James A. Weston

James Adams Weston

James Adams Weston (born August 27, 1827 in Manchester , New Hampshire , † May 8, 1895 ibid) was an American politician and from 1871 to 1872 and between 1874 and 1875 governor of the state of New Hampshire.

Early years

James Weston attended the Manchester Academy and then the Piscataquog Academy , where he studied mechanical engineering. From 1846 Weston worked for the Concord Railroad Railway Company. Just three years later, he was Chief Engineer on the company's board of directors. After returning to Manchester, he remained on the board of several railway companies and helped build the city's water supply.

Political career

James Weston was a member of the Democratic Party . Between 1861 and 1870 he was mayor of Manchester several times. In 1871 he was elected governor of his state. He took up his new office on June 14, 1871. In the one-year term that followed until June 6, 1872, he was able to move little as governor. He had to deal with an opposition majority in the legislature. The governor and parliament blocked each other. Weston lost the next two elections to the Republican Party candidate , Ezekiel A. Straw . As a result, he was again Mayor of Manchester in 1874.

That year he was elected governor of New Hampshire for the second time. In his second term, which began June 3, 1874 and ended June 10, 1875, the governor had a democratic majority in the legislature. Now he followed the bad example of the previous Republican governments and appointed his party friends to important state or judicial offices. During this time there was also a merger of some of the state's railroad companies. In his election campaign, the governor had promised a legal reform regarding the use of alcohol, but this did not materialize. By 1913, James Weston was the last New Hampshire governor to belong to the Democratic Party.

Another résumé

After the end of his tenure, Weston withdrew from politics. He devoted himself to numerous business interests, including the railways, insurance, and banking. Governor Weston died in 1895. He had five children with his wife, Anna S. Gilmore.

Web links

• James Weston at the National Governors Association (English)
• Biography of New Hampshire (English)
• James A. Weston in the database of Find a Grave (English)