James Wilson (U.S. politician)

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 a Scotland-born United States politician who served as United States Secretary of Agriculture from 1897 – 1913.He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on August 16, 1835.One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community not far from the birthplace of Robert Burns.

His family emigrated to America in 1852, settling in Connecticut before moving to Iowa in 1855, establishing a farm near Traer.Wilson was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1867, and served as speaker from 1870 to 1871 before becoming professor of agriculture at what is now Iowa 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 from March 6, 1897 to March 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 on August 26, 1920, ten days after his eighty-fifth birthday.

Wilson Hall, a dormitory at Iowa 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 a National 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] at The Political Graveyard


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • James Wilson (UK Labour politician) — James Wilson (24 August 1879 ndash; 15 August 1943) was a Labour Party politician in the United Kingdom. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Dudley from 1921 to 1922,and for Oldham from 1929 to 1931. References *Rayment …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (disambiguation) — There have been various people called James Wilson of significance:Politicians*James Wilson (1742 ndash;1798), signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence *James Wilson (UK politician) (1805 ndash;1860), UK member of parliament and …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (UK politician) — James Wilson (June 3, 1805 ndash; August 11, 1860) was a Scottish hat maker, politician and economist, as well as the founder of The Economist . Early lifeWilson was born in Hawick in the Borders. A successful disciplined autodidact scholar from… …   Wikipedia

  • James Wilson (politician) — James Wilson (April 9, 1825 August 8, 1867) was a United States Representative from Indiana. He was the father of John L. Wilson. He was born in Crawfordsville, Indiana. Later, he graduated from Wabash College, Crawfordsville, Indiana in 1842. He …   Wikipedia

  • Joe Wilson (U.S. politician) — Joe Wilson Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina s 2nd district Incumbent Assumed office …   Wikipedia

  • David Wilson (New Zealand politician) — David Wilson (1880 – 1977) was a New Zealand politician of the Labour Party. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, a tailor, and was a union organiser in Derbyshire, England before migrating to Australia in 1911 and New Zealand in 1916. He became a… …   Wikipedia

  • James Henderson — may refer to:* James Pinckney Henderson (1808–1858), American politician, first governor of Texas * James Wilson Henderson (1817–1880), American politician, fourth governor of Texas * James Henderson (Scottish politician) (born 1936), Scottish… …   Wikipedia

  • James Robertson — James Robertson, Jim Robertson, Jimmy Robertson and Jamie Robertson is a name shared by the following individuals:Public officials*James Robertson (loyalist) (1710 ndash;1788), Scottish English military official; civil governor of the Province of …   Wikipedia

  • James McKay — is the name of:* James McKay (Canadian politician), Canadian Member of Parliament * James McKay (fur trader) (1828–1879), Canadian fur trader, interpreter, and politician * James Iver McKay (1793 1853), United States Representative from North… …   Wikipedia

  • Wilson — /wil seuhn/, n. 1. Sir Angus (Frank Johnstone) /jon steuhn, seuhn/, 1913 91, English writer. 2. August, born 1945, U.S. playwright. 3. Charles Thomson Rees /tom seuhn rees/, 1869 1959, Scottish physicist: Nobel prize 1927. 4. Edmund, 1895 1972, U …   Universalium

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”