Biography

11/11/1855 - 03/30/1937

Judge James Gay Gordon, Sr. (D3) Philadelphia (Part) County 1881-1884

Early Life:

Judge James Gay Gordon, Sr., born November 11, 1855, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; son of Andrew and Mary Gordon; educated, public schools; graduated Central High School, Philadelphia, 1873; read law, admitted, Philadelphia bar, 1876; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1881-1884; Judge, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, No. 3, 1885-1896; unsuccessful candidate, democratic nomination Governor, Altoona Convention, 1898; married, Kate Lecompte Woolford, 11 children; died March 30, 1937 (aged 81) Overbrook, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania, interment, Laurel Hill Cemetery, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.    

Pennsylvania Politics: 

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, 3rd district, Philadelphia (Part) County, 1881-1884, Committee assignments, Accounts, Federal Relations, Insurance, Judicial General. 

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Appointed, Governor Robert E. Pattison, Judge, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, No. 3, death, Judge William H. Yerkes, October, 1885, elected, January, 1886; reelected, 1896, resigned, 1898.  

Unsuccessful candidate, democratic nomination Governor, Altoona Convention, 1898.  

Support counsel, New York Governor William Sulzer, impeachment trial, 1913, impeached.  

Legacy: 

Son, James Gay Gordon, Jr. President Judge Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Court No. 2.      

Cited: 

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

Smull’s Legislative Handbook, (1883). Smull, W.P., (Editor) Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, pages 764, 770-772, Biographical Sketches of Senators, page 731.

The Evening Sun (Hanover, Pennsylvania) Wednesday, March 31, 1937, Page 10.

Judge James Gay Gordon (1855-1937) - Find a Grave Memorial