James Tufts (September 19, 1829–August 18, 1884) was a
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
politician and acting governor of
Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana.
Original boundaries
T ...
in 1869.
Biography
Born in
Charlestown, New Hampshire
Charlestown is a town in Sullivan County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 4,806 at the 2020 census, down from 5,114 at the 2010 census. The town is home to Hubbard State Forest and the headquarters of the Student Conservation As ...
, Tufts graduated from
Middlebury College
Middlebury College is a private liberal arts college in Middlebury, Vermont. Founded in 1800 by Congregationalists, Middlebury was the first operating college or university in Vermont. The college currently enrolls 2,858 undergraduates from all ...
in 1855. He was
admitted to the bar
An admission to practice law is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. In jurisdictions with two types of lawyer, as with barristers and solicitors, barristers must gain admission to the bar whereas for solicitors there are dist ...
in 1857 and was an attorney in Iowa.
Career
Tufts moved to
Niobrara in the
Nebraska Territory
The Territory of Nebraska was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 30, 1854, until March 1, 1867, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Nebraska. The Nebraska ...
in 1859, where he became a
probate
Probate is the judicial process whereby a will is "proved" in a court of law and accepted as a valid public document that is the true last testament of the deceased, or whereby the estate is settled according to the laws of intestacy in the sta ...
judge and served in the territorial legislature. Tufts moved to the
Dakota Territory
The Territory of Dakota was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 2, 1861, until November 2, 1889, when the final extent of the reduced territory was split and admitted to the Union as the states of No ...
in 1861 and served as secretary for the legislative council of the Dakota Territory. He was appointed US Commissioner to adjust military claims in the Dakota Territory in 1862.
Tufts moved to
Idaho Territory
The Territory of Idaho was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 3, 1863, until July 3, 1890, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as Idaho.
History
1860s
The territory w ...
in 1863 and served in the Idaho Territorial Legislature. He was the first Speaker of the Idaho Territorial House of Representatives.
He was appointed territorial secretary for the
Montana Territory
The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana.
Original boundaries
T ...
in 1867, and served as its acting governor from March 1869 to April 9,1869.
Tufts ran for the Montana territorial delegate to the
United States House of Representatives
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 house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...
and lost the election. He moved back to
Niobrara, Nebraska
Niobrara (; Omaha: ''Ní Ubthátha'' ''Tʰáⁿwaⁿgthaⁿ'' , meaning "water spread-out village")Dorsey, James Owen (1890)''The Cegiha Language: Contributions to North American Ethnology'' 4. Washington: US Department of the Interior: Governmen ...
, to farm and practice law.
Death
Tufts died in Niobrara.
["Catalogue of Officers and Students of Middlebury College in Middlebury Vermont," 1901, p. 146] He is buried in L'Eau Qui Court Cemetery.
References
External links
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People from Charlestown, New Hampshire
People from Knox County, Nebraska
Middlebury College alumni
Members of the Nebraska Territorial Legislature
Governors of Montana Territory
Members of the Idaho Territorial Legislature
Dakota Territory officials
Iowa lawyers
Nebraska lawyers
1829 births
1884 deaths
Montana pioneers
Montana Republicans
Nebraska Republicans
Idaho Republicans
19th-century American politicians
19th-century American lawyers
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