Tasker Oddie

Tasker Lowndes Oddie (October 20, 1870 – February 17, 1950) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 12th Governor of Nevada and a United States Senator. He was a member of the Republican Party.

A native of Brooklyn, New York, Oddie was educated in Brooklyn, then lived and worked for several years in Nebraska and East Orange, New Jersey. After graduating from New York University School of Law in 1895 and practicing law in New York City, in 1898 he moved to Nevada. He worked in Nevada as the attorney and business agent for wealthy businessman Anson Phelps Stokes, and became active in silver and gold mining. Oddie's mining investments made him wealthy, and he expanded his holdings to include ownership takes in farms, railroads, banks, and cattle ranches.

A Republican, Oddie served as school superintendent and district attorney of Nye County from 1901 to 1903, and was a member of the state senate from 1905 to 1909. Oddie was elected governor in 1910, and served from 1911 to 1915. After running unsuccessfully for governor in 1914 and 1918, in 1920 he won election to the U.S. Senate. He was reelected in 1926, and served from 1921 to 1933. Oddie was defeated for reelection in 1932, and for election to the senate in 1938.

In retirement, Oddie spent winters in San Francisco and summers in Nevada. He died in San Francisco on February 17, 1950, and was buried at Lone Mountain Cemetery in Carson City, Nevada.

Early life

Tasker Oddie was born in Brooklyn, New York on October 20, 1870, the son of Henry Meigs Oddie and Ellen Gibson (Prout) Oddie.<ref name="Williamson">Template:Cite book</ref> He attended the public schools of Brooklyn until he was 16, when ill health caused him to travel to Nebraska.<ref name="Williamson"/> He remained there until 1894, and worked for several years as a cowboy.<ref name="Williamson"/> Upon returning east, he settled in East Orange, New Jersey, where he became active in the real estate business.<ref name="Williamson"/> He later became a clerk for a New York City wholesale importing firm, followed by work as the assistant manager of the estate of Isaac Newton Phelps, who had died in 1888, and John Bond Trevor, who had died in 1890.<ref name="Cauldwell">Template:Cite magazine</ref>

While managing the Trevor estate, Oddie attended New York University School of Law at night, and graduated with an LL.B. in 1895.<ref name="Williamson"/> He was admitted to the bar the same year, and practiced in New York until 1898, when he moved to Nevada.<ref name="Williamson"/> While living in New Jersey, Oddie also served for three years as a member of the state's militia's Essex Troop of cavalry.<ref name="Cauldwell"/> He volunteered for the Spanish–American War, but the troop was not called up, and he resigned when he moved to Nevada.<ref name="Cauldwell"/>

Oddie relocated to Nevada become the attorney and business agent for wealthy businessman Anson Phelps Stokes.<ref name="Williamson"/> He managed Stokes' real estate, banking, railroad, and mining operations for several years, in addition to becoming active in mining in his own right.<ref name="Williamson"/> As the business partner of Jim Butler, the founder of Tonopah, Nevada, and Wilson Brougher, owner of Carson City's Brougher Mansion, Oddie became wealthy as the developer and manager of gold and silver mines, railroads, cattle ranches, and farms.<ref name="Williamson"/>

Continued career

Oddie as governor of Nevada, Template:Circa.

A Republican, Oddie was the Nye County School Superintendent and District Attorney from 1901 to 1903.<ref name="Cauldwell"/> He was a member of the Nevada State Senate from 1905 to 1909.<ref name="Capace">Template:Cite book</ref>

In 1910, Oddie was the successful Republican nominee for governor, and he served from 1911 to 1915.<ref name="Capace"/> As a Progressive Republican, Oddie advocated for worker's compensation, mine safety, and an eight hour workday.<ref name="Capace"/> In addition, women received the right to vote in local elections, and the state's first laws regulating motor vehicles were enacted.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On March 17, 1911, he signed the city charter for Las Vegas, the first incorporated city in the state.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Because he was not married during his governorship, Oddie's mother Ellen and his sisters acted as official hostesses.<ref name="Marks">Template:Cite web</ref> Oddie was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1914 and returned to his business interests.<ref name="Capace"/> He ran for governor unsuccessfully in 1918.<ref name="Capace"/>

During World War I, Oddie was chairman of Nevada's transportation committee, war industries board, and council of national defense.<ref name="Williamson"/> His continued business interests included serving as president of the Tonopah City Mining Company and the Nye County Bank.<ref name="Cauldwell"/> In addition, he was an executive or manager of the Tonopah Belmont Development Company, Tonopah City Mining Company, Tonopah Fraction Mining Company, and Gold Hill Mining Company.<ref name="Cauldwell"/>

U.S. Senator

In 1920, Oddie staged a political comeback by winning election to the U.S. Senate.<ref name="Directory">Template:Cite book</ref> He was reelected in 1926, and served from March 4, 1921, to March 3, 1933.<ref name="Directory"/> During his senate career, Oddie was chairman of the Committee On Mines and Mining (68th through 71st Congresses), and the Committee On Post Offices and Post Roads (72nd Congress).<ref name="Directory"/>

Oddie clashed in the senate with Hiram Johnson of California over the location of the proposed San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.<ref name="Marks"/> San Francisco area businessmen, in conjunction with Johnson, argued in favor of a location that Oddie believed would disadvantage the United States Navy by destroying anchorages for warships.<ref name="Marks"/> Subsequent negotiations resulted in the selection of a site that protected the navy's interests.<ref name="Marks"/>

Oddie was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1932, and for election in 1938.<ref name="Capace"/> After leaving the senate, he resumed his business interests, including serving as president of the Gold Mining Association of America and the Nevada Mine Owners' Association.<ref name="Capace"/>

Later life, death, and legacy

In his later years, Oddie and his wife spent winters in San Francisco and summers in Nevada.<ref name="Marks"/> Oddie was a member of the American Institute of Mining Engineers and American Cattle Breeders Association.<ref name="Williamson"/><ref name="Cauldwell"/> He belonged to the Alta Club of Salt Lake City and the Bohemian Club of San Francisco.<ref name="Williamson"/><ref name="Cauldwell"/> Oddie was a Mason, and attained the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite.<ref name="Dies2">Template:Cite news</ref> He was a member of the Knights Templar, the Elks, and the Episcopal Church.<ref name="Williamson"/><ref name="Dies2"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Oddie died in San Francisco on February 17, 1950.<ref name="Directory"/> He was interred at Lone Mountain Cemetery, Carson City, Nevada.<ref name="Directory"/>

Mount Oddie near Tonopah is named after Oddie, as is Oddie Boulevard in Reno and Sparks.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Oddie's Tonopah home, the Uri B. Curtis House–Tasker L. Oddie House, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Family

In December 1903, Oddie married Claire Gardner MacDonald; they divorced in November 1904.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In November 1916, he married Daisy Rendall MacKeigan, and they were married until his death.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Dies">Template:Cite news</ref> Oddie had no children with either wife.<ref name="Dies"/>

Oddie was a descendant of several prominent American families; Henry Meigs was his great-grandfather, and Henry Meigs Jr. was his grand-uncle.<ref name="Cauldwell"/> Other direct ancestors and extended family included Benjamin Stoddert, Benjamin Tasker Sr., and Christopher Lowndes.<ref name="Cauldwell"/>

External links

• Template:Congbio
• Template:Find a Grave
• Chan, Loren. Sagebrush Statesman: Tasker L. Oddie of Nevada. (University of Nevada Press, Reno, 1973)
• Biographical Information, Tasker L. Oddie. Nevada State Library and Archives
• A Guide to the Tasker L. Oddie Scrapbooks and Correspondence, NC585. Special Collections, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Reno.