Delegates to the 1917 Convention of the Socialist Party of America

Convention was held April 7-14, 1917, at St. Louis, MO.

 

200 voting delegates were authorized by the terms of the convention call for this gathering. The following list of delegates (slightly less than 200) along with their city of residence, nation of birth, and occupation appears in the Duke University collection of papers of the SPA. Some 41 states and the District of Columbia were represented, along with fraternal delegates from 8 foreign language federations and the YPSL.

 

Arizona

J.R. Barnett --- Chandler --- America --- farmer

Cory Davenport --- Miami --- America --- carpenter

 

Arkansas

Clay Fulks --- Searcy --- America --- teacher

Dan Hogan --- Huntington --- America --- lawyer & editor * on War & Militarism Committee

 

California

Job Harriman --- Los Angeles --- America --- lawyer * on War & Militarism Committee

Cameron H. King --- San Francisco --- America --- clerk * On Platform Committee

Harry McKee --- Fresno --- America --- lawyer

Walter Thomas Mills --- Berkeley --- America --- teacher

T.W. Williams --- Los Angeles --- America --- State Secretary SPA * on Constitution Committee

 

Colorado

W.P. Collins --- Boulder --- America --- apiarian

Jennie McGehe --- Denver --- America --- State Secretary SPA * On Organization Committee

 

Connecticut

Martin F. Plunkett --- Wallingford --- America --- State Secretary SPA

P.H. Shea --- New Britain --- "Irish descent" --- salesman

George Speiss, Jr. --- Hartford --- "German descent" --- lecturer * on War & Militarism Committee

 

Delaware

L.lP. McGuigan --- Wilmington --- America --- clerk

 

District of Columbia

Julian Pierce --- Washington --- America --- State Secretary SPA * On Resolutions Committee

 

Florida

Franklin Pimbley --- Tampa --- America --- [???]

George White --- Jacksonville --- America --- State Secretary SPA

 

Georgia

Mary Raoul Millis --- Atlanta --- America --- State Secretary SPA * on Constitution Committee * On Organization Committee

 

Idaho

Elda B. Conly --- Chicago, IL --- America --- bookkeeper * On Organization Committee

C.F. Fields --- Nampa --- America --- plumber & State Secretary SPA

I.F. Stewart --- Nampa --- America --- music teacher

 

Illinois

Barney Berlyn --- Chicago --- [Holland] --- cigar maker

John Berg --- Moline --- [???] --- machinist

Paul H. Castle --- West Frankfort --- [???] --- miner

Clarence Diehl --- Chicago --- [???] --- cigarmaker

Adolph Dreifuss --- Chicago --- Germany --- Translator-Secretary SPA

Samuel H. Holland --- Chicago --- Russia --- lawyer * On Ways and Means Committee

Robert Howe --- Chicago --- America --- clerk

John C. Kennedy --- Chicago --- America --- State Secretary SPA * on Constitution Committee

Dr. S.A. Kopnagel --- Chicago --- Russia --- physician

Victor Lindquist --- Rock Island --- America --- machinist

Duncan McDonald --- Springfield --- America --- miner * On Organization Committee

Dr. Karl Sandberg --- Chicago --- [???] --- physician

 

Indiana

William W. Farmer --- Anderson --- America --- machinist

W.F. Jackman --- Indianapolis --- America --- paper hanger

William H. Henry --- Indianapolis --- America --- lawyer & State Secretary SPA * on Constitution Committee * On Organization Committee

Florence Wattles --- Kokomo --- [???] --- [???]

Joseph Zimmerman --- Marion --- Russia --- Organizer SPA * On Resolutions Committee

 

Iowa

Charles T. Bowman --- Cedar Rapids --- Sweden --- boilermaker

I.S. McCrillis --- Des Moines --- America --- State Secretary SPA * On Organization Committee

Harold Metcalf --- Davenport --- [???] --- [???]

 

Kansas

Ella Baldwin --- Kansas City --- America --- [???]

Ida A. Beloof --- Winfield --- America --- [???] * On Ways and Means Committee

George W. Kleihege --- Lawrence --- America --- [???]

Milo M. Mitchell --- Kingman --- America --- [???]

 

Kentucky

Walter J. Millard --- Newport --- [???] --- writer & lecturer * On Platform Committee * On Resolutions Committee

 

Louisiana

J.R. Jones --- Georgetown --- America --- State Secretary SPA

 

Maine

Desire Baker --- Fairfield --- America --- accountant

H.J.P. Enemark --- Portland --- Denmark --- shoemaker

 

Maryland

Maynard Shipley --- Baltimore --- America --- editor * on War & Militarism Committee

S.L. Young --- Hagerstown --- America --- real estate

 

Massachusetts

Victor Annalo --- Fitchburg --- Finland --- Secretary Finnish Federation SPA

Abraham Bloom --- Brockton --- [???] --- [???]

Charles E. Fenner --- Worcester --- America --- insurance agent * On Ways and Means Committee

Eugene Hough --- Newton --- America --- painter

George Makela --- Fitchburg --- Finland --- editor

Louis Marcus --- Boston --- Russia --- cigarmarker

James Oneal --- Boston --- America --- State Secretary SPA

George E. Roewer, Jr. --- Boston --- America --- lawyer (Secretary of convention)

Max H. Schulze --- Holyoake --- Germany --- editor

Frank J. Swrjala --- Fitchburg --- Finland --- editor

 

Elizabeth Goldstein of Massachusetts was an Assistant Secretary of the convention.

 

Michigan

D.F. Earley --- Detroit --- America --- [???]

Edward O. Foss --- Muskegon --- Germany --- physician

H.A. Hedden --- Jackson --- [???] --- carpenter

John Keracher --- Detroit --- Scotland --- State Secretary SPA

John Kiiskila --- Hancock --- Finland --- [???]

Al Renner --- Detroit --- [???] --- [???]

Maurice Sugar --- Detroit --- America --- lawyer * On Ways and Means Committee

Robert Westfall --- Detroit --- [???] --- [???]

 

Minnesota

F.W. Adams --- Minneapolis --- England --- [???]

B.J. Lacher --- Minneapolis --- "Swiss" --- [???]

Anna A. Maley --- Minneapolis --- America --- teacher & stenographer * on Constitution Committee

Charles Rastedt --- Minneapolis --- Finland --- [???]

George Sahlman --- Cloquet --- Finland --- clothing manager

W.A. Stafford --- Minneapolis --- America --- [???]

L. Vanderbergh --- Minneapolis --- Holland --- painter & decorator\

O.M. Wassing --- Minneapolis --- America --- [???]

 

Missouri

W.M. Brandt --- St. Louis --- America --- cigarmaker

Kate Richards O'Hare --- St. Louis --- America ---editor * Chair of War & Militarism Committee

G.A. Hoehn --- St. Louis --- Germany --- journalist

 

Montana

Albert F. Meissner --- Butte --- [???] --- boilermaker * On Ways and Means Committee

J.J. McElroy --- McElroy --- [???] --- [???]

 

Nebraska

G.C. Porter --- Omaha --- America --- [???]

 

New Hampshire

P.J. Leonard --- Concord --- Ireland ---- baker

 

New Jersey

Valentine Bausch --- Jersey City --- America --- [???]

George Goebel --- Newark --- America --- [???] * on Constitution Committee

Henry Green --- Newark --- Romania --- [???]

Milo C. Jones --- Newark --- America --- State Secretary SPA

Frederick Krafft --- Ridgefield --- America --- [???]

Patrick L. Quinlan --- Passaic --- Ireland --- [???] * on War & Militarism Committee

James M. Reilly --- New York City --- America --- traveling salesman

 

New Mexico

Walter B. Dillon --- Las Vegas --- America --- bookkeeper * on War & Militarism Committee

S. Parks --- Las Cruces --- America --- jeweler

 

New York

Allan L. Benson --- Yonkers --- America --- journalist & writer

Axel W. Berggren --- Jamestown --- America --- sheet metal worker

F.G. Biedenkapp --- Brooklyn --- Germany ---- [???]

Louis B. Boudin -- Brooklyn --- [Russia] --- lawyer * on War & Militarism Committee

Joseph D. Cannon --- New York --- America --- miner

Julius Gerber --- New York City --- [Riga, Latvia, Russian Empire] --- sheet metal worker

Morris Hillquit --- New York --- [Riga, Latvia] Russia --- lawyer * on War & Militarism Committee

William Hilsdorf --- Rochester --- America --- lithographer

Algernon Lee --- New York --- America --- teacher * on War & Militarism Committee

Ludwig Lore --- Brooklyn --- [Germany] --- [editor] * On Platform Committee

Max Ludlow --- New York City --- [???] --- [???]

Stephen J. Mahoney --- Buffalo --- America --- retail clerk

Charles W. Noonan --- Schenectady --- Canada --- metal polisher

[James Oneal --- New York -- America --- journalist] * On Platform Committee

Moses Oppenheimer --- New York --- [Bavaria, Germany] --- [???]

A. Pauly -- Brooklyn --- [???] --- [???]

John C. Rovitch --- Bronx --- Russia --- [???]

Fred Sander --- Syracuse --- America --- [???]

James C. Sheahan --- Albany --- America -- plasterer

Usher Solomon --- New York City --- [???] --- [???] * on Constitution Committee

 

North Dakota

C.C. Loomis -- Maxbass --- America --- [???]

H.R. Martinson -- Minot --- America --- [???]

L.M. Shelden --- Liston (?) --- America --- [???]

 

Ohio

Charles Baker --- Hamilton --- America --- safe worker * On Ways and Means Committee

Willam Barnard --- Cleveland --- [???] --- [???]

Tom Clifford --- Cleveland --- America --- printer * On Resolutions Committee

Joseph Jodlbauer --- Clevland --- Austria --- [???]

Frank Midney --- Toldeo --- [???] --- [???] * on War & Militarism Committee

William Patterson --- Toledo --- [???] --- [???] * On Platform Committee

Marguerite Prevey --- Akron --- [America] --- [???] * On Resolutions Committee

C.E. Ruthenberg --- Cleveland --- America --- purchasing agent * on War & Militarism Committee

Alfred Wagenknecht --- Lakewood --- Germany --- State Secretary SPA (Assistant Secretary of convention) * On Organization Committee

Scott Wilkins --- Wapakanota (?) --- America --- real estate agent

 

Oklahoma

W.N. Conley --- Allen --- America --- railroad man

J.T. Cumbie --- Lindsay --- America --- lecturer

J. Houchin --- Moore --- America --- farmer * On Organization Committee

A.T. Jones --- Sentinel --- America --- [???]

Harold L. Oder --- Dewey --- America --- repair man * On Resolutions Committee

J.A. Lewis --- Tarlequah --- America --- [???]

Minos --- Parker --- America --- [???]

E.L. Moore --- Wagoner --- America --- [???]

Russell --- Elk City --- America --- salesman

A.C. Sechrist --- Lawton --- America --- [???]

T.B. Smith --- Hominy --- America --- carpenter

S.C. Stair --- Walter --- America --- farmer

Stanwood --- Stroud --- America --- [???] * On Platform Committee

W.W. Terry --- Ringwood --- America --- [???]

Thompson --- Roll --- America --- [???]

S.L. Thurmond --- Caney --- America --- farmer

H.C. Tuttle --- Tulsa --- America --- linotype operator * On Ways and Means Committee

 

Leonard Johnson (ALTERNATE FOR TERRY) --- Welutka --- America --- farmer

S.W. Samplet (ALTERNATE FOR GEIST) -- America --- [???]

 

Oregon

Victor J. McCone --- Portland --- America --- State Secretary SPA

William N. Reivo --- Astoria --- Finland --- [???]

Albert Streiff --- Portland --- America --- [???]

 

Pennsylvania

William Adams --- Wilkinsburg --- America --- agent

J. Mahlon Barnes --- Philadelphia --- America --- cigarmaker * On Platform Committee

Dalton T. Clarke --- Washington --- America --- [???]

Mary Garber --- Greensburg --- America --- [???]

Edward Hayden --- Mineral Point --- America --- molder

William J. Higgins --- Philadelphia --- America --- [???]

[James H. Maurer --- Reading --- America --- trade union official] * On Resolutions Committee

John R. McKeowin --- Farrell --- America --- tin worker

H.E. Myers --- York --- America --- cigarmaker * On Ways and Means Committee

Maude Ross --- Oil City --- [???] --- [???]

Henry Stump --- Pittsburgh --- America --- cigarmaker

Jane Tate --- Pittsburgh --- Engand --- teacher

C. William Thompson --- York --- America --- editor

Birch L. Wilson --- Reading --- America --- lawyer * On Resolutions Committee

 

Rhode Island

Joseph M. Coldwell --- Providence --- America --- shoemaker

E.W. Theinert --- Albion --- America --- farmer

 

South Dakota (each delegate 1/2 vote)

E.F. Atwood --- Sisseton --- America --- gardner

W.P. Butler --- Aberdeen --- America --- civil engineer

F.L. Fairchild --- Philip --- America --- farmer

I.M. Iverson --- Madison --- America --- engineer

 

J.R. Catton (ALTERNATE) --- Wanboy --- America --- [???]

 

Texas

William S. Simpson --- Cisco --- [???] --- [???]

 

Utah

Murray F King --- Salt Lake City --- [???] --- [???] * On Platform Committee

C.T. Stoney --- Salt Lake City --- [???] --- [???]

 

Vermont

John Spargo --- [???] --- England --- [writer] * on War & Militarism Committee

 

Virginia

J.C. Duke --- Richmond --- America --- [???]

 

Washington

S. Bonnevie --- Everett --- America --- [???]

Emil Herman --- Everett --- America --- State Secretary SPA

Laura M. House --- Spokane --- America --- [???] * On Ways and Means Committee

L.E. Katterfeld --- Seattle --- [Germany] --- [???] * on Constitution Committee

Ed Maurer --- North Yakima --- America --- business agent

Kate Sadler --- Seattle --- [???] --- [???] * on War & Militarism Committee

Joseph Thomas --- Aberdeen --- [???] --- [???] * On Platform Committee

 

West Virginia

G.W. Gillespie --- Huntington --- America --- [???]

M.S. Holt --- Weston --- America --- physician

 

Wisconsin

Victor L. Berger --- Milwaukee --- Austria --- Editor * on War & Militarism Committee

Robert Busch --- Milwaukee --- Germany --- livery

Winfield R. Gaylord --- Milwaukee --- America --- lawyer * on Constitution Committee

Leo Krzycki --- Milwaukee --- America --- laundry

N.P. Nielsen --- Racine --- Denmark --- [???]

Emil Seidel --- Milwaukee -- America --- patternmaker

Gerrit T. Thorn --- Osh Kosh --- America --- lawyer

 

Wyoming

George E. Bateman --- Ackme --- [???] --- [???]

W.W. Paterson --- Rock Springs --- [???] --- [???]

 

 

state unknown

[Caldwell] * On Organization Committee

[Gregory ] * On Resolutions Committee

 

 

 

FRATERNAL DELEGATES (non-voting)

 

Foreign-Speaking Organizations

Josef Novak (Bohemian) --- newspaper reporter

Santeri Nuorteva (Finnish) --- editor

R. Zickmann (German) --- editor

John LaDuca (Italian) --- Translator-Secretary SPA

Max Goldfarb (Jewish) --- [???]

Theodore Breslauer (Polish) --- [???]

N. Juel Christensen (Scandinavian) --- Translator-Secretary SPA

Frank Petrich (South Slavic) --- Translator-Secretary SPA

 

Young People's Socialist League

William F. Kruse --- Executive Secretary YPSL

 

source: Document "Delegates to National Emergency Convention Held April 7th to 14th, 1917 at St. Louis, Mo." (7 pages) on Socialist Party of America Papers microfilm (Duke University), reel 6.