James R. Carpenter

James Ross Carpenter (August 7, 1867 – January 27, 1943) was a Wyoming politician and inventor who served in the Wyoming Senate as a member of the Democratic Party. Prior to his political career he helped in the founding and advertisement of multiple towns in Wyoming.

James R. Carpenter
Member of the Wyoming Senate from Laramie County
In office
1911–1915
Personal details
Born
James Ross Carpenter

(1867-08-07)August 7, 1867
Monmouth, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJanuary 27, 1943(1943-01-27) (aged 75)
Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.
Resting placeLakeview Cemetery, Cheyenne, Wyoming, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseFanny May Russell
Children3
Parents
  • George Daniel Carpenter (father)
  • Margery Ann Pollock (mother)
EducationMonmouth College
National Normal University
Signature

Early life

James Ross Carpenter was born in Monmouth, Illinois, to George Daniel Carpenter and Margery Ann Pollock on August 7, 1867. He was educated in public schools in Illinois and Kansas and graduated from Monmouth College and the National Normal University. On September 15, 1887, he married Fanny May Russell and later had three children with her.[1]

Career

Inventor and founder
James R. Carpenter's wheelbarrow patent

From 1887 to 1892, he was a rancher in western Kansas and then moved to Des Moines, Iowa from 1892 to 1907, before moving to Wyoming in 1907. There he helped create Carpenter, Wyoming, which was named in his honor, and then moved to Cheyenne in 1910.[1] In 1905, he founded the Federal Land Company that helped in the foundation and advertisement of multiple Wyoming towns including Burns, Wyoming.[2]

On June 8, 1898, Carpenter filed a patent for a wheelbarrow with detachable parts and was given the patent on January 3, 1899.[3] On December 19, 1936, he filed a patent for cutting agatized petrified wood.[4]

State politics

In 1910, Carpenter was elected to the Wyoming Senate from Laramie County as a member of the Democratic Party.[5] In 1912, he was selected by Governor Joseph M. Carey to serve as a delegate to the National Farm Congress.[6] During the 1913 Senate election Carpenter nominated John B. Kendrick against incumbent Republican Senator Francis E. Warren, but Kendrick lost both votes in the state House of Representatives and Senate.[7] During the twelfth session of the state legislature Carpenter served on the Immigration, Public Printing, and Public Accounts Senate committees.[8] He served until 1915.[1]

In 1912, he was elected to be Wyoming's Democratic Congressional committeeman and served as chairman of the Democratic Central Committee of Laramie county from 1914 to 1916.[1] In 1916, he was selected to serve as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention alongside John B. Kendrick, Victor T. Johnson, Pete Kinney, J. J. Cash, and P. J. O'Connor.[9]

U.S. House of Representatives

Carpenter was a supporter of alcoholic prohibition and supported Perry W. Jenkins's primary challenge against incumbent republican representative Vincent Carter during the 1932 House of Representatives election as Carter was against the 18th Amendment.[10]

On September 13, 1932, he announced that he would run in the House of Representatives election as an independent and filed to run on September 26, as the nominee of the American Party.[11][12] In the general election he placed fourth after spending $82.28 on his campaign.[13][14]

Later life

Carpenter opposed the sale of alcohol in Carpenter, Wyoming, following the repeal of the 18th Amendment and the end of alcoholic prohibition in the United States.[15]

On January 27, 1943, Carpenter died at his home in Cheyenne, Wyoming after suffering from an illness for two months.[16]

Electoral history
1932 Wyoming at-large congressional district election[13]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Vincent Carter (incumbent) 5,670 51.84%
Democratic Paul Ranous Greever 5,040 46.08%
Socialist W. W. Wolfe 126 1.15%
American James R. Carpenter 90 0.82%
Communist George Morphis 11 0.10%
Total votes 10,937 100.00%

References
  1. "Men of Wyoming: The National Newspaper Reference Book of Wyoming Containing Photographs and Biographies of Over Three Hundred Men Residents". C.S. Peterson. January 12, 1915. p. 48 – via Google Books.
  2. "Lincoln Highway Photos". Archived from the original on July 22, 2020.
  3. "US Patent 617,278". January 3, 1899. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020.
  4. Office, United States Patent (January 12, 1938). "Official Gazette of the United States Patent Office". U.S. Department of Commerce. p. 144 – via Google Books.
  5. "Eleventh Wyoming Legislature". Natrona County Tribune. November 23, 1910. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "National Farm Congress". Natrona County Tribune. July 10, 1912. p. 9. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. "Warren Is Re-Elected". Natrona County Tribune. February 13, 1913. p. 6. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "House Journal Of The Twelfth State Legislature Of Wyoming". Wyoming Legislature. 1913. p. 50 – via Google Books.
  9. "Kendrick Endorsed By Demos As Senator Clark's Opponent". Natrona County Tribune. May 11, 1916. p. 3. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. "Prohibition Becomes Issue". Casper Star-Tribune. May 5, 1932. p. 4. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. "Carpenter To Be Candidate". Casper Star-Tribune. September 13, 1932. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Nomination Papers Filed By Carpenter". Casper Star-Tribune. September 26, 1932. p. 2. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. "No Additional Charges In Results Shown By Canvass". Casper Star-Tribune. November 18, 1932. p. 1. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Two Wyoming Parties Give Campaign Costs". The Billings Gazette. December 2, 1932. p. 10. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Founder of Town Will Battle Beer". The Billings Gazette. May 6, 1933. p. 5. Archived from the original on July 22, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Deaths". The Rock Island Argus. 29 January 1943. p. 14. Archived from the original on 12 January 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
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