Biography Jacob S. Coxey Sr.

1 biography

1.1 years
1.2 first political interests
1.3 coxey s army
1.4 death , legacy

biography
early years

jacob sechler coxey born on april 16, 1854 in selinsgrove, pennsylvania, son of former mary ann sechler , thomas coxey. father worked in sawmill @ time jacob born, family pulled stakes move industrially thriving danville, pennsylvania in 1860, jacob s father taking job working in iron mill.

known jake, coxey excelled in school, attending local public schools , @ least 1 additional year in private academy before leaving take first job @ age of 16 water boy in mill father worked.

coxey spent 8 years @ iron mill, advancing through ranks water boy machine oiler, boiler tender, , stationary engineer. coxey left mill in 1878 establish business partnership uncle in harrisburg scrap-iron business. in capacity, coxey went on scrap iron buying trip town of massillon, located 325 miles east, in 1881. coxey liked town decided stay, cashing out of scrap iron business , using proceeds purchase large farm , establish quarry producing silica sand manufacture of glass , iron.

coxey passionate equestrian, bred blooded horses , raced or sold them across nation. horse racing among popular spectator sports in united states , coxey s horse-breeding enterprise prosperous, fell gambling on racing, contributed end of first marriage in 1888, after 14 years , 4 children.

coxey remarry in 1891, siring 2 more children, including son named legal tender in honor of father s quirky monetary obsessions.

first political interests

coxey born parents supported democratic party , entered politics under banner. coming of economic crisis of 1877, coxey became partisan of united states greenback party, ascribed nations economic woes faulty economic principles led severe contraction of money supply in years after american civil war. prosperity restored, greenbackers believed, issuance of sufficient quantities of paper money.

when people s party emerged @ start of 1890s, earned support of coxey , other greenbackers , shifted allegiance political organization.

coxey had experience laborer , employer; aware of agricultural situation. reformer willing spend time , money promote plans betterment of social order. coxey regarded many contemporary observers convincingly earnest. 1 reporter wrote, seems profoundly impressed suffering of mankind , belief there deep-laid plan of monopolist crush poor earth.

he branded crank challenging economic system made him prosperous.

coxey s army

in 1893 severe economic depression swept united states — crisis remembered panic of 1893. unemployment skyrocketed, bank runs paralyzed local financial system, , credit dried up, while protracted period of deflation put negative pressure on wages, prompting widespread lockouts , strikes.

never 1 short of either self-confidence or political ambition, coxey believed held key nation s economic woes , began espousing plan of public works, road improvement, financed through issuance of $500 million in paper money, backed government bonds. expenditure in 1 swoop improve infrastructure, put unemployed workers work, , loosen strangled credit situation, coxey believed.

to accompany novel , controversial economic program, organized around slogan roads, coxey devised novel political strategy designed force united states government action. rather attempt form conventional political organization capture decision-making offices, coxey decided upon course of later known direct action — assembly of mass of unemployed workers boldly march on washington, dc demand immediate satisfaction of needs congress. plan began take shape in spring of 1894, point march managing editor of chicago record assign young reporter ray stannard baker cover queer chap down there in massillon getting army of unemployed march on washington.

many members of coxey’s family opposed involvement in coxey’s army. father refused talk reporters , called son stiff necked, cranky, , pig-headed. 1 of coxey’s sisters called him embarrassment.

he member of socialist party circa 1912.

death , legacy

coxey lived 97 years old. when asked secret longevity, told reporters array of reasons elixirs not resisting temptation.