Washington J. McCormick

Washington Jay McCormick, Jr. (January 4, 1884 – March 7, 1949) was a U.S. Representative from Montana.

Washington J. McCormick
Washington J. McCormick
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Montana's 1st district
In office
March 4, 1921 – March 3, 1923
Preceded byJohn M. Evans
Succeeded byJohn M. Evans
Member of the Montana House of Representatives
In office
1918-1920
Personal details
Born(1884-01-04)January 4, 1884
Missoula, Montana
DiedMarch 7, 1949(1949-03-07) (aged 65)
Missoula, Montana
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Montana
University of Notre Dame
Harvard University
Columbia University

Born in Missoula, Montana, McCormick attended the University of Montana and the University of Notre Dame in Indiana. He is named after his father, Washington J. McCormick, a prominent Missoula citizen.[1] He graduated from Harvard University in 1906 and from the law department of Columbia University, New York City, in 1910. He was admitted to the New York bar the same year. He returned to Missoula, Montana and admitted to the Montana bar in 1911, engaging in the practice of law. He served as member of the Montana House of Representatives from 1918 to 1920.

McCormick was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-seventh Congress (March 4, 1921 - March 3, 1923), but was unsuccessful in his reelection bid in 1922 to the Sixty-eighth Congress. He continued the practice of law until his retirement, when he devoted his time to writing.

In 1923, a bill drafted by McCormick became the first proposed legislation regarding the United States' national language that would have made "American" the national language in order to differentiate the United States's language from that of England.[2] This bill did not pass in Congress despite significant support—especially from Irish immigrants who were resentful of British influence.[3]

McCormick allowed his family ranch at Fort Owen to become a state park.[4] He resided in the Bitter Root Valley, near Stevensville, Montana, until his death in Missoula, Montana, March 7, 1949.

He was interred in Missoula Cemetery.[5]

References

edit
  • United States Congress. "Washington J. McCormick (id: M000373)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  1. ^ Guide to the Washington J. McCormick Papers at the University of Montana
  2. ^ Rich, Alex; Vance, Noelle (March 1, 2016). "English As A National Language: An Overview". Points of View: English As National Language.
  3. ^ "Milestones: 1866–1898 - Office of the Historian". history.state.gov. Retrieved 2022-03-21.
  4. ^ Guide to the Washington J. McCormick, Jr. Papers at the University of Montana
  5. ^ Political Graveyard

  This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Montana's 1st congressional district

1921–1923
Succeeded by