Jacob Alexander Falconer (January 26, 1869 – July 1, 1928) was a one-term

congressman A member of congress (MOC), also known as a congressman or congresswoman, is a person who has been appointed or elected and inducted into an official body called a congress, typically to represent a particular constituency in a legislature. The t ...

from the state of

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

in 1912.

Early years

Born in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, Canada, Falconer moved with his parents to

Saugatuck, Michigan Saugatuck ( ) is a city in Allegan County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 865 at the 2020 census. The city is within Saugatuck Township, but is administratively autonomous. Originally a lumber town and port, Saugatuck, alo ...

, in 1873. He attended the public schools, and moved to

Washburn, Wisconsin Washburn is a city and the county seat of Bayfield County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 2,051 at the 2020 census. The city is just east of and adjacent to the Town of Washburn. It is in northern Wisconsin, on the shore of Lake S ...

Falconer graduated from Beloit (Wisconsin) Academy in 1890 and later took college work at

Beloit College Beloit College is a private liberal arts college in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1846 when Wisconsin was still a territory, it is the state's oldest continuously operated college. It has an enrollment of roughly 1,000 undergradua ...

Political career

He moved west in 1894 to

Everett, Washington Everett (; ) is the county seat and most populous city of Snohomish County, Washington, United States. It is north of Seattle and is one of the main cities in the Seattle metropolitan area, metropolitan area and the Puget Sound region. Everett ...

, and was in the lumber business and served as mayor of Everett in 1897 and 1898. Falconer was member of the

state legislature A state legislature is a Legislature, legislative branch or body of a State (country subdivision), political subdivision in a Federalism, federal system. Two federations literally use the term "state legislature": * The legislative branches of ...

(1904–1908), and was speaker of the house during the 1907 session. He served as member of the

state senate In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states. A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...

from 1909 to 1912. Falconer ran for Congress in one of two new at-large seats Progressive in

1912 This year is notable for Sinking of the Titanic, the sinking of the ''Titanic'', which occurred on April 15. In Albania, this leap year runs with only 353 days as the country achieved switching from the Julian to Gregorian Calendar by skippin ...

, as Washington's congressional apportionment grew from three to five seats following the 1910 census. He was elected to the Sixty-third Congress and served for one term (March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915), and was an unsuccessful candidate for the nomination for

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

on the Progressive ticket in

1914 This year saw the beginning of what became known as the First World War, after Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, heir to the Austrian throne was Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated by Serbian nationalist Gavrilo Princip ...

. The nomination went to

Ole Hanson Ole Thorsteinsson Hanson (January 6, 1874 – July 6, 1940) was an American politician who served as mayor of Seattle, Washington, from 1918 to 1919. Hanson became a national figure promoting law and order when he took a hardline position during ...

, who finished third in a five-man general election and was elected mayor of

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

in 1918.

After politics

After leaving

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, Falconer remained on the East Coast and worked in the ship-brokerage business in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

from 1915 to 1919. He then moved to

Fort Worth, Texas Fort Worth is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the county seat of Tarrant County, Texas, Tarrant County, covering nearly into Denton County, Texas, Denton, Johnson County, Texas, Johnson, Parker County, Texas, Parker, and Wise County, Te ...

, in 1919 and engaged in road-construction contracting, then to

Farmington, New Mexico Farmington (Navajo language, Navajo: Tóta') is a city in San Juan County, New Mexico, San Juan County in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 46,624 people. Farmington (and ...

, in 1925 and was in the oil and gas industry. Falconer died in

Wingdale, New York Wingdale is a hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the town of Dover in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It was first listed as a CDP prior to the 2020 census. The community is in southeastern Dutchess County, in the southern par ...

, on July 1, 1928, and was interred in Saugatuck Cemetery in

References

External links

*
Washington Secretary of State
– History Makers – Jacob Falconer {{DEFAULTSORT:Falconer, Jacob Alexander 1869 births 1928 deaths People from Ontario Canadian emigrants to the United States Progressive Party (1912) members of the United States House of Representatives from Washington (state) Members of the Washington House of Representatives Washington (state) state senators Mayors of Everett, Washington People from Saugatuck, Michigan Speakers of the Washington House of Representatives 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 20th-century members of the Washington State Legislature

Early years

Political career

After politics

See also

References

External links