John W. Weeks

John Wingate Weeks (April 11, 1860 – July 12, 1926) was an American banker and

John Wingate Weeks was born and raised in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1881,^[2] and served for two years in the United States Navy. He married Martha Aroline Sinclair on October 7, 1885.

Weeks made a fortune in banking during the 1890s, after co-founding the Boston financial firm Hornblower & Weeks in 1888.^[3] During the Spanish–American War, he returned to active duty with the U.S. Navy from April to October 1898 with the rank of lieutenant.

With his financial well-being assured, Weeks became active in politics, first at a local level in his then-home of Newton, Massachusetts, serving as alderman in 1899–1902 and as mayor in 1903–04. He then moved on to the national scene in 1905, when he was elected to serve the 12th congressional district of Massachusetts in the United States Congress.^[4]

As a member of the

In the election of 1918, Weeks was defeated in his re-election campaign. Due to the passage of the

As Secretary of War, Weeks was a competent, honest, and respected administrator and adviser, who guided the Department of War through its post-World War I downsizing. Weeks's hard work and long hours led to a stroke in April 1925, which led in turn to his resignation as Secretary in October of that year.

Weeks died several months later, at his summer home on Prospect Mountain in Lancaster, New Hampshire. His ashes were buried in Arlington National Cemetery^[6] near what is now known as Weeks Drive.^[7]

Family

Weeks's son,

His great uncle, for whom he was named, John Wingate Weeks (1781–1853), was a major in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 and served as a congressman from New Hampshire.^[9] Edgar Weeks congressman from Michigan was mis-attributed as a cousin of John Wingate Weeks in the past.^[10]

Namesakes

Weeks's summer home where he died is now open for tours as part of the

The John W. Weeks Bridge, a footbridge over the Charles River on the campus of Harvard University in Boston and Cambridge, Massachusetts, was named for Weeks and opened in 1927.

The John Wingate Weeks Junior High School built in 1930 in Newton Centre, Massachusetts, was named for him.

During

The

The investment banking and brokerage firm Hornblower and Weeks, founded in 1888, was named for Weeks and co-founder Henry Hornblower.

Weeks Field in Fairbanks, Alaska was named after him.^[11]

See also

• New Hampshire Historical Marker No. 219: The Weeks Act 1911

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to John W. Weeks.

Wikisource has the text of a 1922 Encyclopædia Britannica article about "John W. Weeks".

• Works by or about John W. Weeks at Internet Archive

• United States Congress. "John W. Weeks (id: W000246)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• The Papers of John W. Weeks at Dartmouth College Library

Political offices
Preceded by Edward L. Pickard	Mayor of Newton 1902–1903	Succeeded by Alonzo Weed
Preceded by Newton D. Baker	United States Secretary of War 1921–1925	Succeeded by Dwight F. Davis
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Samuel L. Powers	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 12th congressional district 1905–1913	Succeeded by James Michael Curley
Preceded by Jesse Overstreet	Chair of the House Post Office Committee 1909–1911	Succeeded by John A. Moon
Preceded by William S. Greene	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 13th congressional district 1913	Succeeded by John Mitchell
U.S. Senate
Preceded by Winthrop M. Crane	U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Massachusetts 1913–1919 Served alongside: Henry Cabot Lodge	Succeeded by David I. Walsh
Party political offices
First	Class 2) 1918	Succeeded by Frederick H. Gillett
Awards and achievements
Preceded by Frank Lowden	Cover of Time Magazine October 22, 1923	Succeeded by Roy Chapman Andrews