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Jacob Sechler Coxey, Sr., sometimes known as General Coxey (April 16, 1854 – May 18, 1951), of Massillon, Ohio, was an American politician who ran for elective office several times in Ohio. 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. ==Personal life== Coxey was born on April 16, 1854 in Selinsgrove, Pennsylvania. His family moved to the industrially thriving Danville, Pennsylvania when he was six years old. Known as Jake, Coxey excelled in school and took his first job at the age of 16 as a water boy in the mill where his father worked.〔Schwantes, Carlos A. Coxey's army: an American odyssey. Lincoln, NE: University of Nebraska Press, 1985.〕 Coxey spent eight years at the water mill, advancing to stationary engineer, before he left to pursue other business endeavors. In May 1881, Coxey went to Ohio to look at property and decided to stay. He erected a crushing mill and quickly began accumulating wealth. He was often branded as a crank for challenging the economic system that made him so prosperous.〔 In addition to his ranch in Massillon, Ohio, he owned ranches in Lexington, Kentucky and Guthrie, Oklahoma. Coxey was a passionate equestrian. He bred blooded horses and raced or sold them across the nation.〔McMurry, Donald L. Coxey's army; a study of the industrial army movement of 1894. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1968.〕 Many criticized his sporting propensities and his obsession with the track is often cited as the cause of his first divorce. He was married in 1874 to Carrie Coxey. They had four children before divorcing after 14 years. He married again in 1891 to Henrietta Jones and had two more children. Coxey’s youngest son was named Legal Tender, a reflection of his obsession with monetary reform.〔 Many members of Coxey’s family were opposed to his involvement in Coxey’s Army. His father refused to talk to reporters and called his son "stiff necked", "cranky" and "pig-headed".〔 One of Coxey’s sisters called him an embarrassment. Coxey lived to be 97 years old. When asked his secret to longevity, he told reporters an array of reasons from elixirs to not resisting temptation.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Jacob S. Coxey, Sr.」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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