Marin County CA Archives Biographies.....Shafter, James McMillan 1816 - 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com March 7, 2007, 3:00 pm

Author: Alley, Bowen & Co. Publishers (1880)

  Hon. James McMillan Shafter. Few men in Marin have attained greater prominence
than he whose name appears at the head of this sketch; yet it is not only in
this county that his reputation obtains, it is acknowledged throughout the
length and breadth of the Pacific coast, and is as fully established in the
Eastern States as it is in California. Mr. Shafter was born in the State of
Vermont, May 27, 1816, and finished his education by graduating from the
Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut. At the early age of twenty years,
having already combined his profession of a lawyer with that of politics, he was
elected a member of the Vermont House of Representatives, where so excellent was
his record that from 1842 to 1849, he was each year chosen to fill the high
position of Secretary of State. In 1849 he transferred the arena of his labors
to Wisconsin, and in 1851 was elected a member and Speaker of the Wisconsin
State Assembly. In 1852 lie was nominated for Congress, running far ahead of his
ticket, and receiving in his district over one thousand more votes than were
counted by General Scott, then a candidate for the Presidency. He was
re-nominated for the next term but declined re-election. In 1855 Mr. Shafter was
nominated Judge of a District Court of Wisconsin, declining which nomination, he
started for the Pacific coast, arriving in California December 15, 1855. As at
the East, so here was he called upon to take his due share in the conduct of
affairs. In 1862 and 1863 he was an active member of the Senate of
California—sufficiently active to be its President pro tem., and President at
the impeachment trial of Judge Hardy. He, however, forgot not his professional
duties, for he established a legal practice which brought him both fame and
fortune. He is now, and has been for some time, more deeply engaged in the
pursuit of affairs agricultural. In the year 1856-7 he acquired land in Marin
county, which now comprises twenty-five thousand acres—a principality rather
than an estate; he owns two thousand head of stock, is an extensive breeder of
blooded stock, being a prominent member of the Pacific Blood-Horse and other
kindred associations, and is considered an excellent judge of the fine points of
stock of all kinds. He was sent to the Convention which met at Sacramento to
frame the New Constitution and though a Republican in politics, elected on the
Non-partisan ticket, the endorsement to his nomination being couched in the
following laudatory terms: "Long recognized as at the head of the California
Bar, but now and for some years wholly devoted to agricultural pursuits, he is a
man who will in the Constitutional Convention be one of its ablest members, and
whose deep and clever mind, profound erudition and sound judgment will be of
vast weight in that body. He is a citizen of high character and his reputation
is untarnished." Judge Shafter married Miss Julia Hubbard, of Montpelier,
Vermont, October 28, 1845. Three children of this marriage survive, Payne J.,
James C, and Julia R.; Chester Hubbard having died in 1863, preceding his mother
who died February 11, 1871.

Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

HISTORY OF MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA;
INCLUDING ITS
Geography, Geology, Topography and Climatography;
TOGETHER WITH
A Full and Particular Record of the Mexican Grants; Its Early History and
Settlement, Compiled from the most Authentic Sources; Names of Original Spanish
and American Pioneers;

A Full Record of its Organization; A Complete Political History, including a
Tabular Statement of Office-holders since the Formation of the County;

Separate Histories of Bolinas, Nicasio, Novato, Point Reyes, San Antonio, San
Rafael, Saucelito, and Tomales Townships;

Incidents of Pioneer Life, and Biographical Sketches of its Early and Prominent
Settlers and Representative Men;
ALSO
An Historical Sketch of the State of California,
In which is embodied the Raising of the Bear Flag

ILLUSTRATED.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. 
ALLEY, BOWEN & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1880.


File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/marin/bios/shafter981gbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cafiles/

File size: 4.6 Kb