James Wilson - Secretary of Agriculture

WILSON, TAFT, GALLATIN, MCKINLEY, GRANT

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall (email)
Date: 7/30/2005 at 15:54:59

Mr. Taft's New Cabinet. Sketches of the Men Whom Our New President Has Chosen as His Advisors and Assistants.
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James Wilson, Secretary of Agriculture.

If Secretary Wilson continues to hold the agricultural portfolio until next November, he will have broken the record for continuous cabinet service which is now held by Albert Gallatin, once secretary of the treasury, who served twelve years, eight months and twenty-five days. Secretary Wilson was appointed at the outset of the McKinley administration. He was born in Ayrshire, Scotland in 1835 and at the age of 17 was brought to this county by his parents. He was educated in the public schools of Iowa and Iowa college. He is engaged in farming and entering state politics was a member of the 12th, 13th and 14th assemblies of Iowa, being elected as speaker of the assembly at his last term. He served three terms in congress. In the 48th congress his seat was contested and the opponents of General Grant, who was nearing his end at Mount McGregor, used the seating contest for a filibuster to defeat the Grant retirement bill. Mr. Wilson saved the measure by resigning on the stipulation that the Grant bill should be immediately passed.

-source: Daily Journal; Telluride, Colorado
March 10, 1909

-transcribers note: according to the 'Iowa Official Register', James Wilson served in the Iowa Legislature from Jan 13, 1868 (start of the 12th assembly) - April 23, 1872 (end of the 14th assembly) and in an adjourned session of the 14th from Jan. 15, 1873-Feb. 20, 1873. He was Speaker of the House of Representatives in the 14th assembly. He was elected from Buckingham, Tama co. Iowa

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