Omer Madison Kem | |
|---|---|
.jpg) From 1896'sAn Illustrated Congressional Manual: The United States Red Book | |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's6th district | |
| In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1897 | |
| Preceded by | District created |
| Succeeded by | William Laury Greene |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's3rd district | |
| In office March 4, 1891 – March 3, 1893 | |
| Preceded by | George Washington Emery Dorsey |
| Succeeded by | George de Rue Meiklejohn |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1855-11-13)November 13, 1855 |
| Died | February 13, 1942(1942-02-13) (aged 86) |
| Political party | Populist |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 8 |
Omer Madison Kem (November 13, 1855 – February 13, 1942) was an AmericanPopulist Party politician.
Omer Madison Kem was born inHagerstown, Indiana on November 13, 1855.[1]
He moved toCuster County, Nebraska in 1882 and toBroken Bow, Nebraska in 1890 where he farmed. He was deputy treasurer of Custer County from 1890 to 1891. He was elected as a Populist to theUnited States House of Representatives from 1891 to 1897, serving first the 3rd district and then the 6th district when the number of representatives from Nebraska was increased following the1890 national census. He did not run for reelection in 1896.
Kem went toMontrose, Colorado, to grow fruit and raise cattle. While out of office, he led the campaign to appropriate public land for theGunnison Tunnel, which was approved by Congress in 1902.[2]: 104 He was elected to theColorado House of Representatives in 1907. He then moved toCottage Grove, Oregon, in 1908,[1] where he became interested in electric light and power enterprises. He worked and served as president of the Cottage Grove Electric Company until it was sold toMountain States Power (now PacifiCorp) in 1922.[1] He retired in 1922.
While his term in the United States House had been dominated by Populist economic issues, during the second half of his life, Kem increasingly advocated forracial segregation andeugenics.[2]: 161 He supported theinvoluntary sterilization of criminals.[2]: 178
Kem married Nancy Lenore Benson in 1874. She died in 1883.[1] He married Alice Maria Lockheart in Nebraska in 1885.[1] He had five daughters and three sons (Claude, Huxley, and Victor).[1]
Kem was a lifelong atheist and condemned Christianity for its opposition to eugenics.[2]: 165 However, he practicedspiritualism, which was common in Midwest Populist circles. During his term in the House and afterwards, he took credit for spiritual healing through aspirit guide which he described as anAmerican Indian named "Fleet Wind".[2]: 85–87
Kem wrote a twelve-volume autobiography, eleven volumes of which are stored atCreighton University in Nebraska. The twelfth volume, entitled "Spiritualist Notes," is in a private collection.[2]
Kem died in Cottage Grove on February 13, 1942.[1] He was cremated and the ashes scattered.
This article incorporatespublic domain material fromBiographical Directory of the United States Congress.Federal government of the United States.| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's 3rd congressional district 1891 – 1893 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by Seat created | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromNebraska's 6th congressional district 1893 – 1897 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
| Other | |
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