James Colgate Cleveland

James Colgate Cleveland
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Hampshire's 2nd district
In office
January 3, 1963 – January 3, 1981
Preceded byPerkins Bass
Succeeded byJudd Gregg
Member of the
New Hampshire Senate
In office
1950–1962
Personal details
Born(1920-06-13)June 13, 1920
Montclair, New Jersey, U.S.
DiedDecember 3, 1995(1995-12-03) (aged 75)
New London, New Hampshire, U.S.
Resting placeOld Main Street Cemetery
New London, New Hampshire
Political partyRepublican
SpouseHilary Paterson Cleveland
ChildrenCotton Mather (Cleveland) DiLorenzo Garvey
James Colby Cleveland
David Paterson Cleveland
Dr. Lincoln Mather Cleveland
Susan Sclater Cleveland
RelativesPatience Cleveland (sister)
Alma materDeerfield Academy
Colgate University
Yale Law School
AwardsBronze Star
Military service
Branch/serviceUnited States Army
Years of service1941-1946, 1951-1952
RankCaptain
Battles/warsWorld War II
Korean War

James Colgate Cleveland (June 13, 1920 – December 3, 1995) was an American politician in the U.S. state of New Hampshire. He served as a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from 1963 to 1981.

Early life

Cleveland was born in Montclair, Essex County, New Jersey. He attended Deerfield Academy in Deerfield, Massachusetts[1] before graduating from Colgate University in Hamilton, New York in 1942. He then attended Yale Law School as a graduate student. His time at Yale was interrupted when he enlisted in the Army in December 1941. During World War II, he served overseas in the Pacific in the 40th Infantry Division and was discharged as a captain of Field Artillery in February 1946. He returned to Yale after the war and earned his law degree in 1948. He was admitted to the bar and began practicing law in New London in January 1949.

Political career

Cleveland held various political positions in New Hampshire, and served as a Republican member of the New Hampshire Senate from 1950 to 1962.[2] In June 1951 he was recalled up to the Army during the Korean War and was stationed in Germany. He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor, and retired from service in November 1952. He was an organizer and director of New London Trust Company, and served as a member of the New Hampshire State Senate from 1950 to 1962. He served as majority floor leader twice while he was in the State Senate.

In 1962 Cleveland ran as a Republican candidate for the office of United States Representative for 2nd district.[3] He was elected to the 88th Congress and to the eight succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1963, to January 3, 1981. While he stated that he only ran because he didn't think there were good choices for the position, he won the respect of the constituents of his district. By using a bi-annual questionnaire sent to the people in his district, he tried to represent their desires even if it were not his own personal opinion of an issue. In Congress he served on the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.[4] He was not a candidate for reelection in 1980 to the Ninety-seventh Congress and retired from public life.

Cleveland supported the Civil Rights Acts of 1964[5] and 1968,[6] as well as the Medicare program,[7] the Voting Rights Act of 1965,[8] and the Housing and Urban Development Act of 1968.[9]

Death and legacy

Cleveland died on December 3, 1995 (age 75 years, 173 days) in New London, New Hampshire. [10] He is interred at Old Main Street Cemetery in New London.

In appreciation of Cleveland's work in Congress, the United States Post Office and Court House building in Concord was renamed the James C. Cleveland Federal Building in 1980.[11] In 1982 the James C. Cleveland Bridge was constructed in Berlin, New Hampshire in his honor.[12]

The James C. Cleveland Papers are held by the Cleveland, Colby, Colgate Archives of Colby-Sawyer College in New London.[13]

Family life

Cleveland was the eldest son of Dr. Mather Cleveland and Susan Everett (Colgate) Cleveland. His sister was actress Patience Cleveland. On December 9, 1950, Cleveland married Hilary Paterson, and they moved into the Cleveland summer home in New London. They had five children, Cotton Mather, James Colby, David Paterson, Lincoln Mather, and Susan Sclater. Cleveland's wife became a professor at Colby–Sawyer College.[14]

References

  1. ^ "Boyden, Deerfield Headmaster 66 Years, Will Retire in June" (PDF). Fulton History. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  2. ^ "Spotlight on Candidates: Cleveland Seeks 8th Term". The Telegraph. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  3. ^ Belman, Felice and Pride, Mike (2001). The New Hampshire Century: Concord Monitor Profiles of One Hundred People who Shaped it. UPNE. p. 20. ISBN 9781584650874. Retrieved 10 July 2014.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (5 December 1995). "James Colgate Cleveland, 75, Ex-Congressman". The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  5. ^ "H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE".
  6. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES".
  7. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 6675, A BILL TO PROVIDE A HOSPITAL INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR THE AGED UNDER THE SOCIAL SECURITY ACT".
  8. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
  9. ^ "TO AGREE TO CONFERENCE REPORT ON S. 3497, THE HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT ACT OF 1968".
  10. ^ Saxon, Wolfgang (5 December 1995). "James Colgate Cleveland, 75, Ex-Congressman". The New York Times. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  11. ^ "Bill Summary & Status96th Congress (1979 - 1980) H.R.7588". The Library of Congress. Retrieved June 10, 2014.[permanent dead link‍]
  12. ^ Nadeau, Jacklyn T. (2008). Berlin, New Hampshire. Arcadia Publishing. p. 24. ISBN 9780738557830. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  13. ^ James C. Cleveland papers Archived 2012-07-23 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "James Colgate Cleveland". 2006 Colby-Sawyer College. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from New Hampshire's 2nd congressional district
1963–1981 		Succeeded by