This article is about the Massachusetts congressman, U.S. Senator and Secretary of War. For his great uncle, a New Hampshire congressman, see John W. Weeks (New Hampshire politician).
Weeks made a fortune in banking during the 1890s, after co-founding the Boston financial firm Hornblower & Weeks in 1888.[3] During the Spanish–American War, he returned to active duty with the U.S. Navy from April to October 1898 with the rank of lieutenant.
With his financial well-being assured, Weeks became active in politics, first at a local level in his then-home of Newton, Massachusetts, serving as alderman in 1899–1902 and as mayor in 1903–04. He then moved on to the national scene in 1905, when he was elected to serve the 12th congressional district of Massachusetts in the United States Congress.[4]
As a member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, Weeks made various contributions to important banking and conservation legislation. His most notable accomplishment as Congressman was the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911, his name-sake bill that enabled the creation of national forests in the eastern United States.
In the election of 1918, Weeks was defeated in his re-election campaign. Due to the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, this was the first time election to his U.S. Senate seat was decided by the voters rather than the state legislature. His defeat has been attributed to his refusal to support women's suffrage, and his opposition to the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, a distinction he shared with Senator Willard Saulsbury Jr. of Delaware.[5] Despite his defeat for re-election to the Senate in 1918, Weeks remained an active and influential participant in the national Republican Party. He was an early supporter of the nomination of Warren G. Harding for President in 1920, and when Harding became President, he named Weeks to his cabinet.
As Secretary of War, Weeks was a competent, honest, and respected administrator and adviser, who guided the Department of War through its post-World War I downsizing. Weeks's hard work and long hours led to a stroke in April 1925, which led in turn to his resignation as Secretary in October of that year.
Weeks died several months later, at his summer home on Prospect Mountain in Lancaster, New Hampshire. His ashes were buried in Arlington National Cemetery[6] near what is now known as Weeks Drive.[7]
His great uncle, for whom he was named, John Wingate Weeks (1781–1853), was a major in the U.S. Army during the War of 1812 and served as a congressman from New Hampshire.[9]Edgar Weeks congressman from Michigan was mis-attributed as a cousin of John Wingate Weeks in the past.[10]
NamesakesEdit
Weeks's summer home where he died is now open for tours as part of the Weeks State Park. A nearby mountain within the White Mountain National Forest was named Mount Weeks in his honor.
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This article is about the Massachusetts congressman U S Senator and Secretary of War For his great uncle a New Hampshire congressman see John W Weeks New Hampshire politician John Wingate Weeks April 11 1860 July 12 1926 was an American banker and politician from Massachusetts A Republican he served as Mayor of Newton from 1902 to 1903 a United States representative from 1905 to 1913 United States Senator from 1913 to 1919 and Secretary of War from 1921 to 1925 1 John Weeks48th United States Secretary of WarIn office March 5 1921 October 13 1925PresidentWarren G HardingCalvin CoolidgePreceded byNewton D BakerSucceeded byDwight F DavisUnited States Senatorfrom MassachusettsIn office March 4 1913 March 3 1919Preceded byWinthrop M CraneSucceeded byDavid I WalshMember of theU S House of Representativesfrom MassachusettsIn office March 4 1905 March 4 1913Preceded bySamuel L PowersSucceeded byJohn MitchellConstituency12th district 1905 13 13th district 1913 Personal detailsBornJohn Wingate Weeks 1860 04 11 April 11 1860Lancaster New Hampshire U S DiedJuly 12 1926 1926 07 12 aged 66 Lancaster New Hampshire U S Resting placeArlington National CemeteryPolitical partyRepublicanSpouseMartha Aroline SinclairEducationUnited States Naval Academy BS Military serviceAllegianceUnited StatesBranch serviceUnited States NavyYears of service1881 18831898RankLieutenant Contents 1 Life and career 2 Family 3 Namesakes 4 See also 5 References 6 External linksLife and career Edit nbsp Time cover October 22 1923John Wingate Weeks was born and raised in Lancaster New Hampshire He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy graduating in 1881 2 and served for two years in the United States Navy He married Martha Aroline Sinclair on October 7 1885 nbsp Former Washington D C residence of John W WeeksWeeks made a fortune in banking during the 1890s after co founding the Boston financial firm Hornblower amp Weeks in 1888 3 During the Spanish American War he returned to active duty with the U S Navy from April to October 1898 with the rank of lieutenant With his financial well being assured Weeks became active in politics first at a local level in his then home of Newton Massachusetts serving as alderman in 1899 1902 and as mayor in 1903 04 He then moved on to the national scene in 1905 when he was elected to serve the 12th congressional district of Massachusetts in the United States Congress 4 As a member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate Weeks made various contributions to important banking and conservation legislation His most notable accomplishment as Congressman was the passage of the Weeks Act in 1911 his name sake bill that enabled the creation of national forests in the eastern United States In the election of 1918 Weeks was defeated in his re election campaign Due to the passage of the Seventeenth Amendment to the United States Constitution this was the first time election to his U S Senate seat was decided by the voters rather than the state legislature His defeat has been attributed to his refusal to support women s suffrage and his opposition to the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution a distinction he shared with Senator Willard Saulsbury Jr of Delaware 5 Despite his defeat for re election to the Senate in 1918 Weeks remained an active and influential participant in the national Republican Party He was an early supporter of the nomination of Warren G Harding for President in 1920 and when Harding became President he named Weeks to his cabinet As Secretary of War Weeks was a competent honest and respected administrator and adviser who guided the Department of War through its post World War I downsizing Weeks s hard work and long hours led to a stroke in April 1925 which led in turn to his resignation as Secretary in October of that year nbsp Weeks s grave in Arlington National CemeteryWeeks died several months later at his summer home on Prospect Mountain in Lancaster New Hampshire His ashes were buried in Arlington National Cemetery 6 near what is now known as Weeks Drive 7 Family EditWeeks s son Charles Sinclair Weeks served as United States senator from Massachusetts and was later Secretary of Commerce during the Eisenhower administration 8 His great uncle for whom he was named John Wingate Weeks 1781 1853 was a major in the U S Army during the War of 1812 and served as a congressman from New Hampshire 9 Edgar Weeks congressman from Michigan was mis attributed as a cousin of John Wingate Weeks in the past 10 Namesakes EditWeeks s summer home where he died is now open for tours as part of the Weeks State Park A nearby mountain within the White Mountain National Forest was named Mount Weeks in his honor The John W Weeks Bridge a footbridge over the Charles River on the campus of Harvard University in Boston and Cambridge Massachusetts was named for Weeks and opened in 1927 The John Wingate Weeks Junior High School built in 1930 in Newton Centre Massachusetts was named for him During World War II the U S Navy destroyer escort USS Weeks DE 285 was named for Weeks Her construction was cancelled in 1944 The destroyer USS John W Weeks DD 701 then was named for Weeks She was in commission from 1944 to 1970 The investment banking and brokerage firm Hornblower and Weeks founded in 1888 was named for Weeks and co founder Henry Hornblower Weeks Field in Fairbanks Alaska was named after him 11 See also EditNew Hampshire Historical Marker No 219 The Weeks Act 1911References Edit Weeks John Wingate Biographical Information bioguide congress gov Retrieved November 8 2016 Uncle Sam s Cadets National Republican Washington D C June 10 1881 p 1 Retrieved April 2 2023 via newspapers com Garraty John A and Carnes Mark C American National Biography vol 22 Weeks John Wingate New York Oxford University Press 1999 John W Weeks 1860 1926 Forest History Society March 25 2010 DuBois Ellen Carol April 20 2020 A pandemic nearly derailed the women s suffrage movement National Geographic Retrieved April 27 2020 Notable Graves Politics and Government Arlington National Cemetery Burial Details Weeks John Wingate ANC Explorer Weeks Sinclair 1893 1972 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 25 2022 Weeks John Wingate 1781 1853 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 25 2022 Weeks John Wingate 1860 1926 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Retrieved December 25 2022 Harkey Ira 1991 Pioneer Bush Pilot Bantam Books p 95 ISBN 0553289195 External links Edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to John W Weeks nbsp Wikisource has the text of a 1922 Encyclopaedia Britannica article about John W Weeks Works by or about John W Weeks at Internet ArchiveUnited States Congress John W Weeks id W000246 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress The Papers of John W Weeks at Dartmouth College LibraryPolitical officesPreceded byEdward L Pickard Mayor of Newton1902 1903 Succeeded byAlonzo WeedPreceded byNewton D Baker United States Secretary of War1921 1925 Succeeded byDwight F DavisU S House of RepresentativesPreceded bySamuel L Powers Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom Massachusetts s 12th congressional district1905 1913 Succeeded byJames Michael CurleyPreceded byJesse Overstreet Chair of the House Post Office Committee1909 1911 Succeeded byJohn A MoonPreceded byWilliam S Greene Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom Massachusetts s 13th congressional district1913 Succeeded byJohn MitchellU S SenatePreceded byWinthrop M Crane U S Senator Class 2 from Massachusetts1913 1919 Served alongside Henry Cabot Lodge Succeeded byDavid I WalshParty political officesFirst Republican nominee for U S Senator from Massachusetts Class 2 1918 Succeeded byFrederick H GillettAwards and achievementsPreceded byFrank Lowden Cover of Time MagazineOctober 22 1923 Succeeded byRoy Chapman Andrews Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John W Weeks amp oldid 1176339936, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
