Joseph Toole

Joseph Kemp Toole
Joseph Kemp Toole
Lieutenant	John Rickards
Preceded by	Benjamin F. White as governor Montana Territory
Succeeded by	John Rickards
	In office; January 7, 1901 – April 1, 1908
Lieutenant	Frank G. Higgins; Edwin L. Norris
Preceded by	Robert Smith
Succeeded by	Edwin Norris
Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana Territory's At-large district
	In office; March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889
Preceded by	Martin Maginnis
Succeeded by	Thomas H. Carter
Personal details
Born	May 12, 1851; Savannah, Missouri, U.S.
Died	March 11, 1929 (aged 77); Helena, Montana, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Alma mater	Western Military Institute, New Castle, Kentucky
Occupation	Lawyer
Signature

Joseph Kemp Toole (May 12, 1851 – March 11, 1929) was a

Governor of Montana

.

Biography

Toole was born in Savannah, Missouri and attended public school in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1868, he graduated from the Western Military Institute in New Castle, Kentucky with honors.^[4] He moved to Helena, Montana in 1870; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1871 and commenced practice in Helena. Toole was district attorney of the third judicial district of Montana (1872–1876), and a member of the Montana Territorial House of Representatives (1879-1881), and member and president of the Montana Territorial Council (1881–1883). He married Lily Rosecrans, daughter of General William Rosecrans, in 1890 and they had three children.^[5]

Career

Toole was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention at Helena in 1884 and 1889, and elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Congresses (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889);^[6] he did not seek renomination in 1888.

Toole was the

first Governor of Montana^[7] (the only Democrat on the ticket that year to be elected), serving from November 8, 1889, until January 1, 1893. He resumed practice of law in Helena. Toole was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions

in 1892 and 1904.

He served as the

fourth Governor of Montana from January 7, 1901 until April 1, 1908, when he resigned because of ill health. During his tenure, county treasurers were authorized to collect taxes on personal property, and there was legislation to ensure mine safety and mineworker protection.^[8]

Death

During retirement, Toole divided his time between his home in Helena and

San Francisco, California

, until his death on March 11, 1929, at the age of 77. He is interred at Resurrection Cemetery in Helena, Montana.

References

^ "Former State Governors". www.netstate.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.
^ Stout, Tom (1921). Montana, Its Story and Biography – Vol I. Chicago: American Historical Society. p. 444.
^ Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Joseph K. Toole". Great Falls Tribune. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
^ "Montana Governor Joseph Kemp Toole". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
^ "MISS ROSECRANS MARRIED". New York Times. May 8, 1890. Retrieved September 11, 2022.
^ "Joseph Toole". The Encyclopedia of Montana. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
^ "A Brief History of Montana". The Official Website for the State of Montana. Retrieved October 10, 2012.
^ "Joseph Toole". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

External links

United States Congress. "Joseph Toole (id: T000312)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
Joseph Toole at Find a Grave

Party political offices
First	Governor of Montana 1889	Succeeded by Timothy E. Collins
Preceded by Robert Burns Smith	Governor of Montana 1900, 1904	Succeeded by Edwin L. Norris
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Martin Maginnis	Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana Territory's at-large congressional district March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889	Succeeded by Thomas H. Carter
Political offices
Preceded by Benjamin F. White	Governor of Montana 1889–1893	Succeeded by John Rickards
Preceded by Robert B. Smith	Governor of Montana 1901–1908	Succeeded by Edwin Norris

[1] "Former State Governors". www.netstate.com. Retrieved October 8, 2013.

[2] Stout, Tom (1921). Montana, Its Story and Biography – Vol I. Chicago: American Historical Society. p. 444.

[jtoole-3] Tribune Staff. "125 Montana Newsmakers: Joseph K. Toole". Great Falls Tribune. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.

[4] "Montana Governor Joseph Kemp Toole". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 10, 2012.

[5] "MISS ROSECRANS MARRIED". New York Times. May 8, 1890. Retrieved September 11, 2022.

[6] "Joseph Toole". The Encyclopedia of Montana. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

[7] "A Brief History of Montana". The Official Website for the State of Montana. Retrieved October 10, 2012.

[8] "Joseph Toole". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 9, 2012.

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v t e Governors of Montana
Territorial (1864–1889)	Edgerton Meagher G. Smith Ashley Potts Crosby Carpenter Hauser Leslie White
State (since 1889)	Toole Rickards R. Smith Toole Norris Stewart Dixon Erickson Cooney Holt Ayers Ford Bonner Aronson Nutter Babcock Anderson Judge Schwinden Stephens Racicot Martz Schweitzer Bullock Gianforte

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