James A. Parsons
Encyclopedia
James A. Parsons was an American lawyer and politician.
in 1890, and moved back to New York
in 1893. He then lived in Hornell, New York
where he was at times City Attorney and City Recorder.
In 1911, he was appointed Fourth Deputy Attorney General by Thomas Carmody
, and his first task was to resume the Queens
graft prosecutions, relieving Arthur Train
who had been the Special Deputy Attorney General in charge of the case, appointed by Carmody's predecessor Edward R. O'Malley
. Upon Carmody's resignation on September 2, 1914, Parsons was appointed New York State Attorney General
by Governor Martin H. Glynn
for the remaining four months of Carmody's term. He ran for re-election in November 1914, but was defeated by Republican Egburt E. Woodbury
.
He was an alternate delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention
, and a delegate to the 1920 Democratic National Convention
.
He was counsel to Governor Al Smith
who appointed him in 1923 New York State Public Service Commissioner, and in 1924 a judge of the New York Court of Claims
a post he held until 1936 when he resigned.
Life
He was admitted to the bar of NebraskaNebraska
Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....
in 1890, and moved back to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
in 1893. He then lived in Hornell, New York
Hornell, New York
Hornell is a city in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 9,019 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Hornell family, early settlers. Its current population has not yet been released by the new census....
where he was at times City Attorney and City Recorder.
In 1911, he was appointed Fourth Deputy Attorney General by Thomas Carmody
Thomas Carmody
Thomas Carmody was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He graduated from Cornell University Law School, and was admitted to the bar in 1886...
, and his first task was to resume the Queens
Queens
Queens is the easternmost of the five boroughs of New York City. The largest borough in area and the second-largest in population, it is coextensive with Queens County, an administrative division of New York state, in the United States....
graft prosecutions, relieving Arthur Train
Arthur Train
Arthur Cheney Train was an American lawyer and legal thriller writer, particularly known for his novels of courtroom intrigue and the creation of the fictional lawyer Mr Ephraim Tutt.-Life:...
who had been the Special Deputy Attorney General in charge of the case, appointed by Carmody's predecessor Edward R. O'Malley
Edward R. O'Malley
Edward Richard O'Malley was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:...
. Upon Carmody's resignation on September 2, 1914, Parsons was appointed New York State Attorney General
New York State Attorney General
The New York State Attorney General is the chief legal officer of the State of New York. The office has been in existence in some form since 1626, under the Dutch colonial government of New York.The current Attorney General is Eric Schneiderman...
by Governor Martin H. Glynn
Martin H. Glynn
Martin Henry Glynn was an American politician. He was the 40th Governor of New York from 1913 to 1914, the first Irish American Roman Catholic head of government of what was then the most populated state of the US....
for the remaining four months of Carmody's term. He ran for re-election in November 1914, but was defeated by Republican Egburt E. Woodbury
Egburt E. Woodbury
Egburt E. Woodbury was an American lawyer and politician.-Life:He was elected a Justice of the Peace in 1886...
.
He was an alternate delegate to the 1912 Democratic National Convention
1912 Democratic National Convention
The 1912 Democratic National Convention was held at the Fifth Regiment Armory in Baltimore from June 25 to July 2, 1912. It proved to be one of the more memorable United States presidential conventions of the twentieth century. The main candidates were House Speaker Champ Clark of Missouri and...
, and a delegate to the 1920 Democratic National Convention
1920 Democratic National Convention
- External links :*...
.
He was counsel to Governor Al Smith
Al Smith
Alfred Emanuel Smith. , known in private and public life as Al Smith, was an American statesman who was elected the 42nd Governor of New York three times, and was the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate in 1928...
who appointed him in 1923 New York State Public Service Commissioner, and in 1924 a judge of the New York Court of Claims
New York Court of Claims
The New York State Court of Claims is the court which handles all claims against the State of New York and certain state agencies. It is not a small claims court. Judges of the Court of Claims are appointed by the Governor of New York and confirmed by the State Senate for a 9-year term...
a post he held until 1936 when he resigned.
Sources
- http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/parsons.html Political Graveyard
- http://www.oag.state.ny.us/previous_aglist.html List of New York Attorneys General, at Office of the NYSAG
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9902E6D81731E233A25751C1A9679C946096D6CF The Queens prosecution, in NYT on January 12, 1911
- http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9503E1DD1638E633A25750C0A96F9C946596D6CF His appointment as NYSAG, in NYT on September 3, 1914