James Manahan was born March 12, 1866 on a farm near Chatfield, Minnesota, the son of Joseph and Catherine McCarthy Manahan. He received his education at a country school taught by his older brother, Christopher, and at the Winona Normal School. After his graduation in 1886, he taught school at Graceville, Minnesota for a short time, began studying law at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, and then entered the newly-organized law department at the University of Minnesota. In 1889 he received its first Bachelor of Laws degree, and opened an office in St. Paul.
On September 20, 1893 Manahan married Mary Zita (Minnie) Kelly, the daughter of Daniel and Mary Kelly of St. Paul. They had one daughter, Kathryn, who also became a St. Paul lawyer.
In 1895 Manahan moved to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he was attorney for Mary Fitzgerald in the extensive litigation surrounding the settlement of her husband's estate, as well as conducting a private law practice. He met William Jennings Bryan soon after moving to Lincoln, became his friend, and supported him in his three campaigns for the presidency. Manahan himself ran unsuccessfully for congress from Lincoln in 1898.
Manahan returned to Minnesota in 1905 and opened a law office in Minneapolis. After Bryan's defeat in 1908, Manahan left the Democratic Party and became a progressive Republican. He supported Robert M. LaFollette in 1912 and was himself elected congressman-at-large for Minnesota for the term 1913-1915.
Instead of running for reelection, he moved his law office to St. Paul and began to study the question of transportation and marketing as they affected farming. His concern for this issue led to his involvement in such cases as the Pullman rate case, which resulted in lower rates on sleeping car berths, and the case of Sundberg vs. the American Express Company, which brought about a readjustment of express rates.
Manahan believed that farmers were vital members of society, since they were responsible for feeding the world, and he devoted himself to establishing farmers' rights to receive a fair return for their effort. His later years were spent trying to gain protection for the agricultural interests of the northwest through favorable tariffs and improved marketing systems. He was closely identified with farm organizations, cooperative marketing associations, and the Farmers Union Terminal Association.
James Manahan died January 8, 1932.
Biographical information was taken from the collection; from Manahan's
autobiography,
The collection includes family, business, and political correspondence, drafts of an autobiography, biographical reminiscences written by Manahan's daughter Kathryn, short stories, speeches, income tax statements, law practice files, and newspaper clippings documenting estate, injury, railroad, and grain cases represented by Manahan; the presidential campaigns of William Jennings Bryan (1908) and Robert M. LaFollette (1912); Manahan's term as a U.S. representative (1913-1915); and the organization of the Farmers Union Terminal Association.
These documents are organized into the following sections:
A variety of print, manuscripts, and state archives materials related to James Manahan or to his role as an attorney in various railroad and grain hearings are in the Minnesota Historical Society reference library.
Manahan's autobiography, published under the title
Accession numbers: 4166; 11,141; 11,492; 15,334
Processed by: Rhoda Raasch, May 1972; Monica Manny Ralston, March 2000
Catalog ID number: 09-00041137
The correspondence includes letters between Manahan, his wife, and daughter; letters from family and friends; political correspondence; and letters concerning Manahan's law practice, particularly regarding the estate case of John Fitzgerald and various railroad and grain rate cases.
Many of the letters concern efforts to send a Minnesota delegation pledged to William Jennings Bryan to the 1908 Democratic national convention held in Denver, Colorado. Charles W. Bryan, brother of Willlian Jennings Bryan and at one time a governor of Nebraska, exchanged many letters with Manahan on the presidential campaign of 1908 and later political issues. Later correspondence also regards efforts to nominate Robert LaFollette as a candidate in the 1912 presidential campaign, as well as Manahan's 1912 campaign for congressman-at-large and his 1914 campaign for the office of Minnesota's attorney general. Much of the correspondence is written by or addressed to Daniel F. Foley, George Loftus, and William I. Nolan, officers of the Progressive Republican League who acted as managers for Manahan's congressional campaign. Other letter writers include Pierce Butler, Moses E. Clapp, Lynn Haines, Robert LaFollette, Franklin K. Lane, William Lemke, Knute Nelson, Christopher D. and Thomas O'Brien, William S. Pattee, and Thomas J. Walsh. There are also a few items from Louis D. Brandeis, Charles A. Lindbergh, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Andrew J. Volstead.
There are comparatively few letters after 1917 and most of these concern Manahan's work with agricultural interests, primarily the Equity Cooperative Exchange, and his efforts to interest a publisher in his autobiography. Miscellaneous papers within the correspondence include Manahan's teaching certificates, his certificate of admission to the Minnesota bar, wedding announcements, programs from Manahan's speaking engagements, political campaign circulars, and biographical memorials written after Manahan's death.
Original telegrams and letters bearing the autographs of Louis D. Brandeis, William Jennings Bryan, Charles A. Lindbergh, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Andrew J. Volstead have been placed in the Minnesota Historical Society reserve collection. A photocopy of each item remains within the correspondence and miscellaneous papers.
The writings include materials written by both James Manahan and his daughter Kathryn Manahan. Included are handwritten draft and typed versions of Manahan's autobiography with corrections and inclusions, as well as biographical reminiscences by Kathryn Manahan that were intended to appear as alternating anecdotes to each of the autobiographical chapters written by Manahan. The writings also include six short stories by James Manahan and one by Kathryn Manahan, speeches and articles written by James Manahan, and his law school thesis. The substance of the short stories were drawn from Manahan's experiences as an attorney. The majority of the printed speeches were remarks Manahan delivered as debate regarding proposed bills while a member of Congress. Other typescripts and handwritten articles represent campaign speeches, memorials, and keynote addresses delivered before social, business, and political clubs. Manahan's topics include railroads, agriculture, taxes and tariffs, labor, monopoly trusts, cooperatives, government regulation, immigration restrictions, the recall of judges, and democratic principles. One undated speech by Kathryn Manahan regarding the Nonpartisan League and the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce is also included.
Papers from Manahan's law practice consist of legal documents and case files that include contracts for Manahan's services; case correspondence; filings in the form of complaints, summons, petitions, briefs, depositions, transcripts of testimony, and stipulations; closing argument drafts; and financial information. The bulk of these papers relate to the estate of John Fitzgerald of Lincoln, Nebraska, a railroad contractor and brick manufacturer, and to several high-profile railroad cases. The railroad cases include hearings before the Interstate Commerce Commission regarding coal and grain freight rates (1906) and a case brought by George Loftus against the Pullman Company (1910). Also included are materials from two investigative committees created by the state legislature to which Manahan served as attorney. None of the case files are complete; however, Manahan's role and the progress of the cases is covered both by the clippings and scrapbooks and in his autobiography. Additionally, none of the cases heard by the Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission are represented in these papers.
Other cases documented by the papers include Manahan's representation of John Kangley in an injury suit against the Northern Pacific Railroad Company (1892), his defense of property owners in a condemnation proceeding brought by the Pine City Electric Power Company (1911), and miscellaneous probate, real estate, personal injury, bankruptcy, and incorporation proceedings.
The personal papers includes copies of Manahan's income tax statements showing income and expenses from his law practice, rental properties, and stock investments. This series also includes files regarding real estate Manahan owned in Minneapolis, St. Paul, and Washington County. These files contain deeds, lien satisfactions, rental leases and account statements, contractors' invoices, real estate tax statements, and fire insurance policies. Also included within this series is a file regarding the organization and incorporation of the Farmers Union Terminal Association. This association grew out of the Equity Cooperative Exchange of which James Manahan and George Lambert were appointed receivers after the death of George Loftus. Additional information about Manahan's involvement with the Farmers Union Terminal Association is included within his correspondence, within the miscellaneous legal documents and case files, and in the last chapter of his autobiography.
The clippings and scrapbooks consists of three folders of newspaper clippings and five scrapbooks. These materials provide contemporaneous coverage of Manahan's high-profile cases, particularly those cases heard before the Interstate Commerce Commission and the Minnesota Railroad and Warehouse Commission. Also included are clippings related to Manahan's political career and the political campaigns of Bryan and LaFollette.