James Kirkpatrick (politician)

For other politicians of this name, see James Kirkpatrick (disambiguation).

James C. Kirkpatrick (June 15, 1905 – December 26, 1997) was an American politician from Missouri, United States.

James C. Kirkpatrick
32nd Secretary of State of Missouri
In office January 11, 1965 – January 8, 1985
Governor	Warren Hearnes Kit Bond Joseph Teasdale Kit Bond
Preceded by	Warren Hearnes
Succeeded by	Roy Blunt
Personal details
Born	(1905-06-15)June 15, 1905 Braymer, Missouri, U.S.
Died	December 26, 1997(1997-12-26) (aged 92) Warrenburg, Missouri, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Jessamine Young Doris Houx
Alma mater	Central Missouri State College

Early life

He was born in Braymer, Missouri, graduated from Northeast High School in Kansas City, Missouri and Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri. He was a member of Sigma Tau Gamma fraternity. He started his newspaper career at The Daily Star-Journal in Warrensburg and rose to be its editor. He went on to be editor of the Jefferson City News-Tribune. He purchased weekly newspapers Windsor, Missouri Review and then the Lamar, Missouri Democrat. Governor Forrest Smith asked him to write speeches for him. In 1960 he was defeated by Warren Hearnes in his first bid for Missouri Secretary of State. He won his first term in 1964.^[1]

Career

A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Missouri Secretary of State from 1965 to 1985, establishing the current Missouri record for tenure of an elected state constitutional officer.

Kirkpatrick was a publisher by trade; the Northwest Missouri Press Association gives an annual award bearing his name.

Legacy

Numerous public facilities in Missouri have been named in Kirkpatrick's honor. Senate Concurrent Resolution 36, passed in 1998, renamed Missouri's State Information Center the James C. Kirkpatrick Information Center. The main library at the University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri, is named the James C. Kirkpatrick Library. A replica of his capital office, located previously in the former Ward Edwards Library,^[2] can be found on the second floor, and a collection of his public and private papers is held in their Special Collections.

The Student Government Association at the University of Central Missouri has established the "James C. Kirkpatrick Excellence in Governance Award" for outstanding public service and the promotion of higher education in Missouri. This acknowledgment of service is awarded every spring for the past 23 years in the James C. Kirkpatrick Library around St. Patrick's Day in honor of Kirkpatrick's heritage.

Past recipients include:

• Governor Matt Blunt,
• Deleta Williams, State Representative and former UCM Board of Governors member,
• Senator Claire McCaskill,
• Governor Jay Nixon,
• Robin Carnahan, Missouri Secretary of State,
• David Pearce, State Representative,
• Paul LeVota, House Democratic Leader.