William H. J. Ely
Encyclopedia
William Harvey Johnson Ely (September 8, 1891 – March 2, 1942) was an American
jurist
and Democratic Party
politician from New Jersey
who served as a State Senator
and the state administrator for the Works Progress Administration
. He was the Democratic candidate for United States Senate
in 1938.
, the son of Captain Addison Ely and Emily Johnson. His father was a leading lawyer and Democratic politician in Rutherford who had moved from Westfield, Massachusetts
, where the family had long-standing ties. Ely was the second cousin of Massachusetts Governor
Joseph B. Ely
, since they shared a greatgrandfather, Rev. Elihu Ely (1777-1839), son of Captain Levi Ely (1732-1780).
He attended the University of Michigan
and New York University Law School, receiving his LL.B.
degree in 1913. He served as a lieutenant
in the National Guard on the Mexican border in 1916 and was with the United States Army
Motor Transport Corps
during World War I
. He married Mary E. Rogers of Paterson, New Jersey
on April 30, 1917, and they had three sons and two daughters.
, and he served on the bench for five years. He began his political career in 1926 as a member of the Rutherford Borough Council. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
in 1931, the first Democrat from Bergen County to serve in the Senate in sixteen years. He was defeated for reelection in 1934.
In 1935 he was appointed the State WPA
Administrator. He resigned two years later to run for the open seat in the United States Senate
created by the resignation of A. Harry Moore
. In the 1938 election he faced Republican
William Warren Barbour
, who had served in the Senate from 1931 to 1937. Ely campaigned as a "100 per cent" supporter of the Roosevelt
administration. He was seen as in the pocket of notorious political boss Frank Hague
of Jersey City
, and a few days before the election referred to Hague as "my leader." Ely lost to Barbour by a margin of 112,508 votes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
jurist
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician from New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
who served as a State Senator
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
and the state administrator for the Works Progress Administration
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
. He was the Democratic candidate for United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1938.
Early life and family
Ely was born in Rutherford, New JerseyRutherford, New Jersey
Rutherford is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 18,061. It is an inner-ring suburb of New York City, located west of Midtown Manhattan....
, the son of Captain Addison Ely and Emily Johnson. His father was a leading lawyer and Democratic politician in Rutherford who had moved from Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield, Massachusetts
Westfield is a city in Hampden County, in the Pioneer Valley of western Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 41,094 at the 2010 census. The ZIP Code is 01085 for homes and businesses, 01086 for Westfield State...
, where the family had long-standing ties. Ely was the second cousin of Massachusetts Governor
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
Joseph B. Ely
Joseph B. Ely
Joseph Buell Ely was the 52nd Governor of the U.S. state of Massachusetts.Born in Westfield, Massachusetts, Joseph B. Ely graduated from Williams College in 1902, before earning a degree from Harvard Law School in 1905. He returned to Westfield and practiced law as a partner of Ely & Ely and...
, since they shared a greatgrandfather, Rev. Elihu Ely (1777-1839), son of Captain Levi Ely (1732-1780).
He attended the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and New York University Law School, receiving his LL.B.
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
degree in 1913. He served as a lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the National Guard on the Mexican border in 1916 and was with the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Motor Transport Corps
Motor Transport Corps (United States Army) (World War One)
The Motor Transport Corps was formed out of the Quartermaster Corps on 15 August 1918, by General Order No. 75. Men needed to staff this new corps were recruited from the skilled tradesmen working for automotive manufacturers in the U.S....
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He married Mary E. Rogers of Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
on April 30, 1917, and they had three sons and two daughters.
Career
In 1924 Ely was named a district judge in the Second Judicial District of Bergen CountyBergen County, New Jersey
Bergen County is the most populous county of the state of New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 905,116. The county is part of the New York City Metropolitan Area. Its county seat is Hackensack...
, and he served on the bench for five years. He began his political career in 1926 as a member of the Rutherford Borough Council. He was elected to the New Jersey Senate
New Jersey Senate
The New Jersey Senate was established as the upper house of the New Jersey Legislature by the Constitution of 1844, replacing the Legislative Council. From 1844 until 1965 New Jersey's counties elected one Senator, each. Under the 1844 Constitution the term of office was three years. The 1947...
in 1931, the first Democrat from Bergen County to serve in the Senate in sixteen years. He was defeated for reelection in 1934.
In 1935 he was appointed the State WPA
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...
Administrator. He resigned two years later to run for the open seat in the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
created by the resignation of A. Harry Moore
A. Harry Moore
Arthur Harry Moore was a Democrat who was the 39th Governors of New Jersey, serving three terms between 1926 and 1941. He was the longest-serving New Jersey Governor in the 20th century and the only New Jersey Governor elected to serve three separate non-consecutive terms...
. In the 1938 election he faced Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
William Warren Barbour
William Warren Barbour
William Warren Barbour was an American Republican Party politician who represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1931 to 1937 and again from 1938 until his death in office in 1943...
, who had served in the Senate from 1931 to 1937. Ely campaigned as a "100 per cent" supporter of the Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
administration. He was seen as in the pocket of notorious political boss Frank Hague
Frank Hague
Frank Hague was an American Democratic Party politician who served as the mayor of Jersey City, New Jersey from 1917 to 1947, Democratic National Committeeman from New Jersey from 1922 until 1949, and Vice-Chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1924 until 1949.Hague has a widely-known...
of Jersey City
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, and a few days before the election referred to Hague as "my leader." Ely lost to Barbour by a margin of 112,508 votes.
External links
- William Harvey Johnson Ely at The Political GraveyardThe Political GraveyardThe Political Graveyard is a website and database that catalogues information on more than 224,000 American political figures and political families, along with other information.-History:...