James STEDMAN

STEDMAN, WILKIN

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 8/22/2013 at 00:05:41

3 March 1873 ----- 14 December 1943

Engineman's Magazine, Official Publication of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers, March 1944, p. 146

Brother James Stedman Answers Final Call
For Many Years Was Chairman of Iowa State Legislative Board

By Clifford Simpson, President, Lodge 132, Eagle Grove, Iowa and H. H. Hartley, Chairman, Iowa State Legislative Board

In the late afternoon of December 14, 1943, death came suddenly to brother James Stedman of Eagle Grove, Iowa, for many years chairman of our Iowa State Legislative Board, and in that unhappy moment there was lost to the labor movement a wide counselor and a staunch and steadfast leader. We who knew Brother "Jim" so well can find comforting thought - he was stricken at full stride employing the last measure of his conscious strength in the cause of the common man who works for his daily bread. Jim wanted to meet the end that way.

Brother Stedman began his activities with the Iowa Legislative Board in 1898. In 1904 he was elected secretary-treasurer of the board. In 1905, being the ranking officer of the board, he called a meeting to convene in January, 1906. At that meeting he was elected chairman, and at each biennial election thereafter he was re-elected chairman of the board by acclamation up until February, 1938, at which time he retired voluntarily after having represented our legislative department in Iowa before the State General Assemblies from the 31st to and including the 47th which met in 1937; this period included four special sessions of the legislature.

Born in Vinton, Iowa, March 3, 1873, Brother Stedman entered the service of the Chicago and North Western Railway at Eagle Grove as fireman on November 15, 1895, and six months later was initiated into Lodge 132 of our Brotherhood. Promoted to engineer on January 28, 1900, he retired in 1938 after 43 years' continuous service. He had received and always wore his 40-year membership emblem.

Death resulted from a heart attack which occurred as he was entering the city offices, where he maintained a file and where he did some work. His accomplishments were many, and beyond question his untiring efforts in the interests of his fellowmen hastened his death.

Funeral Services were conducted December 18 by Rev. J. W. Howell, of Dubuque, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Eagle Grove with internment in Calvary Cemetery in that city.

Honorary pallbearers included: A. A. Couch, President, Iowa Federation of Labor; John Jeffreys, State Mine Inspector; J. C. Lewis, International Representative of the Miners; Frank Wilson, International Board Member, Miners; David G. Crowe of the Iowa Miners; Gwen McIlroy, Secretary-Treasurer, Women's Bureau, Iowa Federation of Labor; Major Frank Lund, Webster City, Iowa; Mart McCoy of Colorado; Judge Carl B. Stiger of Toledo; J. R. Pefferle, Member, Iowa Security Commission; Theodore Tollefson, past chairman and honorary member of our Iowa State Legislative Board, a member of Lodge 30, Waterloo, Iowa. Others in attendance included: Vice President J. L. Witherspoon; William Jeffreys, legislative representative for Iowa, Order of Railway Conductors; Joseph H. Meis, Council Bluffs, legislative representative, Lodge 658; Senator and Mrs. G. R. Hill of Clarion, Iowa; Brothers G. H. Stearns, secretary-treasurer of our Iowa Legislative Board; and J. F. Broderick, president, Lodge 29, Mason City, Iowa.

Brother Stedman devoted his abundant energy to the cause of the working man from the very beginning of his membership to the moment of his death. Upon retirement as chairman of the legislative board, he was made an honorary member of the board and named legislative advisor to the Iowa State Federation of Labor. In 1928 he represented his lodge as delegate to the 31st Convention of our Brotherhood in San Francisco, California.

There probably was no other man in Iowa who had so wide and varied an acquaintance with the states leading men as Brother Stedman. Repeatedly he was called to Des Moines and to Washington where he was consulted by governors and top government officials on matters of state and national labor policies. They knew him as one who could be trusted, one with whom they could confer freely. He never violated a trust or betrayed a confidence, and was never vindictive. He respected frank, open, and honest opposiiton, and through his long years of service had the admiration and esteem of all who knew him. Jim gave much to life and in return asked only to live by the side of the road and be a friend of man.

Brother Stedman was married at Eagle Grove August 31, 1904, to Miss Clara B. Wilkin, who survives him along with two sons, Donlan J. of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and Dr. J. W. Stedman of Lockhart, Texas. He is also survived by two brothers, Holmes H. of Toronto, Ontario, and Frank of Canadian, Texas. They have our sincere sympathy in their bereavement.

Labor has indeed lost another great leader, one who was honest in his convictions, and one who could always see some good in everyone. We shall ever cherish the memory of Brother Jim, especially those of us in Iowa who knew him best. We remember with warm feeling that he was one of us and we hope that the high regard in which he was held by so many in all walks of life may bring some small measure of comfort to his family who so keenly feel his absence.