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| James Carson Needham | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Curtis H. Castle |
| Succeeded by | Joseph R. Knowland |
| Constituency | 7th district (1899–1903) 6th district (1903–1913) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1864-09-17)September 17, 1864 Carson City, Nevada |
| Died | July 11, 1942(1942-07-11) (aged 77) Modesto, California |
| Resting place | Masonic Cemetery |
| Political party | Republican |
| Alma mater | California Wesleyan College University of Michigan Law School |
James Carson Needham (September 17, 1864 – July 11, 1942) was an American lawyer and politician who served as a seven-term U.S. Representative from California from 1899 to 1913.
Biography
Born in a covered wagon at Carson City, Nevada, James Needham arrived as a baby with his parents Charles and Olive at Mayfield, Santa Clara, California, 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., from September 1, 1887, until September 1, 1888, when he resigned to complete his law course. He was admitted to the bar in 1889 and commenced practice in Modesto, California. 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 from 1913 to 1916, when he returned to Modesto, California, 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 on July 11, 1942. He was interred in the Masonic Cemetery.
Electoral history
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham | 20,793 | 50.1 | |||
| Populist | Curtis H. Castle (incumbent) | 20,680 | 49.9 | |||
| Total votes | 41,473 | 100.0 | ||||
| Turnout | ||||||
| Republican gain from Populist | ||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (inc.) | 23,450 | 52.4 | |
| Democratic | W. D. Crichton | 18,981 | 42.4 | |
| Socialist | Noble A. Richardson | 1,385 | 3.1 | |
| Prohibition | A. H. Hensley | 919 | 2.1 | |
| Total votes | 44,735 | 100.0 | ||
| Turnout | ||||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (Incumbent) | 17,268 | 53.5 | |
| Democratic | Gaston M. Ashe | 13,732 | 42.5 | |
| Socialist | J. L. Cobb | 815 | 2.5 | |
| Prohibition | Joel H. Smith | 466 | 1.4 | |
| Total votes | 32,281 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (Incumbent) | 18,828 | 55.1 | |
| Democratic | William M. Conley | 13,074 | 38.2 | |
| Socialist | J. L. Cobb | 1,537 | 4.5 | |
| Prohibition | Joel H. Smith | 740 | 2.2 | |
| Total votes | 34,079 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
1906
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (Incumbent) | 18,928 | 55.6 | |
| Democratic | Harry A. Greene | 12,868 | 37.8 | |
| Socialist | Richard Kirk | 1,303 | 3.8 | |
| Prohibition | Herman E. Burbank | 964 | 2.8 | |
| Total votes | 34,063 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
1908
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (Incumbent) | 21,323 | 52.0 | |
| Democratic | Fred P. Feliz | 15,868 | 38.7 | |
| Socialist | W. M. Pattison | 2,288 | 5.6 | |
| Prohibition | James W. Webb | 1,509 | 3.7 | |
| Total votes | 40,988 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
1910
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James C. Needham (Incumbent) | 19,717 | 47.3 | |
| Democratic | A. L. Cowell | 18,408 | 44.2 | |
| Socialist | Richard Kirk | 2,568 | 6.2 | |
| Prohibition | Ira E. Surface | 951 | 2.3 | |
| Total votes | 41,644 | 100.0 | ||
| Republican hold | ||||
References
- NEEDHAM, James Carson in Marquis Who's Who (1901-1902 edition), at archive.org
- "S. Doc. 58-1 - Fifty-eighth Congress. (Extraordinary session -- beginning November 9, 1903.) Official Congressional Directory for the use of the United States Congress. Compiled under the direction of the Joint Committee on Printing by A.J. Halford. Special edition. Corrections made to November 5, 1903". GovInfo.gov. U.S. Government Printing Office. 9 November 1903. p. 8. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- United States Congress. "James C. Needham (id: N000021)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byCurtis H. Castle | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 7th congressional district 1899–1903 |
Succeeded byJames McLachlan |
| Preceded byJames McLachlan | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from California's 6th congressional district 1903–1913 |
Succeeded byJoseph R. Knowland |
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
- 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