{{Short description|American politician}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = James A. Meeks |image = James A. Meeks (US Congressman from Illinois).jpg |caption = 1938 campaign postcard distributed by Friends of Congressman Meeks (Danville, Illinois) |state = Illinois |district = {{ushr|Illinois|18|18th}} |term_start = March 4, 1933 |term_end = January 3, 1939 |predecessor = William P. Holaday |successor = Jessie Sumner |birth_date = {{Birth date|1864|3|7}} |birth_place = Matamoras, Ohio, U.S. |death_date = {{Death date and age|1946|11|10|1864|3|7}} |death_place = Danville, Illinois, U.S. |resting_place = Spring Hill Cemetery, Danville, Illinois, U.S. |spouse = Frances R. Pearson (m. 1898)<ref name="Directory1938"/> |party = Democratic |education = Westfield College<br/>Illinois College |profession = Attorney }} '''James Andrew Meeks''' (March 7, 1864 – November 10, 1946) was an American attorney and politician from Danville, Illinois. A Democrat, he served in local offices including Danville's corporation counsel. He served as a U.S. Representative from Illinois from 1933 to 1939.
==Early life== James A. Meeks was born in New Matamoras, Ohio on March 7, 1864, the son of Moses Meeks and Susan (Hackathorn) Meeks.<ref name="Directory1938">{{cite book |author=Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress |date=1938 |title=Official Congressional Directory |volume=75, Issue 3 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BNdRgtgK7TYC&pg=PA28 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=US Government Printing Office |page=28 |via=Google Books}}</ref> In 1865, his family relocated to Danville, Illinois, where he was raised and educated.<ref name="Directory1938"/> He attended Westfield College and Illinois College.<ref name="Directory1938"/><ref>{{cite book |date=1912 |title=Illinois College Bulletin |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=m92oRpzPsP0C&q=%22meeks%22+%22illinois+college%22+%221889%22 |location=Jacksonville, Illinois |publisher=Illinois College |page=3 |via=Google Books}}</ref> He then studied law with Judge E. R. E. Kimbrough, attained admission to the bar in 1890, and commenced practice in Danville as Kimbrough's partner.<ref name="Directory1938"/> Meeks later practiced in partnership with George F. Rearick, and their general civil practice firm was counsel for several corporations, railroads, and banks, including the First National Bank of Danville, First National Bank of Sidell, Citizens National Bank of Ridge Farm, and Farmers State Bank of Armstrong.<ref name="Fifield">{{cite book |last=Fifield |first=James Clark |date=1920 |title=The American Bar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8tXO7dAk3kUC&pg=PA192 |location=Minneapolis |publisher=James C. Fifield Company |page=192 |via=Google Books}}</ref> Later partnerships included Meeks & Lowenstein and Meeks & Wise.<ref>{{cite book |date=1946 |title=Illinois Central Magazine |volume=35 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YCvdghmFd-AC&q=%22meeks+%26+lowenstein%22 |location=Chicago |publisher=Illinois Central Railroad |page=25 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
Meeks served as master in chancery of the circuit court from 1903 to 1915.<ref name="Directory1938"/> During World War I, he was the Vermillion County chairman of the state council of defense.<ref name="Directory1938"/> Meeks was active in politics as a Democrat, and frequently campaigned on behalf of the party's local and statewide candidates.<ref>{{cite news |date=February 26, 1915 |title=Democrats To Hold Convention April 8 |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jg-tc-journal-gazette-and-times-courier/181038641/ |work=Daily Journal-Gazette |location=Mattoon, Illinois |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=May 4, 1921 |title=Democrats of State Lash G.O.P. Rule By Lundin |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-lash/181038813/ |work=Chicago |location=Chicago Tribune |publisher=21 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was a candidate for governor of Illinois in the 1924 election.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 13, 1923 |title=Jones Leading In Democratic Governor Race |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-governor/181037888/ |work=Chicago Tribune |location=Chicago |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> When Norman L. Jones won the Democratic nomination, Meeks supported Jones.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 23, 1924 |title=Jones Opens His Battle In Entire State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/effingham-daily-record-jones/181038143/ |work=Effingham Daily Record |location=Effingham, Illinois |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Meeks was subsequently mentioned that year as a candidate for an at-large seat in the U.S. House but did not run.<ref>{{cite news |date=January 18, 1924 |title=Democrat Leaders At Springfield For Advisory Convention |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-democrat/181038000/ |work=The Daily Pantagraph |location=Bloomington, Illinois |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was also mentioned in connection with the 1924 nomination for Illinois Secretary of State, but the nomination went to Andrew Olson.<ref>{{cite news |last=Butzow |first=Frank |date=January 19, 1924 |title=Four Out for Secretary of State |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-secretary/181062108/ |work=Chicago |location=Chicago Tribune |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |date=December 31, 2010 |title=1924 Secretary of State General Election Results - Illinois |url=https://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/state.php?fips=17&year=1924&f=0&off=7&elect=0 |website=US Election Atlas.org |publisher=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Elections, LLC |access-date=September 14, 2025}}</ref> In 1925, Meeks received the honorary degree of Master of Arts from Jacksonville College.<ref>{{cite book |date=1928 |title=Catalogue of Officers and Students of Illinois College |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lpCV9H2O2HYC&pg=RA4-PA119 |location=Jacksonville, Illinois |publisher=Illinois College |page=119 |via=Google Books}}</ref>
==Later career== From 1925 to 1931, Meeks served as Danville's corporation counsel.<ref name="Directory1938"/> He was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1920, 1924, 1928, and 1932.<ref name="Directory1938"/> At the 1924 convention, Meeks made a seconding speech for the nomination of presidential candidate William Gibbs McAdoo.<ref>{{cite news |date=June 27, 1924 |title=M'Adoo, Smith and Davis Popular With Illinois Delegation |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-pantagraph-delegation/181038291/ |work=The Daily Pantagraph |location=Bloomington, Illinois |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
In 1932, Meeks was selected as the Democratic nominee in Illinois's 18th congressional district after the death of the original nominee, Frank Trimble O'Hair.<ref name="Directory1938"/><ref>{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |date=August 17, 1932 |title=Name Candidate |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/leader-tribune-candidate/181011157/ |work=Marion Leader-Tribune |location=Marion, Illinois |page=2 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> Meeks won the election and was reelected in 1934 and 1936. He served from March 4, 1933 to January 3, 1939, the 73rd, 74th, and 75th Congresses.<ref name="Directory1971">{{cite book |author=Joint Committee On Printing, United States Congress |date=1971 |title=Biographical Directory of the American Congress, 1774-1961 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ncJQAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA1319 |location=Washington, DC |publisher=US Government Printing Office |page=1319 |via=Google Books}}</ref> During his House tenure, Meeks served on the Banking and Currency Committee.<ref name="Directory1938"/> He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1938 to the 76th Congress.<ref name="Directory1971"/>
After leaving Congress, Meeks resumed the practice of law and also engaged in banking.<ref name="Directory1971"/> In 1940, he was an unsuccessful candidate for election to the 77th Congress.<ref name="Directory1971"/> Meeks was active in the Knights of Pythias and Elks, and was a member of the Vermillion County, Illinois, and American Bar Associations.<ref name="Fifield"/><ref>{{cite book |date=1911 |title=A History of Vermillion County, Illinois |volume=II |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=obAyAQAAMAAJ&pg=PA872 |location=Chicago |publisher=Pioneer Publishing Company |page=872 |via=Google Books}}</ref> In addition, he was a trustee of Illinois College, and was active in the Sigma Pi literary society.<ref>{{cite news |date=November 12, 1946 |title=James A. Meeks, Illinois College Trustee, Dies |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jacksonville-journal-courier-obituary-fo/181012027/ |work=The Daily Journal |location=Jacksonville, Illinois |page=8 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He died in Danville on November 10, 1946.<ref name="Directory1971"/> Meeks was interred at Spring Hill Cemetery in Danville.<ref name="Directory1971"/>
Meeks's wife died in 1962, and her estate later endowed a scholarship fund at Illinois College.<ref>{{cite news |date=April 5, 1964 |title=$45,980 Gift Announced For Illinois College |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/jacksonville-journal-courier-gift/181012659/ |work=The Daily Journal |location=Jacksonville, Illinois |page=4 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The James A. Meeks Memorial Scholarship is awarded to outstanding juniors for academic excellence in History, Political Science, Philosophy and Religion.<ref>{{cite book |date=April 23, 2021 |title=Celebration of Excellence: Virtual Awards Program |url=https://www.ic.edu/sites/default/files/media/041921_COEprogram-honors.pdf |location=Jacksonville, Illinois |publisher=Illinois College |page=13}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{CongBio|M000631}}
{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box |state=Illinois |district=18 |before=William P. Holaday |years=1933-1939 |after=Jessie Sumner}} {{s-end}} {{USCongRep-start|congresses= 73rd–75th United States Congresses |state=Illinois}} {{USCongRep/IL/73}} {{USCongRep/IL/74}} {{USCongRep/IL/75}} {{USCongRep-end}} {{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Meeks, James Andrew}} Category:1864 births Category:1946 deaths Category:Democratic Party United States representatives from Illinois Category:People from Washington County, Ohio Category:20th-century United States representatives