James Wickersham, on September 28th, 1908, tendered his resignation as Judge for the Third Judicial District in the Interior of Alaska. He had been appointed to that position by President William McKinley  in 1900.

That year, he ran for the delegate position for the District of Alaska and won the election and began serving in 1909. He would be elected several times over the years.

He was a staunch advocate for territorial status and worked to make Alaska a territory. Alaska was made a territory in 1912.

He would work hard to break Guggenheim’s Alaska Syndicate’s hold on the copper as well as transportation in the territory. He worked diligently to gain congressional authorization for a federal railroad in Alaska.He succeeded, and the syndicate’s hold on transportation was severely weakened.

His last term from 1931-1933. He passed away at 82 in 1939.

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