This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (November 2010) |
James Caleb Boggs (May 15, 1909 – March 26, 1993) was an American lawyer and politician from Claymont, Delaware. A liberal Republican, he was commonly known by his middle name, Caleb, frequently shortened to Cale.[1]
J. Caleb Boggs | |
---|---|
Official portrait, 1947 | |
United States Senator from Delaware | |
In office January 3, 1961 – January 3, 1973 | |
Preceded by | J. Allen Frear Jr. |
Succeeded by | Joe Biden |
Chair of the National Governors Association | |
In office June 25, 1959 – June 26, 1960 | |
Preceded by | LeRoy Collins |
Succeeded by | Stephen McNichols |
62nd Governor of Delaware | |
In office January 20, 1953 – December 30, 1960 | |
Lieutenant | John W. Rollins David P. Buckson |
Preceded by | Elbert N. Carvel |
Succeeded by | David P. Buckson |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Delaware's at-large district | |
In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1953 | |
Preceded by | Philip A. Traynor |
Succeeded by | Herbert B. Warburton |
Associate Judge of the New Castle County Family Court | |
In office November 9, 1942 – January 3, 1947 | |
Preceded by | Billy Bickson |
Succeeded by | Johnathan Taylor |
Personal details | |
Born | James Caleb Boggs May 15, 1909 Cheswold, Delaware, U.S. |
Died | March 26, 1993 Newark, Delaware, U.S. | (aged 83)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Elizabeth Muir
(m. 1931; died 1992) |
Children | 2 |
Education | University of Delaware (BA) Georgetown University (LLB) |
Military service | |
Allegiance | |
Branch/service | |
Years of service | 1941–1946 |
Rank | Colonel |
Unit | 6th Armored Division |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Campaign Stars (5) Legion of Merit Bronze Star Croix de Guerre |
He was a veteran of World War II, and a member of the Republican Party, who served three terms as U.S. Representative from Delaware, two terms as Governor of Delaware, and two terms as U.S. Senator from Delaware. He lost re-election in 1972 in an upset by 3,162 votes (or 1.4%) by then–New Castle County councilman and future president of the United States Joe Biden.
Early life and education
editBoggs was born on May 15, 1909, at Cheswold, Delaware,[2] the son of Edgar Jefferson and Lettie Vaughn Boggs. Boggs joined the Delaware National Guard in 1926 and became a reserve officer that year.[2]
In 1931, he married Elizabeth Muir; the couple had two children, and were members of the Methodist Church.[3]
He graduated from the University of Delaware in 1931 with an A.B. degree[4] and later graduated from Georgetown Law School in 1937[2] with an LLB degree.[2]
Career
editIn 1938, he was admitted to the Delaware State Bar Association and began the practice of law at Dover, Delaware.[2]
During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army with the 6th Armored Division fighting in Normandy, the Rhineland, the Ardennes, and central Europe. He earned five Campaign Stars, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Croix de Guerre with palm from France.[3]
U.S. House of Representatives
editBoggs was appointed Associate Judge of the Family Court of New Castle County in 1946. He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1946, defeating incumbent Democratic U.S. Representative Philip A. Traynor. He won the election a total of three times, also defeating Democrats J. Carl McGuigan in 1948, and Henry M. Winchester in 1950. Boggs served in the U.S. House from January 3, 1947, to January 3, 1953.
Governor of Delaware
editBoggs was elected Governor of Delaware in 1952, defeating incumbent Democratic Governor Elbert N. Carvel, and won a second term in 1956, defeating Democrat J. H. Tyler McConnell. He served as governor from January 20, 1953, to December 30, 1960, when he resigned because of his upcoming U.S. Senate term. On April 2, 1958, he signed the bill that ended capital punishment in Delaware.[5]
U.S. Senate
editBoggs was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1960, narrowly defeating incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator J. Allen Frear Jr. by 1.4 percentage points, and becoming the only Republican to defeat an incumbent Democratic U.S. Senator that year. He was again elected to the U.S. Senate in 1966, defeating Democrat James M. Tunnell Jr., son of the former U.S. Senator. He served two terms from January 3, 1961, to January 3, 1973. Boggs voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968,[6][7] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,[8] the Voting Rights Act of 1965,[9] and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court.[10]
Boggs lost his bid for a third term in 1972 to the future 47th Vice President and 46th President, Democrat Joe Biden, then a New Castle County councilman. Boggs was a reluctant candidate that year, being persuaded to run only to help avoid a divisive primary election.[11] Biden waged an energetic campaign, questioning Boggs's age and ability, and went on to defeat Boggs by approximately 1.4 percentage points.[12] In his last years, Boggs lived in Wilmington, Delaware, where he continued to practice law until retiring in the early 1980s.[3]
Death and legacy
editBoggs' health declined in his final years due to diabetes and cancer. His wife, Elizabeth, died on April 1, 1992, and he died just under a year later, on March 26, 1993, at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware.[3] He is buried in the Old Presbyterian Cemetery in Dover, on the grounds of the Delaware State Museum. The J. Caleb Boggs Federal Building at 844 King Street in Wilmington, Delaware is named for him.
List of General Assembly sessions
editDelaware General Assembly (sessions while Governor) | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Assembly | Senate Majority | President pro tempore |
House Majority | Speaker | ||||||
1953–1954 | 117th | Republican | Thomas L. Johnson | Republican | Frank A. Jones | ||||||
1955–1956 | 118th | Democratic | Charles G. Moore | Democratic | James R. Quigley | ||||||
1957–1958 | 119th | Democratic | Lemuel Hickman | Democratic | Harry E. Mayhew | ||||||
1959–1960 | 120th | Democratic | Allen J. Cook | Democratic | Sherman W. Tribbitt |
Elections
editElection results | |||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Office | Subject | Party | Votes | % | Opponent | Party | Votes | % | ||
1946 | U.S. Representative | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 63,516 | 56% | Philip A. Traynor | Democratic | 49,105 | 44% | ||
1948 | U.S. Representative | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 71,127 | 51% | J. Carl McGuigan | Democratic | 68,909 | 49% | ||
1950 | U.S. Representative | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 73,313 | 57% | Henry M. Winchester | Democratic | 56,091 | 43% | ||
1952 | Governor | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 88,977 | 52% | Elbert N. Carvel | Democratic | 81,772 | 48% | ||
1956 | Governor | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 91,965 | 52% | J. H. Tyler McConnell | Democratic | 85,047 | 48% | ||
1960 | U.S. Senator | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 98,874 | 51% | J. Allen Frear, Jr. | Democratic | 96,090 | 49% | ||
1966 | U.S. Senator | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 97,268 | 59% | James M. Tunnell, Jr. | Democratic | 67,263 | 41% | ||
1972 | U.S. Senator | J. Caleb Boggs | Republican | 112,844 | 49% | Joe Biden | Democratic | 116,006 | 50% |
References
edit- ^
- Moynihan, Daniel Patrick (1979). "Committee Statement to Report No. 96-391". Congressional Serial Set. p. 1.
- Hagan, David (2020). No Ordinary Joe: The Life and Career of Joe Biden. Oppian. p. 4. ISBN 9789518771411.
- Delaware Lawyer. Vol. 4. 1985. p. 10.
- The Editorial Board (January 17, 2020). "Joe Biden: Former vice president of the United States". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d e "Biographies of Newly Elected Senators". CQ Almanac Online Edition. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
- ^ a b c d Clements, Nan (March 28, 1993). "J. Caleb Boggs: 1909–1993; Former Del. governor, U.S. senator dies". The News-Journal. p. A1, A17. Retrieved December 9, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Mayer, Michael S. (2010). The Eisenhower Years. Facts On File, Incorporated. p. 51. ISBN 9781438119083 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Answers to Questions". The Reading Eagle. March 9, 1959. p. 8. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- ^ "HR. 7152. PASSAGE. -- Senate Vote #409 -- Jun 19, 1964". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO PROHIBIT DISCRIMINATION IN ... -- Senate Vote #346 -- Mar 11, 1968". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "S.J. RES. 29. APPROVAL OF RESOLUTION BANNING THE POLL TAX AS PREREQUISITE FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "TO PASS S. 1564, THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT OF 1965".
- ^ "CONFIRMATION OF NOMINATION OF THURGOOD MARSHALL, THE FIRST NEGRO APPOINTED TO THE SUPREME COURT". GovTrack.us.
- ^ "Death and the All-American Boy | Washingtonian (DC)". Washingtonian. 1974-06-01. Retrieved 2019-06-16.
- ^ Erickson, Bo (June 4, 2019). "When a young Joe Biden used his opponent's age against him". CBS News.
Bibliography
edit- Davis, Ned (2000). Charles L. Terry. Wilmington, Delaware: Delaware Heritage Press. LCCN 00133337. OCLC 47186751.
- Hoffecker, Carol E. (2000). Honest John Williams. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press.
- Hoffecker, Carol E. (2004). Democracy in Delaware. Wilmington, Delaware: Cedar Tree Books. ISBN 1-892142-23-6.
- Martin, Roger A. (1984). History of Delaware Through its Governors. Wilmington, Delaware: McClafferty Press.
- Martin, Roger (1997). Elbert N. Carvel. Wilmington, Delaware: Delaware Heritage Press. ISBN 0-924117-08-7.
- Munroe, John A. (1993). History of Delaware. Newark, Delaware: University of Delaware Press. ISBN 0-87413-493-5.
Images
edit- Hall of Governors Portrait Gallery; Portrait courtesy of Historical and Cultural Affairs, Dover.