James Hardin Peterson (February 11, 1894 – March 28, 1978) was a

U.S. Representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Article One of th ...

from

Florida Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...

Early life and career

Peterson was born in Batesburg, South Carolina. His family moved to

Lakeland, Florida Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Located along Interstate 4, I-4 east of Tampa and southwest of Orlando, Florida, Orlando, it is the List of municipalities in Florida, most populous city in Polk County. As of the 2020 ...

, in 1903, and he attended the public schools there. Peterson graduated from the University of Florida College of Law in 1914. He was

admitted to the bar An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...

and was a

law clerk A law clerk, judicial clerk, or judicial assistant is a person, often a lawyer, who provides direct counsel and assistance to a lawyer or judge by Legal research, researching issues and drafting legal opinions for cases before the court. Judicial ...

in the

United States General Land Office The General Land Office (GLO) was an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States government responsible for Public domain (land), public domain lands in the United States. It was created in 1812 ...

the same year. He entered private practice in Lakeland in 1915. Peterson was city attorney of

, in 1916, 1917, and 1919–1932, of

Frostproof, Florida Frostproof is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The city is located in southern Polk County on the Lake Wales Ridge. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,877 at the 2 ...

from 1918 to 1929, of

Lake Wales, Florida Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 16,361 at the 2020 census. History Early history A survey by W.A. Williams and J. ...

from 1920 to 1930, and of Eagle Lake, Florida from 1923 to 1933. Peterson served as a chief

yeoman Yeoman is a noun originally referring either to one who owns and cultivates land or to the middle ranks of Serfdom, servants in an Peerage of England, English royal or noble household. The term was first documented in Kingdom of England, mid-1 ...

in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

from 1917 to 1919, during

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

. Peterson served as

prosecuting attorney A prosecutor is a legal representative of the prosecution in states with either the adversarial system, which is adopted in common law, or inquisitorial system, which is adopted in civil law. The prosecution is the legal party responsible ...

and county solicitor of

Polk County, Florida Polk County () is a County (United States), county located in the Central Florida, central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and estimated to be 818,330, as ...

from 1921 to 1932. He served as special counsel for the state Department of Agriculture from 1930 to 1932. In the early 1930s, he also taught

Sunday school ] A Sunday school, sometimes known as a Sabbath school, is an educational institution, usually Christianity, Christian in character and intended for children or neophytes. Sunday school classes usually precede a Sunday church service and are u ...

at First Methodist Church in Lakeland, FloridaRecollections of R. Mason Parks

Congress

Peterson was elected as a Democratic Party (United States), Democrat to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Florida's 1st congressional district Florida's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Florida, covering the state's western Florida Panhandle, Panhandle. It includes all of Escambia County, Florida, Escambia, Okaloosa County, Florida, Okaloosa, ...

in the 1932 election, defeating Herbert J. Drane, who had served in the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature, legislative branch of the federal government of the United States. It is a Bicameralism, bicameral legislature, including a Lower house, lower body, the United States House of Representatives, ...

since 1917. He served in the 73rd Congress and the eight succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1951). Peterson served as chairman of the Committee on Public Lands during the 78th, 79th, and 81st Congresses). Peterson was not a candidate for renomination in

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 ...

to the 82nd Congress.

Later career and death

After leaving

Congress A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...

, he resumed the practice of law in Lakeland. He served as special counsel for the Territorial Government of Guam, chairman of Commission on Federal Application of Laws to Guam, and chairman and vice chairman of the board of directors of the First State Bank of Lakeland. Peterson died in Lakeland in 1978, and was interred in Roselawn Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Peterson, Sr. James Hardin 1894 births 1978 deaths People from Batesburg-Leesville, South Carolina People from Lakeland, Florida Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Florida People from Polk County, Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law alumni 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives Members of the House Un-American Activities Committee

Early life and career

Congress

Later career and death

See also

References