Weeks, John W. (John Wingate), 1860-1926

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John Wingate Weeks (April 11, 1860-July 12, 1926) was an American politician in the Republican Party. He served as a United States Representative for Massachusetts from 1905 to 1913, as a United States Senator from 1913 to 1919, and as Secretary of War from 1921 to 1925. Weeks was born and raised in Lancaster, New Hampshire. He received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy, graduating in 1881, and served two years in the United States Navy. Weeks made a fortune in banking during the 1890s, after co-founding the Boston financial firm Hornblower and Weeks in 1888. With his financial well-being assured, Weeks became active in politics, first at a local level in his then-home of Newton, Massachusetts (he served as alderman in 1899-1902 and as mayor in 1903-04), then on the national scene. As a member of the United States House of Representatives and United States Senate, Weeks was notable mostly for his contributions to banking and conservation legislation, including the Weeks Act in 1911 that created the foundation for the United States National Forest system. 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' 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 Mount Prospect in Lancaster, New Hampshire. That building is now open for tours as part of the Weeks State Park.

From the description of Weeks, John W. (John Wingate), 1860-1926 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10574064

Weeks was born in 1860 in Lancaster, N.H. He was graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1881 and was discharged from the U.S. Navy in 1883. He was an Assistant Land Commissioner for the Florida Southern Railroad, 1886-1888, and a partner in the firm, Hornblower & Weeks, 1888-1912. From 1890 to 1898 he commanded the 2nd Division, Auxiliary U.S. Naval Force on the Atlantic Coast. He served as a member of the Military Advisory Board of Mass. and the Military Board of Examiners, 1894-1900, and as a member of the Board of Visitors, U.S. Naval Academy during 1896.

Weeks was an Alderman in Newton, Mass., 1900-1902, and Mayor of Newton, 1903-1904. In 1905 he became chairman of the Republican State Convention in Mass. and was elected U.S. Congressman from the 12th District, Mass.; he was elected U.S. Senator from Mass. in 1913. He was a candidate for the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention in Chicago in 1916 but served as a senator until 1919. From 1921 to 1925 he was Secretary of War in the cabinets of President Harding and President Coolidge. He died in Lancaster, N.H. in 1926.

From the description of Papers, 1877-1926. (Dartmouth College Library). WorldCat record id: 237352373

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn American Antiquarian Society Collection. 1923 - 1926. Motion Picture Films. 1923 - 1926. CALVIN COOLIDGE--FIRST CABINET MEETING,[ETC.] National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Frederick M. Dearborn collection of military and political Americana, Part I: The Revolution and the Administration, 1669-1958. Houghton Library
referencedIn Charles Dewey Hilles papers, 1823-1955 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
referencedIn Houghton Mifflin Company correspondence and records, 1832-1944. Houghton Library
referencedIn Hilles, Charles Dewey, 1867-1949. Charles Dewey Hilles papers, 1823-1955 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Stevens, John F. (John Frank), 1853-1943. Papers of John F. Stevens, 1914-1942. Library of Congress
creatorOf Reily, E. Mont. Papers. Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
referencedIn Henry T. Allen Papers, 1806-1933, (bulk 1883-1933) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. CABINET MEMBERS AND PROMINENT PERSONS OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF PRESIDENT WARREN G. HARDING National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. AROUND THE WORLD BY AIRPLANE National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Weeks, John W. (John Wingate), 1860-1926. Letter, [1923], Washington, to an unidentified person, West Newton, Mass. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Nathan Lewis Miller Papers, 1902-1958 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn James Freeman Clarke additional papers, 1806-1936. Houghton Library
creatorOf Barrett, Kate Waller, 1858-1925. Papers of Kate Waller Barrett [manuscript] 1922-1970. University of Virginia. Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE National Archives at College Park
referencedIn McNutt, Paul V. (Paul Vories), 1891-1955. Mss., 1899-1955 Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington)
referencedIn Ford, Henry, 1863-1947. Non-Automotive Interests and Activities records series, 1916-1931 (bulk 1923-1931) The Henry Ford, Benson Ford Research Center
referencedIn Crowley, Teresa A., 1874-1930. Papers in the Woman's Rights Collection, 1914-1944 (inclusive). Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Oswald Garrison Villard papers Houghton Library
referencedIn Harold E. Weeks diaries, 1925-1932 Center for Brooklyn History (2020-)
referencedIn Papers of Grace A. Johnson in the Woman's Rights Collection, 1840-1952 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
creatorOf Cox, Channing H. (Channing Harris), 1879-1968. Personal papers, 1904-1960. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Documentary Films. 1914 - 1944. CONGRESSIONAL TOUR OF INSPECTION FROM NEW YORK TO ALASKA VIA PANAMA CANAL (1923) National Archives at College Park
creatorOf White, George Robert, 1847-1922. Papers, 1861-1927. Library of Congress
referencedIn Crowley, Teresa A., 1874-1930. Papers in the Woman's Rights Collection, 1914-1944 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Higginson, Henry Lee, 1834-1919. Business records, 1799-1919 (bulk: 1870-1919) Harvard Business School, Knowledge and Library Services/Baker Library
creatorOf Bradford, Gamaliel, 1831-1911. Papers, 1869-1911. Library of Congress
referencedIn Irvine Luther Lenroot Papers, 1858-1971, (bulk 1900-1944) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. SINKING FRANKFURT National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. PRESIDENT WARREN G. HARDING [1921-1923] National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Williams, James Thomas, 1881-1969. Papers, 1836-1947 (bulk 1904-1942). Duke University Libraries, Duke University Library; Perkins Library
creatorOf Weeks, Sinclair, 1893-1972. Papers, 1910-1972. Dartmouth College Library
creatorOf Forbes, W. Cameron (William Cameron), 1870-1959. Journals, 1904-1946. Massachusetts Historical Society
referencedIn Benjamin Sawtell Hanchett Papers, 1858 and 1888-1958, 1888-1931 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Documentary Films. 1914 - 1944. CEREMONIES ATTENDING THE BURIAL OF AN UNKNOWN. .. SOLDIER National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. AERIAL BOMBING TESTS OF WATERCRAFT National Archives at College Park
referencedIn William Roscoe Thayer papers, 1762-1927 (inclusive), 1872-1921 (bulk) Houghton Library
referencedIn General Records of the Department of State. 1763 - 2002. Moving Images Relating to U.S. Foreign Policy and Foreign Relations. 1911 - 1972. A DAY WITH THE PRESIDENT AND HIS CABINET National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. Lighter Than Air National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Records of the War Department General and Special Staffs. 1860 - 1952. Records of the Conference on Training the Youth of the Country for Citizenship and National Defense National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. AVIATION, HISTORICAL, SINCE 1919 National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. MISCELLANEOUS SCENES IN WASHINGTON, 1921-1935 National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Weeks, John W. (John Wingate), 1860-1926. Papers, 1877-1926. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn W. Cameron (William Cameron) Forbes papers, 1900-1946. Houghton Library
referencedIn Papers of Grace A. Johnson in the Woman's Rights Collection, 1840-1952 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn American Film Institute Collection. 1913 - 1960. Assorted Films. 1913 - 1960. International News National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Papers of Professor Henry William Wilder Foote and Family, 1714-1959 Andover-Harvard Theological Library
creatorOf Weeks, Sinclair, 1893-1972. Album, 1923-1959. Dartmouth College Library
referencedIn John Read papers, 1853-1915. Houghton Library
referencedIn Charles O’Neil Papers, 1833-1927 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Yager, Arthur, 1858-1941. Arthur Yager Papers, 1913-1921. The Filson Historical Society
Relation Name
associatedWith Allen, Henry T. (Henry Tureman), 1859-1930. person
associatedWith Barrett, Kate Waller, 1858-1925. person
associatedWith Bradford, Gamaliel, 1831-1911. person
correspondedWith Clarke, James Freeman, 1810-1888 person
associatedWith Coolidge, Calvin, 1872-1933. person
associatedWith Cox, Channing H. (Channing Harris), 1879-1968. person
associatedWith Crane, W. Murray. person
associatedWith Crowley, Teresa A., 1874-1930. person
associatedWith Dearborn, Frederick M. (Frederick Myers), b. 1876 person
associatedWith Forbes, W. Cameron (William Cameron), 1870-1959. person
associatedWith Ford, Henry, 1863-1947. person
associatedWith Grace Allen (Fitch) Johnson, 1871-1952 person
associatedWith Hanchett, Benjamin Sawtell, 1868-1933 person
associatedWith Harding, Warren G. (Warren Gamaliel), 1865-1923. person
associatedWith Higginson, Henry Lee, 1834-1919. person
associatedWith Hilles, Charles Dewey, 1867-1949. person
associatedWith Hornblower, Henry. person
associatedWith Hornblower & Weeks. corporateBody
correspondedWith Houghton Mifflin Company. corporateBody
associatedWith Johnson, Grace A., 1871-1952. person
associatedWith Lansing, Robert, 1864-1928. person
associatedWith McNutt, Paul V. (Paul Vories), 1891-1955 person
associatedWith Miller, Nathan L., 1868-1953 person
correspondedWith O’Neil, Charles, 1842-1927 person
associatedWith Read, John, 1840-1915 person
associatedWith Reily, E. Mont. person
associatedWith Roosevelt, Theodore, 1858-1919. person
associatedWith Stevens, John F. (John Frank), 1853-1943. person
associatedWith Taft, William H. (William Howard), 1857-1930. person
associatedWith Teresa A. (O'Leary) Crowley, 1874-1930 person
correspondedWith Thayer, William Roscoe, 1859-1923 person
correspondedWith Villard, Oswald Garrison, 1872-1949 person
associatedWith Washburn, Charles G. person
associatedWith Weeks, Harold Eastman, 1886-1960 person
associatedWith Weeks, Sinclair, 1893-1972. person
associatedWith White, George Robert, 1847-1922. person
associatedWith Williams, James Thomas, 1881-1969. person
associatedWith Wood, Leonard, 1860-1927. person
associatedWith Yager, Arthur, 1858-1941. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
Subject
Banks and banking
Brokers
Occupation
Bankers
Broker
Congressman
Mayors
Secretary of War
Senator
Activity

Person

Birth 1860-04-11

Death 1926-07-12

English

Information

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Ark ID: w62j6v5t

SNAC ID: 31252343