James McLachlan (American politician)

James McLachlan
Portrait by C. M. Bell c. 1895–1897
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from California
In office
March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1911
Preceded byRussell J. Waters
Succeeded byWilliam Stephens
Constituency6th district (1901–1903)
7th district (1903–1911)
In office
March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897
Preceded byMarion Cannon
Succeeded byCharles A. Barlow
Constituency6th district
22nd Los Angeles County District Attorney
In office
1890–1892
Preceded byFrank P. Kelly
Succeeded byHenry C. Dillon
Personal details
Born(1852-08-01)August 1, 1852
DiedNovember 21, 1940(1940-11-21) (aged 88)
Resting placeForest Lawn Memorial Park
Glendale, California
PartyRepublican

James McLachlan (August 1, 1852 – November 21, 1940) was an American educator, lawyer and politician who served six terms as a U.S. Representative from California.

Early life

McLachlan was born in Argyllshire, Scotland, on August 1, 1852.[1] He immigrated to the United States in 1855 with his parents, who settled in Tompkins County, New York. He was reared on a farm there.

Education

He attended the public schools in Tompkins County. Eventually, he attended Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, graduating in 1878.

Career

Even before McLachlan went to college, he was a teacher in the public schools he had attended. He was elected school commissioner of Tompkins County in 1877, while still earning his degree.

After his college graduation, McLachlan studied law. He was admitted to practice in New York State in 1880, and practiced law in Ithaca, New York from 1881 to 1888, when he moved to Pasadena, California

McLachlan continued his law practice in Pasadena. From 1890 to 1892, he served as Los Angeles County District Attorney.[1]

Congress

On November 6, 1894, McLachlan was elected as a Republican to the Fifty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1895 – March 3, 1897),[2] defeating Democrat George S. Patton (whose son, George S. Patton, Jr., was the famous World War II general). In 1896, McLachlan was unsuccessful for re-election to Congress, losing to Charles A. Barlow, who had both the Populist and Democratic nominations.

McLachlan was elected to the Fifty-seventh through the Sixty-first Congresses (March 4, 1901 – March 3, 1911).[3] He was defeated for renomination to Congress in 1910 by future governor William Stephens.

Later life and death

McLachlan resumed the practice of law in Los Angeles and served as a member of the National Monetary Commission in 1911-1912. He died in Los Angeles on November 21, 1940 at the age of 88,[1] and was interred at Forest Lawn Memorial-Park in Glendale, California.

Electoral history

1894 United States House of Representatives elections
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan 18,746 44.3
Democratic George S. Patton 11,693 27.6
Populist W. C. Bowman 9,769 23.1
Prohibition J. E. McComas 2,120 5.0
Total votes 42,328 100.0
Republican gain from Populist
1896 United States House of Representatives elections
Party Candidate Votes %
Populist Charles A. Barlow 24,157 48.9
Republican James McLachlan (Incumbent) 23,494 47.6
Prohibition Henry Clay Needham 1,196 2.4
Socialist Labor Job Harriman 542 1.1
Total votes 49,389 100.0
Populist gain from Republican
1900 United States House of Representatives elections
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan 27,081 51.8
Democratic William Graves 19,793 37.9
Socialist H. G. Wilshire 3,674 7.0
Prohibition James Campbell 1,693 3.2
Total votes 52,241 100.0
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1902
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan (inc.) 19,407 64.8
Democratic Carl A. Johnson 8,075 27.0
Socialist George H. Hewes 1,261 4.2
Prohibition Frederick F. Wheeler 1,195 4.0
Total votes 30,638 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1904
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan (inc.) 31,091 64.2
Democratic W. O. Morton 11,259 23.3
Socialist F. I. Wheat 3,594 7.4
Prohibition John Sobieski 2,467 5.1
Total votes 48,411 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1906
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan (inc.) 22,338 56.8
Democratic Robert G. Laucks 11,197 28.4
Socialist Claude Riddle 3,641 9.2
Prohibition Levi D. Johnson 2,189 5.6
Total votes 39,365 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1908
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James McLachlan (inc.) 37,244 51.9
Democratic Jud R. Rush 25,445 35.4
Socialist A. R. Holston 4,432 6.2
Prohibition Marshall W. Atwood 3,899 5.4
Independence F. G. Hentig 791 1.1
Total votes 71,811 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold
United States House of Representatives elections, 1910
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William Stephens (incumbent) 36,435 58.7
Democratic Lorin A. Handley 13,340 21.5
Socialist Thomas V. Williams 10,305 16.6
Prohibition C. V. LeFontaine 1,990 3.2
Total votes 62,070 100.0
Turnout  
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "James McLachlan (Republican)". joincalifornia.com. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  2. ^ "November 6, 1894 General Election". joincalifornia.com. November 6, 1894. Retrieved June 16, 2019.
  3. ^ "S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903". GovInfo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. 9 November 1903. p. 8. Retrieved 2 July 2023.

Additional sources