James B. Belford

James B. Belford

James Burns Belford (born September 28, 1837 in Lewistown , Pennsylvania , † January 10, 1910 in Denver , Colorado ) was an American politician . Between 1876 and 1877 and from 1879 to 1885 he represented the state of Colorado in the US House of Representatives .

Career

James Belford was the cousin of Joseph M. Belford , who served in the US House of Representatives for New York State from 1897 to 1899 . He attended public schools in his home country and then Dickinson College in Carlisle . After completing a law degree, he was admitted to the bar in 1859. Belford then moved to Moniteau County , Missouri , where he practiced as a lawyer. After moving again, he came to LaPorte ( Indiana ). He joined the Republican Party and was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1867 . In 1870 he was appointed associate judge at the Colorado Supreme Court. Therefore, he moved his residence to Central City .

After the founding of Colorado, James Belford was elected the first MP of the state to Congress in Washington . Until 1893 the new state had only one congressman. He served in the House of Representatives from October 3, 1876 until the end of the legislative period on March 3, 1877. In the regular congressional elections of 1876, he was re-elected, so that he could begin another legislative period on March 4, 1877. His election was challenged by Democrat Thomas MacDonald Patterson . After this objection was granted, Belford had to give up his mandate on December 13, 1877 to Patterson. In the elections of 1878 he was able to win back his seat. After a few re-elections, he was able to complete three consecutive terms in Congress between March 4, 1879 and March 3, 1885. Between 1881 and 1883 he was chairman of the Ministry of Finance's Expenditure Control Committee. In 1884, Belford ran unsuccessfully for a new nomination by his party.

After his tenure in Congress, James Belford retired from politics and worked as a lawyer in Denver. He died there in 1910.

Web links

• James B. Belford in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• James B. Belford in the database of Find a Grave (English)