James M. Mead

James Michael Mead (December 27, 1885 – March 15, 1964) was an American labor organizer, law enforcement officer, and Democratic Party politician from Buffalo, New York. He represented Buffalo in the United States House of Representatives from 1919 to 1938 and New York in the United States Senate from 1938 to 1947. He also chaired the Federal Trade Commission from 1950 to 1953, during the presidency of Harry S. Truman.

Mead was born in Mount Morris, New York and raised in Buffalo. He began working at the age of 12 as a water boy for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad and later worked for the Pullman Company and Erie Railroad as a mechanic and switchman. He was president of the Buffalo local for the Switchmen's Union of North America before working for several years as an officer of the United States Capitol Police.

In 1913, Mead began a political career with his election to the Erie County board of supervisors. In the next year, he was elected to represent Buffalo in the New York State Assembly. After four terms in the Assembly, he was elected to the United States House of Representatives, where he served ten terms from 1919 until 1938 and chaired the Committee on the Post Office from 1931 to 1938. He resigned his seat upon election to the United States Senate. Mead gave up his Senate seat in 1946 to unsuccessfully challenge Governor of New York Thomas E. Dewey and Harry S. Truman later appointed him to the Federal Trade Commission, where he served from 1949 to 1953 and chaired the commission from 1950 to 1953.

Early life James M. Mead was born in Mount Morris, New York on December 27, 1885, a son of Thomas and Jane (Kelly) Mead. Mead moved to Buffalo with his family at the age of five. He was employed by the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad; his career included jobs as a water boy, lamp lighter, section hand, spike mauler, shop mechanic and switchman. He was subsequently employed as a switchman on the Erie Railroad, and was eventually elected president of the Switchmen's Union's Buffalo local. He also took courses at Canisius College and Catholic University. While working nights for the Capitol Police, Mead attended the Georgetown University Law Center during the day.

As a well-known semiprofessional football and baseball player in the Buffalo area, Mead developed a following that aided his entry into politics. Among his successes were laws to improve the conditions of women and children in factories and enhancements to the state's worker's compensation laws. He was reelected nine times, and served from 1919 to 1938.

Later career Mead was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for governor in 1942.

Legacy In 1937, the Works Progress Administration built a Buffalo public library that was later named the James Mead Branch Library.

Buffalo-area mail carriers recognized Mead's accomplishments on behalf of postal workers by naming their union local in his honor. He was buried at Oakhill Cemetery in Clermont.

Family In 1915, Mead married Alice M. Dillon (1885–1964). They were the parents of a son, James Michael Mead Jr. (1918–1997).