James A. Beaver

James Addams Beaver (21 October 1837–31 January 1914) was an American politician who served as Governor of Pennsylvania from 1887 to 1891.

Beaver, an attorney, served in the Union army during the American Civil War and rose to commande the 148th Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was wounded at Ream's Station, North Carolina in 1864, an injury that resulted his amputation of his right leg. Following the war, Beaver pursued his law career, declining offers to run for public office until 1881 (including a spot as vice president on James Garfield's Republican ticket). He lost to Robert Pattison, but, because the new state constitution of 1874 prohibited governors from serving multiple consecutive terms, Beaver ran again and served as governor for the four years between Pattison's two non-consecutive terms. In 1895, he was appointed as one of the judges of the first state Superior Court, and office he held until his death in 1914.