James Henry Mays (June 29, 1868 – April 19, 1926) was an American lawyer, businessman, and politician who served three terms as a U.S. Representative from Utah from 1915 to 1921.
James Henry Mays | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Utah's 2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921 | |
| Preceded by | Jacob Johnson |
| Succeeded by | Elmer O. Leatherwood |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 29, 1868 Morristown, Tennessee |
| Died | April 19, 1926 (aged 57) Wendell, Idaho |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Alma mater | University of Michigan Law School |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Early life and education
editBorn in Morristown, Tennessee,[1] Mays attended the district schools. He moved to Kansas in 1883 with his parents, who settled in Galena, Kansas. He worked in the mines and as a lumberman.
He attended the Kansas State Normal School. From 1893 to 1902 he was employed in the life insurance business in Chicago, Illinois, Dubuque, Iowa, and in Salt Lake City, Utah. He graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1895.
Career
editHe was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, in 1896 and to Utah in 1902. Organized several industrial organizations.
Congress
editMays was elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-fourth, Sixty-fifth, and Sixty-sixth Congresses (March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1921).
He was not a candidate for reelection in 1920.
Retirement and death
editHe retired to his stock ranch near Wendell, Idaho, and died there on April 19, 1926. He was interred in Gooding Cemetery, Gooding, Idaho.
Legacy
editHis home near Wendell, built in 1920 and known as the James Henry and Ida Owen Mays House, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Electoral history
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Henry Mays | 25,617 | 47.49 | |||
| Republican | Elmer O. Leatherwood | 25,459 | 47.20 | |||
| Socialist | A.H. Kempton | 2,861 | 5.31 | |||
| Total votes | 53,937 | 100.0 | ||||
| Democratic gain from Republican | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Henry Mays (Incumbent) | 39,847 | 56.87 | |
| Republican | Charles R. Mabey | 27,778 | 39.65 | |
| Socialist | Murray E. King | 2,440 | 3.48 | |
| Total votes | 70,065 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | James Henry Mays (Incumbent) | 23,931 | 58.68 | |
| Republican | William Spry | 16,134 | 39.56 | |
| Socialist | A.H. Kempton | 719 | 1.76 | |
| Total votes | 40,784 | 100.0 | ||
| Democratic hold | ||||
Sources
edit- United States Congress. "James Henry Mays (id: M000290)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
References
edit- ^ Salmon, Doris F. (1994), "Mays, James Henry", Utah History Encyclopedia, University of Utah Press, ISBN 9780874804256, archived from the original on August 1, 2024, retrieved September 15, 2024
- ^ 1914 Election Results
- ^ 1916 Election Results
- ^ 1918 Election Results
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress