James F. O'Connor

James F. O'Connor
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Montana's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1937 – January 15, 1945
Preceded by Roy E. Ayers
Succeeded by Wesley A. D'Ewart
Personal details
Born May 7, 1878
near California Junction, Iowa, United States
Died January 15, 1945 (aged 66)
Washington, D.C., United States
Political party Democratic
Alma mater University of Nebraska at Lincoln

James Francis O'Connor (May 7, 1878 - January 15, 1945) was a U.S. Representative from Montana.

He was born on a farm near California Junction, Iowa, and attended the grade schools and normal school in Iowa. He was graduated from the law department of the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1904. He was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Livingston, Montana, in 1905. He also engaged in stock raising, ranching, and banking. He served as judge of the sixth judicial district of Montana in 1912. He served as member of the State house of representatives 1917-1918 and served as speaker. He served as special counsel for the Federal Trade Commission in Washington, D.C., in 1918. He served as member of Park County High School Board for a number of years. Following the death of United States Senator Thomas J. Walsh, O'Connor ran for the United States Senate in the special election held to replace him in 1934. In doing so, he challenged John E. Erickson, who, as Governor of Montana, appointed himself to the United States Senate. In the Democratic primary, O'Connor narrowly lost to James E. Murray, but finished ahead of Erickson.

In 1936, when incumbent United States Congressman Roy E. Ayers opted to run for Governor rather than seek re-election, O'Connor ran to succeed him in Montana's 2nd congressional district. He won the Democratic primary and defeated T. S. Stockdahl, the Republican nominee, in a landslide. O'Connor was narrowly re-elected in 1938 over W. C. Husband when Republicans nationwide gained eighty-one seats in the United States House of Representatives. He won re-election in 1940 in a landslide against Melvin N. Hoiness, and again in 1942 against F. F. Haynes by a much narrower margin. O'Connor served as the Chairman of the House Committee on Indian Affairs during the 78th United States Congress, from 1943 to 1945. He defeated Haynes once again in 1944, winning his fifth and final term in Congress, as he would die just weeks into his fifth term in Washington, D.C., on January 15, 1945. He was interred in Mount Calvary Cemetery, Livingston, Montana.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Further reading