James X. McLanahan
Chair of the House Judiciary Committee
In office
March 4, 1851 – March 4, 1853
Preceded byJames Thompson
Succeeded byFrederick P. Stanton
Member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th district
In office
March 4, 1849 – March 4, 1853
Preceded byJasper E. Brady
Succeeded byWilliam H. Kurtz
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 14th district
In office
1841–1842
Preceded byWilliam R. Gorgas
Succeeded byJesse C. Horton
Member of the Pennsylvania Senate from the 18th district
In office
1843–1844
Personal details
Born(1809-05-17)May 17, 1809
Greencastle, Pennsylvania, US
DiedDecember 16, 1861(1861-12-16) (aged 52)
New York City, US
Political partyDemocratic

James Xavier McLanahan (May 17, 1809 – December 16, 1861) was a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district from 1849 to 1853.

Early life and education

McLanahan was born near Greencastle, Pennsylvania, to William and Mary (Gregg) McLanahan.[1] He was the grandson of Pennsylvania Senator Andrew Gregg and second cousin to Pennsylvania Governor Andrew Gregg Curtin.[2] He graduated from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1827. He studied law under George Chambers who went on to become a Congressman and Pennsylvania Supreme Court justice.[3] He was admitted to the bar in 1837 and commenced practice in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.

Career

He served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 14th district from 1841 to 1842 and for the 18th district from 1843 to 1844.[4]

McLanahan was elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-first and Thirty-second Congresses. He was the chairman of the United States House Committee on the Judiciary during the Thirty-second Congress. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1852. He resumed the practice of law and died in New York City in 1861.

Footnotes

  1. ^ Johnson, Rossiter (1904). The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Boston: The Biographical Society. p. 1835. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  2. ^ "James Xavier McLanahan (1809-1861)". archives.dickinson.edu. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  3. ^ Nevin, Alfred (1876). Men of Mark of Cumberland Valley, 1776 - 1876. Cumberland County, PA: Fulton Publishing Company. p. 386. ISBN 9780608336534. Retrieved June 14, 2019.
  4. ^ "James Xavier McLanahan". www.legis.state.pa.us. Retrieved June 14, 2019.

Sources

Pennsylvania State Senate Preceded byWilliam R. Gorgas Member of the Pennsylvania Senate, 14th district 1841-1842 Succeeded byJesse C. Horton Preceded by Member of the Pennsylvania Senate, 18th district 1843-1844 Succeeded by U.S. House of Representatives Preceded byJasper E. Brady Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district 1849–1853 Succeeded byCarlton B. Curtis


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