Eugene H. Belden
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Eugene H. Belden (December 14, 1840January 6, 1910) was an American politician.


Biography

Eugene H. Belden was born in
Spring Arbor, Michigan Spring Arbor is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jackson County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population of the CDP was 2,881 at the 2010 census, up from 2,188 at the 2000 census. The CDP is located with ...
on December 14, 1840. After attending lower-level schools, he began attending Michigan Central College at age 15. At age 20, he started attending the
law department Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the art ...
of the
University of Michigan The University of Michigan (U-M, U of M, or Michigan) is a public university, public research university in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States. Founded in 1817, it is the oldest institution of higher education in the state. The University of Mi ...
. He also studied law in the office of Governor
Austin Blair Austin Blair (February 8, 1818 – August 6, 1894) was a politician who served as the 13th governor of Michigan during the American Civil War and in Michigan's House of Representatives and Senate as well as the U.S. Senate. He was known a ...
. Belden did not graduate from the University of Michigan, and he never practiced law, instead getting involved with farming and real estate. He had also served as justice of the peace and public notary. In 1880, Belden was elected as a Republican to the
Michigan House of Representatives The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2020 ...
, representing Jackson County's 3rd district. He served one term. In September 1884, Belden was nominated at the Jackson County Republican convention for the
state senate In the United States, the state legislature is the legislative branch in each of the 50 U.S. states. A legislature generally performs state duties for a state in the same way that the United States Congress performs national duties at ...
. He was defeated when running for the 7th district seat by Michael Shoemaker. In 1890, Belden attended the founding convention of the Industrial Party. The Industrial Party was a fusion of groups including the
Greenback Party The Greenback Party (known successively as the Independent Party, the National Independent Party and the Greenback Labor Party) was an Political parties in the United States, American political party with an Competition law, anti-monopoly ideolog ...
, the
Knights of Labor The Knights of Labor (K of L), officially the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor, was the largest American labor movement of the 19th century, claiming for a time nearly one million members. It operated in the United States as well in ...
, and the
Farmers' Alliance The Farmers' Alliance was an organized agrarian economic movement among American farmers that developed and flourished ca. 1875. The movement included several parallel but independent political organizations — the National Farmers' Alliance an ...
. By this time, Belden was a member of the Farmers' Alliance. Belden was nominated for governor by the new party. He received 13,198 votes in the general election. In August 1891, Belden was appointed by Governor Edwin B. Winans to serve on Michigan's
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commission. He served as vice president of the commission. In December 1891, Belden attended the first convention of the People's Party of Michigan. He became chairman of the state executive committee. In August 1892, he was nominated for the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
by the Populists. In January 1893, Belden received five votes for U.S. senator from the
Michigan Legislature The Michigan Legislature is the legislature of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is organized as a bicameral body composed of the Senate (the upper chamber) and the House of Representatives (the lower chamber). Article IV of the Michigan Con ...
. The Populists again nominated Belden for U.S. senator in July 1894. On January 6, 1910, Belden died after six months of illness. He was a widower by the time of his death.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hine, Milton B. 1840 births 1910 deaths Farmers from Michigan Michigan Populists Republican Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives People from Jackson County, Michigan 19th-century members of the Michigan Legislature