John S. Hager
Encyclopedia
John Sharpenstein Hager (March 12, 1818 March 19, 1890) was an American politician
from the U.S. state
of California
. He served in the U.S. Senate
from 1873 to 1875.
, on March 12, 1818. He completed preparatory studies and graduated from the College of New Jersey
(later named Princeton University) in 1836. Hager studied law and was admitted to the bar
in 1840, practicing in Morristown.
In 1849, Hager moved to California and engaged in mining during the California Gold Rush
. He practiced law in San Francisco
and was a member of the 1849 California Constitutional Convention. Hager served in the California Senate from 1852 to 1854, before being elected as a state district judge for the district of San Francisco in 1855. Hagar remained a district judge until 1861. In 1865, Hager returned to the state senate, serving until 1871, when he was elected a regent
of the University of California
Hager was elected as an anti-monopoly
Democrat
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Eugene Casserly
and served from December 23, 1873, to March 4, 1875. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1874.
In 1879, Hager was a member of the state constitutional convention. He was collector of customs of the port of San Francisco
from 1885 to 1889. Hager died in San Francisco on March 19, 1890 and was interred at Bellefontaine Cemetery
in St. Louis, Missouri
.
Politics of the United States
The United States is a federal constitutional republic, in which the President of the United States , Congress, and judiciary share powers reserved to the national government, and the federal government shares sovereignty with the state governments.The executive branch is headed by the President...
from the U.S. state
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 California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He served in the U.S. Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from 1873 to 1875.
Life
Hager was born near Morristown, New JerseyMorristown, New Jersey
Morristown is a town in Morris County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the town population was 18,411. It is the county seat of Morris County. Morristown became characterized as "the military capital of the American Revolution" because of its strategic role in the...
, on March 12, 1818. He completed preparatory studies and graduated from the College of New Jersey
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
(later named Princeton University) in 1836. Hager studied law and was admitted to the bar
Admission to the bar
An admission to practice law, also called admission to the bar, is acquired when a lawyer receives a license to practice law. Becoming a lawyer is a widely varied process around the world. Common to all jurisdictions are requirements of age and competence; some jurisdictions also require citizenship...
in 1840, practicing in Morristown.
In 1849, Hager moved to California and engaged in mining during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
. He practiced law in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
and was a member of the 1849 California Constitutional Convention. Hager served in the California Senate from 1852 to 1854, before being elected as a state district judge for the district of San Francisco in 1855. Hagar remained a district judge until 1861. In 1865, Hager returned to the state senate, serving until 1871, when he was elected a regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
Hager was elected as an anti-monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Eugene Casserly
Eugene Casserly
Eugene Casserly was an Irish-American journalist and lawyer.The son of Patrick S. Casserly, he served in the United States Senate from California....
and served from December 23, 1873, to March 4, 1875. He was not a candidate for renomination in 1874.
In 1879, Hager was a member of the state constitutional convention. He was collector of customs of the port of San Francisco
Port of San Francisco
The Port of San Francisco lies on the western edge of the San Francisco Bay near the Golden Gate. It has been called one of the three great natural harbors in the world, but it took two long centuries for navigators from Spain and England to find the anchorage originally called Yerba Buena...
from 1885 to 1889. Hager died in San Francisco on March 19, 1890 and was interred at Bellefontaine Cemetery
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries
Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri are adjacent burial grounds, which have numerous historic and extravagant tombstones and mausoleums. They are the necropolis for a number of prominent local and state politicians, as well as soldiers of the...
in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
.