James Harlan

James Harlan (June 22, 1800 – February 18, 1863) was an attorney and politician, a U.S. Representative from Kentucky. He also served as US Attorney for Kentucky and, prior to that, as Kentucky Secretary of State and Attorney General, the first to be elected to the latter office statewide. Early life and career Born in Mercer County, Kentucky, Harlan descended from George Harlan (1651–1714) of County Durham, England and Elizabeth Duck (1660–1712) of County Armagh, Ireland, who were married in a Quaker ceremony in 1678 in County Down. Harlan attended school before working as a clerk in a dry goods store from 1817 to 1821. Deciding to embark upon a legal career, he read law under the guidance of a local judge before gaining admission to the bar in 1823. Harlan commenced practice in Harrodsburg, Kentucky and enjoyed a busy but not especially-remunerative legal career. He served as a Commonwealth's Attorney from 1829 to 1835. Political career A follower of Henry Clay, Harlan was soon involved in local and state politics. In 1833, he managed the reelection campaign of Congressman Robert P. Letcher. When Letcher decided not to run for another term, Harlan ran successfully to replace him. Harlan was elected as an Anti-Jacksonian to the Twenty-fourth Congress and reelected as a Whig to the Twenty-fifth Congress (serving March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1839). In 1840, Letcher, who had won election as governor of Kentucky, appointed Harlan as Secretary of State of Kentucky, an office he held for the duration of Letcher's term. In 1845, Harlan was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives, serving three terms until 1851. He was elected Attorney General of Kentucky in 1850, the first man elected statewide as attorney general. He served until 1859 as the state's attorney general (during which time he wrote The Code of Practice in Civil and Criminal Cases). Two years later, Harlan was appointed U.S. Attorney for Kentucky by President Abraham Lincoln, and he served in that capacity until his death in Frankfort on February 18, 1863.