James F. McCool

James Franklin McCool (February 24, 1853 - March 2, 1919) was an American Democratic politician and jurist. He was a member of the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1882 to 1886 and from 1896 to 1900, and was its Speaker during the latter term.

James F. McCool
Speaker of the Mississippi House of Representatives
In office
January 1896 – January 1900
Preceded byJames K. Vardaman
Succeeded byA. J. Russell
Member of the Mississippi House of Representatives
from the Attala County district
In office
January 1896 – January 1900
In office
January 1882 – January 1886
Personal details
Born(1853-02-24)February 24, 1853
Fayette County, Alabama, U.S.
DiedMarch 2, 1919(1919-03-02) (aged 66)
Kosciusko, Mississippi, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic

Biography

James Franklin McCool was born in Fayette County, Alabama, on February 24, 1853.[1] His mother, Elender Gray McCool, died when James was young, and James's father, Lafayette McCool, died in the Confederate Army in the Civil War.[1][2][3] McCool then traveled to Mississippi on foot, and made money to get an education.[2] He received his education at Slate Springs College in Calhoun County, Mississippi.[1] He graduated from the University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Laws in 1879.[1][4][3] For five years, he was a teacher in schools in Calhoun and Attala counties.[1][2] He then practiced law in Kosciusko, Attala County, Mississippi.[1][4][5]

Political career

McCool was elected to represent Attala County as a Democrat in the Mississippi House of Representatives for the 1882 session.[6][7] He was re-elected for the 1884 session.[5][7] In 1883, the town of McCool, Mississippi, was named after him.[3] McCool was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention of 1888.[2] McCool was re-elected again to the Mississippi House of Representatives in 1895 for the 1896-1900 term.[7] He served as the Speaker for this term.[2][7][3] McCool then decided to run for the office of Governor of Mississippi, but withdrew in 1899 before the convention in Jackson.[2] He then was a presidential elector in the 1900 election.[2][3] In January 1903, McCool was appointed Chancellor of Mississippi's 6th Chancery Court district.[1][2][3]

Later life

McCool died on March 2, 1919, in Kosciusko, Mississippi.[1]

Personal life

McCool married Mary Niles, the daughter of Jason Niles, in 1881.[1][3] They had one son, named Jason Niles McCool.[1][3]

References
  1. "Clipped From The Star-Herald". The Star-Herald. 1976-09-09. p. 22. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  2. "Article from 7 Jan 1903 issue of The Clarion Ledger (Jackson Ms) about J F McCool". Clarion-Ledger. 1903-01-07. p. 1. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  3. Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Southern Historical Publishing Association. pp. 571–572. ISBN 978-0-87152-223-8.
  4. University of Mississippi (1894). Catalogue of the Officers and Students of the University of Mississippi, at Oxford, Mississippi. The University. pp. 84, 86.
  5. "1884 House · Mississippi State University Libraries". msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  6. "1882 House · Mississippi State University Libraries". msstate-exhibits.libraryhost.com. Retrieved 2022-01-16.
  7. Rowland, Dunbar (1917). The Official and Statistical Register of the State of Mississippi. Department of Archives and History. pp. 249, 188.
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