James Knox Weatherford (1850-1935) was an attorney in Albany, Oregon, where he opened a law office in the mid-1870s. He was also a politician and held a series of state and local offices. During the 1876 legislative session, he represented Linn County in the Oregon House and was House speaker. In 1882, he ran for Oregon secretary of state, and in the 1885 legislative session, he represented Linn County in the Oregon Senate. From 1886 to 1887, he was mayor of Albany. He returned to the state Senate, serving during the 1887, 1891, and 1893 sessions. Weatherford was also active in education; he was elected Linn County superintendent of schools in the early 1870s, served many years on the the Albany School Board, and was a longtime member and president of the Board of Regents of Oregon Agricultural College (now Oregon State University). He also served as president of the Corvallis and Eastern Railroad Company.