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Cannon (JOSEPH GURNEY an American)

JOSEPH GURNEY, an American public official, born in Guilford, N. C., in 1836. He was educated in the public schools and after studying law was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1858. From 1861 to 1868 he was State's attorney of the 27th Judicial District of Illinois. He was elected to the 43d Congress in 1873, and was re-elected to successive Congresses until 1891, when he was defeated. From 1893 to 1913 he was successively re-elected and was defeated again in 1914, but was successful in the election of 1915. He was also re-elected in 1917 and in 1919. He was chairman of the Committee on Appropriations in the 51st, 55th, 56th, and 57th Congresses, and was speaker of the House in the 58th, 59th, 60th, and 61st Congresses.

In this position he became one of the most prominent political figures in the country. He also had a large part in the formation of the most important legislation passed during his period of office. He was the oldest member of the House of Representatives in the point of years of service. In the Republican National Convention of 1908 he received 58 votes for the presidential nomination.

He was a frequent contributor to magazines on political subjects.