James M. Harvey (politician)

For other people with the same name, see James Harvey (disambiguation).
"Senator Harvey" redirects here. For other uses, see Senator Harvey (disambiguation).

James M. Harvey
United States Senator
from Kansas
In office
February 12, 1874 – March 3, 1877
Preceded byRobert Crozier
Succeeded byPreston B. Plumb
5th Governor of Kansas
In office
January 11, 1869 – January 13, 1873
LieutenantCharles Vernon Eskridge
Peter Percival Elder
Preceded byNehemiah Green
Succeeded byThomas A. Osborn
Member of the Kansas House of Representatives
In office
1865–1866
Member of the Kansas Senate
In office
1867–1868
Personal details
Born(1833-09-21)September 21, 1833
Monroe County, Virginia
DiedApril 15, 1894(1894-04-15) (aged 60)
Riley County, Kansas
Political partyRepublican
SpouseCharlotte Richardson Cutter
Professioncivil engineer, soldier, surveyor, farmer
Military service
Branch/serviceUnion Army
Years of service1861–1864
RankCaptain
Unit4th Kansas Volunteer Infantry
10th Kansas Volunteer Infantry
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

James Madison Harvey (September 21, 1833 – April 15, 1894) was a United States senator from Kansas and fifth Governor of Kansas.

Born near Salt Sulphur Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia), Harvey attended common schools in Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa. He married Charlotte Richardson Cutter and they had nine children.

Harvey became a civil engineer and headed west as a prospector to Pike's Peak in 1859 as a Fifty-Niner. After meeting several discouraged miners along the way, Harvey decided to settle instead in Kansas Territory, so he acquired a plot of land in Riley County near Fort Riley and engaged in agricultural pursuits. From 1861 to 1864, he served with the Union Army during the Civil War, advancing to the rank of captain in the 4th Kansas Infantry, which failed to complete organization and was consolidated with other recruits to form the 10th Kansas Infantry. He attained the rank of captain, commanding the 14th Regiment, Kansas State Militia.[1]

Harvey was elected to the Kansas House of Representatives, 1865–1866, and then elected to the Kansas Senate in 1867–1868. He was Governor of Kansas for two terms, serving from 1868 to 1872, and then elected as a Republican to the U.S. Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Alexander Caldwell, where he served from February 12, 1874, to March 3, 1877.

After his U.S. Senate term, Harvey worked as a government surveyor in New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and Oklahoma, before returning to Kansas in 1890 to resume agricultural pursuits. Harvey County, Kansas, was named for him.[2]

Harvey died near Junction City, Kansas, in 1894. Interment was in Highland Cemetery, Junction City.[3]

References

  1. ^ "James M. Harvey". National Governors Association. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  2. ^ Blackmar, Frank Wilson (1912). Kansas: A Cyclopedia of State History, Embracing Events, Institutions, Industries, Counties, Cities, Towns, Prominent Persons, Etc. Standard Publishing Company. pp. 813.
  3. ^ "James M. Harvey". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
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Party political offices
Preceded by Republican nominee for Governor of Kansas
1868, 1870 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Kansas
1869–1873 		Succeeded by
U.S. Senate
Preceded by U.S. senator (Class 2) from Kansas
February 12, 1874 – March 3, 1877 		Succeeded by