Gerrit J. Diekema
Encyclopedia
Gerrit John Diekema was a politician from the U.S. state
of 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.
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 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 March 17, 1908 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.
Later he was appointed United States Minister to the Netherlands by President Herbert Hoover
on August 20, 1929, and served until his death in The Hague
, Netherlands
. He was interred in Pilgrim Home Cemetery, Holland, Michigan.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Biography
Diekema was born in Holland, MichiganHolland, Michigan
Holland is a city in the western region of the Lower Peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated near the eastern shore of Lake Michigan on Lake Macatawa, which is fed by the Macatawa River ....
where he attended the common schools and graduated from Hope College
Hope College
Hope College is a medium-sized , private, residential liberal arts college located in downtown Holland, Michigan, a few miles from Lake Michigan. It was opened in 1851 as the Pioneer School by Dutch immigrants four years after the community was first settled...
in 1881. In 1883, he graduated from the law department of the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Ann Arbor is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of Washtenaw County. The 2010 census places the population at 113,934, making it the sixth largest city in Michigan. The Ann Arbor Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 344,791 as of 2010...
, was admitted to the bar
Bar (law)
Bar in a legal context has three possible meanings: the division of a courtroom between its working and public areas; the process of qualifying to practice law; and the legal profession.-Courtroom division:...
, and commenced practice in Holland.
Diekema became a city attorney and a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives
Michigan State House of Representatives
The Michigan House of Representatives is the lower house of the Michigan Legislature. There are 110 members, each of whom is elected from constituencies having approximately 77,000 to 91,000 residents, based on population figures from the 2000 federal U.S. Census.Members are elected in...
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
Michigan Republican Party
The Michigan Republican Party is the state affiliate of the national Republican Party in Michigan. It is sometimes referred to as MIGOP, which simply means Michigan Grand Old Party....
ten consecutive years from 1900 to 1910. He was a delegate to the 1896 Republican National Convention
1896 Republican National Convention
The 1896 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in a temporary structure south of the St. Louis City Hall in Saint Louis, Missouri, from June 16 to June 18, 1896....
and a member of the Spanish Treaty Claims Commission
Spanish Treaty Claims Commission
The Spanish Treaty Claims Commission was established by the United States at the conclusion of the Spanish-American War for the purpose of carrying out one of the terms of the treaty ending the war. The Commission was created by an Act of Congress approved March 2, 1901...
from 1901 until he resigned in 1907.
He was elected April 27, 1907, as a Republican from Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district
Michigan's 5th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan.It is currently a mostly industrial area , with Tuscola County being the main exception. It encompasses much of the area south of Saginaw Bay...
to the Sixtieth Congress
60th United States Congress
The Sixtieth United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1907 to March 4, 1909, during the last two years of...
, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of William Alden Smith
William Alden Smith
William Alden Smith was a U.S. Representative and U.S. Senator from the state of Michigan.-Early career:Smith was born in Dowagiac, Michigan and attended the common schools. He moved with his parents to Grand Rapids in 1872, where he attended school, sold popcorn, and was a newsboy and messenger boy...
. He was subsequently re-elected to the Sixty-first Congress
61st United States Congress
The Sixty-first United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from March 4, 1909 to March 4, 1911, during the first two years of...
, serving from March 17, 1908 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
Governor of Michigan
The Governor of Michigan is the chief executive of the U.S. State of Michigan. The current Governor is Rick Snyder, a member of the Republican Party.-Gubernatorial elections and term of office:...
in 1916. He was a delegate to the 1924 Republican National Convention
1924 Republican National Convention
The 1924 National Convention of the Republican Party of the United States was held in Cleveland, Ohio at the Public Auditorium from June 10 to June 12. For this convention the method of allocating delegates changed in order to reduce the overrepresentation of the South...
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.
Later he was appointed United States Minister to the Netherlands by President Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
on August 20, 1929, and served until his death in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He was interred in Pilgrim Home Cemetery, Holland, Michigan.