| James Duncan Torreyson | |
| Birth Date: | February 14, 1854 |
| Birth Place: | Wellsburg, Virginia, US |
| Death Place: | Carson City, Nevada, US |
| Office1: | Nevada Attorney General |
| Term Start1: | January 5, 1891 |
| Term End1: | January 7, 1895 |
| Office2: | Ormsby County district attorney |
| Term Start2: | 1883 |
| Term End2: | 1891 |
| Alma Mater: | Yale University |
| Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
James Duncan Torreyson (February 14, 1854 – October 27, 1904) was the eighth attorney general of the U.S state of Nevada.
Torreyson was born on February 14, 1854, in Wellsburg, Virginia.[1] When Torreyson was nine years old, his family moved to Carson City Nevada.[2] In the fall of 1873, Torreyson was admitted to the Hopkins Grammar school in New Haven, Connecticut, where he prepared for college.[2] In 1879, Torreyson graduated from Yale University.[1] [2]
On January 4, 1882, Torreyson gained admittance to the State Bar of Nevada.[1] In November 1882, Torreyson was elected district attorney of Ormsby County, winning 475 votes to 397 against incumbent Ormsby County district attorney Horace F. Bartine.[3] Torreyson was re-elected unopposed in November 1884.[3] In November 1886 Torreyson was again re-elected against C.M. Harris, winning 540 votes to 352.[3] In November 1888 Torreyson was once again re-elected against Sam Lee, by a margin of 571 votes to 5 votes.[3]
On November 4, 1890, Torreyson was elected Attorney General of Nevada, winning 7,163 votes to 5,175 votes.[1] On January 5, 1891, Torreyson began his tenure as attorney general.[1] In 1894, Torreyson lost re-election.[1] Torreyson’s tenure as attorney general ended on January 7, 1895.[1]
Torreyson died on October 27, 1904.[4] Torreyson died of heart failure.[4]
Torreyson married Valrealma Evelyn French on August 12, 1891.[2] [4] Torreyson was part of a number of fraternal organizations, including the Freemasons, the Elks and the Knights of Pythias.[2] [5] In 1902, Torreyson became the supreme representative of the Knights of Pythias.[6]