- James Wilson (U.S. politician)
Infobox US Cabinet official
name=James Wilson
order=4th
title=United States Secretary of Agriculture
term_start=March 6 ,1897
term_end=March 5 ,1913
predecessor=Julius S. Morton
successor=David F. Houston
birth_date=birth date|1835|8|16|mf=y
birth_place=Ayrshire ,Scotland
death_date=death date and age|1920|8|26|1835|8|16
death_place=Traer, Iowa , U.S.
party=Republican
spouse=
profession=Politician ,Lawyer
religion=James Wilson (
August 16 ,1835 –August 26 ,1920 ) was aScotland -bornUnited States politician who served asUnited States Secretary of Agriculture from 1897 – 1913.He was born inAyrshire ,Scotland , onAugust 16 ,1835 .One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community not far from the birthplace ofRobert Burns .His family emigrated to America in 1852, settling in
Connecticut before moving toIowa in 1855, establishing a farm nearTraer .Wilson was elected to theIowa House of Representatives in 1867, and served as speaker from 1870 to 1871 before becoming professor of agriculture at what is nowIowa State University .In 1873, he was elected to Congress as a Republican member of the
United States House of Representatives . It was during this time that he became known as "Tama Jim" to distinguish him from the Iowa member of the senate, James F. Wilson. Wilson served two terms in the House of Representatives. He also served as Dean of Agriculture at Iowa State University from 1890 to 1897.He rose to national prominence when President
William McKinley made him Secretary for Agriculture. Presidents T. Roosevelt and Taft retained him as secretary, and it was only when in 1912, a Democrat was elected president (Woodrow Wilson ) that he ceased to be in that office, at the age of 78.Wilson served as Secretary of Agriculture fromMarch 6 ,1897 toMarch 5 ,1913 — the longest duration served by any American cabinet official.His tenure as Secretary of Agriculture is known as a period of modernization of agricultural methods. He also organized greater food inspection methods, as well as great improvement of many roads across the country. After leaving office, Wilson retired and died in
Traer, Iowa onAugust 26 ,1920 , ten days after his eighty-fifth birthday.Wilson Hall, a
dormitory atIowa State University , was named in his honor. His home,The Farm House (Knapp-Wilson House) , now on the Iowa State University campus grounds, has been aNational Historic Landmark since 1964.ources
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18517287 James Wilson] at
Find A Grave
* [http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/wilson5.html James Wilson] atThe Political Graveyard
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