Background
Mann, James Robert was born on October 20, 1856 in on farm near Bloomington, Illinois, United States. Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Dabney (Abraham) Mann.
United States representative politician
Mann, James Robert was born on October 20, 1856 in on farm near Bloomington, Illinois, United States. Son of William Henry and Elizabeth Dabney (Abraham) Mann.
Moved to Iroquois County, 1867. Graduate University of Illinois, 1876, Master of Laws, 1892, Doctor of Laws, 1903. Bachelor of Laws, Union College of Law, Chicago, 1881.
Admitted to bar, 1881, and practiced at Chicago.
Mann held several local political offices before serving in the House of Representatives. He was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1881 and commenced his practice in Chicago. He held several local offices before being elected as a congressman:
Attorney for Hyde Park and the South Park commissioners of Chicago
Chairman of the Illinois State Republican convention (1894)
Master in chancery of the Superior Court of Cook County
Chairman of the Republican county conventions at Chicago (1895, 1902)
Elected as Republican (1896) to the 55th Congress with 13 successive terms
Chairman, Committee on Elections Number.
1 (58th – 60th Congresses)
Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce (61st Congress)
Committee on Women Suffrage (66th Congress)
Minority Leader (62nd – 65th Congresses)
Congressman Mann was one of the sponsors of the Mann-Elkins Acting, which gave more power to the Interstate Commerce Commission to regulate railroad rates.
He is probably best known for his authorship of the Mann Acting of 1910, which was a reaction to the "white slavery" issue and prohibited transportation of women between states for purposes of prostitution. He introduced legislation that became the Pure Food and Drugs Acting of 1906.
He was considered to be a leader in the cause of amending the United States Constitution to grant suffrage to women. Congressman Mann died in Washington, District of Columbia of pneumonia on November 30, 1922 at age 66 before the close of the 67th United States Congress.
He was interred in Oak Woods Cemetery in Chicago.
Ellis, L. Ethan. “James Robert Mann: Legislator Extraordinary”. Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 46 (Spring 1953): 28-44.
Extended bibliography – United States Congress website
This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress document "MANN, James Robert".
Member Oakland school board, Village of Hyde Park (now in Chicago), 1887. Member 55th to 57th Congresses (1897-1903), 1st Illinois District, and 58th to 67th Congresses (1903-1923), 2d District Minority leader 62d to 65th Congresses.
Married Emma Columbia, May 30, 1882.