James H. Preston

James H. Preston
Born	James Harry Preston Template:Birth date Preston's Hill, Harford County, Maryland, U.S.
Died	July 14, 1938(1938-07-14) (aged 78) Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
Occupation(s)	Politician, lawyer, bank president
Years active	1881–1923
Known for	Mayor of Baltimore (1911–1919), Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates (1894), President General of the Sons of the American Revolution (1920–1921)

James Harry Preston (March 23, 1860 – July 14, 1938) held the office of Mayor of Baltimore between 1911 and 1919 and was also a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. Additionally, he served as president general of the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution from 1920 to 1921.

Early life

Preston was born on March 23, 1860, at Preston's Hill in Harford County, Maryland, to Amelia (née Wilks) and James B. Preston. He completed his education at Bel Air Academy and then attended St. John's College in Annapolis. In 1881, he obtained a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Maryland School of Law.

Career

Beginning his legal career in 1881, Preston joined the firm of George M. Gill and subsequently formed a partnership with Gill’s son, John Gill Jr.

As a member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1889 and served from 1890 until 1894, including a brief term as Speaker of the Maryland House of Delegates in 1894. From 1904 to 1908, he was part of Baltimore’s Board of Police Commissioners. Supported by political leader John J. Mahon, Preston held the mayoralty of Baltimore from 1911 to 1919. During his administration, notable infrastructure developments were undertaken such as the building of the Hanover Street Bridge and the establishment of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. He also promoted urban improvements by modernizing streets and converting sections of St. Paul Street into landscaped gardens and parking facilities.

At the 1912 Democratic National Convention, Preston served as a delegate and was among those considered for the vice presidential nomination. After being defeated in the 1919 mayoral primary by George Weems Williams, he was appointed to the Port Development Commission by Mayor Broening, later becoming its chairman under Mayor Jackson. In 1923, Preston sought the mayor’s office once more on an independent ticket but was unsuccessful before withdrawing from political life.

Beyond politics, Preston served as the 32nd President General of the Sons of the American Revolution, played key roles as founding president and vice president at Calvert Bank, and led the Jones Falls Improvement Association.

Personal life

On November 14, 1894, Preston married Helen Fiske Jackson, who was a niece of Governor Elihu Emory Jackson. The couple had five children: two sons named Wilbur and James, and three daughters—Alice, Helen, and Mary.

His brother Walter W. Preston served as an associate judge within Baltimore’s third judicial circuit. James H. Preston maintained a close association with political figure John Mahon.

The family lived in a residence on Charles Street, originally constructed in 1870 by engineer William Key Howard, which later became home to Governor Frank Brown.

Death

Preston passed away on July 14, 1938, at his residence in Baltimore and was laid to rest at Green Mount Cemetery.

Legacy

In 1917, the city of Baltimore honored him by naming Preston Gardens on St. Paul Street after him.