James R. Williams
Encyclopedia
James Robert Williams (December 27, 1850 - November 8, 1923) was a U.S. Representative
from Illinois
.
Born in Carmi, Illinois
, Williams attended the common schools.
He graduated from Indiana University in 1875, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
, and from Union College of Law, Chicago
, Illinois
, in 1876.
He was admitted to the bar
in 1876 and returned home to practice in Carmi.
He served as master in chancery 1880-1882.
County judge of White County 1882-1886.
Williams was elected as a Democrat
to the Fifty-first
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Richard W. Townsend.
He was reelected to the Fifty-second
and Fifty-third
Congresses and served from December 2, 1889, to March 3, 1895.
Williams was a friend of William Jennings Bryan
. Because of their friendship, Bryan made a whistle-stop visit to Carmi in 1896 to give a presidential campaign speech.
Williams was elected to the Fifty-sixth
, Fifty-seventh
, and Fifty-eighth
Congresses (March 4, 1899-March 3, 1905).
In 1900, his name was presented to the National Convention at St. Louis, Missouri, as a candidate for vice-president. In 1902, the Chicago Chronicle said he was being groomed for president. "Bob Williams for President" headlined the Chicago Evening Post on November 9, 1903. In 1903, Illinois Democrats nominated Williams for the United States Senate. He did not win but received a letter from Williams Jennings Bryan, who expressed an interest in talking with him about plans for 1904. In 1904, he came in second place for the Democratic Vice Presidential nomination.
In 1904, Williams was defeated in his bid for reelection by Pleasant T. Chapman
. After his term in the House of Representatives, he resumed the practice of his profession. He died in Loma Linda, California
, November 8, 1923. He was interred in Maple Ridge Cemetery, Carmi, Illinois
.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
.
Born in Carmi, Illinois
Carmi, Illinois
Carmi is a city in White County, Illinois, along the Little Wabash River. The population was 5,240 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of White County.-Demographics:...
, Williams attended the common schools.
He graduated from Indiana University in 1875, where he was a member of Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
, and from Union College of Law, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, in 1876.
He was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar in the United States
In the United States, admission to the bar is the granting of permission by a particular court system to a lawyer to practice law in that system. Each U.S. state and similar jurisdiction has its own court system and sets its own rules for bar admission , which can lead to different admission...
in 1876 and returned home to practice in Carmi.
He served as master in chancery 1880-1882.
County judge of White County 1882-1886.
Williams was elected as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the Fifty-first
51st United States Congress
The Fifty-first United States Congress, referred to by some critics as the Billion Dollar Congress, was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C...
Congress to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Richard W. Townsend.
He was reelected to the Fifty-second
52nd United States Congress
The Fifty-second United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C...
and Fifty-third
53rd United States Congress
The Fifty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1893 to March 4, 1895, during the fifth and sixth...
Congresses and served from December 2, 1889, to March 3, 1895.
Williams was a friend of William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan
William Jennings Bryan was an American politician in the late-19th and early-20th centuries. He was a dominant force in the liberal wing of the Democratic Party, standing three times as its candidate for President of the United States...
. Because of their friendship, Bryan made a whistle-stop visit to Carmi in 1896 to give a presidential campaign speech.
Williams was elected to the Fifty-sixth
56th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:- Leadership :- Senate :* President: Garret Hobart , until November 21, 1899 , vacant thereafter.* President pro tempore: William P. Frye * Democratic Caucus Chairman: James K. Jones...
, Fifty-seventh
57th United States Congress
-House of Representatives:*Democratic: 151*Republican: 200 *Populist: 5*Silver : 1TOTAL members: 357-Leadership:-Senate:* President: Theodore Roosevelt , until September 14, 1901, vacant thereafter....
, and Fifty-eighth
58th United States Congress
- House of Representatives :* Republican : 209 * Democratic : 176* Silver Republican : 1TOTAL members: 386-Senate:* President: Vacant* President pro tempore: William P. Frye -Members:...
Congresses (March 4, 1899-March 3, 1905).
In 1900, his name was presented to the National Convention at St. Louis, Missouri, as a candidate for vice-president. In 1902, the Chicago Chronicle said he was being groomed for president. "Bob Williams for President" headlined the Chicago Evening Post on November 9, 1903. In 1903, Illinois Democrats nominated Williams for the United States Senate. He did not win but received a letter from Williams Jennings Bryan, who expressed an interest in talking with him about plans for 1904. In 1904, he came in second place for the Democratic Vice Presidential nomination.
In 1904, Williams was defeated in his bid for reelection by Pleasant T. Chapman
Pleasant T. Chapman
Pleasant Thomas Chapman was a U.S. Representative from Illinois.Born on a farm near Vienna, Illinois, Chapman attended the public schools, and then went to McKendree College, in Lebanon, Illinois...
. After his term in the House of Representatives, he resumed the practice of his profession. He died in Loma Linda, California
Loma Linda, California
Loma Linda is a city in San Bernardino County, California, United States, that was incorporated in 1970. The population was 23,261 at the 2010 census, up from 18,681 at the 2000 census...
, November 8, 1923. He was interred in Maple Ridge Cemetery, Carmi, Illinois
Carmi, Illinois
Carmi is a city in White County, Illinois, along the Little Wabash River. The population was 5,240 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of White County.-Demographics:...
.