiment of Michigan Volunteers and died while an officer of the U.S. regular army.
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Lieutenant Governor of Michigan January 2 - April 3, 1861 | Succeeded by |
| Diplomatic posts | ||
| Preceded by | U.S. Minister to the Netherlands 1876–1882 | Succeeded by |
