James Graham Jenkins (July 18, 1834August 6, 1921) was an American lawyer and Judge. He served twelve years as a

judge A judge is a person who wiktionary:preside, presides over court proceedings, either alone or as a part of a judicial panel. In an adversarial system, the judge hears all the witnesses and any other Evidence (law), evidence presented by the barris ...

of the

United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (in case citations, 7th Cir.) is the U.S. United States federal court, federal court with appellate jurisdiction over the United States district court, courts in the following United Stat ...

, appointed by President

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was the 22nd and 24th president of the United States, serving from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. He was the first U.S. president to serve nonconsecutive terms and the first Hist ...

. Prior to that, he had been a United States district judge for the Eastern District of Wisconsin.

Education and career

Born on July 18, 1834, in

Saratoga Springs, New York Saratoga Springs is a Administrative divisions of New York#City, city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 28,491 at the United States Census 2020, 2020 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the ...

, Jenkins

read law Reading law was the primary method used in common law countries, particularly the United States, for people to prepare for and enter the legal profession before the advent of law schools. It consisted of an extended internship or apprenticeship un ...

in 1855. He entered private practice 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 1855 to 1857. He continued private practice in

Milwaukee Milwaukee is the List of cities in Wisconsin, most populous city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. Located on the western shore of Lake Michigan, it is the List of United States cities by population, 31st-most populous city in the United States ...

Wisconsin Wisconsin ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest of the United States. It borders Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michig ...

, from 1857 to 1888. He was city attorney of Milwaukee from 1863 to 1867. In 1879, he was the Democratic nominee for

Governor of Wisconsin The governor of Wisconsin is the head of government of Wisconsin and the commander-in-chief of the state's Wisconsin Army National Guard, army and Wisconsin Air National Guard, air forces. The governor has a duty to enforce state laws, and the ...

, but was defeated by incumbent William E. Smith.

Federal judicial service

Jenkins was nominated by President

on June 19, 1888, to a seat on the

United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin (in case citations, E.D. Wis.) is a federal trial court of limited jurisdiction. The court is under the auspices of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit ...

vacated by Judge Charles E. Dyer. He was confirmed by the

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

on July 2, 1888, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on March 23, 1893, due to his elevation to the Seventh Circuit. Jenkins was nominated by President Cleveland on March 20, 1893, to a joint seat on the

and the United States Circuit Courts for the Seventh Circuit vacated by Judge Walter Q. Gresham. He was confirmed by the Senate on March 23, 1893, and received his commission the same day. His service terminated on February 23, 1905, due to his retirement.

Later career and death

Following his retirement from the federal bench, Jenkins resumed private practice in Milwaukee from 1905 to 1908. He was Dean of

Marquette University Law School Marquette University Law School is the Law school in the United States, law school of Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is one of two law schools in Wisconsin and the only private law school in the state. Founded in 1892 as the Mil ...

from 1908 to 1913. He died on August 6, 1921, in Milwaukee.

Electoral history

, colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;", General Election, November 4, 1879

References

Sources

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jenkins, James Graham 1834 births 1921 deaths People from Saratoga Springs, New York Lawyers from Milwaukee Marquette University faculty Judges of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin Judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit United States federal judges appointed by Grover Cleveland New York (state) lawyers Wisconsin lawyers United States federal judges admitted to the practice of law by reading law Burials at Forest Home Cemetery