James Beach Wakefield (March 21, 1825 – August 25, 1910) was a

United States Congressman 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 the ...

from

Minnesota Minnesota ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Upper Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and Ontario to the north and east and by the U.S. states of Wisconsin to the east, Iowa to the so ...

. He was also Senator and 8th Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota. Wakefield was born in

Winsted, Connecticut Winsted is a census-designated place and an incorporated city in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is part of the town of Winchester, Connecticut, Winchester. The population of Winsted was 7,192 at the 2020 United States census, 2 ...

to Dr. Luman Wakefield and Betsey Rockwell. His father was a Connecticut politician, and his brother was a Doctor from

Yale University Yale University is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the List of Colonial Colleges, third-oldest institution of higher education in the United Stat ...

, who married Sarah F. Wakefield. His niece was Helen Wakefield Yale, member of the

Yale family Yale University is a private Ivy League research university in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701, Yale is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States, and one of the nine colonial colleges char ...

and wife of Judge John H. Kennard. His sister, Lucy Clarissa, married to the son of Congressman Lancelot Phelps, and brother of Congressman James Phelps, whose father-in-law,

Samuel Ingham Samuel Ingham (September 5, 1793 – November 10, 1881) was a two-term Congressman from Connecticut. Early life Samuel Ingham was born on September 5, 1793, in Hebron, Connecticut. He attended the common schools in Vermont, studied law with ...

, was also Congressman and Senator from Connecticut.Wakefield, Homer (1897)
Wakefield memorial, comprising an historical, genealogical and biographical register of the name and family of Wakefield
Bloomington, Ill., Priv. print. for the compiler Pantagraph Printing and Stationery Co., New York Public Library, p. 66 James attended the public schools at

Westfield, Massachusetts Westfield is a city in Hampden County, Massachusetts, Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. Westfield was first settled by Europeans in 1660. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Springfield metrop ...

, and

Jonesville, New York Jonesville is a hamlet in Saratoga County, New York, United States. History Jonesville is named after John Jones, the "first collector of the town of Half-Moon"—The area was part of the town of Halfmoon until 1828. Points of interest * Jonesv ...

, graduated from

Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

, in 1846 and studied law in Painesville,

Lake County, Ohio Lake County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 232,603. Its county seat is Painesville, and its largest city is Mentor. The county was established on March 6, 1840, from land given by Cuyahoga a ...

. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in

Delphi, Indiana Delphi () is a city in and the county seat of Carroll County, Indiana, Carroll County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Located twenty minutes northeast of Lafayette, Indiana, Lafayette, it is part of the Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette, Indiana metro ...

, in 1852. He moved to

Shakopee, Minnesota Shakopee ( ) is a city in and the county seat of Scott County, Minnesota, United States. It is southwest of Minneapolis. Sited on the south bank bend of the Minnesota River, Shakopee and nearby suburbs comprise the southwest portion of Minneap ...

, in 1854. He was first judge of the probate court of Faribault County, Minnesota. He was elected as a member of the

Minnesota House of Representatives The Minnesota House of Representatives is the lower chamber of the U.S. state of Minnesota's Minnesota Legislature, legislature. It operates in conjunction with the Minnesota Senate, the state's upper chamber, to write and pass legislation, whic ...

in 1858, 1863, and 1866, serving as speaker in the session of 1866. He was elected as a member of the

Minnesota State Senate The Minnesota Senate is the upper house of the Legislature of the U.S. state of Minnesota. At 67 members, half as many as the Minnesota House of Representatives, it is the largest upper house of any U.S. state legislature. Floor sessions are hel ...

1867–1869. He was appointed receiver of the United States Land Office at Winnebago City Township, Minnesota, June 1, 1869, and served until January 15, 1875, when he resigned. He was the eighth Lieutenant Governor of Minnesota 1875–1877. He was elected as a Republican to the 48th and 49th congresses, (March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1887). He retired from public life and died at Blue Earth, Faribault County, Minnesota with interment in Evergreen Cemetery,

Painesville, Ohio Painesville is a city in Lake County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. Located along the Grand River (Ohio), Grand River, it is a northeast suburb of Cleveland. Its population was 20,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Pa ...

References

Minnesota Historical SocietyMinnesota Legislators Past and Present
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wakefield, James 1825 births 1910 deaths Republican Party Minnesota state senators Lieutenant governors of Minnesota Speakers of the Minnesota House of Representatives Minnesota state court judges People from Winsted, Connecticut People from Painesville, Ohio Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Minnesota People from Blue Earth, Minnesota People from Shakopee, Minnesota People from Winnebago, Minnesota 19th-century Minnesota state court judges 19th-century members of the United States House of Representatives 19th-century members of the Minnesota Legislature