Jefferson P. Kidder

Jefferson Parish Kidder ( born June 4, 1815 in Braintree, Orange County, Vermont, † October 2, 1883 in St. Paul, Minnesota ) was an American politician. Between 1875 and 1879 he acted as delegate to the Dakota Territory in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

Jefferson Kidder attended the public schools of his home and then the Norwich Military Academy in Northfield. Subsequently, he worked in agriculture and as a teacher. After studying law Kidder was admitted to the bar in 1839. Then he started in Braintree and West Randolph to work in his new profession.

Kidder was first a member of the Democratic Party. In 1843 he was member of a commission to revise the constitution of Vermont. From 1843 to 1847 he was a prosecutor from 1847 to 1848 and member of the Senate from Vermont. Thereafter he served 1853-1854 as Deputy Governor of the state. In 1856, Jefferson was Kidder delegate to the Democratic National Convention, was nominated for the James Buchanan as their presidential candidate of the party. In 1857 he moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, and three years later he moved to the Republicans. From 1863 to 1864 he was a deputy in the House of Representatives from Minnesota. On February 23, 1865 Jefferson Kidder was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to a Supreme Court judge in Dakota Territory. For this reason, he moved to Vermillion in present-day South Dakota. Kidder retained his judgeship until 24 February 1875.

Rise in the Congress and other CV

In the congressional elections of 1874 he was elected as the successor of Moses K. Armstrong for Delegate to the Dakota Territory in the U.S. House of Representatives. After a re-election in 1876 he was able to exercise this mandate between 4 March 1875, and March 3, 1879. As a delegate however, he had no vote in Congress. For the congressional elections of 1878 he was not nominated by his party. Hence his seat went in the following legislative session at Granville G. Bennett. After retiring from Congress Kidder was appointed by President Rutherford B. Hayes again as a judge to the Supreme Court of Dakota Territory. This office he held until his death in 1883.

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