Biography

05/30/1865 - 02/14/1945

James Bentley Weaver (R39) Westmoreland County 1917-1924

Early Life:

James Bentley Weaver, born, May 30, 1865, Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; son of Patterson C. and Elizabeth Hutcheson Weaver; Derry Township public school education; member of the first graduating class of the Latrobe High School, 1883; Indiana Normal School (now Indiana University of Pennsylvania); Western University of Pennsylvania (now University of Pittsburgh), LL.B., 1900; University of Pennsylvania Law School, LL.B, 1901; clerk, lumber business; school teacher, Derry Township and Latrobe, 1885-1894; married, Fannie F. Pores, 1886; elected, justice of the peace, Latrobe, 1894-1898; attorney 1901-1945; elected, school board, Latrobe,1907-1914, president, school board, Latrobe, 1909-1914; solicitor, Latrobe, 1911; Government Appeal Agent and chair of Legal Advisory Board, Fifth Division, Westmoreland County, World War I; elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1915-1916; elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1917-1924; died, February 14, 1945, Latrobe, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania; interment, Unity Cemetery, Latrobe, Westmoreland, Pennsylvania.

Early Career: 

Attorney, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh Bar Associations, 1901; admitted to practice before Supreme and Superior Courts of Pennsylvania, United States Courts, 1902; admitted to Westmoreland Bar, 1904; private practice Westmoreland County, 1901-1945.

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, justice of the peace, Latrobe, 1894-1898. 

Elected, school board, Latrobe,1907-1914, president, school board, Latrobe, 1909-1914. 

Solicitor, Latrobe 1911. 

Government Appeal Agent and chair of Legal Advisory Board, Fifth Division, Westmoreland County, World War I. Also, one of the Four Minute Speakers.

Elected, Republican, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1915-1916; not a candidate for reelection, 1916. 

Elected, Pennsylvania State Senate, 39th district, Westmoreland County, 1917-1924; committee assignments: Appropriations, Congressional Apportionment, Corporations, Education, Exposition Affairs, Insurance, Judiciary General (Chairman), Judiciary Special, Legislative Apportionment, Public Health and Sanitation, Public Roads and Highways; chair, Education Committee, 1919, and is credited with passing legislation increasing pay for public school teachers, necessary to stop a “large exodus” from the state; chair, Judiciary General Committee 1921-1923; elected not to run for another term.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members W". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

The Pennsylvania Manual, (1921-1922). Miller, H.P., (Compiler). Baker, W.H., (Assistant Compiler). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 1345, 1365, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 1325.

James B Weaver (1865-1945) - Find a Grave Memorial