Francis James

Francis James (born April 4, 1799 in Chester County , Pennsylvania , †  January 4, 1886 in West Chester , Pennsylvania) was an American politician . Between 1839 and 1843 he represented the state of Pennsylvania in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Francis James attended the public schools of his home country and then the Gauses' Academy . After a subsequent law degree and his admission as a lawyer in 1825, he began to work in West Chester in this profession. At the same time he embarked on a political career as a member of the short-lived Anti-Masonic Party . From 1834 to 1836 he was a member of the Pennsylvania Senate .

In the congressional election of 1838 , James was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington, DC in the fourth constituency of Pennsylvania , where he succeeded David Potts on March 4, 1839 . After two re-elections, he was able to complete three legislative terms in Congress by March 3, 1843 . From 1841 he represented the interests of the Whig Party there . Also since 1841 he was chairman of the Committee on Revisal and Unfinished Business . The period after 1841 was marked by tension between President John Tyler and the Whigs. In addition, a possible annexation of the Republic of Texas , which has been independent of Mexico since 1836, was already being discussed.

After his time in the US House of Representatives, Francis James practiced as a lawyer again. In 1850 he was Chief Burgess in West Chester. He died there on January 4th, 1886.

Web links

• Francis James in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Francis James in the database of Find a Grave (English)

predecessor	Office	successor
David Potts	United States House of Representatives for Pennsylvania (4th constituency) with John Edwards and Edward Davies March 4, 1839 - March 3, 1843	Charles Jared Ingersoll