James Graves Scrugham

Born in Lexington, Ky., on January 19, 1880. Engineer. Educator. Governor. U.S. Senator. University of Kentucky, Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, 1900; Master of Engineer 1906. Died, June 24, 1945.

Following graduation from the University of Kentucky, he took a position with the Creaghead Engineering Company of Cincinnati, and subsequently worked with the Metropolitan West Side Elevated Railway Company, Chicago, and the Abner Doble Company of San Francisco, Calif.

From 1903-17, he was with the University of Nevada, becoming a professor of mechanical engineering and serving as Dean of the College of Engineering.

In 1917, he became state engineer of Nevada and was Public Service Commissioner for the state, 1919-23. He was elected Governor of the state in 1923, serving a four year term until 1927. From 1933-43, he served as a Congressman and then was elected to the U.S. Senate. He was responsible for securing the passage of legislation for the erection of Boulder Dam. He also served as a special advisor to the Secretary of the Interior, and on various Colorado River Development projects. 

A veteran of World War I, which service he began as a major and concluded as a Lieutenant Colonel, he was Chief of carriage section production and the artillery divisions of the Ordnance Department. In 1915, he was commissioner of exhibits for the state of Nevada at the San Francisco Exposition. In 1929, he became publisher of the "Nevada State Journal" at Reno.

Memberships included Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Chi, Phi Kappa Phi, the Masonic Lodge, and the American Legion. His hobby was aviation and he produced spectacular photographs from the air.

James Graves Scrugham was named to the Hall of Distinguished Alumni in February 1965.