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James Donnewald
Donnewald, circa 1983
68th Treasurer of Illinois
In office January 10, 1983 – January 12, 1987
Governor	Jim Thompson
Preceded by	Jerome Cosentino
Succeeded by	Jerome Cosentino
Personal details
Born	January 29, 1925 Carlyle, Illinois, U.S.
Died	September 18, 2009(2009-09-18) (aged 84) St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Ruth Evelyn Holtgrave
Residence	Breese, Illinois
Alma mater	Saint Louis University Lincoln College of Law

James H. Donnewald (January 29, 1925 – September 18, 2009) was an American politician from the state of Illinois. He was a Democrat who served as state Treasurer from 1983 until 1987.

Early life and career

James H. Donnewald was born in Carlyle, Illinois on January 29, 1925. His family moved to Joliet, Illinois when he was in sixth grade, but returned to Carlyle his final year of high school. He entered Saint Louis University in 1942 and transferred to Lincoln College of Law in Springfield, Illinois in 1944. Donnewald joined the United States Army after the start of the Korean War and was honorably discharged in 1951. Donnewald began the practice of law in 1952. In 1948, Donnewald was elected as a Democratic precinct committeeman. He was elected as a Carlyle Township Supervisor in 1949 where he would serve until 1951. He served as the City Attorney of Breese, Illinois in 1956.

Political career

He was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in 1960 and re-elected in 1962. He was subsequently elected to the state Senate in 1964. During his tenure, he would serve as the assistant Senate majority leader. In 1982, he was elected as the state Treasurer. Despite the support for his reelection in 1986 by the Illinois Democratic Central Committee, including U.S. Senator Alan Dixon, Thom Serafin, and William Griffin, he was defeated by Jerome Cosentino, who was also his predecessor. He left office in 1987 and retired from elective politics.

Death

Donnewald died on September 18, 2009, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. He was 84.

Notes

1. "'Illinois Blue Book 1985-1986,' Biographical Sketch of James H. Donnewald, pg. 26-27".
2. Casey, Charles T. (Chairman) (July 1, 1956). Breese Centennial Celebration 1856-1956. Breese, Illinois: Breese Historical Committee. p. 75. Retrieved October 1, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
3. Breese Centennial Celebration 1856-1956. p. 11. Retrieved October 1, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
4. Neal, Steve. "Donnewald Winds Up Race In Vote Country", Chicago Tribune, Chicago, February 02, 1986. Retrieved July 14, 2015
5. Profile from Our Campaigns
6. "Former Illinois Treasurer James Donnewald dies at 84". The State Journal-Register. September 19, 2009. Archived from the original on February 29, 2012.

v t e Illinois state treasurers
Thomas McLaughlin Field Hall Dement Gregory Whiteside Carpenter Moore J. Miller Butler Starne Beveridge G. Smith Bates Rutz Ridgway Rutz J. Smith Rutz J. Smith Gross Tanner Becker Wilson R. Ramsay E. Ramsay Wulff Hertz Whittlemore Williamson Busse Small Smulski Russel Mitchell Ryan Russel Small Sterling E. Miller Nelson Custer Kinney Custer Barrett Martin Stelle Martin Lewis Wright Stratton Becker Rowe O. Smith Stratton Hoffman Wright Hoffman Lohman Lorenz Scott Stevenson Woodford Dixon D. Smith Cosentino Donnewald Cosentino Quinn Topinka Giannoulias Rutherford Frerichs

• 1925 births
• 2009 deaths
• People from Carlyle, Illinois
• State treasurers of Illinois
• Democratic Party Illinois state senators
• Democratic Party members of the Illinois House of Representatives
• 20th-century members of the Illinois General Assembly
• Lincoln College of Law alumni
• Illinois lawyers
• 20th-century American lawyers