James L. Emery
{{Short description|American politician (1931–2021)}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name =
|image =
|caption =
|office = Administrator of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation
|term_start = February 1984
|term_end = February 1991
|preceded = David W. Oberlin
|succeeded = Stanford Parris
|office1 = Member of the New York State Assembly
|constituency1 = 1967-1982 136th District
1966-1967 149th District
1965-1966 Livingston County
|term_start1 = January 1, 1965
|term_end1 = December 31, 1982
|preceded1 = Kenneth R. Willard
|succeeded1 = Richard C. Wesley
|birth_date = {{birth date|1931|07|22}}
|birth_place = Livonia, New York, U.S.
|death_date = {{death date and age|2021|10|26|1931|07|22}}
|death_place = Summerville, South Carolina, U.S.
|party = Republican
|education = University of Cincinnati
|spouse =
|children = 2
}}
James L. Emery (July 22, 1931– October 26, 2021) was an American politician from New York.
Life
He was born on July 22, 1931, in Lakeville, Livingston County, New York. He attended Livonia Central School. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati's College of Business Administration.[https://books.google.com/books?id=oAsnAAAAMAAJ&q=red+book+james+l+emery+born New York Red Book] (1970–1971; pg. 180)
He entered politics as a Republican, and was Sheriff of Livingston County.
He was a member of the New York State Assembly from 1965 to 1982, sitting in the 175th, 176th, 177th, 178th, 179th, 180th, 181st, 182nd, 183rd and 184th New York State Legislatures. He was Minority Leader from 1979 to 1982.
In 1982, Emery was a contender for the Republican nomination for Governor of New York,[https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/16/nyregion/emery-decides-to-stay-in-race-to-be-governor.html EMERY DECIDES TO STAY IN RACE TO BE GOVERNOR] by Maurice Carroll, in the New York Times on June 16, 1982 but eventually was nominated for Lieutenant Governor of New York on the Republican and Conservative tickets, with Lewis Lehrman for Governor. They were defeated by the Democratic and Liberal nominees Mario Cuomo and Alfred DelBello.
In October 1983, Emery was nominated by President Ronald Reagan as Administrator of the St. Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation.[https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/15/nyregion/reagan-selects-emery-for-st-lawrence-post.html Reagan Selects Emery For St. Lawrence Post] in the New York Times on October 15, 1983 He was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in February 1984 for a term of seven years.[https://www.nytimes.com/1985/11/06/nyregion/ex-legislator-using-old-skills-in-seaway-job.html EX-LEGISLATOR USING OLD SKILLS IN SEAWAY JOB] by Michael Oreskes, in the New York Times on November 5, 1985 He remained on the post until 1991 when he was succeeded by Stanford Parris.
He married Elsie McPhail, with whom he had two sons in 1957.{{Cite web |title= Join Ancestry®|url=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=61632&h=3368750&queryId=70c0fa5dc799a2b93f69e0ffc8e35577&usePUB=true&_phsrc=j39148761&_phstart=successSource&requr=2550866976735232&ur=0&gsfn=&gsln=&h=3368750 |access-date=2022-08-06 |website=www.ancestry.com}}
His second wife Jill Houghton Emery (born 1941) ran in 1984 for Congress in the 34th District, but was defeated by the incumbent Democrat Stan Lundine. He was later married to Sandra Johnson Emery (born 1946).[https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/18/nyregion/upstate-congressman-battles-to-keep-seat.html UPSTATE CONGRESSMAN BATTLES TO KEEP SEAT] bu Frank Lynn, in the New York Times on October 18, 1984
Emery died on October 26, 2021 in Summerville, South Carolina.{{Cite web|last=Kelly|first=Brian|date=November 4, 2021|title=Former Seaway administrator James Emery dies, had frequent north country presence|url=https://www.nny360.com/news/stlawrencecounty/former-seaway-administrator-james-emery-dies-had-frequent-north-country-presence/article_4e3a6218-ec5d-5cfa-add7-2f96030c000b.html|access-date=November 5, 2021|website=NNY360|language=en}}
References
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{{s-start}}
{{s-par|us-ny-hs}}
{{succession box | before = Kenneth R. Willard | title = New York State Assembly
Livingston County | years = 1965 | after = district abolished}}
{{succession box | before = new district | title = New York State Assembly
149th District | years = 1966 | after = Lloyd A. Russell}}
{{succession box | before = Philip R. Chase | title = New York State Assembly
136th District | years = 1967–1982 | after = Richard C. Wesley}}
{{succession box | before = Perry B. Duryea Jr. | title = Minority Leader in the New York State Assembly | years = 1979–1982 | after = Clarence D. Rappleyea Jr.}}
{{s-ppo}}
{{succession box | title = Republican nominee for Lieutenant Governor of New York | before = Bruce F. Caputo
1978 | after = E. Michael Kavanagh
1986 | years = 1982}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Emery, James L.}}
Category:People from Livonia, New York
Category:Republican Party members of the New York State Assembly
Category:University of Cincinnati alumni
Category:New York (state) sheriffs
Category:20th-century members of the New York State Legislature