Jacob S. Coxey Sr.
Jacob S. Coxey Sr. | |
|---|---|
Portrait by C. M. Bell c. 1894 | |
| Mayor of Massillon, Ohio | |
| In office January 1, 1931 – December 31, 1931 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jacob Sechler Coxey April 16, 1854 |
| Died | May 18, 1951 (aged 97) Massillon, Ohio, U.S. |
| Party | Greenback (1874–89) People's (1891–1908) Socialist (1910–1912) Independent (1908–26) Republican (1926–32) Farmer–Labor (1932–36) Union (1936) Democratic (1936–42) |
| Spouse(s) |
Caroline Amerman
(m. 1874; div. 1888)Henrietta Jones (m. 1891) |
| Children | 6 |
| Profession | Businessman, landowner, political activist |
Jacob Sechler Coxey Sr. (April 16, 1854 – May 18, 1951), sometimes known as General Coxey, was an American politician and perennial candidate. Twice, in 1894 and 1914, he led "Coxey's Army", a group of unemployed men who marched to Washington, D.C., to present a "Petition in Boots" demanding that the United States Congress allocate funds to create jobs for the unemployed. Although the marches failed, Coxey's Army was an early attempt to arouse political interest in an issue that grew in importance until the Social Security Act of 1935 encouraged the establishment of state unemployment insurance programs. He was also the Farmer–Labor Party's candidate for president in 1932.