Gerrit J. Diekema

Gerrit John Diekema (March 27, 1859 – December 20, 1930) was a politician from the U.S. state of Michigan.

Gerrit J. Diekema
Ambassador of the United States to the Netherlands
In office
November 20, 1929 – December 20, 1930
Preceded byRichard M. Tobin
Succeeded byLaurits S. Swenson
Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party
In office
1927–1929
Preceded byKennedy L. Potter
Succeeded byHoward C. Lawrence
In office
1900–1910
Preceded byArthur Marsh
Succeeded byW.F. Knox
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Michigan's 5th district
In office
May 15, 1907 – March 3, 1911
Preceded byWilliam Alden Smith
Succeeded byEdwin F. Sweet
31st Speaker of the Michigan House of Representatives
In office
1889–1889
Preceded byDaniel P. Markey
Succeeded byPhilip B. Wachtel
Member of the Michigan House of Representatives
from the Ottawa County 1st district
In office
1885–1892
Preceded byJohn B. Perham
Succeeded byCharles K. Hoyt and John W. Norrington (Ottawa County)
Personal details
Born
Gerrit John Diekema

(1859-03-27)March 27, 1859
Holland, Michigan
DiedDecember 20, 1930(1930-12-20) (aged 71)
The Hague, Netherlands
Resting placePilgrim Home Cemetery, Holland, Michigan
Political partyRepublican
Alma materUniversity of Michigan

Biography

Diekema was born in Holland, Michigan, where he attended the common schools and graduated from Hope College in 1881. In 1883, he graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Holland.

Career

Diekema became a city attorney and a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives serving from 1885 to 1891 from Ottawa County 1st District, serving as speaker from 1889 to 1890. He became mayor of Holland in 1895 and chairman of the Michigan Republican Party ten consecutive years from 1900 to 1910. He was a delegate to the 1896 Republican National Convention and a member of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission from 1901 until he resigned in May 1907.

He was elected April 27, 1907, as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district to the Sixtieth Congress, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Alden Smith. He was subsequently re-elected to the Sixty-first Congress, serving from May 15, 1907,[1] to March 3, 1911. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1910 to the Sixty-second Congress and resumed the practice of law in Holland, Michigan.

He became manager of the Republican Speakers’ Bureau in Chicago in 1912 and a candidate in the primary for Governor of Michigan in 1916. He was a delegate to the 1924 Republican National Convention from Michigan. After seventeen years he was re-elected chairman of the Michigan Republican Party, serving from 1927 to 1929, a record total of twelve years.

Diekema was appointed United States Minister to the Netherlands by President Herbert Hoover on August 20, 1929, and served until December 1930.[2]

Personal life

On December 20, 1930, Diekema died in The Hague, Netherlands. Diekema was interred in Pilgrim Home Cemetery, Holland, Michigan.[2]

Bibliography
  • Schrier, William (1970). Gerrit J. Diekema, orator; a rhetorical study of the political and occasional addresses of Gerrit J. Diekema. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans. OCLC 692685.
  • Vander Hill, Charles Warren (1970). Gerrit J. Diekema. Grand Rapids: W. B. Eerdmans. OCLC 96421.

References
  1. "Becomes Congressman". The Times Herald. May 15, 1907.
  2. "Diekema, Gerrit John (1859-1930)". politicalgraveyard.com. Retrieved February 21, 2010.

Public Domain This article incorporates public domain material from the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

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