James C. McClune

James C. McClune (May 3, 1871 – November 19, 1940 ) was the Iowa State Auditor from 1925 to 1927.^[3][4]

J. C. McClune
23rd Iowa State Auditor
In office January 1, 1925 – January 1, 1927
Governor	John Hammill
Preceded by	James E. Thomas
Succeeded by	James W. Long
Member of the Iowa House of Representatives
In office January 10, 1921 – January 11, 1925
Preceded by	Thomas J. Wilson[1]
Succeeded by	Charles Oldham[2]
Personal details
Born	James C. McClune (1871-05-03)May 3, 1871 Rock Island County, Illinois
Died	November 19, 1940(1940-11-19) (aged 69) Oskaloosa, Iowa
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Lenna Morgan ​ (m. 1898)​
Children	2
Education	Western Normal College Northern Indiana University

Early life

He was born in Rock Island County, Illinois in 1871.^[3][4] He farmed for the first 18 years of his life in Iowa County, Iowa.^[3][4] He attended Western Normal College in Nebraska for six months before moving to Northern Indiana University (now Valparaiso University), where he studied law.^[3][4] In 1893, he was admitted to the Indiana and Iowa bars and began practicing law.^[3][4] He worked in What Cheer, Iowa, until 1897 when he became the city attorney.^[3][4]

Political career

Iowa House

In 1920, he ran against Democrat W. H. Broerman for the Iowa House seat of District 25.^[5] McClune won 6,564 votes against Broerman's 3,531 votes.^[5]

In 1922, he ran for re-election against Democrat Dan K. Unsicker for District 25.^[6] McClune won 3,640 votes against Unsicker's 3,439 votes, winning by only 201 votes.^[6]

He served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1921 to 1925.^[3][4]

State Auditor

In June 1924, McClune ran in a crowded Republican primary race against former Boone County Auditor G. H. Getty,^[7] former Decatur County Auditor J. V. Lemley,^[8] State Commander of the Disabled American Veterans William H. Nye,^[9] Iowa State Senator John Colborne Tuck^[10] and O. E. Wilson.^[11][12] McClune was nominated in July by the party to be the candidate.^[13]

He ran in the general against Democrat E. T. Likes.^[14] McClune won 564,237 votes against Likes' 216,767 votes.^[14] He was sworn in on January 2, 1925.^[15]

Personal life

He married Lenna Morgan in Keokuk County, Iowa on September 8, 1898.^[3] They had 2 daughters.^[3]

He died on November 19, 1940, at the Oskaloosa Hospital in Oskaloosa, Iowa after his car hit some loose gravel and slid into a ditch.^[4] He sustained a fractured neck.^[4] Lenna died in Tucson, on April 18, 1960.^[16]