James F. Wilson
James Falconer "Jefferson Jim" Wilson (October 19, 1828 – April 22, 1895) was an American lawyer and politician. He served as a Republican U.S. Congressman from Iowa's 1st congressional district during the American Civil War, and later as a two-term U.S. Senator from Iowa. He was a pioneer in the advancement of federal protection for civil rights.
James Falconer Wilson | |
|---|---|
| United States Senator from Iowa | |
| In office March 4, 1883 – March 3, 1895 | |
| Preceded by | James W. McDill |
| Succeeded by | John H. Gear |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Iowa's 1st district | |
| In office October 8, 1861 – March 3, 1869 | |
| Preceded by | Samuel Ryan Curtis |
| Succeeded by | George W. McCrary |
| Member of the Iowa House of Representatives | |
| In office 1857 1859 | |
| Member of the Iowa Senate | |
| In office 1859–1861 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 19, 1828 Newark, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | April 22, 1895 (aged 66) Fairfield, Iowa, U.S. |
| Political party | Whig; Free Soil; Republican |
| Spouse | Mary A. K. Jewett Wilson |
| Profession | Politician, attorney |
| Signature | |
While in the United States House of Representatives, he had prominently opposed the 1867 effort to impeach President Andrew Johnson. However, he voted for the subsequent 1868 impeachment of Johnson, and served as a manager (prosecutor) in the Johnson's impeachment trial.
In the last half of the nineteenth century, two unrelated Iowans named James Wilson achieved high office, necessitating an early form of disambiguation. Representative and Senator James F. Wilson (of Jefferson County, Iowa) became known as "Jefferson Jim" Wilson, while Representative and Secretary of Agriculture James Wilson (of Tama County, Iowa) became known as "Tama Jim" Wilson.