James Carson Needham (September 17, 1864 – July 11, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a seven-term
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
California
California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...
from 1899 to 1913.
Biography
Born in a
covered wagon
A covered wagon, also called a prairie wagon, whitetop, or prairie schooner, is a horse-drawn or ox-drawn wagon used for passengers or freight hauling. It has a canvas, tarpaulin, or waterproof sheet which is stretched over removable wooden ...
at
Carson City, Nevada
Carson City, officially the Carson City Consolidated Municipality, is an Independent city (United States), independent city and the capital of the U.S. state of Nevada. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 58,63 ...
, James Needham arrived as a baby with his parents Charles and Olive
[NEEDHAM, James Carson]
in ''Marquis Who's Who
Marquis Who's Who, also known as A.N. Marquis Company ( or ), is an American publisher of a number of directories containing short biographies. The books usually are entitled ''Who's Who in...'' followed by some subject, such as ''Who's Who in A ...
'' (1901-1902 edition), at archive.org
The Internet Archive is an American non-profit organization founded in 1996 by Brewster Kahle that runs a digital library website, archive.org. It provides free access to collections of digitized media including websites, software applic ...
at Mayfield,
Santa Clara, California
Santa Clara ( ; Spanish language, Spanish for "Clare of Assisi, Saint Clare") is a city in Santa Clara County, California. The city's population was 127,647 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities and towns i ...
, October 1, 1864.
He attended the Santa Clara County public schools.
He was graduated from the
California Wesleyan College at San Jose in 1886 and from the law department of the
University of Michigan at Ann Arbor in 1889.
He served as clerk in The Adjutant General's Office of the War Department in
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 ...
, from September 1, 1887, until September 1, 1888, when he resigned to complete his law course.
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 ...
in 1889 and commenced practice in
Modesto, California
Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the List of cities and towns in Ca ...
.
He was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the State senate in 1890.
Congress
Needham was elected as a
Republican to the
Fifty-sixth and to the six succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1913).
He was an unsuccessful candidate in 1912 for reelection to the
Sixty-third Congress.
Later career
He resumed the practice of law in
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ) is a city on the Pacific coast of Southern California, adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a population of over 1.4 million, it is the List of United States cities by population, eighth-most populous city in t ...
from 1913 to 1916, when he returned to
Modesto, California
Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the List of cities and towns in Ca ...
, and continued his profession.
He was appointed judge of the superior court of California January 1, 1919. Needham was elected to the same office in 1920 to fill an unexpired term. He was reelected in 1922 and again in 1926, and served until January 1, 1935.
Death
He died in
Modesto, California
Modesto ( ; ) is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,069 according to 2022 United States Census Bureau, U.S. Census Bureau estimates, it is the List of cities and towns in Ca ...
on July 11, 1942.
He was interred in the Masonic Cemetery.
Electoral history
1906
1908
1910
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Needham, James Carson
1864 births
1942 deaths
Politicians from Carson City, Nevada
University of Michigan Law School alumni
Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from California
20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives
Candidates in the 1914 United States House of Representatives elections