Clarence J. McLeod
Encyclopedia
Clarence John McLeod was a politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
McLeod was born in Detroit, Michigan
, the son of a well-to-do Scottish
father who had served as Collector of Internal Revenue in Detroit. He attended the public schools and the University of Detroit. He graduated with an LL.B. from the Detroit College of Law in 1918. He was a member of Delta Theta Phi
.
During the First World War, McLeod served as a private
in the aviation section at the ground school, Cornell University
, Ithaca, New York
, and as sergeant
in the Intelligence Division. He accepted appointment on May 12, 1919, as second lieutenant
in the Officers’ Reserve Corps, and successively as captain, major
, and lieutenant colonel
. He was admitted to the bar in 1919 and commenced practice in Detroit.
In November 1920, McLeod was elected as a Republican
from Michigan's 13th congressional district
to the 66th United States Congress
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles A. Nichols
, serving from November 2, 1920 to March 3, 1921. At the time, he was the youngest person ever elected to Congress, being just five months over the age of 25, the minimum age required by the U.S. Constitution
. he was a candidate only to fill the unexpired term of Nichols. At the same election, Vincent M. Brennan
was simultaneously elected to a full term in the 67th Congress
.
In 1922, McLeod was elected to the 68th Congress
and subsequently re-elected to the six succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1923, to January 3, 1937. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican primary election for Governor of Michigan
in 1934. In 1936, he lost to Democrat George O'Brien
in the election to the 75th Congress
. In 1937, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for mayor of Detroit.
In 1938, McLeod defeated O'Brien to be elected to the 76th Congress
, serving from January 3, 1939, to January 3, 1941. McLeod lost to O'Brien in 1940, 1942, and 1944. In 1946, McLeod was defeated for the Republican nomination by Howard Aldridge Coffin, who went on to defeat O'Brien in the general election. McLeod won the Republican nomination in 1950 and 1952, but lost both times to O'Brien in the general election.
After leaving Congress, McLeod returned to the practice of law and was a consultant to the Administrator of Federal Civil Defense Administration
. He died in Detroit and was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
McLeod was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, the son of a well-to-do Scottish
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
father who had served as Collector of Internal Revenue in Detroit. He attended the public schools and the University of Detroit. He graduated with an LL.B. from the Detroit College of Law in 1918. He was a member of Delta Theta Phi
Delta Theta Phi
Delta Theta Phi is a professional law fraternity and a member of the Professional Fraternity Association. The smallest of the three internationally recognized law fraternities , Delta Theta Phi is the only one of the three major law fraternities to charter chapters in the United States at...
.
During the First World War, McLeod served as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the aviation section at the ground school, Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
, Ithaca, New York
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
, and as sergeant
Sergeant
Sergeant is a rank used in some form by most militaries, police forces, and other uniformed organizations around the world. Its origins are the Latin serviens, "one who serves", through the French term Sergent....
in the Intelligence Division. He accepted appointment on May 12, 1919, as second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the Officers’ Reserve Corps, and successively as captain, major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, and lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. He was admitted to the bar in 1919 and commenced practice in Detroit.
In November 1920, McLeod was elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Michigan's 13th congressional district
Michigan's 13th congressional district
Michigan's 13th congressional district is a United States congressional district in Wayne County, Michigan. It includes the east side of Detroit, portions of the city's near west side, the inner suburbs of River Rouge, Harper Woods, Ecorse, the downriver communities of Lincoln Park, and Wyandotte,...
to the 66th United States Congress
66th United States Congress
The Sixty-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, comprising the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1919 to March 4, 1921, during the last two years of...
to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Charles A. Nichols
Charles Archibald Nichols
Charles Archibald Nichols was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Nichols was born to Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Whitney Nichols in Boyne City, Michigan, and attended the public schools. He engaged in newspaper work as reporter and criminal investigator for the Detroit Journal and the Detroit...
, serving from November 2, 1920 to March 3, 1921. At the time, he was the youngest person ever elected to Congress, being just five months over the age of 25, the minimum age required by the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
. he was a candidate only to fill the unexpired term of Nichols. At the same election, Vincent M. Brennan
Vincent M. Brennan
Vincent Morrison Brennan was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.Brennan was born in Mount Clemens, Michigan and moved with his parents to Detroit in 1895. He graduated from SS...
was simultaneously elected to a full term in the 67th Congress
67th United States Congress
The Sixty-seventh United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1921 to March 4, 1923, during the first two years...
.
In 1922, McLeod was elected to the 68th Congress
68th United States Congress
The Sixty-eighth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from March 4, 1923 to March 4, 1925, during the last months of...
and subsequently re-elected to the six succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1923, to January 3, 1937. He was an unsuccessful candidate in the Republican primary election for Governor of Michigan
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
in 1934. In 1936, he lost to Democrat George O'Brien
George D. O'Brien
George Donoghue O’Brien was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan who served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives....
in the election to the 75th Congress
75th United States Congress
The Seventy-fifth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1937 to January 3, 1939, during the first two years...
. In 1937, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for mayor of Detroit.
In 1938, McLeod defeated O'Brien to be elected to the 76th Congress
76th United States Congress
The Seventy-sixth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1939 to January 3, 1941, during the seventh and...
, serving from January 3, 1939, to January 3, 1941. McLeod lost to O'Brien in 1940, 1942, and 1944. In 1946, McLeod was defeated for the Republican nomination by Howard Aldridge Coffin, who went on to defeat O'Brien in the general election. McLeod won the Republican nomination in 1950 and 1952, but lost both times to O'Brien in the general election.
After leaving Congress, McLeod returned to the practice of law and was a consultant to the Administrator of Federal Civil Defense Administration
Federal Civil Defense Administration
The Federal Civil Defense Administration was organized by Democratic president Harry S. Truman on December 1, 1950, and became an official government agency on January 12, 1951...
. He died in Detroit and was interred in Mount Olivet Cemetery
Mount Olivet Cemetery (Detroit)
Mt. Olivet Cemetery is a cemetery at 17100 Van Dyke Avenue in the city of Detroit in Wayne County, Michigan. It opened in 1888 and is owned and operated by the Mount Elliott Cemetery Association, a not-for-profit Catholic organization. At , it is the largest cemetery in Detroit.Notable people...
.