James W. Nye

James Warren Nye (June 10, 1815 – December 25, 1876) was an American attorney and politician. He was most notable for his service as Governor of Nevada Territory and a United States senator from Nevada.

Biography He was born in DeRuyter, New York, and attended the common schools and Homer Academy in Homer, New York. He then studied law with Lorenzo Sherwood and Martin P. Sweet of Hamilton, New York, and was admitted to the bar. Nye served as surrogate of Madison County from 1844 to 1847 and county judge from 1847 to 1851. In 1846 he was appointed commander of the 17th Division with the rank of major general.

During the New York Democratic Party's fight between the Barnburners and Hunkers in the late 1840s, Nye was identified with the anti-slavery Barnburners. He supported Martin Van Buren's candidacy as the Free Soil Party's nominee for president in 1848, and was an unsuccessful Free-Soil candidate for election to the 31st United States Congress.

He lived in Syracuse, New York from 1852 to 1857, where he continued the practice of law.

Mark Twain was briefly Nye's Senate secretary. In Sketches New and Old, he gave an account of their parting, which occurred after Twain supposedly wrote ridiculous letters to constituents following Nye's instructions not to address controversial issues.

Nye was considered insane during his later years, and resided in an asylum. He suffered from delusions, including the belief that he was dead and waiting for his coffin to arrive.

Nye County, Nevada was named for him.