James Philip Eagle
James Philip Eagle (born August 10, 1837 in Maury County , Tennessee , † December 19, 1904 in Little Rock , Arkansas ) was an American politician and governor of the state of Arkansas between 1889 and 1893 .
Early years and political advancement
James Eagle came to Arkansas early with his parents. There he attended the local schools. Between 1859 and 1861 he was a sheriff in Prairie County . During the civil war he fought on the side of the south and made it to the rank of colonel. After the war ended, he attended Mississippi College . However, he had to drop out of school for health reasons.
Between 1873 and 1878, Eagle was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives . He was even speaker of the house in 1875 . Between 1880 and 1904 he was director of the Arkansas Baptist Church. In 1888 he was elected as the Democratic Party candidate for the new governor of Arkansas , with 54:46 percent of the vote against C. M. Norwood, the candidate of the Union Labor Party . In connection with this election, there were unproven rumors of election fraud at the time.
Arkansas Governor
Eagle took up his new office on January 8, 1889. After being re-elected in 1890, he was able to serve as governor for a total of four years. The main points of his tenure were reform of state prisons, improved school policies and the promotion of immigration to Arkansas. He campaigned for a fairer tax system and better control of the railways. On the other hand, he introduced segregation in Arkansas. As a first step, blacks had to sit in separate compartments from whites when traveling. Racial segregation in Arkansas was generally tightened during his tenure. On the other hand, the governor supported the demands of the women's rights movement for women's suffrage . An internal dispute within the Democratic Party was settled in his time.
After his tenure ended, Eagle remained active in his church. He was a member of a government committee, but was fired from Governor Jefferson Davis after he had supported an opponent of Davis. James Eagle died of heart failure in December 1904.
literature
- Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport, 1978. 4 volumes.
Web links
- James Philip Eagle in the National Governors Association (English)
- James Philip Eagle in the Arkansas Encyclopedia (English)
- James Philip Eagle in the database of Find a Grave (English)
Individual evidence
personal data | |
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SURNAME | Eagle, James Philip |
ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Eagle, James |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American politician, governor of Arkansas |
DATE OF BIRTH | August 10, 1837 |
PLACE OF BIRTH | Maury County , Tennessee |
DATE OF DEATH | December 19, 1904 |
Place of death | Little Rock , Arkansas |