James Jefferson Britt (March 4, 1861 – December 26, 1939) was an American educator and politician who served one term as a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

in Congress from

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

from 1915 to 1917.

Biography

James Jefferson Britt was born near Johnson City, Tennessee, in present-day Unicoi County on March 4, 1861. He attended the common schools and studied under private tutors.

Early career

He was principal of Burnsville (N.C.) Academy from 1886 to 1893. He was then superintendent of the public schools of Mitchell County 1894-1896 and headmaster of Bowman Academy, Bakersville, N.C., 1895–1896. Britt was deputy collector of internal revenue at Asheville, N.C., 1896–1899. He studied law at the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

, he was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Asheville.

Political career

He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1904. He was an unsuccessful candidate for election in 1906 to the Sixtieth Congress but was a special assistant

United States attorney United States attorneys are officials of the U.S. Department of Justice who serve as the chief federal law enforcement officers in each of the 94 U.S. federal judicial districts. Each U.S. attorney serves as the United States' chief federal c ...

in 1906 and 1907. Britt became a member of the North Carolina Senate from 1909 to 1911, he was part of the special counsel to the Post Office Department from July 1, 1909, to December 1, 1910. He was again special assistant to the Attorney General from July 13, 1910, to December 1, 1910. Britt was appointed Third Assistant Postmaster General by President Taft on December 1, 1910, and served until March 17, 1913.

Congress

He was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-fourth Congress (March 4, 1915 – March 3, 1917). He successfully contested the election of

Zebulon Weaver Zebulon Weaver (May 12, 1872 – October 29, 1948) was an American lawyer and politician who served 14 terms as a Democratic U.S. Congressman from North Carolina between 1917 and 1929 and again between 1931 and 1947. Early years and education B ...

to the

Sixty-fifth Congress The 65th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1917, to ...

(March 4, 1917 – March 4, 1919), but was an unsuccessful candidate for re-election to the

Sixty-sixth Congress The 66th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1919, to Ma ...

in 1918.

Later career

He resumed the practice of law in Asheville, N.C. and served as chief counsel for the Bureau of Prohibition, Treasury Department, 1922–1932. Britt was an unsuccessful candidate for the position of chief justice for the

North Carolina Supreme Court The Supreme Court of the State of North Carolina is the state of North Carolina's highest appellate court. Until the creation of the North Carolina Court of Appeals in the 1960s, it was the state's only appellate court. The Supreme Court consists ...

in 1926. He once again resumed the practice of law in 1933.

Death

James J. Britt died on December 26, 1939, in Asheville, N.C. and was interred in Riverside Cemetery.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Britt, James Jefferson 1861 births 1939 deaths Republican Party North Carolina state senators People from Unicoi County, Tennessee Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni