John Pickler

{{Short description|American politician (1844–1910)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = John Pickler | image = John A. Pickler.jpg | state = South Dakota | district = {{ushr|SD|AL|at-large}} | term_start = November 2, 1889 | term_end = March 3, 1897 | predecessor = District created | successor = John Edward Kelley | birth_date = {{Birth date |1844|1|24}} | birth_place = Salem, Indiana, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1910|6|13|1844|1|24}} | death_place = Faulkton, South Dakota, U.S. | resting_place = Faulkton Cemetery, Faulkton, South Dakota, U.S. | party = Republican | spouse = Alice Alt Pickler | alma_mater = University of Iowa<br>University of Michigan | occupation = Attorney | allegiance = {{flag|United States|1863}} | branch = Union Army | service_years = 1862–1865 | unit = 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment | rank = 35px|border Major | battles = American Civil War }}

'''John Alfred Pickler''' (January 24, 1844 - June 13, 1910) was an American politician. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.

==Biography== Pickler was born in Salem, Indiana, and moved to Davis County, Iowa, in his youth. He attended public schools in Davis and enlisted in the 3rd Iowa Cavalry Regiment during the American Civil War.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=P000329|title=PICKLER, John Alfred, (1844 - 1910)|publisher= Biographical Directory of the United States Congress |access-date= October 4, 2012}}</ref> He was promoted to the rank of major by the end of the war.

He graduated from the University of Iowa in 1870, attended the Old University of Chicago Law School in 1871 and graduated from the law school at the University of Michigan in 1872. He was admitted to the bar in 1872 and began practicing law in Kirksville, Missouri.

The Maj. John A. Pickler Homestead is on the National Register of Historic Places.

==Career== Pickler was a Republican politician. He was elected district attorney of Adair County, Missouri, in 1872. He moved to Muscatine, Iowa, and served in the Iowa House of Representatives from 1882 to 1884.<ref name="iaga">{{cite news |title=Representative John Alfred Pickler |url=https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/legislator?ga=19&personID=4426 |agency=Iowa General Assembly |access-date=June 14, 2024}}</ref> He moved to the Dakota Territory and served in the territorial legislature between 1885 and 1886.<ref name="sdlrc">{{cite news |title=John A. Pickler |url=https://sdlegislature.gov/Historical/Legislator/Profile/3473 |access-date=June 14, 2024 |agency=South Dakota Legislative Research Council}}</ref> While serving in the Dakota Legislature, he played a key role in introducing the territory's first bill to give women the right to vote.<ref>{{cite book | title= Journal of the House of Representatives of the Sixteenth Session of the Territorial Legislature of Dakota Territory, 1885|date = 1885|publisher=Tribune, Printers and Binders|url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951d00383243h&view=1up&seq=145 |page=139}},</ref>

After South Dakota was admitted as a state, he was elected as a Republican to Seat A, one of South Dakota's at-large seats in the United States House of Representatives. He was reelected in 1890, 1892, and 1894, and served from November 2, 1889, to March 3, 1897.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/john_pickler/408726|title= Rep. John Pickler|publisher=govtrack.us|access-date= October 4, 2012}}</ref> Pickler and his wife, Alice Alt Pickler, worked for women's suffrage in the state.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Schnell|first=Sydnee|last2=Rozum|first2=Molly P.|title=Biographical Sketch of Alice Alt Pickler|url=https://documents.alexanderstreet.com/d/1010596370|journal=Biographical Database of NAWSA Suffragists, 1890-1920|via=Alexander Street}}</ref> In his final term he was chairman of the Committee on Invalid Pensions. He chose not to run for re-election in 1896.

After leaving Congress, Pickler resumed the practice of law, and also became active in the real estate business.

==Death== Pickler died on June 13, 1910, in Faulkton, South Dakota, at the age of sixty-six. He is interred at Faulkton Cemetery in Faulkton.

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links==  * {{Biographical Directory of Congress|P000329|John Alfred Pickler}} * {{Find a Grave|6407984|John Alfred Pickler}} * [http://www.govtrack.us/congress/members/john_pickler/408726 John Pickler] at GovTrack.us

{{s-start}} {{s-par|us-hs}} {{US House succession box | state=South Dakota | district=AL | before=District created | after=John Edward Kelley | years= November 2, 1889 – March 3, 1897}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pickler, John}} Category:1844 births Category:1910 deaths Category:Republican Party members of the Iowa House of Representatives Category:Members of the Dakota Territorial Legislature Category:People from Salem, Indiana Category:University of Chicago Law School alumni Category:University of Michigan Law School alumni Category:Republican Party United States representatives from South Dakota Category:People from Davis County, Iowa Category:People from Faulkton, South Dakota Category:Women's suffrage in South Dakota Category:American suffragists Category:People of Iowa in the American Civil War Category:19th-century United States representatives