James H. Kyle

James H. Kyle
United States Senator fromSouth Dakota
In office March 4, 1891 – July 1, 1901
Preceded by	Gideon C. Moody
Succeeded by	Alfred B. Kittredge
Personal details
Born	James Henderson Kyle (1854-02-24)February 24, 1854 Cedarville, Ohio
Died	July 1, 1901(1901-07-01)(aged 47) Aberdeen, South Dakota
Political party	People's Party Republican
Signature

James Henderson Kyle(February 24, 1854 – July 1, 1901) was an American politician. One of the most successful members of thePopulist Party,he served for 10 years as a member of theUnited States SenatefromSouth Dakota,from 1891 until his death.Kyle, South Dakotawas named after him.

Biography

James Henderson Kyle was born at his family's farm inCedarville, Ohio.His parents were Capt. Thomas Beveridge Kyle and Margaret Jane Henderson Kyle and he had at least 5 siblings. His great-grandparents wereScottishandIrishimmigrants. At the age of 11 he moved with his family toUrbana, Illinois.

As a young man James Kyle had much difficulty choosing his career, but gained much education and supported himself by farming and teaching. He studied civil engineering at the University of Illinois and later graduated fromOberlin Collegein 1878. He considered a career in law but eventually decided to become aCongregationalminister and graduated from Western Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania in 1881. He then moved toSalt Lake City, Utahin 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 re-elected to the Senate by the state legislature in 1897.Soon after, as the Populist Party was disintegrating, Kyleswitchedto theRepublican 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 holidayLabor Day.Kyle strongly supported theSpanish–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 inAberdeen, South Dakotawhere he had lived from the late 1880s until 1891.

Kyle was married to Anna Eliza Dugot Kyle and they had two children.

See also

• Politics of the United States
• List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–49)

External links

• United States Congress."James H. Kyle (id: K000353)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Very favorable biography of Kyle.
• Memorial addresses on the life and character of James H. Kyle, late a representative from South Dakota delivered in the House of Representatives and Senate frontispiece 1902