American Legislative Leaders, 1850-1910

(Hardback)

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It was a time of civil war and economic shift from an agrarian to an industrial society for the 1,390 speakers of state houses of representatives profiled in this unique biographical dictionary. The political climate and characteristics of the politicians as a group are surveyed in introductory material. This is followed by biographical entries which include a list of sources. The cumulated bibliography, arranged by state, is valuable. . . . There is no other such directory. Library Journal On the whole it is a useful compilation, providing a starting point for research into the lives of a cross-section of legislators in this period. . . . A necessary purchase for research libraries; recommended to all academic libraries with strong collections in state history. Choice During the years 1850-1910, the United States evolved from an agrarian to an industrial political economy. By the end of the century, industrialization has shifted the entire political system toward national government power, beginning a trend that continues today. An understanding of the importance of state government and, in particular, of the lower houses of the legislatures at this time is crucial to an understanding of how American politics was transformed in the second half of the nineteenth century. This study compares the speakers of these influential nineteenth-century American political bodies and focuses on the legislative issues of the period. The largest collection of biographical data of its kind to date, the book profiles the 1,390 speakers in the period from 1850 to 1910. The collective career analysis of the individuals covered provides an unprecedented exploration of the socioeconomic issues, the governmental processes, and the political behavior of the times to allow a more thorough understanding of the transition from an agrarian to an industrial state. This comprehensive study of state political power will provide fresh insight into the American legislative system of the latter half of the nineteenth century and will be of special value to scholars of American political history and political science.

Reviews

It was a time of civil war and economic shift from an agrarian to an industrial society for the 1,390 speakers of state houses of representatives profiled in this unique biographical directory. The political climate and characteristics of the politicians as a group are surveyed in introductory material. This is followed by biographical entries which include a list of sources. The cumulated bibliography, arranged by state, is valuable. . . . There is no other such directory.-Library Journal
This accurate and helpful source will make an excellent addition to most reference libraries.' Unusually informative, it fills many gaps, and provides data for future studies.-Government Publications Review
This biographical dictionary profiles the 1,390 men who served as speakers of the house in state or territorial legislatures between 1850 and 1910. A lengthy introduction outlines the nation's shift from agrarian to urban, industrial politics; the place of the legislatures during this time; and the leadership role of the speakers. The introduction concludes with a statistical analysis of data relating to the speakers' lives and careers, the factual data for which is contained in eight appendixes following the biographical sketches, and an extensive bibliography of sources. Biographies are arranged alphabetically and are succinct chronicles of personal and professional information, i.e., family background, education, church and fraternal memberships, party affiliations and political offices, business careers, and military service. Few of them contain information about a speaker's legislative initiatives or accomplishments, an unfortunate omission making it difficult to determine the importance of individual speakers or to confirm the authors' judgment that as a group they were the key members of the most important political bodies in the nineteenth-century U.S. political system.' On the whole it is a useful compilation, providing a starting point for research into the lives of a cross-section of legislators in this period and complementing sources such as the Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors, 1820-1980 (1981) and the Biographical Dictionary of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. A necessary purchase for research libraries; recommended to all academic libraries with strong collections in state history.-Choice
This innovative work is primarily a biographical dictionary of nearly 1,400 men (no women) who served as state legislative speakers during an important but relatively neglected period of American history. A 67-page introductory essay notes that the years 1850-1910 coincide with America's transformation from an agrarian to an industrial nation, and argues convincingly that "the speakers were the key members of the most important political bodies in the 19th-century U.S. political system." This essay also analyzes general characteristics and trends extrapolated from the cumulation of biographies. The dictionary proper--over 700 pages long--comprises entries of 250 to 500 words; each entry covers the subject's family background, religious ties, education, military career, and political career before and after his speakership, and concludes with a list of references. A 75-page bibliography is arranged, usefully, by state. Nine indexes complete the volume.-Preview
"It was a time of civil war and economic shift from an agrarian to an industrial society for the 1,390 speakers of state houses of representatives profiled in this unique biographical directory. The political climate and characteristics of the politicians as a group are surveyed in introductory material. This is followed by biographical entries which include a list of sources. The cumulated bibliography, arranged by state, is valuable. . . . There is no other such directory."-Library Journal
"This accurate and helpful source will make an excellent addition to most reference libraries.' Unusually informative, it fills many gaps, and provides data for future studies."-Government Publications Review
"This innovative work is primarily a biographical dictionary of nearly 1,400 men (no women) who served as state legislative speakers during an important but relatively neglected period of American history. A 67-page introductory essay notes that the years 1850-1910 coincide with America's transformation from an agrarian to an industrial nation, and argues convincingly that "the speakers were the key members of the most important political bodies in the 19th-century U.S. political system." This essay also analyzes general characteristics and trends extrapolated from the cumulation of biographies. The dictionary proper--over 700 pages long--comprises entries of 250 to 500 words; each entry covers the subject's family background, religious ties, education, military career, and political career before and after his speakership, and concludes with a list of references. A 75-page bibliography is arranged, usefully, by state. Nine indexes complete the volume."-Preview
"This biographical dictionary profiles the 1,390 men who served as speakers of the house in state or territorial legislatures between 1850 and 1910. A lengthy introduction outlines the nation's shift from agrarian to urban, industrial politics; the place of the legislatures during this time; and the leadership role of the speakers. The introduction concludes with a statistical analysis of data relating to the speakers' lives and careers, the factual data for which is contained in eight appendixes following the biographical sketches, and an extensive bibliography of sources. Biographies are arranged alphabetically and are succinct chronicles of personal and professional information, i.e., family background, education, church and fraternal memberships, party affiliations and political offices, business careers, and military service. Few of them contain information about a speaker's legislative initiatives or accomplishments, an unfortunate omission making it difficult to determine the importance of individual speakers or to confirm the authors' judgment that as a group they were the key members of the most important political bodies in the nineteenth-century U.S. political system.' On the whole it is a useful compilation, providing a starting point for research into the lives of a cross-section of legislators in this period and complementing sources such as the Biographical Dictionary of American Mayors, 1820-1980 (1981) and the Biographical Dictionary of the Governors of the United States, 1789-1978. A necessary purchase for research libraries; recommended to all academic libraries with strong collections in state history."-Choice

Author Bio

CHARLES F. RITTER is Professor and Chairman of the History Department at the College of Notre Dame in Maryland. JON L. WAKELYN is Professor and Chairman of the Department of History at the Catholic University of America. Among the works he has authored and edited are The Politics of a Literary Man (Greenwood, 1973), Biographical Dictionary of the Confederacy (Greenwood, 1977), and Southern Common People (Greenwood, 1980).