James Wilson (Secretary of Agriculture)
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Jim Wilson | |
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4th United States Secretary of Agriculture | |
In office March 6, 1897 – March 3, 1913 | |
President | William McKinley Theodore Roosevelt William Howard Taft |
Preceded by | Julius Morton |
Succeeded by | David Houston |
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 5th district | |
In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1885 | |
Preceded by | William George Thompson |
Succeeded by | Benjamin T. Frederick |
In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1877 | |
Preceded by | Francis W. Palmer |
Succeeded by | Rush Clark |
Personal details | |
Born | Ayrshire, Scotland | August 16, 1835
Died | August 26, 1920 Traer, Iowa, U.S. | (aged 85)
Political party | Republican |
Spouse |
Esther Wilbur (m. 1863–1892) |
Children | 6 |
Education | Grinnell College |
Signature | ![]() |
James "Tama Jim" Wilson (August 16, 1835 – August 26, 1920) was an American politician who served as
Personal background and family
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/ee/Flora_Hanna_Wilson.jpg/170px-Flora_Hanna_Wilson.jpg)
Wilson was born in Ayrshire, Scotland, on August 16, 1835. One of 14 children, he grew up in a farming community near the birthplace of Robert Burns.[1]
His family emigrated to America in 1852, settling in Connecticut before moving to Iowa in 1855, establishing a farm near Traer in Tama County. He attended the public schools and Iowa College (now Grinnell College) in Grinnell, Iowa. He married Esther Wilbur in May 1863. Together they had six children: Esther May, Peter McCosh, Flora Hanna, John Ward, George Wright and Jasper Abijah. Esther died on August 3, 1892; Wilson remained a widower for the remainder of his life.
Elective office
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/56/James_Wilson%2C_congressman_from_Iowa_and_Secretary_of_Agriculture.jpg/170px-James_Wilson%2C_congressman_from_Iowa_and_Secretary_of_Agriculture.jpg)
Wilson was elected to the Iowa House of Representatives in 1867, and served as speaker from 1870 to 1871 before becoming a professor of agriculture at what is now Iowa State University, where he encouraged the work of George Washington Carver.[2] Wilson was also appointed to the Board of Trustees (now Regents) of Iowa's public higher educational institutions, serving from 1870 to 1874.
In 1872, he was elected to represent
In 1882, he ran for Congress for the third time, this time against Democrat Benjamin T. Frederick. Wilson seemingly defeated Frederick in a very close race, but Frederick soon contested the election in the U.S. House. Wilson had been issued an election certificate by the State of Iowa, enabling him to be seated during the contest. The 1882 elections gave Frederick's Democratic Party control of the House.
Through a prolonged evidentiary proceeding in 1883, followed by
Secretary of Agriculture
Wilson rose to national prominence in early 1897 when newly elected President William McKinley nominated him as his Secretary for Agriculture. During sixteen consecutive years of Republican administrations, Presidents McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt and William Howard Taft retained him in that position. It was not until March 1913, following the election of a Democratic president (Woodrow Wilson) that Wilson left that office. In all, Wilson served as Secretary of Agriculture from March 6, 1897 to March 5, 1913—the longest duration served by any American cabinet official. The length of Wilson's tenure is attributed to not only the same political party occupying the White House in three consecutive administrations, but also the similarity in political philosophy among the three Presidents under which Wilson served.
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.
On the other hand, Wilson spent most of his long tenure attempting to limit the regulatory impact of the pure food movement, which had led to Congress's adoption of the Food and Drugs Act of 1906. Frequently siding with incumbent business interests, Wilson consistently worked against issues pursued by his striving chief chemist,
Later life, death and legacy
After leaving office at age 78, Wilson retired in Iowa. He died in Traer, Iowa on August 26, 1920, ten days after celebrating his eighty-fifth birthday. He was interred next to his wife in Buckingham Cemetery, Traer, Iowa.
See also
- List of foreign-born United States Cabinet members
- List of United States Cabinet members who have served more than eight years
References
- ^ a b Department of Animal Science. "James A. "Tama Jim" Wilson". Iowa State University. Archived from the original on May 3, 2013. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- ^ Special Collections Department. "James A. "Tama" Wilson Papers, RS 9/1/11". Iowa State University. Retrieved October 7, 2013.
- ^ Milner, John D. (June 22, 1973). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination: U.S. Department of Agriculture Administration Building". National Park Service. Retrieved May 10, 2009.
- ^ "Department People". USDA, June 25, 1943, p.3.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg/38px-Wikisource-logo.svg.png)
- United States Congress. "James Wilson (id: W000590)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
- James Wilson at Find a Grave
- James Wilson at The Political Graveyard