James Smith Jr.
James Smith Jr. | |
---|---|
John Kean | |
Personal details | |
Born | Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | June 12, 1851
Died | April 1, 1927 Newark, New Jersey, U.S. | (aged 75)
Political party | Democratic |
James Smith Jr. (June 12, 1851 – April 1, 1927) was a newspaper publisher and U.S. Senator from New Jersey. A leader of the Irish Catholic community, he was the Democratic party boss who sponsored Woodrow Wilson to the governorship in 1910. [1]
Biography
Born in Newark, New Jersey, Smith attended private schools and St. Mary's College, in Wilmington, Delaware. He was engaged in the dry-goods and importing business, and later became a manufacturer of leather in Newark. He owned two Newark newspapers, the Northern Star and the Evening Star (predecessors to The Star-Ledger), from 1895 to 1915.[2]
He was a member of the Newark Common Council from 1883 to 1887. He declined the nomination for
Smith was elected as a
Smith was credited with giving
In 1915, Smith's financial interests collapsed, and he became insolvent, leaving his creditors only six cents for each dollar of debt.
He died in Newark, aged 75, and was interred in
References
Further reading
- Link, Arthur S. Wilson: The Road to the White House (1947).
- United States Congress. "James Smith Jr. (id: S000561)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.