James T. Farley

James Thompson Farley (* August 6, 1829 in Albemarle County, Virginia; † 22 January 1886 in Jackson, California ) was an American politician (Democratic Party), who represented the state of California in the U.S. Senate.

After attending school in his native Virginia James Farley moved at a young age to Missouri in 1850 before he permanently settled in California. In Jackson, Amador County, he studied law and began to practice as a lawyer in 1854. Between 1855 and 1856 he represented his county in the California State Assembly, where he held the post of Speaker in the second year of office.

1869 Farley was a member of the State Senate, where he remained until 1876. From 1871 to 1872 he was president pro tempore of the parliamentary chamber. During this time he was promoted to head of the leading Democrats in California. The first attempt to be elected to the U.S. Senate, failed in 1874, when he was defeated by Republican Governor Newton Booth. Four years later he ran for California's second Senate seat and had success. Farley took his seat in Washington on 4 March in 1879 and abandoned after six years in a bid again. As a result, he again worked as a lawyer in California and died 1886 in Jackson.