James F. Wilson

James Falconer Wilson (* October 19, 1828 in Newark, Ohio, † April 22, 1895 in Fairfield, Iowa ) was an American politician ( Republican), who represented the state of Iowa in both chambers of Congress.

Lawyer and state politician

After his education, Wilson studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1851 and commenced practice in Newark. In 1853 he moved to Fairfield, Iowa.

In 1857 he was a member of the Constitutional Convention of Iowa, before he started his career as a parliamentarian. He was a deputy in 1857 and 1859 Iowa House of Representatives and State Senator from 1859 to 1861.

In Congress

1861 Wilson was elected to succeed the resigned Samuel Curtis in the U.S. House of Representatives. There he championed during his lasting until March 3, 1869 term of office for civil rights and was one of the opponents of President Andrew Johnson. He opposed the veto with respect to the Civil Rights Act of 1866 and the Reconstruction; during the impeachment of Johnson he voted for his impeachment, and was on the staff of the prosecution at the hearings in this case.

Johnson's successor as President, Ulysses S. Grant, Wilson offered the post of U.S. Secretary of State; but this was refused and instead government director of the Union Pacific Railroad. In 1872 he ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate; another attempt, however, was then crowned in 1882 by success. Wilson was one of the Senate 's re-election on 4 March 1883 to 3 March 1895. During this period he was also Chairman of the Mining Committee ( Committee on Mines and Mining). Only a few weeks after his departure from the Congress James Wilson died in Fairfield.