Thomas F. McCran

Thomas Francis McCran (December 2, 1875 – September 19, 1925) was an American jurist and Republican Party politician who served as Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly, President of the New Jersey Senate, and Attorney General of New Jersey.

Early life and legal career

McCran was born in Newark, New Jersey in 1875. He was raised in Paterson and was educated in the public schools there. He attended Seton Hall College and graduated in 1896 with a Bachelor of Science degree.^[1]

He read law in the office of former State Senator William B. Gourley in Paterson and was admitted as an attorney in 1899, becoming a counselor in 1911. He practiced in Gourley's office until 1907 before opening up an office of his own.^[2]

McCran was elected City Attorney of Paterson in 1907, holding the office until 1912. He became a counselor at law in 1911 and obtained his LL.D. from Seton Hall in 1917.^[1]

Political career

In 1909 McCran was elected as a Republican member of the State Assembly from Passaic County, and he was re-elected in 1911 and 1912. He was named floor leader by the Republican minority in 1911 and the following year, when the Republicans took control of the Assembly, he was made Speaker.^[1] While serving as Assembly Speaker, his Secretary was William Wadsworth Evans, who would later represent Passaic County in the State Assembly from 1919 to 1924.

Before the expiration of his term, he was nominated by the Republicans of Passaic County for the State Senate. The Progressive Party ran a candidate in the race, splitting the Republican vote, and the Democratic candidate Peter J. McGinnis defeated McCran by a slim margin. In 1915 he ran against McGinnis again and defeated him by a plurality of more than 8,000 votes.^[1]

In 1917 Senate Republicans named McCran majority leader, and in 1918 he was selected as Senate President. He presided as Acting Governor in the absence of Governor Walter Evans Edge.^[3]

In 1919 Governor Edge appointed him to the position of Attorney General for a five-year term.^[2] On the completion of his term he sought the Republican nomination for Governor in 1925. Despite the backing of Edge (now in the United States Senate) and the regular Republican organization, McCran was defeated for the nomination by Arthur Whitney, who had the support of the Anti-Saloon League. Whitney would go on to defeat in the general election by Democratic candidate A. Harry Moore.^[3]

Death

In September 1925, three months after losing the arduous gubernatorial primary, McCran died suddenly at his home in Paterson. He was diagnosed with acute indigestion and leakage of the heart. He was survived by his wife, the former Frances C. Martin (married at Passaic, June 1916), and his daughter Frances Abby McCran (born December 15, 1918).^[3]

References

1 2 3 4 Scannell's New Jersey's First Citizens and State Guide 2. J.J. Scannell. 1919. pp. 321–322.
1 2 "Official bio". Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey. Retrieved 2008-12-31.
1 2 3 "T. F. M'Cran Dies After Campaign". The New York Times. 1925-09-20. p. E7. Retrieved 2008-12-31.

External links

Thomas F. McCran at The Political Graveyard
Official bio, Office of the Attorney General of New Jersey

Political offices
Preceded by Edward Kenny	Speaker of the New Jersey General Assembly 1912	Succeeded by Leon R. Taylor
Preceded by George W. F. Gaunt	President of the New Jersey Senate 1918	Succeeded by William N. Runyon
Legal offices
Preceded by John W. Wescott	Attorney General of New Jersey 1919 – 1924	Succeeded by Edward L. Katzenbach

Speakers of the New Jersey General Assembly

Gardiner Fretwell Jennings T. Gordon Kay D. Coxe Kinsey Johnstone Trent Johnstone Kinsey, Jr. Bonnel A. Johnston Nevill Lawrence Nevill Charles Read Lawrence Nevill Ogden Skinner Crane Skinner Hart Camp Hornblower Meheim Harris Hendrickson Van Cleve Harris Van Cleve Beatty Dayton E. Elmer S. Condict E. Elmer Imlay S. Condict W. Coxe Dickerson W. Coxe P. Gordon Cox L. Condict Kennedy Pearson Bateman Pennington Clark E. Elmer D. Thompson L. Elmer D. Johnston Drake Ewing Wurts J. Jackson Ryall T. Haight L. Condict Stites Emley Halsey J. Taylor Van Wagenen Howell J. Evans Whelpley Nixon Phillips Huyler Fennimore Parry Demarest Dutcher Holsman Salter Patterson Teese C. Haight Crowell J.N. Taylor Crowell Hill Curtis A. Evans Abbett Condit Niles Fisher G. Hobart Vanderbilt Caracallen Rabe Egan S. Jackson Oviatt Van Duyne Dunn O'Connor Stoney Armstrong Baird Dickinson Hudspeth Heppenheimer Bergen Flynn Holt Cross DeRousse MacPherson Watkins B. Jones Bradley Horner Avis Robbins Lethbridge Jess Prince Ward Kenny McCran L.R. Taylor Beekman Godfrey Pilgrim Schoen Wolverton Pierson Glover G.S. Hobart Rowland W. Evans Eaton Powell Chandless Siracusa Hanson Gabrielson Knight Wise Greenberg Otto Pascoe Altman Clee Newcomb Walker De Voe Pascoe McClave Boswell Amlicke Cavicchia Hess W. Jones Leonard Brescher Mehorter Miller Fraser M. Thompson Cavinato Simmill Thomas Salsburg Mosch Mills Hyland Kurtz Brady D'Aloia Davis Matthews Beadleston Higgins Brady Hauser Halpin Smith Moraites Dickey Parker Kean Woodson LeFante Hamilton Jackman Karcher Hardwick Doria Haytaian Collins Sires Roberts Oliver Prieto

Presidents of the New Jersey Senate

Smallwood March Canfield Manners Alexander Speer Herring Gifford Perry Crowell Reckless Robbins Scudder Scovel Buckley Little Robbins Bettle Taylor Sewell Abbett Ludlow Sewell Hobart Gardner Vail Schenck Griggs Fish Large Werts Nevius Adrain Rogers Stokes Thompson Williams Voorhees Skirm Reed Johnson Pitney Francis Hutchinson Wakelee Cross Bradley Minch Hillery Robbins Frelinghuysen Ackerman Prince Fielder Johnson Slocum Edge Read Gaunt McCran Runyon Case Allen Mackay Wallworth Reeves Bright Larson Davis Stevens Mathis Pierson Wolber A. Reeves Richards Powell Prall Barbour Durand Loizeaux Hendrickson Foran Scott Stanger Farley Proctor Barton Summerill Van Alstyne Bodine Littell Hannold Young Mathis Wallace Dumont McCay Stout Lance Harper Hillery Crane Farley Ozzard Sandman Lynch Sr. Ridolfi Forsythe McDermott Bateman Beadleston Dodd Feldman Merlino Orechio Russo Lynch Jr. DiFrancesco Bennett Codey Kenny Codey Sweeney

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