James Hay (politician)

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'For the Scottish footballer, see Jimmy Hay.
James Hay in 1910
James Hay in 1910

James Hay was an American politician from Virginia.

James Hay was born in Millwood, Virginia, Clarke County, January 9, 1856; attended private schools and the University of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia; was graduated from the law department of Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Virginia., in 1877; was admitted to the bar and commenced practice in Harrisonburg, Virginia., in 1877; moved to Madison, Virginia in June 1879 and continued the practice of law.

Hay was Commonwealth's Attorney 1883-1896; member of the Virginia House of Delegates 1885-1889; served in the Senate of Virginia 1893-1897; member of the Democratic State committee in 1888; delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1888.

Hay was elected as a Democrat to the Fifty-fifth and to the nine succeeding Congresses and served from March 4, 1897, until his resignation on October 1, 1916. In Congress he was chairman of the Committee on Military Affairs (Sixty-second through Sixty-fourth congresses), in which capacity he was involved in the "preparedness controversy" of 1915–16, and in response to which he drafted and pushed through the National Defense Act of 1916.

Following his resignation from Congress, he was appointed judge of the United States Court of Claims and served until December 1, 1927, when he resigned. He died in Madison, Virginia, June 12, 1931, and was buried in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

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Preceded by
Smith S. Turner		 Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 7th congressional district
March 4, 1897 – October 1, 1916		 Succeeded by
Thomas W. Harrison