John St. John (American politician) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John St. John
8th Governor of Kansas
In office January 13, 1879 – January 8, 1883
Lieutenant	Lyman U. Humphrey David Wesley Finney
Preceded by	George T. Anthony
Succeeded by	George Glick
Member of the Kansas Senate from the 9th District
In office 1873–1874
Personal details
Born	John Pierce St. John (1833-02-25)February 25, 1833 Brookville, Indiana, U.S.
Died	August 31, 1916(1916-08-31) (aged 83) Olathe, Kansas, U.S.
Political party	Republican
Other political affiliations	Prohibition (1884)
Spouses	Mary Jane Brewer Susan Parker
Children	3
Parents	Samuel St. John (father) Sophia Snell (mother)
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	Union Army
Years of service	1853-1854 1861-1864
Rank	Lieutenant colonel
Unit	143rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment
Battles/wars	American Indian Wars American Civil War

John Pierce St. John (born February 25, 1833 – died August 31, 1916) was an important American politician. He served as the eighth Governor of Kansas. He was also the candidate for president in 1884 for the Prohibition Party. During his time as governor, Kansas became one of the first states to ban alcohol statewide. This ban lasted for many years. After leaving office, he continued to be active in politics, especially with the Prohibition Party.

Early Life and Family

John Pierce St. John was born on February 25, 1833, in Brookville, Indiana. His parents were Samuel St. John and Sophia Snell. In 1852, when he was 19, he led a team of oxen to California. While in California and Oregon, he was involved in conflicts with the Modoc people, a Native American tribe.

John was a member of the Congregational church for many years. In the 1870s, he changed his faith and became a Christian Scientist. He was married twice. From 1852 to 1859, he was married to Mary Jane Brewer, and they had one son before they divorced. On March 28, 1860, he married Susan J. Parker. They had two children together.

Political Career

Military Service and Early Politics

During the American Civil War, John St. John served in the Union Army. He was a lieutenant colonel in the 143rd Illinois Volunteer Infantry Regiment from 1861 to 1864. After the war, he lived in Independence, Missouri. In 1869, he moved to Olathe, Kansas.

His political career began in Kansas. From 1873 to 1874, he served in the Kansas Senate. He was a member of the Republican Party.

Governor of Kansas

John St. John became the Governor of Kansas in 1879 and served until 1883. He was the first Kansas governor to have a formal inauguration ceremony.

He strongly supported the temperance movement. This movement aimed to reduce or stop the use of alcohol. He successfully pushed for an amendment to the state's constitution in 1881. This amendment led to a statewide ban on alcohol in Kansas.

Governor St. John also helped create the Kansas Freedmen's Relief Association. This group assisted African Americans who moved to Kansas during the Great Exodus in 1879. Many African Americans moved to Kansas seeking a better life after the Civil War. In 1879, a religious community was renamed St. John in his honor. This was done to help the town become the county seat of Stafford County.

In 1882, he tried to win a third term as governor. However, he was defeated by George Washington Glick.

Presidential Campaign

In the 1884 presidential election, John St. John was the candidate for the Prohibition Party. This party focused on banning alcohol nationwide. During his campaign, he faced some danger. On October 2, 1884, a bullet nearly hit him, striking a window nearby.

He received 147,482 votes in the election. This was about 1.5% of all votes. This was a big increase in votes for the Prohibition Party compared to the previous election. This was partly due to support from Frances Willard and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Some people blamed him for the defeat of another candidate, James G. Blaine. On November 27, 1884, a crowd in Topeka, Kansas, even burned a dummy of him.

He continued to be active in the Prohibition Party. He was the chairman of their national convention in 1888. He helped write the party's goals. He chose not to run for president again in 1892. Instead, he supported John Bidwell. At the 1896 Prohibition convention, there was a disagreement within the party. St. John supported adding women's right to vote and other issues to the party's platform. When these ideas were rejected, he and others left the convention. They formed a new group called the National Party. After the 1896 election, he became less involved with the Prohibition Party for a while. He joined the People's Party but later returned to the Prohibition Party.

Later Life and Legacy

On December 3, 1887, John St. John and some followers bought land in Newhall, California. They wanted to create a community where alcohol was not allowed. In 1912, he traveled around Kansas to support women's suffrage, which was the movement for women to gain the right to vote.

John St. John passed away on August 31, 1916, in Olathe, Kansas. He had suffered from heat exhaustion. His funeral was attended by important figures, including the current Governor, Arthur Capper.

Electoral history

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  John St. John

See also

In Spanish: John St. John para niños