Cox, James M. (James Middleton), 1870-1957

COX, JAMES MIDDLETON, a Representative from Ohio; born on a farm near Jacksonburg, Butler County, Ohio, March 31, 1870; attended Butler County schools and Amanda (Ohio) High School; after two years of high school passed teacher's examination and at the age of 16 years began teaching school; commenced newspaper career as reporter on Middletown (Ohio) Signal and in 1892 went to work on the Cincinnati Enquirer; secretary to Congressman Paul Sorg 1894-1897; became owner and publisher of the Dayton Daily News in 1898, of the Springfield Daily News in 1903, of the Miami (Florida) News in 1923, of the Atlanta (Georgia) Journal in 1939, of the Dayton Journal and Herald in 1949, and of the Atlanta (Georgia) Constitution in 1950; elected as a Democrat to the Sixty-first and Sixty-second Congresses and served from March 4, 1909, until January 12, 1913, when he resigned, having been elected Governor; Governor of Ohio 1913-1915; unsuccessful candidate for reelection as Governor in 1914; again Governor of Ohio 1917-1921; unsuccessful Democratic candidate for election as President of the United States in 1920; vice chairman of the United States delegation to the World Economic Conference at London in 1933 and president of its monetary commission; declined appointment to the United States Senate by Gov. Frank Lausche in 1946; retired from political life but continued his activities as newspaper publisher and owner of several radio and television stations; died in Dayton, Ohio, July 15, 1957; interment in Woodland Cemetery.

<p>James Middleton Cox (March 31, 1870 – July 15, 1957) was the 46th and 48th Governor of Ohio, a U.S. Representative from Ohio, and the Democratic nominee for President of the United States at the 1920 presidential election. His running mate during his presidential campaign was future president Franklin D. Roosevelt. He founded the chain of newspapers that continues today as Cox Enterprises, a media conglomerate.</p>

<p>Born and raised in Ohio, Cox began his career as a newspaper copy reader before becoming an assistant to Congressman Paul J. Sorg. As owner of the Dayton Daily News, Cox introduced several innovations and crusaded against the local Republican Party boss. He served in the United States House of Representatives from 1909 to 1913 before being elected as Governor of Ohio. As governor, Cox introduced a series of progressive reforms and supported Woodrow Wilson's handling of World War I and its aftermath. He was chosen as the Democratic nominee for president on the forty-fourth ballot of the 1920 Democratic National Convention. Running on a ticket with future President Franklin D. Roosevelt as his running mate, Cox suffered the worst popular vote defeat (a 26.17% margin) in presidential election history as the country accepted Republican nominee Warren G. Harding's call for a "return to normalcy" after the Wilson years.</p>

<p>Cox retired from public office after the 1920 presidential election to focus on his media conglomerate, which expanded into several cities. By 1939, his media empire extended from Dayton to Miami. He remained active in politics, supporting Roosevelt's campaigns and attending the 1933 London Economic Conference.</p>