U.S. Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ -- USGenNet Inc. -- Please read the U.S. Data Repository Copyright Statement on the following page: --------------------------------------------------------------------- Lakin, James S. (1864-1934) --------------------------------------------------------------------- West Virginia Blue Book West Virginia Legislative Hand Book and Manual and Official Register, 1918 Compiled and edited by John T. Harris, Clerk of the Senate The Tribune Printing Company, Charleston, West Virginia Page 740, State Board of Control. JAMES S. LAKIN (Republican), is the eldest son of Calvin H. and Catherine (Finney) Lakin, and was born at Moundsville, West Virginia, March 1, 1864. His father is a retired minister of the Methodist Episcopal church, living at Huntington, who spent half a century in active work in the West Virginia and Iowa conferences, including service as Presiding Elder of the Oakland and Huntington districts. James S. Lakin received his earlier education in the common schools and later attended the Fairmont State Normal and the Ohio Wesleyan University, at Delaware, Ohio. In 1889 he became a member of the mercantile firm of Offutt & Lakin, doing business at Terra Alta, Preston county. He had full charge of its affairs until 1909, when he relinquished the work to accept a position as one of the members of the State Board of Control. He was succeeded as manager of the mercantile firm by his brother, Finney L. Lakin, who still occupies that position. The business of this firm was successful from the beginning, and from a strictly mercantile business branched into other lines particularly dealing in timber lands. In connection with his business success, Mr. James S. Lakin naturally became interested in banking, and has served as President of the First National Bank of Terra Alta and as one of the directors of the Terra Alta bank. He has always taken an active interest in political and public affairs and for a number of years was a member of the Republican Executive Committee of Preston county. In 1899, Governor Atkinson appointed him First Lieutenant of Company M, First West Virginia Infantry. Governor White, in 1901, made him a director of the West Virginia Asylum, at Huntington, and in 1905 he was re-appointed by Governor Dawson. In 1906 Mr. Lakin was the Republican candidate for Congress in the Second Congressional District and was only defeated by a small majority. He was appointed in 1909 by Governor Glasscock as one of the members of the newly created Board of Control to have charge of the business and financial side of State institutions. The other members were John A. Sheppard and Thomas E. Hodges. Mr. Lakin was elected President of the Board and in that position had ample opportunity to demonstrate his marked and excellent ability as an organizer. His service in that position was continuous except for a brief leave of absence during the political campaign of 1912, when he served as Chairman of the Republican State Committee. In 1913 Governor Hatfield appointed Mr. Lakin a member of the new Public Service Commission, of which he was elected Chairman. Subsequently, it was held that he was ineligible to a position on the Commission because of a provision in the law covering the State Board of Control. He was thereupon restored by Governor Hatfield to membership on the Board of Control and was again elected President of the Board. In 1914-15 he was a member of the Executive Committee of the West Virginia-Panama Pacific International Exposition at San Francisco. In 1915 he was re-appointed on the State Board of Control for the term of six years, and served as President until the reorganization of the Board in 1917. Mr. Lakin’s only son—James O. Lakin—is a Lieutenant in the United States Army serving in France. ------------------------------------------------------------------- DEATH-CERTIFICATE, Kanawha County WV, #3404 Full-name: James Sonsome Lakin Birth: Mar 1, 1864 in Moundsville, WV Death: Mar 6, 1934 in Charleston, Kanawha, WV Marital-status: married, Laura C. Lakin Profession: Merchant, Advertising Father: Calvin H. Lakin, born in Ohio Mother: Catherine A. Finney, born in Ohio Informant: Mr. John Ray, Charleston, WV Cause-of-death: Bronchial Pneumonia Burial: Sunset Cemetery ------------------------------------------------------------------- If you've reached this file through a SEARCH, you can access other biographies for Marshall County, WV by going to the following URL: http://www.us-data.org/wv/marshall/bios.html -------------------------------------------------------------------