By Ray Hill William S. Vare was a very rare species, a Republican big-city political boss. Vare rose to the heights of politics in Pennsylvania and occupied a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives for 14 years. The GOP machine in Philadelphia was notorious in the...

By Ray Hill Most of history is unknown, and it is always fun for me to dust off certain tales and people and share those stories.  Largely forgotten today, James Graves Scrugham lived an interesting and productive life.  At various times, he was an engineer, a...

By Ray Hill Readers are likely not familiar with Edouard V. Izac, who led a life filled with adventure and heroism, service and sacrifice, danger and deprivation.  When he died, Izac was the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from the First World War.  A graduate...

By Ray Hill Just about everyone is familiar with the infamous feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys, which may have cost the lives of as many as 100 men and women.  Henry Drury Hatfield was a nephew of William A. “Devil Anse” Hatfield.  The future governor and...

By Ray Hill Above average height, lean and with his neat thatch of graying hair combed back from his forehead, David Aiken Reed looked like he might have been born to the American aristocracy.  During his time in the U.S. Senate, Reed was described as “a higher type...

By Ray Hill Gifford Pinchot (pronounced Pin-Show) was the epitome of the aristocrat in politics. Immensely wealthy, Pinchot dedicated himself to conservation and was a perennial office seeker. The future governor was motivated to participate in politics for a number...

By Ray Hill There were several Congressional districts across the country largely populated by immigrants.  There were districts in New York City with a heavy Italian population, while similar districts in Illinois and Michigan were inhabited by Polish citizens. ...

By Ray Hill Andrew Jackson May was a colorful Democrat whose career was derailed by corruption.  The backwoods lawyer from rural Kentucky was one of the fiercest critics of the Tennessee Valley Authority in the House of Representatives.  May was a man who relished...

By Ray Hill Kentucky was not quite so solidly a Democratic state as many of its sister border and southern states; Republicans could periodically win statewide elections, but Democrats held a strong advantage in most state, local and federal elections in the Bluegrass...

By Ray Hill For decades, Tennessee was either a largely or solidly Democratic state, especially in statewide elections.  Democrats also dominated the congressional seats from Tennessee save for the First and Second Congressional Districts.  Tennessee had only once...