US Congressman and Foreign Diplomat. He was born in 1816 (in Alabama by some accounts, or Wilmington, North Carolina by others), and moved with his family to Saint Louis, Missouri 1833. In 1839, the family moved again, this time to Davenport, Iowa, where James was a school teacher for two years, and his father was a lawyer and the second mayor of Davenport. In the early 1840's he served as Justice of the Peace for Scott County, Iowa, was elected, as a member of the Whig party, mayor of Davenport in 1842, 1843, 1844, and 1845, and was elected as Clerk of Court for Scott County in 1848. In the mid-1850's, he helped organize the various anti-slavery movements into the Iowa Republican Party, and he was elected as a Republican to represent Iowa's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1854. During his two-year term, he helped secure Iowa the land grants of 1856 for the aid of the railroads. In 1860, he was elected as a war-time sheriff for Scott County, Iowa, which was the military headquarters of the state during the Civil War. He served in this position from 1861 until 1865. After the War, he served two terms as Scott County Recorder. In 1872, he was appointed by President Grant as Consul to Aspinwall (Columbia), where he served for ten years. He suffered a stroke around 1886, and died suddenly in 1887 during a recuperation visit with family in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
US Congressman and Foreign Diplomat. He was born in 1816 (in Alabama by some accounts, or Wilmington, North Carolina by others), and moved with his family to Saint Louis, Missouri 1833. In 1839, the family moved again, this time to Davenport, Iowa, where James was a school teacher for two years, and his father was a lawyer and the second mayor of Davenport. In the early 1840's he served as Justice of the Peace for Scott County, Iowa, was elected, as a member of the Whig party, mayor of Davenport in 1842, 1843, 1844, and 1845, and was elected as Clerk of Court for Scott County in 1848. In the mid-1850's, he helped organize the various anti-slavery movements into the Iowa Republican Party, and he was elected as a Republican to represent Iowa's 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1854. During his two-year term, he helped secure Iowa the land grants of 1856 for the aid of the railroads. In 1860, he was elected as a war-time sheriff for Scott County, Iowa, which was the military headquarters of the state during the Civil War. He served in this position from 1861 until 1865. After the War, he served two terms as Scott County Recorder. In 1872, he was appointed by President Grant as Consul to Aspinwall (Columbia), where he served for ten years. He suffered a stroke around 1886, and died suddenly in 1887 during a recuperation visit with family in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Bio by: Dustin Oliver
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