James H. Kyle
Encyclopedia
James Henderson Kyle was an American politician. One of the most successful members of the Populist Party
he served for 10 years as a member of the United States Senate
from South Dakota
from 1891 until his death.
James Kyle was born at his family's farm in Cedarville, Ohio
. His parents were Thomas and Jane Kyle and he had at least five siblings. His great-grandparents were Scottish
and Irish
immigrants. At the age of 11 he moved with his family to Urbana, Illinois
.
As a young man Kyle had much difficulty choosing his career, but gained much education and supported himself by farming and teaching. He studied civil engineering and law but eventually decided to become a congregational
minister. He graduated from Western Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania in 1881 and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah
in 1882 to become pastor of a church and director of a seminary there. In 1885 he moved to South Dakota because it was better for his wife's health. He continued to be a minister until 1891.
In 1890 he entered politics at the urging of many people after he made a passionate political address. This was shortly after South Dakota became a state. He was first elected to the state senate but shortly after that he was elected to the United States Senate. He refused to join a political party and was one of few people to enter the Senate as an independent, but he was supported by the state Democratic party at this time. During his first term in the Senate he joined the emerging Populist Party. Kyle was reelected to the Senate by the state legislature in 1897. Soon after, as the Populist Party was disintegrating, Kyle switched
to the Republican Party
.
Kyle served on many committees in the Senate. From 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1901 he was the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and from 1895 to 1897 he was the chairman of a committee to establish a university of the United States. Kyle was one of the main sponsors of a bill to create the holiday Labor Day
. Kyle strongly supported the Spanish-American War
. Kyle was known as a hard-working, articulate senator who defended the rights of workers. From 1898 to 1901 he served as a member of the National Industrial Commission.
Kyle began to suffer from serious health problems in 1898. He died at the age of 47 in Aberdeen, South Dakota
where he had lived from the late 1880s until 1891.
Kyle was married to Anna Eliza Dugot Kyle and they had two children.
Populist Party (United States)
The People's Party, also known as the "Populists", was a short-lived political party in the United States established in 1891. It was most important in 1892-96, then rapidly faded away...
he served for 10 years as a member of the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
from South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
from 1891 until his death.
Cedarville, Ohio
Cedarville is a village in Greene County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,828 at the 2000 census. It is the home of Cedarville University and Cedarville High School.Cedarville is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. His parents were Thomas and Jane Kyle and he had at least five siblings. His great-grandparents were Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
immigrants. At the age of 11 he moved with his family to Urbana, Illinois
Urbana, Illinois
Urbana is the county seat of Champaign County, Illinois, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 41,250. Urbana is the tenth-most populous city in Illinois outside of the Chicago metropolitan area....
.
As a young man Kyle had much difficulty choosing his career, but gained much education and supported himself by farming and teaching. He studied civil engineering and law but eventually decided to become a congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister. He graduated from Western Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania in 1881 and moved to Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City, Utah
Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...
in 1882 to become pastor of a church and director of a seminary there. In 1885 he moved to South Dakota because it was better for his wife's health. He continued to be a minister until 1891.
In 1890 he entered politics at the urging of many people after he made a passionate political address. This was shortly after South Dakota became a state. He was first elected to the state senate but shortly after that he was elected to the United States Senate. He refused to join a political party and was one of few people to enter the Senate as an independent, but he was supported by the state Democratic party at this time. During his first term in the Senate he joined the emerging Populist Party. Kyle was reelected to the Senate by the state legislature in 1897. Soon after, as the Populist Party was disintegrating, Kyle switched
Party switching
Party-switching is any change in political party affiliation of a partisan public figure, usually one currently holding elected office.In many countries, party-switching takes the form of politicians refusing to support their political parties in coalition governments...
to the Republican Party
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
.
Kyle served on many committees in the Senate. From 1893 to 1895 and from 1897 to 1901 he was the chairman of the Committee on Education and Labor, and from 1895 to 1897 he was the chairman of a committee to establish a university of the United States. Kyle was one of the main sponsors of a bill to create the holiday Labor Day
Labor Day
Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September that celebrates the economic and social contributions of workers.-History:...
. Kyle strongly supported the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
. Kyle was known as a hard-working, articulate senator who defended the rights of workers. From 1898 to 1901 he served as a member of the National Industrial Commission.
Kyle began to suffer from serious health problems in 1898. He died at the age of 47 in Aberdeen, South Dakota
Aberdeen, South Dakota
Aberdeen is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States, about 125 mi northeast of Pierre. Settled in 1880, it was incorporated in 1882. The city population was 26,091 at the 2010 census. The American News is the local newspaper...
where he had lived from the late 1880s until 1891.
Kyle was married to Anna Eliza Dugot Kyle and they had two children.