Lieutenant John Rickards Succeeded by Edwin Norris Preceded by Benjamin F. White Name Joseph Toole | Succeeded by John Rickards Party Democratic Party Preceded by Robert Smith | |
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Lieutenant Frank G. Higgins
Edwin L. Norris Role Former Governor of Montana Died March 11, 1929, Helena, Montana, United States Education Western Military Institute Previous offices Governor of Montana (1901–1908), Governor of Montana (1889–1893) | ||
Joseph Kemp Toole (May 12, 1851 – March 11, 1929) was a Democratic politician from Montana. He served as the first and fourth Governor of Montana.
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Biography
Toole was born in Savannah, Missouri and attended public school in St. Joseph, Missouri. In 1868, he graduated from the Western Military Institute in New Castle, Kentucky with honors. He moved to Helena, Montana in 1870; studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1871 and commenced practice in Helena. Toole was district attorney of the third judicial district of Montana 1872–1876 and a member of the Montana Territorial House of Representatives from 1879 to 1881; member and president of the Territorial council 1881–1883. He married Lily Rosecrans and they had three children.
Career
Toole was a delegate to the State Constitutional Convention at Helena in 1884 and 1889 and elected as a Democrat to the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth Congresses (March 4, 1885 – March 3, 1889); he did not seek renomination in 1888.
Toole was the first Governor of Montana, (the only Democrat on the ticket that year to be elected) serving from November 8, 1889, until January 1, 1893. He resumed the practice of law in Helena. Toole was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1892 and 1904.
He served as the fourth Governor of Montana from January 7, 1901 until April 1, 1908, when he resigned because of ill health. During his tenure, county treasurers were authorized to collect taxes on personal property, and there was legislation to ensure mine safety and mineworker protection.
Death
During retirement, Toole divided his time between his home in Helena and San Francisco, California until his death on March 11, 1929, at the age of 77. He is interred at Resurrection Cemetery in Helena, Lewis and Clark County, Montana, US.