James Fairman Fielder (February 26, 1867 – December 2, 1954) was an American politician of the Democratic party, who served as the 35th governor of New Jersey, from 1914 to 1917. He had previously served as acting governor in 1913 but stepped down from office to avoid constitutional limits on serving successive terms. Early life and career He was born in Jersey City, New Jersey on February 26, 1867, to United States Congressman George Bragg Fielder. After law school, he became a member of the New Jersey General Assembly representing Hudson County, New Jersey from 1903 to 1904. He was then a member of the New Jersey Senate from Hudson County from 1908 to 1913. Governor The New Jersey Senate convened in January 1913 after Woodrow Wilson had won the 1912 Presidential Election and Fielder was selected to serve as President of the New Jersey Senate. This set him up to become acting Governor of New Jersey starting on March 1, 1913. Resignation and return Fielder resigned from his Senate office on October 28, 1913, so as to "create a vacancy in the governorship and avoid constitutional limits on succeeding himself". After winning "re-election," he took office on January 20, 1914, and served a full term in office, from January 20, 1914, to January 15, 1917. Death Fiedler died on December 2, 1954, of a heart attack at Mountainside Hospital. He was buried in the mausoleum in Fairmount Cemetery, Newark. See also List of governors of New Jersey References External links Biography of James Fairman Fielder (PDF), New Jersey State Library Dead Governors of New Jersey – James F. Fielder James Fairman Fielder entry at The Political Graveyard 1867 births 1954 deaths American Episcopalians Burials at Fairmount Cemetery (Newark, New Jersey) Democratic Party governors of New Jersey Democratic Party members of the New Jersey General Assembly Democratic Party New Jersey state senators Politicians from Jersey City, New Jersey Presidents of the New Jersey Senate