James Pearson (Nebraska politician)

James Pearson
14th Lieutenant Governor of Nebraska
In office
January 1915 – January 1917
GovernorJohn H. Morehead
Preceded bySamuel Roy McKelvie
Succeeded byEdgar Howard
Personal details
Born1873
Pana, Illinois
DiedApril 16, 1950 (aged 76)
Shenandoah, Iowa
Spouse(s)Emma L. Clouse (1st wife)date of death 1918
Nancy Robbins Albin (divorced)
Ellen
ChildrenLuella "Dollie" Pearson (Ledbetter/Zeigenbein)
, James Arthur
Willard Earl
Daisy Pearson (died at age 6)
Margaret Ann Pearson

James Pearson (1873 – April 16, 1950) served as lieutenant governor for the United States state of Nebraska from 1915 to 1917, and later went on to a successful career as a "radio pastor."

Pearson was born in Pana, Illinois in 1873 and moved to Cass County, Nebraska in 1885. He later moved west to Moorefield. He became a grain buyer, and served as a representative (66th district) in the Nebraska legislature from 1913 to 1915. In 1914 he was the Democratic party nominee for lieutenant governor, and served in that position from 1915 to 1917.[1][2][3]

Sometime after leaving office, he moved to Shenandoah, Iowa and became a popular radio preacher at KFNF, also nicknamed as the "newsboy" of the station.[4][5]

In 1932, he was nominated in jest as the candidate for U.S. vice president by the Nebraska Democratic delegation.[6] He died at Shenandoah, Iowa in 1950. He had been ill for a year after suffering a stroke.[7][8]

  1. ^ (29 October 1914). Democratic Candidates, Red Cloud Chief
  2. ^ (4 January 1915). Legislature Will Convene Tuesday, Omaha Daily Bee
  3. ^ Nebraska blue book - 1915, p. 440 (1915)
  4. ^ Plain Talk (excerpt) ("assistants at the microphone is the Honorable James Pearson, the elderly KFNF "newsboy", who in some bygone day was lieutenant-governor of Nebraska.")
  5. ^ (28 March 1941). Young People To Meet, St. Joseph News-Press (still preaching in 1941)
  6. ^ (15 May 1932). NEBRASKA POLITICS HAS GONE 'HAYWIRE', The New York Times
  7. ^ Mt Pleasant News, Monday, April 17, 1950, Mount Pleasant, Iowa, United States Of America
  8. ^ "James Pearson, Radio Pioneer, Dies at 76", Mason City Globe-Gazette, Monday, April 17, 1950, Mason City, Iowa, United States Of America