THE IRRIGATION AGE. 



149 



James H. Brady 



James H. Brady, eighth governor of Idaho, was 

 born in Indiana County, Pennsylvania, June 12, 

 1862, son of John and Catharine (Lee) Brady, of 

 Scotch-Irish and German stock, and a descendant 

 of Hugh Brady, who married Hannah McCormick, 

 and the line of descent is traced through their son 

 James, who married Rebecca Young, and their son 

 James Young, who married Sarah Rickets, and was 

 Governor Brady's grandfather. Two sons of the 

 emigrant, Hugh Brady, Capt. Samuel Brady and 

 Gen. Hugh Brady, distinguished themselves as 

 soldiers, the former as an Indian fighter, whose 

 name became a household word for bravery and re- 

 sourcefulness in western Pennsylvania during the 

 early years of the nation, and the latter as a Colonel 

 in the war of 1812. 



James Young Brady, the governor's grand- 

 father, settled on a farm in Indiana County, Pa., 



U. S. Senator James H. Brady. 



and served there as a justice of the peace for forty- 

 three years. His son John engaged in farming and 

 stock raising in the same county, cultivated a farm 

 in Marion County, Pa., for a time, and finally took 

 his family to Johnson County, Kansas, where he 

 purchased a farm within twenty miles of Kansas 

 City, Mo. Here he became active in politics and 

 soon was honored with many high public positions, 

 and often called upon to settle disputes among the 

 Kansas pioneers ; he was commonly referred to as 

 Judge Brady. 



The subject of this sketch attended the public 

 schools of the district and the Leavenworth Normal 

 College. He taught school for three years after re- 

 ceiving his diploma, fitting himself in the meantime 

 for the practice of law. After editing a semi-weekly 

 newspaper for two years, he embarked in the real es- 

 tate business with offices in St. Louis, Mo., Chicago, 

 111., and Houston, Texas, and was successful from 

 the start. While thus engaged, he became acquainted 

 with the wonderful irrigation and power possibilities 

 of the State of Idaho, and he settled there in 1895. 

 He was identified with the upbuilding of the Snake 

 River valley, which included the construction of the 

 Idaho canal, the Marysville canal and the Fort Hall 

 Indian Reservation canal. He also became inter- 

 ested in the electric development of the water power 

 in southeastern Idaho, and he is president and prin- 

 cipal owner of the Idaho Consolidated Power Com- 

 pany at American Falls, which owns and controls 

 one of the largest power plants in the state. 



Governor Brady has been active in public affairs 

 from early manhood. The same energy and execu- 

 tive ability which he displayed in his business enter- 

 prises distinguished him as an organizer and leader 

 in the Republican party, and his foresight, shrewd- 

 ness, business intelligence and capacity for work be- 

 came a valuable asset to that party in Idaho after 

 he went to that state. He was a delegate to the Re- 

 publican National Convention in 1910; chairman of the 

 Idaho delegation to the Republican National Con- 

 vention of 1908, and a member of the delegation 

 from that convention to notify William H. Taft of 

 his nomination at Cincinnati, Ohio; vice-president 

 of the National Irrigation Congress, 1896-98, and a 

 member of its executive committee 1900-04. As 

 chairman of the Republican State Central Committee 

 of Idaho in 1904 and 1906, he was the acknowledged 

 leader of the party in the state, which nominated 

 him by acclamation its candidate for governor in 

 1908. He was elected November 3d of that year 

 by a magnificent majority. Governor Brady was 

 a strong adherent of the direct primary and the local 

 option bills, and was largely instrumental in their 

 enactment into law. The former provides for the 

 expression of the people's choice for United States 

 Senator. Among other legislation enacted during 

 his administration were an amendment of the law 

 regulating the period of employment in underground 

 mines, an employer's liability law, and a law pro- 

 hibiting wholesale liquor dealers being interested 

 in places doing retail business. Provision was made 

 for the care and protection of orphans and of home- 

 less, neglected or abused children ; and for the in- 

 determinate sentence of persons convicted of any 

 felonies, except treason and murder in the first 

 degree. Many other measures for the advancement 

 of the state were advocated by Governor Brady. He 

 contributed privately both time and money to al- 

 most every movement which had for its purpose the 

 betterment of the state. His most striking char- 

 acteristics, besides his keen foresight, are a truly in- 

 spiring activity and genuine public spirit. 



Governor Brady is a member of the Pocatello 



Commercial Club ; Boise Commercial Club ; Salt 



Lake City Commercial Club, Rocky Mountain Club 



of New York; President of the Western Develop- 



( Continued on page 165) 



